Uncle Keeyong's Wake

DO NOT STAND AT MY GRAVE AND WEEP

Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glint on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you wake in the morning hush,
I am the swift, uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft starlight at night.

Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there, I do not sleep.
Do not stand at my grave and cry.
I am not there, I did not die!

Mary Frye (1932)

Uncle Keeyong had asked that this poem should be read at his wake. I see him in my mind's eye along with all the images that this poem invokes... and I will remember him the next time I catch a glimpse of beauty.

I still can't help but cry alittle. If only for the fact that I will never see him in person again. However, I feel really comforted that he's with God now - words can never explain how much the reassurance and confirmation I got tonight at the wake(that he is safe with Jesus) has done for me. I feel that even in Uncle K's death, I've been brought closer to the love of God.

Today, during his wake, so many people shared about his generousity, his humour, his love for poetry and words, his idealism, his deliberately unruly mannerisms that were intended to, and did, shock many people.

Above all, what we remember about him is his love for people. He loved us and many other people from all different walks of life very well... as his good friend Kim Joo put it, 'How many of you have your hawkers come to visit you in the hospital?'

Looking at his life makes me want to cherish the people I love better - makes me want to be more generous with my money, makes me want to be friends with all kinds of different people, makes me want to read and spend more time in quiet meditation
... makes me want to be more real.

As the Pastor at tonight's wake who shared with me the verse from Matthew 7:21-23 says, 'it's the action (that counts).'

Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'








Thank you God for answering my prayers for Uncle K.