It is very interesting how memory works.. I stayed at a corner terrace house on Upper Paya Lebar Road since I was born and that stay lasted for about 18 years..
After our move to Tampines in 1984, memories of that long stay in Paya Lebar slowly faded into nothingness. I dreamt about that place once in a while but nothing worth mentioning.
And after mum's passing for more than a year, I am slowly noticing that little details of that old home came flashing back into my memory bank -
The little kitchen complete with sink, cooker, cupboard etc..
The dining area where we ate, watched TV, prepared food for festivities and prayer sessions..
The hall where the altar, row of chairs for guests, chair for GOM, table for display, table for study...
The bedroom where wooden beds, cupboards, mattresses and the window that linked to the dining area..
The bathroom where large ceramic urns were used to contain water...
The side corridor where clothes were dried and dad would rest in the day...
The attic where the ceiling was done in an angle that flowed along the house roof, large wooden bed for mum and me and the traditional wood cupboard...
And the little things I did with mum since young - preparing, kneading and washing of flour for vegetarian cooking, making fresh fishcake from fishes caught by mum's friends, preparing and helping out in food preparation such as glutinuous rice with red dates, chicken, and more, filling up the prayer papers diligently for mum, citing the birth dates for mum's friends during their visits to GOM, entertaining mum's friends, cutting and working on jeans, plastic carriers to earn extra money, playing with neighbours along the road and catching little insects and animals like spiders and Pui Muay in the canal...
Wow... it is really amazing..
I come to realise that I have actually done so many things there not just alone or with friends but with mum and her friends as well.... I smile with these recollections...
Honestly, it has been a long growing up process and really, it is good to realise that I have kept these fond and good memories somewhere within me and that they still stay so vivid till today...
Saturday 26 June 2010
Saturday 19 June 2010
Heavy Downpour and Flood
Recently, the heavy downpour resulted in massive flood in Orchard Road and Bukit Timah. Pictures of people cutting through the water with care, cars stalled in the middle of nowhere and goods floating on flowing water brought back some childhood memories.
When we were staying in Paya Lebar, we thought drainage was ample but flood was a common sight when there was heavy rain. The water that flowed along the stretch of main road was muddy and the kids would giggled and played with the water in delight.
Owners of little business like mobile kok kok mee stall or bread stall would stare at the sky with resignation as earnings for the day would be compromised to a great extent.
On such days, I would plead with mum to give me a day of absence from school but she would never agree to it. Education was of utmost importance to her and she knew that without it, we would never have that chance to make a difference in our lives.
I was terrified of the water. But mum would tell me " My dear, do not be afraid. I will be guiding you across the water and bring you safely to the bus-stop".
True to her words, her strong arms would hold me tight, her body would carefully shield me from facing the water when crossing through the drains.
Everything seemed calm with no anxieties. The unbelievable sense of safety and unconditional love simply enveloped all around me. There was no more fear.
This was one of the greatest feeling I have ever experienced and till today, I am grateful to mum for showering me with this warmth.
Thank you mummy... And I sincerely hope that... this precious feeling is something I have ever given to my loved ones, at least once in his or her encounter with me....
When we were staying in Paya Lebar, we thought drainage was ample but flood was a common sight when there was heavy rain. The water that flowed along the stretch of main road was muddy and the kids would giggled and played with the water in delight.
Owners of little business like mobile kok kok mee stall or bread stall would stare at the sky with resignation as earnings for the day would be compromised to a great extent.
On such days, I would plead with mum to give me a day of absence from school but she would never agree to it. Education was of utmost importance to her and she knew that without it, we would never have that chance to make a difference in our lives.
I was terrified of the water. But mum would tell me " My dear, do not be afraid. I will be guiding you across the water and bring you safely to the bus-stop".
True to her words, her strong arms would hold me tight, her body would carefully shield me from facing the water when crossing through the drains.
Everything seemed calm with no anxieties. The unbelievable sense of safety and unconditional love simply enveloped all around me. There was no more fear.
This was one of the greatest feeling I have ever experienced and till today, I am grateful to mum for showering me with this warmth.
Thank you mummy... And I sincerely hope that... this precious feeling is something I have ever given to my loved ones, at least once in his or her encounter with me....
Wednesday 16 June 2010
The Dumpling Festival, 端午節
Today is the lunar fifth day of fifth month and a time for us to remember Qu Yuan by.
Honestly, my knowledge of this celebration is limited, with mere understanding that Qu Yuan was a Chinese patriot during the period of a corrupt Government in China, and in order to protest against the wrongdoings of the Government, Qu Yuan deliberately jumped into Mi Lo River.
The locals tried to save him while throwing drums and rice into the river to scare away the fishes so that they may not be able to harm Qu Yuan. In order to pay a tribute, patriot, boat races were held and rice thrown into water to symbolize the struggle made to rescue Qu Yuan.
It is interesting that to date, I have never witness a dragon boat race in Singapore nor any other countries like China. However, what is close to my heart is the dumplings.
