Another year came and went (adiós 2014) and we're now venturing into the second month of the New Year already! Happy 2015 everyone ;)
If we are turtles and could live up to 150 years, one year would seem like next to nothing. If we are butterflies and may only have a lifespan of 1 month, even one hour would be so precious! But as humans with an average life expectancy of about 70 (if nothing goes wrong, that is), how should we live our lives? What should each of us achieve as our time peters out?
The break of the new year may trigger many of us to take stock of what we have and should have done and perhaps create new year re-solutions. But it's different for me this year. Instead of coming up with lists of things to do/achieve, I pondered about the people who'd helped me to become what I am today, and how my life would turn out if it were not for them. They are kind, helpful people that I am really thankful to have met throughout my life. I thought it will be truly wonderful if I thank all of them here and now.
So, let us kick-start 2015 with a THANK ROLL!
A HUGE thank you to all of you! To me, beautiful people like you are like angelic white flowers roaming about the surface of the earth!
1. The "bubble uncle" I met from 5-9 years old for literally 'bubbling up' my childhood - thanks for your bubble tricks that you did to entertain me and the other kampung kids. I'll never forget you ;)
2. Joanne, Xiu Hui and 4-eyed zhou for being my childhood friends since I'm 9 years old. The marble games, catchings, Risk board game, dancing sessions, late-night story-telling, forest walk and swimming/fishing in the canal or long-kang (drain) will be remembered as long as I live - we were the dirtiest kids around!
3. Shinyun, for being my primary school bestie. I still remember the pre-dawn walks in the school field (Bt. Batok Primary, now defunct) where it's cold enough to see our warm breath when we breathe out. And also: The 50 cents mee sua and lor mee, the hop-scotch and five-stones sessions, and the times we buy little packets of fish food from the nolstalgic school bookshop (with lots of stationery wares hanging from strings in the air!) to feed the fishes in the big pond.
4. Not forgetting the German couple who lived at the top floor of our 4-storey hdb building (I lived on the ground floor) in Bukit Panjang back in the year 1992 (est). I'll never forget the checkered high ceiling in your house, the built-in picnic table, your huge carpeted master bedroom and the ballroom dances you have taught us girls.
5. The golden couple of our neighbourhood - Jack and Jill. It started out as we kids joking about both of you being together (being 'Jack' AND 'Jill' from the famous nursery rhyme) and you two actually got married few years later - you know, we couldn't be happier to see both of you getting married! To Jill jie jie (sister), thanks for the dictionary you'd given me back then (perhaps you saw that I loved reading dictionary?), and those air mail that you've send me, literally from the air, from your apartment window on the 16th floor. You apologised in those mails for not meeting us kids as often because you were studying for your exams. Thanks for all your care and concern :)
3. Shinyun, for being my primary school bestie. I still remember the pre-dawn walks in the school field (Bt. Batok Primary, now defunct) where it's cold enough to see our warm breath when we breathe out. And also: The 50 cents mee sua and lor mee, the hop-scotch and five-stones sessions, and the times we buy little packets of fish food from the nolstalgic school bookshop (with lots of stationery wares hanging from strings in the air!) to feed the fishes in the big pond.
4. Not forgetting the German couple who lived at the top floor of our 4-storey hdb building (I lived on the ground floor) in Bukit Panjang back in the year 1992 (est). I'll never forget the checkered high ceiling in your house, the built-in picnic table, your huge carpeted master bedroom and the ballroom dances you have taught us girls.
5. The golden couple of our neighbourhood - Jack and Jill. It started out as we kids joking about both of you being together (being 'Jack' AND 'Jill' from the famous nursery rhyme) and you two actually got married few years later - you know, we couldn't be happier to see both of you getting married! To Jill jie jie (sister), thanks for the dictionary you'd given me back then (perhaps you saw that I loved reading dictionary?), and those air mail that you've send me, literally from the air, from your apartment window on the 16th floor. You apologised in those mails for not meeting us kids as often because you were studying for your exams. Thanks for all your care and concern :)
6. Shu Hui, Peiwen, Michelle for being my secondary school sisters. I'll remember the sweat, tears, laughters and vomits. (Eeeeks!)
7. Simon Lim for bringing me around Singapore and sometimes halfway up the Peninsular Malaysia to attend weddings, meet your friends and basically eat, drink and be merry - with your 'wives' no less! Wife no.1: Gold wing [which we crashed at Keppel Road, head-on with an oncoming car and you thought that I was going to lose both my legs], wife no. 2: Black bird. PS: I don't use 2 straws to drink green tea anymore :) That was the goofy me.
8. Brian and Yienshen for being my bestest polymates! Won't forget the lessons, projects, exams that we've went though together. And the extreme fun that we've had in those night cycling trips across Singapore! (Talk about dangerous and ghostly encounters! Haha!)
9. Hun Boon for your warm, true friendship. I really treasure our time.
10. Uncle Tan Gek Hwa for being such a nice uncle/ah pek. Thanks for treating industrial attachment students like me with warmth, care, apples, late lunches and best of all, laughters. Keep scooting! And did I mention that you really looked like my primary school bus driver uncle??
11. Teng Huat Tian for winding up as my 'supervisor' in the attachment company. Firstly, it's because I want to hide from that naggy manager. Secondly, because I know I can learn alot from you since you are one of the best there. You know what? The best thing I've got out from the attachment is to came to know you. You are my best buddy. Really. And that moment at late-night where you brought me a mango mousse cake just because I crave for it while pregnant [in 2010] - it's priceless! I'm still thankful to you for that! Hee...
