There
was this chap who worked in our Human Resources department who went around
selling muruku and the likes after office hours. Despite him being in HR and
his post-work side business, I never had many dealing with him. In fact, I can’t
claim to know him very well. This notwithstanding, I always knew he was a very
jovial, cheerful, friendly happy person with a dry sense of humour and a ready
smile at everyone. Let’s call him D.
D
was diagnosed with cancer in 2011 (I can’t recall what type, sorry). I heard he
was down and was in denial but he soon summoned up his reserves and strength to
combat it and he returned to work after some time. Last week, however, I heard
he was in critical condition and it came as a shock when I heard of his passing. He
passed away early on Saturday, 6 April 2013.
I
just saw a clip of the late D and it struck me that he was constantly smiling and laughing in all the pictures in the clip. Not one had him frowning or scowling. He was
happily participating in department events (even TheOrganisation annual dinner
and Hari Raya do), cheerfully clad in office attire or any traditional costume
(he was a Chindian), just being happy, cheerful, jovial and generally just
being himself. That was who and how he was. He was happy with life and it
showed. He was selfless and generous with his smiles and he was ever ready to
help others even though it was something not within his scope of work. And he
evidently touched the lives of a lot of people here; you only have to read the
comments and feedback left on his tribute page. And the thing is, he was not
anyone up the hierarchy, just another ordinary officer like most of us and it
just goes to prove that you don’t need to be world-famous like Margaret
Thatcher to touch people’s lives and make a difference. Because there are those
who rejoiced and celebrated at the news of Maggie Thatcher being dead,
well-known as she was.
So
rest, D. You had fought your battle, you had run the race and now it’s time for
you to relax. You deserve it. We will miss your cheerfulness, joy, zest for life, smile and
laughter. We will be all the poorer for it now that you are no longer around to
brighten our days. You will be missed and will always be remembered. It will be
very hard for us to forget someone who gave so much to the others to remember
and you were one of those rare species. I can only hope I will be half as remembered and missed as D when I leave. And
I may or may not have that but at least I can try to start make a difference in
other people’s lives, I can start being a more cheerful, jovial, happy person
and content with my life.
The
good die young, they say. And they are right.
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