Two Weeks Too Late

For the last few years, I have frequented a senior home in Richmond. It is not because I have a relative living there, but because our church pays a monthly visit to these seniors to sing and play some games with them.

A few weeks ago, we went in with a special mission. As we were approaching Chinese New Year, we went in to take pictures of these seniors. The intent was to take these pictures, develop them, and then put the pictures in a hand-made card to give back to them. It was a fun afternoon watching the seniors pay special attention to their hair and their clothes, even though many of them were so frail they could not even walk. Some seniors were very mindful of their appearance, and we had to reassure them over and over that their smiles are by far the most important thing. And they were – the nicest pictures were the ones where an old man or an old lady was beaming with joy while posing for us.

This past Saturday, we came back to the seniors’ home to deliver our finished products. We have developed our pictures, decorated the hand-made cards, and put them nicely together with our good wishes and what not. When we arrived and saw some of the seniors, they were laughing so joyously when looking at our hand-made cards and the pictures. Pictures were a luxury back in the day, and though technology has advanced to a point where you can take thousands of pictures in a matter of minutes at basically no cost, many of the seniors still kept that old-school feeling of a picture being so precious.

There were a few cards that could not be delivered because we could not find the men and women in the pictures. When we showed the cards to the staff working at the seniors home, she browsed through each card, and told us if the person in picture had gone out with his/her family, or was currently resting in his/her room.

Then came a card where the staff had a long pause. “She passed away last week,” she said calmly. To a person working in a seniors’ home, I guess that was quite a normal event. To me, though, it was a very strong phrase. Here we were, two weeks ago, taking a picture with this old lady. I still remember how careful she was in the way she sat and dressed. I remember her not feeling satisfied with the initial pictures taken, and we had to re-take several more for her until she felt the pictures were done well. Two weeks ago, she was still talking to us rather happily; two weeks later, she is gone, almost forgotten (certainly forgotten by her family, who, according to the worker at the seniors’ home, would not even fly over for her funeral service).

This message was probably preached to you many times in the past, but when it actually happened to someone you know, it hits you hard. Cherish those around you, for they may not be around. Never forget to say “I love you” to those around you who you love – you may never get that chance again…

Rest in peace, Mrs. Au.