Stuck in traffic, a spontaneous call keeps love alive

Some things are more important than a to-do list.

- Lim Yee Chuin

My grandmother is illiterate. She lives in Penang with my 86-year-old grandfather who is still so active, zooming around on his motorbike, that he’s rarely home. I’m in Singapore with my life and children.

There was a time when I lost contact with her, not intentionally. Although I fully wanted to keep in touch, and love her dearly, I let life get in the way. I kept meaning to call her, but I couldn't schedule her into my busy day.

My workload was heavy, the children were a handful and my mind was a constant to-do list as an employee, a wife, a mother, a daughter and a granddaughter. Calling my 82-year-old grandmother was on that to-do list. I told myself I'd do it “when things settle down”. But this never happened. She, in turn, didn’t want to “disturb” me.

That’s how silence quietly creeps into love; out of respect, out of busyness, out of misplaced consideration.

Back then, I thought I needed to sit down, settle everything else first, and block out time before I could call her.

Then one morning, while inching through heavy commuter traffic in my car along the AYE, the idea struck me. Just call her.

So I did.

“Hey Siri, please help me call Ahma via WhatsApp.”

First time, no one picked up. Second time, still nothing. Third time lucky, she answered.

Her face filled the screen at an odd angle, with half her forehead missing, her smile so wide it cut through the pixelisation.

Instantly, a quiet joy gushed over me.