If you came to my house you will be surprised to find this dirty old masking tape on one of the doors of my children’s rooms. About eleven years ago when we renovated our house, we gave the contractor strict instructions not to remove this masking tape. Do you know why?It’s a visual record of the heights of my children as they grew up in our house. In the twinkling of an eye they are all grown up. Last night, I sent my youngest off to the UK for further studies. At the same time, my son who completed his NS last year has also started his classes in NUS.
Soon the nest will be empty. But the masking tape will remain.
10 comments:
Life is always cyclical like the four seasons. Similarly sea water gives out vapour which rises to the sky, falling down as rain to nourish the earth, and then flowing back to the sea. Couple got married and have children. Children left home to form their own families and the same two old folks come back to a square one, this time guarding an empty nest.
However, life will still go on.
I, too, recorded the heights of my two kids as they grew up on the door of the storeroom. But when I moved to another house, I forgot to take the door with us. So, Chun See, you might want to find another way to preserve your recordings just in case you move in future and forget the door too!
Jade, when kids grow up we see them unconsciously on a daily basis. Until we let them grow over so many years and then realised that they are like the young oak plant to a tall and strong oak tree.
From Mother Nature to nurture, from fertisers, water and sunshines, from love and care, you watch at them as the kids have grown with God's blessings.
Congrats Chun See and Mrs Lam.
Chun See will now have more time to be "home alone" while both your children are developing their lives.
Happy blogging! Cheers!
Good that you preserve these special memory artifacts at home, as it is a testament of growing up. Unfortunately, as a nation, it is not the same. Many of our childhood memories are erased by rapid development, e.g. Queenstown. As such, the soul of our nation is being threatened, by the young who don't know the past, and by new migrants that don't know the past. I must say, proceed with redevelopment, but preserve the little memories of there places that we grow up "here and there". Maybe an odd see-saw, an odd stone table-tennis table. This way, u can continue the rapid development, but people can continue to have attachment to the place, due to one or two familiar landmarks that they know since they were young.
Have to agree to some extent with what Anon said. Some things we have no choice but to tear down and rebuild; but oftentimes they are just too 'trigger happy'. I sense an almost intolerance for 'old stuff' - must either get rid of it or renovate/upgrade it.
An example I can think of is the Merdeka Lions. Why can't they just leave them at Nicoll Highway/Merdeka Bridge? What is the use of transporting them to the Safti MI where most of the public will not see them; and where the young SAF people wouldn't appreciate them anyway.
Maybe that explains why Sporeans are so worried that the govt will tear down or refurbish Tanjong Pagar Railway Station.
Recently I met a german couple who just came to Singapore a couple of months ago, and during the conversation I found out that they were diligently touring all over the island. They related to me of their visit to a small temple somewhere in an obscure part of toa payoh, which I myself is unaware of its existence. I am quite embarrassed of my disinterest of our cultural heritage.
This was a touching post. In years to come, if you are still in this house, that "dirty old masking tape" will be a meaningful touchstone for your children, and for theirs.
We need touchstones.....
Rick
Every time I reminisce about my children and how quickly they grow up, I think of this song from Fiddler on the Roof. I think you know the title. Many singers have sung this song, but my favourite is the version by Roger Whittaker.
The 'empty nest' stage has its benefits. No need to work your schedules around that of the kids'. It is good time to take that slow stroll on the park/beach, watch the sunrise/sunset for hours, watch mid-night movies, travel and 'paktor' all over again. Nature is gracious after all!.
Chun See, the Merdeka Bridge was the glories of the self-government state as built with the colonial days. Not the independent days under the Republic of Singapore and not worthy the pride of Singaporean citizens I guess...
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