one last time.

The office is organizing a ceremony in memory of the late Yasmin Ahmad & to send prayers for her today after work.
It’s been almost a week now since we lost her, yet the emptiness still lingers.
In her untouched room, the emails we received in comfort, urging us to no longer mourn but to remember & celebrate her, sms and tributes, newspaper clippings.
It’s getting settled now as we grasp reality.

It’s been difficult although I’ve only knew her for less that half a year.
Yet she has nonetheless impacted all of us.
I realized I speak of Yasmin more as a fan & an acquaintance rather than her being my boss.
Its odd ain’t it? I’ve loved her ads, her movies.
And having to be here right now, there’s just such a shame to not have known her better, but then again it’s been such an honour to have known her at all.

It’s been very heavy and solemn in the office.
HR has posted emails, write ups, photos, newspapers clippings and quotes of her at our walkways.
Usually we post up ads or reminders there for ads that we strive for.
Now it’s a reminder to us of what Yasmin has taught us so far.

Anyways, so back to the ceremony, it’s actually a Muslim ceremony they called Tahlil.
A holy occasion as fellow Muslim Leo Burnetters pay their last respect & send their prayers.
Guess it’s kind of like a “closure” for all of us. That we should all…. Move on.

Although it’s a Muslim ceremony, we were all kindly informed of this ceremony.
In respect & to remember her, us non-muslim wore baju kurung today.
Just for the fun of it! Yasmin always wore baju kurung.
I heard they’re gonna make a more “general” tribute session for her soon.
For Yasmin’s signature “Muhibah” idealogy, we were trilled!

I have only left 1 set of baju kurung, and its awful pink.
Knowing me, I didn’t like the set.
But yesterday night as I took the set out of my closet, I smiled.
All of the sudden, it didn’t look THAT bad. Maybe coz now it has a purpose.

Striding in my pink outfit today in the office,
I spotted a few more of my colleagues too dressed in our national costume.

:) Malays non Malays alike.

There’s this warm fuzzy feeling today despite the still empty feeling of lost.

Guess the storyteller’s story did come true.

It’s just rather sad that it had to wait till she went away to finally realized it.