Thank you Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, for giving us such a wonderful Singapore to grow up in. Rest in Peace. #RememberingLeeKuanYew
There’s still a lump in my throat as I write this. Last night, I contemplated attending the procession for Lee Kuan Yew, a man I hardly knew. This morning, I saw three people around me that justified my decision.
The first was a visually impaired man in his 50’s who had been patiently waiting in front of me for over an hour. He could neither see the crowd around him, nor the hearse when it did pass by. He was not here for the spectacle. He was simply here to offer his time as a means to pay tribute.
The second was a man across the road that shouted a loud “Thank you!” as the hearse passed by, above the air of solemnity and respectful applause around him. In a society usually judicious in the display of emotions, there has been an outpouring of personal tributes, both online and offline over the past few days. These outpourings, and this man’s shout, fall on a hearse without ears. But a nation simply can’t find enough words to express its gratitude.
Finally, there was a girl beside me, no older than 8. Accompanied by her father, she was carrying a drawing that said, “We will miss you”. She’s too young to grasp the full impact of what Lee Kuan Yew achieved. How he stuck by his principles – rationality, meritocracy, and the triumph of the collective good over individual goods – while pursing his passion, a prosperous Singapore. I’m sure she’s here because her father told her that man’s story, and that story is one that she can appreciate.
His is a story that reminds us how much of an impact you can make if you can maintain that principled pursuit of your passion. As we witnessed this morning, his impact can be felt beyond time, politics, national borders, and even his own death. Today’s event was emotional because it was more than the loss of a man – it’s a celebration of his story.
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