LiFe
Friday, May 07, 2004
[ last edited by *celly on 11:23 PM ]
11:23 PM



there is none like you. you're the best principal one could ever ask for. dedicated, even till the last breath. i salute you for that. mrs caroline lee, you'll always be remembered in our hearts dearly. looking back at your picture gave me many fond memories, be it good or bad. i remembered the time i was scolded by you early last year for 'shielding' my classmate as class monitress. i thought i was a good liar, but you could see me through, like a piece of glass. i cried a river because of the scolding, and even nursed a grudge against you.

however, the grudge did not last long, because you showed kindness, compassion and responsibility which i greatly admired. despite being very strict with our discipline, like implementing rules that seemed ridiculous to us, we knew that it was for our own good. i looked up to you as my sort of role model. you cared a lot for the students, teachers, your staff and everyone else in the school. in a cold world that we live in now, st. margaret's was a place filled with warmth and life all because of you. your leadership had brought st. margaret's to greater heights, and i promise you that i'll study very hard to reap what you've planted in st. margaret's.

just not long ago, i was caught by you for having folded socks. this was what you said. surprisingly, i remembered every single word you said. maybe it was a sign to me that you were soon gonna leave, because a scatterbrain like me seldom remember detailed things like that easily.
mrs lee: celena, why is your socks folded?
me: o eh because my socks are very loose already. (tries to pull them up)
mrs lee: so what are you going to do about it?
me: i'll get a new pair later (tries to smile to get lesser scolding)
mrs lee: when later?
me: after school.
mrs lee: are you sure?
me: yes of course! i will get it.
mrs lee: good then :)

then she left me, went into the meeting room leaving behind her warm smile, which i will forever remember. that was the last smile she gave to me. the voice that once spoke rings in my head now. i am still in a state of shock and denial. this afternoon, i questioned God. i asked him why he took away our beloved principal. then he revealed to me that she is in heaven by His side already, and that is the greatest joy christians find. well i guess at least she doesnt need to endure all our nonsense anymore. i feel at a lost now. like a sheep without a sheperd, i do not look forward to school anymore.

folded many many paper cranes today, had a total of 1222 cranes all strung up. we spent the whole day making it, praying for hope, and those cranes sort of gave us hope. but all hopes were devasted when the mr ng came in at 2.03pm. he announced the death of mrs lee. everyone was greatly grieved. we all broke down and just cried. even mr ng cried. time passed like lightning. without our knowledge, we actually cried for close to an hour. eyes were sore, faces were blemished with tear lines, tissues were seen everywhere. i held on tightly to wei yan as we cried on and on. then we said a prayer. we were still grieved then, but we braced ourselves together, and brought the long stretch of cranes to the office. we had planned to send it to the hospital, but by noon, it was not necessary anymore. we hung it across the pillars outside the office, all 1222 of them. my heart sank when i saw these cranes. I LOVE YOU MRS CAROLINE LEE. NO OTHER PRINCIPAL HAS TOUCHED MY HEART AS MUCH. now exams are postponed. no doubt im happy bout it, but i would rather have 2 times the number of exams and have you back than to have exams postponed and lose you forever. i never got to see the last of you. should not have been absent for the last 2 days. MRS LEE, I MISS YOU SO MUCH. I MISS YOUR VOICE, YOUR FACE AND ALL. i know i'll never get to see you alive and well again. i pray that you'll watch over us from heaven. may your soul find peace in the house of God. Remembered forever, in loving memory of MRS CAROLINE LEE CHON PING.

In Loving Memory of Caroline Ong Chon Ping, 1947-2004