Popo, Please Get Well Soon

I couldn't sleep well last night. Despite the long working hours I endured during the day. My whole mind was swirling with how-am-I-going-to-get-through-tomorrow's-work and how-long-do-I-have-to-wait-to-move-on thoughts. I am having some problems with work currently.

It was amongst these self-centered thoughts when I remembered Popo (Cantonese for Grandma) is scheduled for an operation today. I knew about this since last week and had made mental check to call and comfort her on the day of the op. Sadly, I realised I had totally forgotten about her well being. I tried praying for her instead but still, my mind was constantly distracted.

I thought of a childhood incident when I was still living in my Ipoh ancestral home with just Gong Gong (Cantonese for Grandpa) and Popo for company. Actually I do not remember the incident as I was all but two years' old but Popo always retell the story to me till today. She gleefully related to me how very greedy and fat I was and would stuff almost anything I could get my hands on, into my mouth. To the extent that I would even drink the bottle of soya sauce. It was Chinese New Year and I think I was gorging on too many mandarin oranges for my own good. Stomach upsets and diarrhoea soon wrecked up the little me and I had to be hospitalised for two nights.

Popo told me she stayed with me throughout the two nights in the hospital and forgone the Chinese New Year celebrations for my sake. She had only me on her mind. I wish I was old enough then to remember this.

Popo is now in her late seventies. For all Popo had done for me, how could my thoughts not even be with her? She is probably going under the knife now as I write along these lines. Seriously, I am quite unhappy with myself. Whoever says adulthood is fun when only work and money dictate your life? Or had I allowed work to consume me? Decided to write my thoughts down for the better of me, as future self reminders too - to spare thoughts for my loved ones still well and around me from time to time.

So Popo, please get well soon. I will make a trip down to KL as soon as I can.

Popo & Me