In Buddhism, man cannot escape 4 stages of life:
Birth, old age, illness and death.
(No racial offense intended)
Of the 4 stages, death gives the most impact on others.
Imagine, chatting happily with a person today and the next day that same person passes away...
It's an indescribable feeling. You can say that it's a mix of sadness, regret, emptiness, etc.
But to me, it's still indescribable.
Death can strike anywhere, anyone, anytime and in any way. But one thing is for sure, it will happen sooner or later. This time, it hit my cousin, Sek Jia Yuen.
Since birth, he had this disease which gradually degenerates his muscles.
When he was young, he could walk, but was extremely fragile as he would not be able to support his own body if he falls.
When he does fall, his body would sustain injuries that a normal person could avoid such as chin injury.
He also had to undergo X-ray scans just to make sure that his bones weren't fractured.
He always needed support, both physically and emotionally.
His mother would always be there for him. To care for him and help him cope with life.
Christmas 2003
His brother may sometimes bully him, but in fact, he loves him very much.
Everyone in my family likes him a lot, especially this one since little Yuen can beat him flat in any video game.
No one ever thought of him as a burden of any kind. In fact, he was always a part of our family and will always be a part of our hearts.
As he got older, his body got heavier, but his muscles got weaker instead. So he had to use a wheelchair to move around.
My father loves him too. Even if it wasn't Christmas, he would always receive something from my dad.
Our family would never be complete without him in the picture.
And their family will never be the same again.
He would always be smiling in the background. =)
A more recent photo of him. (Mother's Day, May 2008)
He was never brought down by his physical incapabilities. In fact, to make up for it, he was quite smart.Among he and his brothers, they would always fight in order to play the computer. Little Yuen knew he would never win them physically.
So he set a password on the computer. And it was no ordinary password either. Without the password, turning on the computer itself was an impossibility.
Instead of fighting in the real world, he prefers to fight in the virtual world. He's pretty good at it too. I remember losing to him 10 times in a row... =p
At home, he was always the one who teaches his mother how to use techno gadgets such as the computer, handphone, etc.
Since his father and brothers were always at work, and his sister wasn't staying with them, little Yuen was always the one who accompanies his mother. One of the many reasons his mother did not take him as a burden, but her joy and happiness of having him as her beloved son.
I had never seen her sad face before. So I couldn't imagine how she was when little Yuen passed away.
Little Yuen's elder brother said this in the hospital:
*weeping* Let's burn him and let his ashes fly. Since he never had the chance to go places, now he can fly to wherever he likes.
During the funeral, his classmates came to visit too. Eventhough they knew each other for barely half a year, their tears did not hold back when they saw their friend in eternal sleep. The same goes for his teacher.
To me, he was always keen in learning, especially things related to computer and technology. I was very sure that one day he would surpass everyone in that field.
To my little cousin, for as long as I live, you will be living right in my heart.
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