I Swear You Will Be Fine

Dear Josh,

Weeks after you passed, Aunty K made a donation to plant a tree in your name. I was so touched. While we waited patiently for the date we would need to plant the tree, it never came. Eventually we thought it had somehow gotten overlooked by the authority and we let it go.

And then just a few weeks ago, more than 15 months later, she received the email telling us of the date and time. It was on a working day and neither of us could get out of work. So we decided to hand the task over to Jess, Shalini and A, the next generation.

As the girls were preparing for the event the night before, I was not happy that I was going to miss out. So I decided to join them too. (I wasn’t actually going to do the hard work; just be there for moral support!)

Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), it started raining heavily just minutes before. The organisers gathered us at a nearby coffee shop to try and wait out the rain. The 3 girls were all dressed in the appropriate gear, but also looked a little apprehensive. Afterall, the tedious task of digging and planting the tree was now only going to get messier with the rain and mud.

Eventually, we were told the event was cancelled, and that they would plant the tree on our behalf. We thought you had done us a favour actually- none of us being the “outdoorsy” messy type. We were allowed to “choose” the tree. So the girls picked the tree closest to where our car was parked. It is a mangosteen tree- Aunty K’s and my favourite fruit. We talked about whether you had tried the fruit, but we couldn’t remember. I recall you loved mangoes when you were young, but I can’t really remember mangosteens.

Anyway, we left the tree-planting party and went about our day.

Later in the evening, I stopped by the spot on the way back from work. The tree was now neatly planted (I don’t think we would have completed the job as well!). In my heels, I walked closer to the newly planted a tree. At one point, my foot sank deep into the fresh mulch and I thought I was going to fall. But I managed to do what I planned to- I tied a purple ribbon around the very slim trunk of the tree. At some point, the rest of us will also go back to tie more purple ribbons.

Inicidentally, the place where the tree is planted is just minutes away from my current work place, and just a few steps away from where Aunty K and I meet for breakfast. Out of all the possible spots in Singapore to be allocated, it is truly surprising that this was the allocation. I guess you totally approve!

Love Mum