A Season for Reunion

The author of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 aptly describes the season in life: For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

October 2022 will be remembered as a season for reunion. Many who have migrated choose October 2022 to come back to their original home country. Four days ago on 6 October, we gathered to celebrate the reunion of some of the classmates of Class 67/69 (Read here). On 10 October, the badminton buddies of the 1980's era met for a time of eating, laughter, story-telling, celebration of good health and updating of the last thirty years!

The gathering on 10 October was organized for the occasion of the return of one member, Vun Kai who has migrated to Vancouver exactly 30 years ago in 1992. He has wanted to come back earlier but the trip has to be deferred because of the Covid pandemic which has affected all cross-border international travels. 

Before his return, he asked me to arrange for a reunion of all surviving members of the Badminton gang who used to play in the 1980's and those who continued playing up to early 2000's. Of the eleven members, eight turned up for the occasion while the absentees missed the occasion because they had left us for eternal rest. Peter Lee was the first to go in March 2019 (Read here) while John Wan left us early this year in March (Read here). The third member, Nyuk Kiong left us just over three months ago on 6 July this year (Read here). Amazingly, Shau Kee who is now 78 is the only one left playing this game regularly twice a week! Joseph and Shau Lam have switched to playing golf while I started cycling from the end of 2017.

We spent more than two and half hours thoroughly enjoying the fellowship and the Dim Sum. As usual, there are stories after stories being told. Some of the near death stories shared are distressing but equally hilarious. Shau Lam "boasted" about having been sent to KK QE Hospital Emergency in an ambulance twice and once in Perth when he visited his children in Australia. In his recent illness, he witnessed the death of two patients who were warded next to his bed in a span of two days. When confronted with such scenes and simultaneously tormented by illness and the huge stress exerted on him from his work, he thought he would not be able to make it live out of the hospital. He begged God to let him live for just two more years to enable him to settle all unfinished matters. In the end, he survives! When asked how long has lapsed since he made that plea to God, he grinned and said, "Only a month has lapsed!". Judging on his optimism and jovial attitude, it is most likely more years will be added to what he asked for! He is indeed a joker and a fun man to be with especially in yum cha sessions.

We do wish to be able to meet up again but future is something quite beyond our control ...........