Rest in peace, daddy

(photograph source: fathersday-cards.com)

Today is the 16th anniversary of the death of my daddy.

My brothers and I had a strict daddy but he had a heart of gold and only wanted the best for his family.

My daddy was a maestro in his field of work - the real estate industry. I remember that in the early 1980s, he single-handedly sold / leased out all the units in an industrial building on behalf of a client. The client was so happy with my daddy's service that my entire family was given a paid holiday to the United States of America in the summer of 1981. At that time, a buffet breakfast at Circus Circus hotel in Las Vegas cost only US$4.

I have the opportunity to meet my daddy's ex-colleagues and ex-business associates in my line of work. I am amazed that they still remember him and I enjoy listening to them recollecting incidents involving my daddy. One common thread in their stories is how good my daddy was in his line of work. Had he lived, I have no doubt that he would have been mentor to many younger colleagues. Recently, I learned that a client's wife was my daddy's ex-colleague and the client also knew my daddy! What a small world this is.

He was also an amazing carpenter. The living room and dining room in my parents' home is of split level. Resting on the bannister between both rooms is a wooden divider with elaborate and complicated design made by my daddy. If you were to look closely at the divider, you will notice that it is not held together by any nails. It is simply a work of art.

My daddy's life was cut short at the young age of 47 when he passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. The cause of death was congestive cardiomyopathy.

Thanks to my parents' influence, my brothers and I learned to appreciate music of different genre, such as oldies, country & western music, classical music, etc.

I am very blessed that till today, my family remains close-knit.

Daddy, I miss you very much. I know that you are walking on streets of gold in heaven and enjoying the peace that you so greatly deserve. May you remain the shadows of His Almighty always.