Author’s note : My heart was saddened at the news of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew’s passing this morning. I extend my deepest sympathy to his family. May his soul rest in peace.

I got the chance to meet Mr. Lee Kuan Yew for the first time during the National Day Celebration at the Istana on the 10^th of August 2010.

That was the year that I had composed and performed ‘Song for Singapore’ as the theme song for the National Day, and I was invited to sing the song for the Prime Minister, the President and various other dignitaries, including Mr. Lee Kuan Yew at the Istana.

I was thrilled to be able to sing for Mr. Lee Kuan Yew. In fact, so excited that I forgot two words of my lyrics…the words ‘my beginning’ in the first verse. I was the most nervous I have ever been in all my years of performing. After all, here I was, singing for THE founding father of modern day Singapore.

I remember deliberately directing my gaze to Mr. Lee Kuan Yew as I sang the words ‘With every generation, there’s more to be grateful for’. I had written those words with a heart of gratitude for all that Singapore had come to be, and I wanted to convey my gratitude to Mr. Lee Kuan Yew for all that he had done for Singapore.

I was heartened and delighted that Mr. Lee Kuan Yew and the rest of the dignitaries applauded after I finished singing.

Following this, I led everyone in singing the song ‘Happy Birthday’ as a huge cake was lit with candles and Singapore’s birthday was celebrated.

As Mr. Lee walked down from the stage, supported by his security personnel, I had to fight the urge to run up to him and to speak with him. I was struck by how tall he was, how rosy his cheeks still were, and yet, how frail he seemed to be as he relied on his aides to help him sit down at the dining table.

I have the utmost respect for Mr. Lee Kuan Yew and for all that he has done for Singapore. I admire his tenacity, his courage, his can-do attitude, his fortitude, his passion for all he did.  I admire the way he showed true leadership when Singapore’s future hung in the balance.

There is a quote by Martin Luther King, Jr. that I feel is apt for Mr. Lee : “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

We all have our critics. I remember one of my friends saying : “We don’t have to like everyone, so why should we expect everyone to like us?” Mr. Lee Kuan Yew had no shortage of critics. But when push came to shove, and even in the face of unpopular policies, Mr. Lee stood his ground in times of challenge and controversy and was passionate in doing what he believed was right for Singapore.

He gave much and sacrificed much of himself for the sake of Singapore and I feel blessed that his gifts have made Singapore what she is today. His contributions to this nation are in the blueprint of Singapore. Like a craftsman who gives his all to his craft, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew’s fingerprints will forever be a part of the fabric of this nation.

However, it was his devotion and unconditional love for his wife that I find myself most in awe of.

I read Mr. Lee Kuan Yew’s daughter, Ms Lee Wei Ling’s column for the Straits Times and read her reflections on her parent’s love for each other. I was moved by the anecdotes she shared, of how Mr. Lee would read poetry to Mrs. Lee at her bedside when she could no longer read for herself, and how, despite being bedridden, Mrs. Lee would stay up to wait for Mr. Lee to return home every evening. I read about how Mr. Lee painstakingly helped to nurse Mrs. Lee back to health after her first stroke.

Most tellingly, Ms Lee also mentions how Mr. Lee Kuan Yew wrote a little note to his children that read : ‘For reasons of sentiment, I would like part of my ashes to be mixed up with Mama’s, and both her ashes and mine put side by side in the columbarium. We were joined in life and I would like our ashes to be joined after this life.’ (Source: The Sunday Times , October 2, 2011)

There is a beautiful quote by the poet and writer Khalil Gibran that reads : “But let there be spaces in your togetherness and let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another but make not a bond of love: let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.”

To me, that was the love story of Mr. and Mrs Lee Kuan Yew.

She was there for him and he for her, and yet there were spaces in their togetherness. The spaces allowed them to grow independently and yet to be bonded in love.

I believe that the greatness of a man lies in his capacity to love. It lies in his willingness to empty out himself for the sake of his beloved.

Mr. Lee Kuan Yew loved his wife immensely. I teared seeing him leave those two last kisses upon his wife’s face as she lay in the casket at the Mandai Crematorium.

And, he loved Singapore. Loved her to the point of giving his all; His time, and talents to building this nation. And for that, I will always have the utmost gratitude and respect for him.

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