12. My SAF BMT batch girls, Navy coursemates [like Ong Lay Leng and Ah Sin], LST shipmates [Amanda, Wei Ming, Don] and NDU divers. The memories at Pulau Tekong, Sembawang Camp and Changi/Tuas Naval Base and Iraq will be deeply etched in my heart.
13. People who looked out for me onboard ship and on shore: Col Bernard Miranda, Encik Chia Yew Lam, Ah Lu, and the 2 silly guys!
14. Especially grateful to the 2 lecturers in NUS who interviewed (and passed!) me - you have changed my life for the better. And to Dr. Nicholas Hon for teaching your subjects so well, so succinctly. Love your lectures. And also to the other respectable lecturers and assistants who worked really hard to pass on their knowledge to the students. I'm grateful! I don't have permanent friends in uni but there was one particular girl from Malaysia who is really kind and warm. She literally warms up the artic-cold lecture halls everytime I see her. Her constant handphone messages makes life in uni so much more beautiful. Thanks Hui Yee ;)
15. ICA instructors and coursemates (e.g. Hui Fang, Azlan, KK, etc, etc). You guys rock, big time. Because you know what, you'd made up the happiest period of my life. I am literally on cloud nine! Haha. Like seriously, I am so happy very single day. Love you people! Love my job, my colleagues and team members. I have the chance to lead my team because you guys are willing to lend me a listening ear. Your efforts in your work are heartfelt, appreciated, and duly noted in your reports. I hope I did not disappoint you guys in any aspect.
16. Special thanks to Mr Phua Gek Lian for being the best colleague I ever had. For one, you know your job exceptionally well, and two, you don't hold back when it comes to sharing your knowledge and helping your team members. You have my full respect. Salutes! By the way, I cried on my last day of work partly because I could not work with you as a team anymore. If there's such a thing called love for another human being without lust, a love for another person just because he is such a genuine, kind soul, that person will be you ;) I'm grateful to have met you. Best wishes to you and may happiness and health be with you and your family always.
17. Another nice person is the ever-so-jovial ajumma, Mdm Leow Sok Ting. Thank you for being such a real person: what I see is what I get - nothing's hidden. I won't forget the laughter you induced in me. I love you! You really brighten up the workplace. Your joyous personality is so contagious.
18. The classes of primary students at the tutoring centre that I have taught in 2001. The handmade cards I received for Teacher's Day are still with me. Super priceless! You guys have given me a lot of inspirations and aspirations. And to my niece and nephew, Shannon and Damien, for letting me be a part of your lives. Seeing both of you growing up from birth, to toddler, and now to being school-going children is such a delightful experience.
19. My brother - a marathon/triathlon junkie. Although we quarrelled and had cold wars before, I will always be thankful for things that you've done for me. E.g. you were awakened from deep sleep, and you jumped up and ran out of the house, in the middle of the night to catch the robber, when I told you I had just been robbed. Once, you gave me money to eat (we were really poor) from the pay you earned while working as a rubbish and dish collector. Those days where we have to earn money for our own three meals while struggling to study was... [me: sighing, shaking head, smiling pensively, and speechless] Like they say, it's always nice to have a big brother who looks after you. Especially so when life bites at you.
20. My baby sister. I know you are grown up already but you'll always be my baby sis! Thanks for listening to all my constant nonsense and nagging for the past 25 years (est.) of your life. Thanks for politely polishing up the horrible food that I used to cook for you many years ago. Remember the cards and letters you'd given me? They are well-kept in my "treasure box".
21. My hubby and son. Thanks for just being here and there, being yourselves, being alive.
And the rest of the beautiful people who "sent coal during snow" (provide help when one most needs it)
- The person who 'saved' me while I was drowning in the sea. Although it was a misunderstanding (I faked a drowning act) I am still thankful for your help. I mean, what if I'm really drowning?! (est. 14 years old)
- The lawyer who came up to help after witnessing a pickup truck hitting me and sending me flying across the road at Petir Road. He gave his namecard to my friends who were with me and offered his services, pro bono. (est. 15 years old)
- The couple who came up to help after witnessing my bike accident (as a pillion rider) in Keppel Road in 1999 (est.). They came over to prevent traffic from running over me as I lay on the road while waiting for the ambulance to arrive and even offered to be our witness. (17 years old)
- A lady supervisor of the Giant Supermarket at Pioneer Mall who helped me up when I fainted while I was heavily pregnant. (28 years old)
- A lady officer who helped me up when I fainted at the canteen of my workplace. (yes, I fainted twice, while pregnant) (28 years old)
- People who offered their seats without asking for it while I was pregnant. And people who offered to help carry my pram up and down the bus without wanting anything in return. Grateful, grateful! (28 years old)
- The wonderful feeder bus captain who is oh-so-helpful in many ways, looking out and making sure about this and that, especially to the elderly and children. He even helped to search for my key pouch on the bus when I couldn't find them. Thanks for spreading your kindness in our little neighbourhood. (33 years old)
Wow! Completing this thank roll is such a catharsis - all these gratefulness that have been building up inside me can finally be released! But I know I can never thank these people enough. If you are like one of these kind people, please continue bringing love and joy to the people around you, like a wise quote from Mother Theresa: Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier... Isn't this such a beautiful way to live our lives? Who knows, someone you help will be thankful to you forever :)