God only takes the best

How many of us have loving and caring uncles and aunties?

I’m sure, many of us do. I believe many of us have uncles who are bugging you with these same usual lines “Do you have girlfriend?” “When plan to get married” “How’s your mom” "Don't do this" "Stop touching that"

True enough, when we mention the closeness between uncle and nephews – the first character pop up in my mind, I believe yours too will be Uncle Donald and Huey, Louie and Dewey. Not forgetting, Uncle Ben and his nephew, Peter Parker.

I have five uncles from both maternal and paternal side and all of them really do care for me and my brother – especially my mother’s eldest brother.

He held the record for the loudest piercing voice amongst my uncles.

I still remember when I was small, he would carry me up to check out those birds that he petted. I also remember that he always bought me the carbonated drinks though my mom wouldn’t allow me to drink.

“Alvin, get yourself a carbonated drinks in the fridge” – he has been saying this line when I was small and never change.

He was also the one who visited my mom the most. Without fail, every time I dropped by, he would buy us few packets of Roti Canai for breakfast. If I’m lucky enough, he would give me extra pocket money too.

Then, he would have long conversation with my mom in the living hall with the television on. I’m amazed that they could chat with one issue then suddenly switched the topic to the story in the television and continued back to the issue. Sometimes, my dad would join the conversation to share horse racing predication on which horse to bet - those were the days.

Ever since I settled down in KL, I rarely see this uncle of mine.

As the time passed, he was getting older, so did my grandma health. Being the eldest son, he knew it was a big responsibility to take care of her.

Even he was coughing real bad for past few years. My mom asked him to see a specialist and he gave the ultimate filial piety answer: “No need to worry about me, take care of mother first. She is more important”

My grand mom has passed on two months ago and ever since his coughing was worsened. He found out that his coughing was not a small matter- it was pneumonia.

I reached Ipoh on Friday night and my mom told me that my uncle was hospitalized. I was complete shocked that suddenly he was admitted.

But my mom assured us that he was fine as she visited him earlier and he was still pretty healthy and he even could chat out loud with her and my dad.

My uncle did not want us to visit him so much as he didn’t want us to worry about him.

However, at 630 am in the morning on Saturday, I was waken up by mother.

“Wake up Alvin! Receive a call from hospital. Send me there!!”

That was the most unwelcoming wake up call of all in my life.

When we reached there, he has passed on.

Never knew, I have lost two family members within three months.

As we received the news, my mom was completely blank. She is a strong woman all along but she was literally devastated with the news as my uncle really took concert of her a lot.

Never imagine last two months we took a final bow to my grandma and today, we bid the final farewell to my uncle.

We know that sadness won’t bring him back but this difficult period will make us stronger.

I came across these beautiful and comforting lines at this trying times:


God saw you getting tired and a cure was not to be. So He put His arms around you and whispered "Come to Me." With tearful eyes we watched you, and saw you pass away. Although we loved you dearly, we could not make you stay. A golden heart stopped beating, hardworking hands at rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us, He only takes the best.