Panacea

I must have been a bad boy today, because I'm sick... Down with a fever, aching joints and swollen tonsils. Yup, even swallowing can be such a chore. Now I'm beginning to know how you feel, what more with your sensitive throat.

Then again, I must have done something good too because I was given a healthy dose (make that two) of infectious happiness from two young kids at my Grandma's birthday dinner. My they have grown... And just as I suspected, I could barely keep up with their nuclear-powered appetite for fun. After 15 minutes of play, pretend and kissing (gosh, these kids are affectionate), the fever was nowhere in sight. In fact, it wasn't until I had reached home and curled up on my bed that I felt the fever return. It seemed as if rivers of Sahara sand were grinding their way through my limbs, setting each join ablaze with a coarse, rumbling heat.

Could you imagine living with these... these... kids? Hahaha... I'm sure it'd turn out to be a different story by then. But, oh for the sweet and careless abandon of a 6 year old. Her easy-going unadultered trust and hunger for fun simply sweeps aside all things in her path (and mine, literally). How many times have you had the pleasure of a bubbly 6-year old girl come diving into your arms, shortly scrambling up your half-buckled knees to seal her vice-like grip on your waitst? Haha... never mind that she was wearing a skirt. She seemed as if she could be wearing nothing for she cared. Several times, I had to remind myself not to be as restricted as I would normally be with "grown-ups" when I played with her. So genuine, so fraglie, yet so fiercely alive. Her youth infected me, and for a while, I was in love with her.

I dread the day she would get hurt. Musing to my brother in the car, I remarked: "give her a few more years and she wouldn't even come near me." Haha... how true. We all grow up, just that some of us refuse to grow old.

The boy was a slightly different story, though. He longed for a playmate, but was already beginning to feel inadequate around his female peer. However this inhibition was short-lived -- because once this crazy cousin of theirs began running around like a madman, arms waving in the air, he was joining in the fun like a rugby scrum-head. Pretty soon, our two cheeky pumpkins were slapping one another's bottoms and trying to peep down one another's shirt. Bad mistake.... cos before I knew it, they were tugging at my polo t-shirt too. Kids....

I guess I'll have two more reasons to keep the faith in my extended family -- these kids, and their parents. Watching them change and grow year after year at these gatherings, I found myself lost for words for fool-proof child upbringing solutions and mantras. Truth be told, I hated the quick temperedness of my parent's generation, and as a result I swore never to follow in their footsteps. However, I realise that children are a tough nut to crack without some show of authority from the adults. Not that we need to oppress them, but we need to show them who's in charge, and show them who they can trust. Heck, eventually they're gonna look back and say something like, "I wanna be just like that (I hope)."

All in all, I had a fantastic dinner because of the kids. It's nice to know that there are people you can really talk and have fun with in your extended family. The rest of the adults? Haha... They're a different story. Not today; I'm not in a PR mood today.

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Caught the NDP pre-parade festivities on TV today. I loved it! All 15 minutes of all I watched from behind slitty eyes while curled up on the TV couch. Never mind the fact that the screen was somewhat horizontal and I wasn't feeling too good. :)

This year's parade and festivities simply overwhelmed Kallang, and for the first time as an audience, I envy the people on-site now. How I wish I could be there to be immersed and swept away in this wave of optimism and patriotism. So much effort, such beautiful smiles and emotions -- this is truely what a national day is about.

I was just in time to catch a brass band's parade opening performance. FANTASTIC!

The coordination, the smiles, the trust in their conductor, the magic of their suspended confidence... All stirred up into a melting-pot of loud jubilant music. I swear I almost cried. As I watched a row of drum-sticks rain down their commanding strokes on those white skins in unison, I was filled with a deep admiration and appreciation for their efforts. I wanted to clap for their effort, to applaude their beautiful performance. Ah... and I remember that you were once in such a position. What were those years like?

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As I type down the last bits of my thoughts for the evening, I anticipate the woody slumber I will soon undertake with the help of a little white pill. I hope that I get better tomorrow. There's tonnes of things waiting for us to do.


JKLM