Mother's Day Thoughts

Born in the time where we children saw more of our mother than father, needless to say that mother is the greatest person to me then (and even now).

We, seven boys without any sisters were always up to mischief and problems. I remember two of my brothers been knock down by cars (at different time though) along the busy Beach Road where my childhood life was. Blood did happen on numerous occasions, like being hit by rascals and group fighting. We often chased after kites and in those busy city places, accidents did happen frequently. Those were the days.

Boys will always be boys!! (You know what I mean; mischief is part of growing up for boys)

Yet, mother is always there.

I remember that year 1969, when you brought all three of us (my two younger brothers and me) to school and back home everyday. The toil and struggle through the whole year taking buses during peak hour was a daily struggle. I remember the bus conductor asking you, “when would we grow up?” Yes, in those days, even the bus conductor remembered all their regular passengers. Those were the good old days.


Growing up and living in a half-room HDB flat with 9 of us clamping together like sardine was a real challenge. The neighborhood wasn’t that “healthy” then. I remember that one of our neighbour was a drug abuser. Gangs were also common. But somehow, we were not influenced by it.

The worry, the nagging, the scolding, sometime caning (from mother). It was through all these that kept us all away from bad company, drug and gang. Those were the days, when mother care was the greatest!

Thank you, mother!!