Skip to main content

Day 5 + Day 6 : Leaving home for WorldMUN & Grandparents' Love

3:03 am, Lavender Street, Singapore

My morning call is in less than 4 hours but I am determined to convey the turbulent emotions which have left me griping in the past two days. These feelings I speak of are quite intrinsic to humanity: the bittersweetness of goodbyes and love's resistance against separation. These forces have ground against every fiber of my soul, simply because I am not particularly fond of farewells.

I capped my very brief trip in Penang by spending the little time I had left with my loved ones. Amidst the food and jubilant laughter, the hour of departure is often obscured. But when the hour approaches, the looming prospect of boarding a plane and turning your back on those you love always bites into my sanity. The ordeal of leaving those you love behind was not meant to be shouldered by frail humans like us. I often find it Herculean to suppress much of my emotions when others are expressing them through tears; and I often deem the whole process of separation as excruciating.

I bid my town, my family and my loved ones goodbye for yet another time. It has been the 4th time in 3 years and it is sickening.What has absolutely torn my spirits is the thought of leaving my grandparents to another bout of loneliness, of despair and mundane routine. When I stay with them during my trips back, they smile, laugh and talk more. My presence somehow invigorates their limbs and senses, and I reciprocate by spending all the time that I could spare with them. We would sit under the front porch and just talk under the cool, evening breeze. My grandparents are aging - gracefully but surely; and it is saddening to contemplate the isolated predicament they are in.

They fend for themselves but receive very little in return. Their pillars of support, their children, have moved away from them and those who remain close are too busy to lend them assistance or just plain, simple accompaniment. They are often in the middle of intra-family conflicts, and many within my family have not-so-kind things to say about them.

Yet, they still give and love. They have inspired me to be humble and work hard for a good living; and to never shy away from adversity. They have taught me to put God and my elders first while acting upon my morals and principles in an enlightened manner. I say all of this because I am greatly indebted to their servitude as selfless parents and authoritative figures of my family. I also wish to remind myself to be grateful to my very own parents in my journey down this never-ending road, while remembering my roots and upbringing in this grueling odyssey.

As I leave Penang, I leave behind those who are dear to me, but to quote John Donne in his Valediction:

'Though I must go, endure not yet  
A breach, but an expansion,  
Like gold to airy thinness beat. ' 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

We Don't Talk about Livability Enough

We don't. What's the number one thing you wished would change in the place you live in? I'm not talking about a trip to IKEA for your personal living space. It's something bigger. Beyond your drive way, your porch. Your immediate surroundings or even the township that you're in. When was the last time we paused and reflected on the state its in? Are there clogged drains, litter, stray animals, broken lights, mosquito infestation, rats, roaches, cracked sidewalks, potholes, unused empty spaces, overgrowth, weeds? Just to name a few. Maybe you think it'll be nice to finally add more park benches for people to sit in. Or maybe, to have a park to start with. "Livability" as a concept is not widely discussed on its on, but implied: whether the place has a high quality of living, infrastructure, public transportation, education, amenities, suitable climate, access to jobs. All of these decide whether a place is "livable" or not. B...

One Week in Kampung Sait: Day 1

Today I depart for Kuching. I don't have many expectations for the trip, but it is my first time going to East Malaysia and living, for an an extended period of time, in an Orang Asal village. I'll be part of an expedition called 'Impian Sarawak'. Frankly speaking, it is a politically sponsored volunteer program to visit a village and assist in the building of a gravity feed water system while having an opportunity to live amongst the villagers there. I hope to observe and learn about how they live and carry out their respective responsibilities. At the same time, this is a momentous occasion for Malaysian history, insofar as 'change' is concerned. I hope that as ambassadors of a growing movement for change and as fellow Malaysians who are committed to bring about systemic change, we can bring that care and genuine support to the villagers. As we identify with their problems and plight, I hope that I can personally find a common ground on which I can fight along...

Walkability

I've spent close to 3 weeks in Singapore for a work trip recently.  The city is a gleaming example of prudent, sensible & effective public policy. Every square-inch of the island has been mapped out, years before, with the room to rework the space if the need arises. Let's talk about walking, specifically, the decision to walk to your destination and forgo other means of transportation. Not enough people in Malaysia like to walk. Many blame the weather, the cracked sidewalks or that it's simply much easier to drive or share a ride there. Their reasons are justified. However, I'd argue that walkability is the end result of many policies aligning to create just the right environment to inspire people to lace up their shoes and make that walk. These policies are, in no particular order of importance: spatial planning, accessibility, public transportation. Using Singapore as a case study, I'll provide some observations and thoughts. Spatial Planning:  S...