Change

Its been a while since the June Holidays ended, hasn't it? Time passes by so fast these days. Just two years ago, I was sitting through the agonizing PSLE period. Now, my little sister is the one taking the test. Singapore has gone through many developments over this past two years too. I notice the old Entertainment Centre located in the heart of the Jurong central torn down last year has been making quite a bit of progress since it began its operation works. I find bit a bit sad actually, to find that I no longer recognize some parts of Singapore that I spent in my early childhood. I recall this photo of my dad and I standing in front of a foodcourt that no longer exists. I was really fat then. "Everything decays over time" was a line said by an antagonist in a comic book I recently read. I am amused but somehow, I can't help but find myself agreeing with him.

In the June Holidays this year, my family and I had a long bus ride to Kuala Lampur to visit my dad who was posted there to work for his company. As I recall, that was my second trip to KL and I already prepared myself for a 5-hour bus ride on the understandably but extremely slow moving coach. I have to admit, my previous trip to KL wasn't especially pleasant, thanks to the unruly crowd on the subway which resulted in the discreet pickpocketing of my hand phone. Well, all of us make mistakes, right?

The bus trip was a long one. My mom sat a seat behind me, leaving me extremely vulnerable to her constant reiteration that I had to study Quadratic graphs during the trip. I listened, of course, but unknowingly, my mind was drawn away from the pile of papers on my lap, slowly falling on the scenery outside.

In my opinion, the view was simply breathtaking. A little coach, surrounded by miles and miles of greenery, virtually untouched by human hands. There were hardly any signs of a city around, creating an uniquely serene atmosphere in the region. Occasionally, I would catch glimpses of small towns down the highway we were travelling on, with tiny little figures moving around slowly. The houses looked ancient, like those you would see in those dramatic Chinese action films. My brother drew my attention to a cow he had spotted grazing on the hill. I was amazed. We certainly didn't see that often in Singapore. Roosters as well as dogs were common sights along the highway. Between you and me, I actually saw a tent erected near the border of a forested area and I still suspect that it was occupied by some illegal immigrant. Of course, my brother dismissed my claim, using his logic to determine that someone merely wanted to come out to camp for a night of two.

So unlike Singapore, I thought. In this region, time seemed to come to a standstill, leaving the natural beauties of gaia just as it was a long time ago. Singapore modernizes so fast. Forests are deforested to make way for industries. Old buildings are torn down to pave the way for newer commercial centres. Sometimes, I just feel that in Singapore, time passes too fast for us to readily appreciate what is already around us.

In a changing world, it is important for us to appreciate the beauty of the past. The past might be blissful, grievous or bloody, but as long as we take away something from our experiences, I guess we will be ready to greet change with open arms.