Gone Too Soon

No, I did not hear Michael Jackson's Gone Too Soon song over the neighbour's radio.

I woke up today and as usual, get my morning papers at the front door.

Today, only the English Straits Times was there but not the Malay Berita Harian. Made a mental note to tell Wifey to minus off 1 issue from the monthly payment.

Like every morning, I did my morning gym workout, made my protein drink and breakfast and sat a few minutes reading the papers. The Malay papers arrived only when I was leaving home for work as I walked out the door.

With just a glance of the front page, I saw Mr. Mohammad Abdooh's Hari Raya photo. He was all dressed-up handsome, casting a big smile in his traditional Malay Baju Kurung.

I was glad to see that he was still good and lived to celebrate Hari Raya celebrations with his family. Then the caption below his picture hit me... he died yesterday, succumbed to his disease at last. Though it was expected eventually, it still surprised and saddened me to learn about the new.

He was 46.

Mr. Mohammad, a chicken rice stall owner whose face fronted the Singapore Hospice Council campaign to raise awareness on terminally ill and hospice care, died of lung cancer. Diagnosed with the last stage of the disease, he invited everyone to learn about the plight of his illness and to witness his final journey.

He was no longer in pain. His final journey ended yesterday.

I sat in the cab quietly, lost in my thoughts reflecting how fragile life is. Prayed in my heart for his safe return and acceptance to his Creator. I was sad for him and his family.


I thought I would be in low spirits the whole day because of his death, but ironically Life Before Death is so vividly shown to me along my journey in a cab.

I got to see a rare sight that made my eyes popped-out like a little child, all exicted; and I got to see the usual, happy sight that always makes me smile. Sights that never fail to pick my spirits up.

It was a rare sight to see the "flight of fancy" of a large flock of migratory birds manoeuvring across the sky along the open field in front of IKEA Tampines. A few hundreds of them, unknown to me what sppecies those were.

Flashes of white and brown, and white again as their wings flapped and caught the reflection of the morning sun. The flock swayed left and right in sync, making beautiful patterns in the sky. How awesome it was, just like a scene from National Geographic in the Serengeti.


Cruising along the journey, I saw the familiar and welcomed sight of the Siberian Egrets, about 20 odd of them catching their morning meal on the open field of Sengkang East Road. Splashes of white against the green-field background.

As expected, the same, familiar face of an old man doing his morning jog along the perimeter of the field. He may be about 70 years old, but a strong and tough-looking old man, he is. Always cheers me up to see these sights on my morning journey to work... a journey of life this morning.

Life Before Death...

To enjoy life, make the best of what we have, do not abuse our body, our loved ones, our time; but to enjoy the journey guided by The Almighty. Be kind.

Threading our journey with our loved ones will make it that much sweeter. Serve our purpose while we are put on this earth before our time to go.

Hey, that is just me. You enjoy your day, now.