First death anniversary reflections – Mr Santhosam Retnam
A little man with a giant heart
Mr.Santhosam (23.5.1924 - 15.7.2018)
It has been a year since he left us and
time has lessened the pain of his loss. Nevertheless, we continue to miss him.
He might have been bedridden and physically indisposed for nearly a decade, but
his mere physical presence gave life to the home and was a source of inspiration,
hope and strength for all in his family. Today his absence is strongly felt by
all as though the home has lost its soul.
Looking at his life, there are many things
we still cannot understand of this great man. He was a loving husband, wonderful father to his
children and grandchildren. He was a loyal and sincere friend, compassionate
and kind to everyone in need. Above all he was a great human who touched the
hearts of many who crossed his path.
Mr.Santhosam hailed
from a poor village in India. At a tender age of 17, he left for Malaysia after
the untimely death of his father. He had no formal education, no wealth or
power but ended up as the King of a highly respected family in Ipoh. With hard
work, his determination and his resolute he achieved what many failed.
As we continue with
our arduous journey in life, we now understand and appreciate all the hardship, troubles
and agony he would have endured to bring up his family. For this we salute him.
He may be gone but he has left a legacy
of hard work, kindness, humility and great hospitality. These are values very hard
to emulate.
Mr.Santhosam will be
remembered by all for all his virtuous principles in life.
To his children, he
will be remembered as a loving, caring and above all a self-sacrificing father
who never failed in his duties and responsibilities. What come may he was there
when they needed him most.
To his friends he will
be remembered as a God-fearing and loyal friend who always went the
extra-mile
to care for them.
To the poor he will
be remembered as a person who understood their plight especially, feeding those deprived
of food, providing shelter for the homeless and funding educational and health
expenses for those who could not afford them.
We will miss him for
many years to come. As his close associates, his life was a lesson for us.Let
us try to adopt his good values into our lives and cherish the moments we had with him.
May his soul rest in
peace
by
Mala, Chris and
children
Revisiting a video presented at the memorial service one year ago
"A Tribute to Mr.Santhosam"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBrc0Fn8L4I
