a young girl does not understand this old soldier
Today is my nation's 50th birthday. A half century as an independent country. What am I going to write about this then, what do I see on this special occasion? The parade, the fireworks, the Leopard 2s and Apaches? No, others will write about these, and take better photos, than me.
I will then write something about our National Service, something I felt was a waste of time in the past, but a tenet that I supported now, if we are not to be bullied again.
photo by dsnake1
a young girl does not understand this old soldier
"Dad, did you really carry all these bags and guns
and march around with them for days? Isn't it kind of dumb?"
Packs, i corrected her. It's kind of dumb, yes, but then
darling, we did this so you and mummy can sleep safer.
06/07/2013
**********
❤
© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ) 2015
I will then write something about our National Service, something I felt was a waste of time in the past, but a tenet that I supported now, if we are not to be bullied again.
a young girl does not understand this old soldier
"Dad, did you really carry all these bags and guns
and march around with them for days? Isn't it kind of dumb?"
Packs, i corrected her. It's kind of dumb, yes, but then
darling, we did this so you and mummy can sleep safer.
06/07/2013
**********
❤
© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ) 2015
Labels: National Day, national service, Singapore
posted by dsnake1 at 9:08 PM
20 Comments:
Perfection - children can always be relied on to point out both the obvious and absurd....
Oh it might seem dumb, and afterward it was, but what if it had been needed.. I had to do my year as well.. Nowadays it's no longer compulsory...
Oh lee san, we often forget about those brave souls on the borders of our countries sacrificing their lives for our safety...a beautiful tribute on this special day...happy independence day!
A befitting poem for this occasion :D
Beautifully penned :D
Lots of love,
Sanaa
Perfect. Could not be said any better.
This is short and sweet and has the right amount of emotion. Thanks for sharing.
I don't think we can negate the importance of being a soldier!
The road to indepence or any other regulation is hard but the finish line is always the sweetest.
Happy 50th independence Singapore
Jae Rose,
yes, children will always speak their minds. :)
Bjorn,
you too? it is still compulsory over here.
Sumana,
thank you! i read about your country's soldiers on the borders of Kashmir and China. i have a soft spot for soldiers everywhere. :)
Sanaa,
thank you so much! :)
Sherry,
Thank you! :)
Kimolisa,
thanks for visiting. :)
Mary,
well, some have a bad rep. :)
totomai,
thank you. that's a milestone to be celebrated. :)
Yes the choice of the soldier does have a reason. Well written.
Yes, there is that to remember about soldiering.
G L,
thanks! well, in my case there wasn't much of a choice. it was compulsory enlistment. :)
Rosemary,
yes, it is. :)
I used to live in Pandan Valley and could watch the men practicing from my kitchen window. Wish I'd been there to celebrate 50. Majulah Singapura!!
oh wow, you used to live in Pandan Valley? :)
Majulah Singapura!
Yes, for six years! I miss Singapore terribly :-( Have dreams about it at least once a week...often I am searching relentlessly for satay, ketupat, popiah or chendol. Haha!!
oh wow, again! it's always wonderful to hear readers mention local terms, especially food like ketupat and chendol. :)
i think Singapore is one of the few places in the world where you can find food 24/7. i used to work the graveyard shift and there was no problem getting my mee goreng and teh tarik at 3 a.m. in the morning.
let me guess, you used to be an expatriate working/living in Singapore? :)
Haha, yes, I heard it said once that the national past time in Singapore is eating and the second national past time is talking about food. You could definitely find food 24/7. My parents were expats working in Singapore.....I was a child growing up there. Best place in the world to grow up....clean, safe....I had so much freedom. My friends and I used to rent bum boats and go to Sister's Island for the day. What kid can do that kind of thing in most parts of the world? Singapore holds a very special place in my heart. I would love to go back.
that explains why you know about Singapore. i am glad you like the place. yes, it's still a safe place for a kid to grow up. and a great place to shop (and eat) too. but the big bugbear now is that things (food, rent, necessary stuff) are getting progressively expensive.
you're welcome back anytime for a visit. the Gardens by the Bay (with its Flower Dome and Cloud Forest) is a good place to start, and our Botanical Gardens have been declared a UNESCO Heritage Site. :)
Yeah, the last time I was back, it was already getting noticeably more expensive. I used to do my homework in the Botanical Gardens. And now it's a UNESCO Heritage Site. Awesome :-) It deserves it. Gorgeous. Well, enjoy living there! Lucky for lots of reasons. The MRT system is the best I've found yet. Other cities of comparable size just can't seem to get organized and get it together quite like Singapore can!! Nice reminiscing with you :-)
the Botanical Gardens is where i shot my wedding photos. :)
about the MRT, there are problems of late : overcrowding, even on off-peak periods, and frequent breakdowns i guessed it's not originally designed for such increased loads, with the big influx of foreigners coming to Singapore to work. new lines are coming out though, and hopefully will ease the strain on the system.
it's great 'chatting' with you on Singapore. :)
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