Happy Birthday

Have you ever celebrated your grandparents birthday even when they are not around anymore?
Ever ask why you do that?
I mean what's the point when they're not even here anymore!

I have.
I never got to or remembered celebrating any birthdays with them.
But in our family, we still gather together every time on my grandparents birthdays.
To me then, it was really just another family gathering.
I never knew or even have a thought of how it felt for my father or his siblings, celebrating their parents birthday even when they are not around anymore.

Tomorrow is my father's birthday.

To me, it is a day of celebration.
On this day, all these memories will come flooding back.
Remembering how we will always try to find new ideas to surprise him (He always finds out somehow, i think the spy is Mom!).
Making cards of our own just the way he likes it!
Having a feast and most importantly the pandan birthday cake!

I honestly admit that there will tears of sorrow and joy.

Whatever we have back then will just remain there now and no new ones will come but it will be just as good and fresh as though it happened yesterday.

Every year on the 7th October, we will have a family gathering to celebrate my father's birthday.
It might not be important to my children in the future but they will understand one day.

A friend once ask me:"Why do you still use present tense when your father is no longer here?"
This is what i told him :"He is, and will always be in my heart." (Therefore, there is no past tense to that!)

Happy Birthday my Beloved Papa!