Today, the variety in the market is wide ranging from simple fare to those with shark's fin or abalone. The one I used to make with mum when I was a teenager contained glutinous rice, belly pork, lean pork, mushrooms, chestnut, and dried prawns.
It was a tradition then to prepare the dumplings - from washing & frying glutinous rice, cutting and marinating the pork and other ingredients to wrapping the dumplings and cooking them in boiling water over burning charcoal.
All of these is art in itself. Mum tried to teach me but I obviously failed the test, and have yet to master the art.
Sigh... Is it a regret? Possibly but I am not harping over this. I shall find time to relook at mum's recipes again. And, I have every intention to learn Mum-in-law's recipes too. These recipes are precious and definitely, food is a good way to help connect and bond family and friends.
Come August, we shall start on the road to learning again.
Honestly, my knowledge of this celebration is limited, with mere understanding that Qu Yuan was a Chinese patriot during the period of a corrupt Government in China, and in order to protest against the wrongdoings of the Government, Qu Yuan deliberately jumped into Mi Lo River.
The locals tried to save him while throwing drums and rice into the river to scare away the fishes so that they may not be able to harm Qu Yuan. In order to pay a tribute, patriot, boat races were held and rice thrown into water to symbolize the struggle made to rescue Qu Yuan.
It is interesting that to date, I have never witness a dragon boat race in Singapore nor any other countries like China. However, what is close to my heart is the dumplings.
Today, the variety in the market is wide ranging from simple fare to those with shark's fin or abalone. The one I used to make with mum when I was a teenager contained glutinous rice, belly pork, lean pork, mushrooms, chestnut, and dried prawns.
It was a tradition then to prepare the dumplings - from washing & frying glutinous rice, cutting and marinating the pork and other ingredients to wrapping the dumplings and cooking them in boiling water over burning charcoal.
All of these is art in itself. Mum tried to teach me but I obviously failed the test, and have yet to master the art.
Sigh... Is it a regret? Possibly but I am not harping over this. I shall find time to relook at mum's recipes again. And, I have every intention to learn Mum-in-law's recipes too. These recipes are precious and definitely, food is a good way to help connect and bond family and friends.
Come August, we shall start on the road to learning again.
Tuesday 1 June 2010
写在妈妈逝世一周年。。。。
今天是农历四月十九日，也是妈妈去世一周年的祭日。
天时是阴， 时是阳光普照，我的心感到无限的惆怅。。
沉默的上午，都在万佛林点燃的香烛中， 法师的诵经中慢慢度过。。。
看到姐，姐夫，哥哥，嫂子，老公，外甥，姪子，甚至三姐也到齐了，我心里有了些安慰。。
看着燃烧冥钱的火苗和烟雾飘向遥远的天空，
我默默的想念您妈妈
赶不走的是无限缅怀，
抹不掉的是深深思念；
妈妈，
您在师父那里安心休息与修行了吗？
那您还牵挂着我们吗？
在这过去一年里，我几乎每一天都会捧着您的照片与您聊聊天，亲亲您。。
我会向您倾诉我的心声，
在这个世界上，真正懂我、爱我，惜我，
甚至知道我一切的人，就是妈妈您。。
在您那充满爱意的眼神与微笑里，
我读懂了您的意思，
我明白您想对我说的话
我知道您会叮嘱我什么
我都记在心里。。。
妈妈， 您安心吧，
我会好好生活下去，也信一切都会慢慢好起来。。
我相信佛，法，僧
也信轮回，
妈妈，您的音容与恩情将常驻我心里，
希望来世我能与您再续美好的母女缘。。。
祝愿妈妈您
幸福，
安康，
好好把握修行机会，
直到圆满为止。。。
天时是阴， 时是阳光普照，我的心感到无限的惆怅。。
沉默的上午，都在万佛林点燃的香烛中， 法师的诵经中慢慢度过。。。
看到姐，姐夫，哥哥，嫂子，老公，外甥，姪子，甚至三姐也到齐了，我心里有了些安慰。。
看着燃烧冥钱的火苗和烟雾飘向遥远的天空，
我默默的想念您妈妈
赶不走的是无限缅怀，
抹不掉的是深深思念；
妈妈，
您在师父那里安心休息与修行了吗？
那您还牵挂着我们吗？
在这过去一年里，我几乎每一天都会捧着您的照片与您聊聊天，亲亲您。。
我会向您倾诉我的心声，
在这个世界上，真正懂我、爱我，惜我，
甚至知道我一切的人，就是妈妈您。。
在您那充满爱意的眼神与微笑里，
我读懂了您的意思，
我明白您想对我说的话
我知道您会叮嘱我什么
我都记在心里。。。
妈妈， 您安心吧，
我会好好生活下去，也信一切都会慢慢好起来。。
我相信佛，法，僧
也信轮回，
妈妈，您的音容与恩情将常驻我心里，
希望来世我能与您再续美好的母女缘。。。
祝愿妈妈您
幸福，
安康，
好好把握修行机会，
直到圆满为止。。。
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)