Dear Grandpa,

I have been very moved by the stories of your experience during the Japanese occupation in China. Your strong will to survive alone as an orphan at the age of about 10 years old made me feel that I am really very privileged. Your parents passed away due to the Japanese occupation and you have been looked after by your Grandma who also later passed away due to hunger.

Your strong will to carry on to survive, searching for food, digging for sweet potatoes, left in the field after harvest and being chased away by the owner.

At night, you slept in deserted places and gambling dens. There were also some good hearted people who gave you food when they saw such a pitiful boy.

You always tell me to value what I have now and be thankful to my parents for giving me a comfortable life.

You said you were lucky that you have an uncle who had come over to this country much earlier and later financially helped you to come over here.

From China, you came over here by ship. You struggled and worked very hard to earn a living in this country by working as an apprentice, repairing motor vehicles.

You said you were very fortunate to stay in your uncle’s house and life then was much easier. You were very thrifty to earn enough to help your uncle’s family. You told me that you had to be a responsible person to repay back your uncle’s help.

Later when you had your own family, you also have tried your best to give every family member a secure life. You made sure all your children had proper education and ensure that they have a good life.

Knowing your life stories of struggling, survival, bravery and being very to thrifty to earn a living even till today, made me realise that I shouldn’t take the things I already have for granted, and must value what I have now.

I know that success is only received when there is hard work, diligence and resilience.

Grandpa, I am really grateful to have heard your real life stories. These real life stories made me strong willed and optimistic about life. And even if one day, you have to leave this world, I will remember your advice and wisdom forever.

Grandpa, I am really too grateful to have such a great and wonderful grandparent.

You always have a meaningful advice left behind before you go back to Malaysia. How I wish you lived in Singapore, so I can receive more of your advice, and of course, to spend my free time with you. Even though I know it might be boring sometimes, I know the time I spend with you is well worth it.

I really think that you deserve all the ‘rewards’ you received.

You lived in a big house, own a car, and have a virtuous wife by your side, as well as many wonderful and caring children and grandchildren.

You really deserve it. But not only you have improved your life so much, you also hope that we, your grandchildren can also carry on what you did so we can also have a wonderful future.