Happy being busy!

I am so busy these two weeks! S came from NYC for a 3 week holiday and since she was such a good host to me during my time in USA, I had to reciprocate the favour. What’s more, it’s been so long since we saw each other, I’m glad for the opportunity to catch up with her.

Last Friday S wanted to go sun-bathing, so we went to Sentosa. I was such fun! This is my first time sun-tanning and because it was a weekday, there are less people at the beach. Most of them are Caucasians too. Had a good time ogling at bikini girls and guys (not that they’re very good looking). S was not satisfied until she caught all the sun and made sure that she’s very tanned. We stayed there for 4 hours. I think I caught a heat stroke. When we were leaving, I nearly fainted. Good thing I brought water and managed to finished it all and so avoided an embarrassing moment. Was apologetic to S though. I’m so weak! Anyway, I had a great time at Sentosa that day. I don’t mind going there again next time to sun-bathe. I just have to make sure I bring lots of water to keep myself hydrated!

This week, I had to relief teach at Canberra Pri on Monday and Tuesday. They’re both in the morning and I had to wake up very early! Not easy for me, who’s so not a morning person! Anyway, S called me up during Tuesday morning to meet her for lunch. She had two friends from NYC who are on a tour of South East Asia and happened to be in town. I was very tired and planned to go home after school to sleep my day away but I’m so glad that I went to meet them! Being with S and her two guy friends, I’m like transported back to my days in the States. They all spoke with an American accent and I find myself using my long-forgotten accent also. Also, since I used to live in the States, we had a lot of topics to talk about and I find myself no longer the one to just sit and listen, as I do so often with my own friends. It was so natural to find myself contributing my opinions and thoughts. I guess one thing that being in USA has taught me is that if I don’t open up, I would be ignored. Americans are very vocal and they can go on and on and if you choose to remain silent, they would not ask you to voice out or ask you what’s wrong. If I choose to remain quiet, they would respect my choice.

After being tour guides to the two American friends, we met up with another two friends of one of the two and went to a bar at Devonshire Road. I was so tired then from lack of sleep and had a splitting headache. What’s more, I was having that time of the month which makes it real uncomfortable. But I find myself also enjoying the time just talking and getting to know all these people. Our topics can range from politics (the recent hoo-ha about the Presidential Elections), differences between men and women and very often, differences in social attitudes in Singapore and USA. It was such am enriching night and we never run out of topic to talk about. I was able to also offer my opinions freely because all of us have been around both countries and have common understanding of issues.

I’m so glad to meet up with S again. She’s thinking of seriously moving back to Singapore from NYC. If she does that, I can envision us doing more fun things together. Being Westernised, S doesn’t bring with her the usual conservative notions that I’m used to with other Singaporean friends. I can unleash my other adventurous side with her, that I can’t with others. I really, really hope things will go well with S and to see her in Singapore soon!

Touched

I have been thinking a lot of this friend recently. Many years ago, she did something that till this day, I’m still very touched by it. It was a very small thing but I remember it well. Perhaps because up till now, no one else has done the same thing or even something close to what she did. Maybe because it is something that I myself may do to another person and I never expected someone to do the same to me.

This friend and me were friends in JC. We were not classmates. We were friends from the same ECA( yes, it was called ECA in my days, not CCA). We were both Student Councillors. As such, we had a councillor room and while other students had to pay rental fees for having lockers in the school, we had lockers/cubby holes right in our councillor room for each individual councillor, for free! CK and I were in the same committee in the councillor. I like to say that all councillors are close and enjoy each other’s company, but the fact is, we’re not. But I love my fellow councillors. In fact, other than my days in council, I can’t remember much about the studying in JC part. I enjoy JC so much because of the fact that I’m a councillor. That explains my crappy ‘A’ levels results. Anyway, back to the point. Due to the fact that CK and I were in the same committee, we get to work on some projects together sometimes and when it’s over, sometimes we go home together. By going home together, I mean just walking to the bus stop together.

One day, there was a pasar malam at the housing blocks outside our school. CK and I were walking to the bus stop together and were talking about the pasar malam. We were saying that maybe we should find one day during the week to go to the pasar malam (they usually last for a week). I was agreeing to go together and happened to mentioned that I would like to get ‘muah chee’ from the pasar malam as that is my favourite food. This was only mentioned in passing and then we headed home.

The next day after school, I went to the council room to take some books from my cubby hole (we always head for our cubby holes after school to decide if we want to take or leave our school books home). Upon opening my cubby hole, lo and behold, I found a box of ‘muah chee’ in there! It was in a red plastic bag and there’s a note attached. I can’t remember much of what was written, but I still have the note with me (lazy to go hunt it up). The overall meaning is that CK remembers that I mentioned that I like ‘muah chee’ so she got it from the pasar malam when she went there. I was so touched then that I was tearing up. It was such a sweet gesture.

I guess now I’m thinking of this thing that had happened so long ago (more than 10 years ago) is because I lament the fact that while I’m still touched by the act so many years later, I don’t keep in contact with the person anymore. True, we have each other’s contact numbers, we’re friends on Facebook (I think), but we don’t call or talk or meet up! The last I saw her was at her wedding and that was two years ago. After that, we don’t contact anymore. Although CK did something small to touch me, we were never very close. Close enough that she invited me to her wedding, which I was very honoured, but not close enough that we talk often. It’s only during council days, when we had to work together that we talk. Both of us had our own circle of good friends.

No matter what we do, every small act may be an act of kindness to some one else. On the opposite end, every small act may be an act of cruelty to another person. Be very careful how we act as many years later, our actions may still be remembered by the person we performed it on, be it good or bad. I’m guilty of many bad actions. After all, no one is perfect. I try my best to do small things that touch people, not hoping that it will be remembered, but hoping that it will brighten someone’s day, just like how it brightens up mine that day, so many years ago.

An Irish Blessing

May the road rise to meet you

May the wind be always at your back

May the sun shine warm upon your face

May the rains fall soft upon your fields

And until we meet again

May God hold you in the palm of His hand