Goodbye, My Friend And Rest In Peace!

The death of a close friend is a bitter sweet experience. The loss is bitter. Sadness also is sweet because of memories of shared joys and of sticking together in tough times. It is only because our connections with our friends are meaningful that sadness envelops loss.

We make attachments and experience sadness when a friend dies. It is part of being human. The loss of a friend is a sad reminder of the meaning and limits of life.

I was shocked and greatly saddened yesterday when I read on Facebook about the passing away of Wee Bing An. I have not seen him for several months. The last time I saw him was at least six months ago when we talked about some of our old Kai Chung schoolmates. I remembered telling him about my classmate Lee Kian Hui who had passed away a few years ago at such a young age. And Bing An jokingly said that at our age, we may leave this world at any time.

Bing An during his secondary school days

I can also remember telling Bing An about the Bintangkian Lau Peng Yu reunion and he said he may join the reunion. It is so sad that he won’t be able to make it to the reunion now.

Bing An has been a friend in the truest sense of the word. Both he and I have gone through major financial upheavals in our lives so we both understand what it is like when the world seemed to have turned upside down. I admire Bing An’s never-say-die attitude and his resilience despite his trials and tribulations.

Many people will walk in and out of our life, but only true friends will leave footprints in our heart. And Bing An is one such friend.

To my dear friend, rest in peace now. Your life has now passed away. You are with the Lord now, enjoying a better life anew.  Goodbye to you, my friend!