Curve Ball

We had great plans.
We had much anticipation.
We had been patient.

Then it happened.
The curve ball that the world talk about. Warn us about.

"Those kinda stuff only happens to others, never to us" became a reality that slapped us on our faces. Hard.

Disappointment oozed from our every pore. Frustration struck our every cell.

We endure.
We believe.
We love.

As long as we stand by each other, it will be alright.
:)

Ticket to life

This picture was circulated in the FB space some days back and whilst it took most folks down memory lane, it reminded me of my formative years.

It took me back to the days when my brother and I spent our days riding up and down the bus routes while waiting for either mom or dad to finish their shift for the day. It reminded me of the time when I knew the bus routes by heart. When we played games guessing the number of folks who'd be at the next bus stop. Such simple joy back then.

Looking back, the big bus depot opposite the city stadium that used to intimidate me doesn't seem so scary anymore. Comparing to its bustling heydays, it tugs at my heartstrings to see its current ghostly state. The price we pay for development, some say. I disagree. Public transportation is still thriving in some developed nations like Singapore. We just need to have good leaders to lead the folks on Paradise Island.

When I turned 10, my mom decided to share the family's laundry responsibility with me. "So that you can learn to be a good wife one day", she reasoned. (Funny how I turn out to be the unconventional woman today) Back then, we didn't own a washing machine. As surreal as it sounds, it was indeed an experience doing the laundry by hand. An experience not everyone can claim to have at the age of 10.

I remember the reminder to turn out the pockets of their jackets for any left behind tickets. Or coins. "The pockets need to be turned inside out to clean them properly. Else you get a clean jacket but dirty pockets", mom will remind me. So I remember. Till today.

My friends remember those days well too. Mainly for the free rides they get from my folks. Since my parents made it a point to know who our friends are, they'd recognise the faces (sometimes names of my BFFs back then) and let them save the bus fare for treats later. To this day, some of my friends fondly recall those days and ask about my parents when our paths cross.

When the government-owned bus company turned private, my parents opted for early retirement. The fun-filled bus rides stopped then. But I will never forget the times when I grew up with those buses. Those colorful tickets. Those days when my folks taught me how to be a responsible human being when I grow up.

It's a lesson I take with me as I journey the path of Life. That no matter how far I go, I must always remember my roots. And how I wouldn't be who I am today if not for those beginnings.

Thank you for making me me.