What is your name : Saye-Thiam KHOO

Who do you want the poem written for: Debbie, my wife

Why do you want the poem written: For our first anniversary (Dec 20th). This year, we will also have been together for 10 years.

What are the key messages you would like to send: I met Debbie 10 years ago - she had left England to travel the Far East and had come to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to visit her grandmother. We met at the home of a mutual friend, Seow Peng, then somehow her travel plans ended up getting stuck in Malaysia! We got married last year by the beach in Penang (where we live) - the best day of my life so far, then honeymooned in Egypt. We haven't any children yet but have 2 cats (Sky & Ariel) whom we love very much (our children, she calls them) Debbie is a very special kind of person. When I first got to know her, I was struck by her kindness. Though her stature is small, her compassion is immense and extends to all creatures great and small. Nothing is too small or unimportant to matter or care about from the tiniest ant or snail to the grubby homeless street children of Calcutta whom she would seek and reach out to so she can give them a bit of love. She teaches English here but her heart is really in the voluntary work she does, listening to and helping the depressed, the distraught, those in anguish, in pain, sorrow, grief and despair. This includes many of her friends here whom she has brought light like a beacon, a lighthouse on a dark night at sea. She has always been there for me, setting aside her own issues to comfort, to guide, to love and to be a friend. for that, I will always be grateful. I am so proud of her being the person she is. Yet there are precious few care ers for caregivers in Penang and caring people were in short supply when she lost her stepfather Terry suddenly in tragic circumstances 3 years ago. It still causes her pain and she bears the scars in her soul.I am a Surgeon at a charitable private hospital here (if that makes any sense) and my hours are often long. I keep telling myself I must be nuts carrying on in a job that frequently sees me home at midnight, sometimes beyond. However, I do love the job and believe in it because it is about making a difference to others. Patients who are poor but repay in simple gratitude constantly remind me why I continue. Yet, all this has a price and I do not get enough time in the day to spend with Debbie who spends many lonely hours waiting for me. I think about her most of the time at work (subconsciously) and usually cannot wait to get back home. Over the years, we have been through a lot together, tears of joy and tears of sorrow, words of anger and words of love. I am clumsy with words and often unaware, causing hurt when I shouldn't or when I hadn't intended. I do want to tell her how beautiful she is, what a special kind of person she is, how proud I am of her, that I would not have her any other way and that my love for her goes on. I admire your poems and I am sure you will find a beautiful way to express this.

Do you have any funny, sad, happy, embarrassing or otherwise memorable moments that you would like to share: Aw shucks, I can never figure out a particular "special" moment! Nicknames - honeybunny, my "squeeze", (grumpy bear when she is really grumpy!)

Do you have any other comments or thoughts: Need to have this ready to present as a surprise anniversary gift on Dec 20th. I really hope there is enough time. I am sending this from Penang, Malaysia but I will be travelling to London in 3 days. The package has to be sent to the following address in Hillingdon, preferably in a nondescript carton addressed to me so she doesn't wise up.

What style of poem would you prefer (happy, sad, romantic etc.): Moving, romantic

Please choose which package you would prefer:Unique

Do you have any last comments or thoughts: Wish I'd found out about you last year when I had to write my wedding speech!

Lifelong Friends

Hello, my wonderful Debbie, these words are just for you, because I'm proud of who you are, and I'm very proud of what you do. And I just wanted to say "I love you", but in truth, I didn't know where to start, so I thought I'd share a few feelings, and give you some words, they're straight from the heart. Firstly, I'll begin by looking skywards, and thanking those in the heavens above, because I know I've been blessed to have shared you, I know that I've been blessed with your love. And we've come a long way in our ten years, and at times, it has not been a rose filled dream, but through it all, we've stuck together, we've proved to the world that we truly are a team. I guess your trip to the Far East was quite surprising, but I'm so very glad you got delayed, because deciding to marrying you, well, that was the best decision I've ever made. And December 20th, 2003, was my best day ever, in fact, it was my very best day by far, because if my love for you were a distance, then it would be further than the furthest star. And that star must have shone over Egypt, the thought of our honeymoon always makes me smile, just you and me, the sun, the sand, the pyramids, and I'll never forget our cruise down the Nile. I know we don't have any children (as yet), but Sky and Ariel do pretty well in their place, and I know that you love them both so very much, I can tell just by the look on your beautiful face. Debbie, you are a very special kind of person, from the moment I met you, you've always been on my mind, your compassion is immense and covers the planet, creatures, great and small, know that you're wonderfully kind. And although your stature may not be that enormous, your heart is at times, just too big for your chest, and of all the women in this world, I know I'm lucky, because I have married the finest, the very best. Nothing is too small or unimportant for your love, tiny ants, even snails, they've all witnessed your charms, and you'd seek out the homeless children in Calcutta, just to give them some love and to hold them in your arms. You teach English but you really teach compassion, and that's a lesson that this world needs to be taught, you help the depressed, the distraught, those in pain, there's so many that are very grateful for your support. And these include so many of your friends, your unconditional love has been a beacon of light, when seas are stormy, you calm the waters, you are like a lighthouse in the darkest hours of the night. And you've always been there for me, too, to comfort, to guide, to love, to be a friend, and I know that I will love beyond forever, long after these earthbound journeys have their end. You always put your own issues to one side, and quite unselfishly, you always put yourself last, and for that, you'll have my eternal and undying gratitude, and just for one second, I'd like to talk about the past; Because I know losing Terry hurt so much, and that you're still hurting, there in your soul, but I just wanted to thank you for being you, you are the one that makes me completely whole. And I know that my hours are often long and arduous, and my nights at time, can stretch to the early hours, but I know that because of you, I'm making a difference, and that ultimately, I'm making the very best of my powers. But the price I have to pay is an expensive one, because to help, I have to rob you of our time, just know that I'm always thinking of you, after all, truly, you are the reason in my rhyme. And over the years, we've been through a lot together, we've cried both tears of joy and tears of sorrow, but I know that I couldn't ever live without you, without you, I couldn't face a single tomorrow. We've shared words of anger and words of love, I am clumsy and very often, I'm foolishly unaware, I know I cause hurt when I shouldn't or haven't meant to, just know that inside, honestly, I do really care. I just wanted to say I'm sorry (and that you're beautiful), in truth, you're beautiful on the inside and the out, and I just wanted to thank you for being you, you've taught this boy what love is really all about. So Honeybunny, my "squeeze", grumpy bear, just know that you fill me up with so much pride, because I know I couldn't have chosen a finer wife, I know I couldn't - even if I'd tried. And we've come a long way from Seow Peng's, but this is no where near where our journey ends, because I know that I'll love you forever and ever, for eternity, we will be lifelong friends. I also wanted to say "Happy First Anniversary", I guess that's really what these words are for, here's to you, Debbie, you're truly wonderful, and here's to our everlasting love, for evermore.

Copyright www.agiftofpoetry.co.uk 2008

Allen Jesson

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