One fills our life and the other left a void

Today the 13th of July is a very memorable day for The Shanmugam clan as two of my parents granchildren were born on this day a year apart.

Sangeetha was born on this day in 1975 to my older brother Mohan and his wife Devi...my oldest niece....and my parents were overjoyed with her arrival...as she was a baby girl arriving 15 years after having me...finally another girl in the Shanmugam family. I remember vividly my father had to drive his Toyota 700 to Alor Setar to see her...and it took like forever as there were no highways. But seeing her after that long drive took all his tiredness away. Today she is a lawyer living in Kuching Sarawak and married to a wonderful man Alvin and is blessed with a fabulous son Mikkel Rahul Chen..who brings endless joy to our family. She would always try to come down as often as possible to see us and be with us although she lives far off...and I treasure the times we can spend together as I do with my other nephews and nieces.

Sangeetha and me at my 50th birthday party

Dheepak was born on this very day in 1976 to one of my twin brothers Jayaram and his wife Sheela....another very joyous day for the Shanmugams as my parents welcomed their first grandson. He was the talk of the Chinese Maternity Hospital as this baby was born with a double thumb on his left hand...he was indeed adored by everyone in the hospital especially the nurses of course. I remember clearly the day he was born and we went to see him...and the nurses just have to say bring that cute baby with the double thumb...and he was brought to us. My parents were so proud that their first two grandchildren...one girl and one boy shared the same birthday. Dheepak finished a degree in INTI College and went on to work with Honeywell. Very sadly he passed away on the 3rd of May 2006 after he suffered a massive heart attack...at the age of 29. Till to day we are all in shock over his death and it was the most difficult time for the family to realise what had hit us. We gave him a grand funeral befitting his personality...he left behind so  many friends and cousins, uncles and aunts...but most of all his parents and younger brother Kavin.  And as his brother Kavin said...if Dheepak were here today he would be so proud of how we are living our lives...as he lived life to the fullest.

Dheepak during a trip to India

My late mum with one year old Dheepak

It is your birthdays...so Happy Birthday darlings.....Sangeetha we love you for your life giving moments in our lives and we thank you....Dheepak thank you for all your love and warmth you brought into our lives and you have left a void in this family no one can fill.