Like most Singaporeans in the school system, I lived a rather normal life. Brought up by 2 loving maternal grandparents, with 2 working parents and an older sister.
I loved school. School gave me hope, freedom, and liberty to make decisions on small matters, because honestly, how much are you going to entrust on a little boy? Teachers loved me, and entrusted me with leadership roles for almost every year I’ve been in there. Class monitor, prefect, exco of the prefectorial board, band leader, class representative, subject representative, band major and student conductor et cetera. I loved myself too.
School felt like a second home, warm, caring, fun, and shelter for the broken, the beaten and the damned, and also for students who led a normal life. I was in a boy school for 10 years. 10 beautiful long years. Sounds like a paradox, but I really loved the long time in there. Some say why choose to stay in a home for the monks, I say why not. And I would do it over and over again. White and Blue were the colors of my uniform, and I dare say that the significance was huge. These were the colors of the sky, seemingly endless in hope. When the skies were bright and resembled the colors of my uniform, it reminded me to always look up and tell myself that yes, that’s the destination, the limits, and the exponential potential one could aim to emulate. When the skies were dark, I trusted in it be nothing but a mere passing. The grass patches were real muddy, and I enjoyed playing football in the mud. Hmm seemingly out of point but yes it was memorable. It made that pristine white become a sluggish color that resembled the chocolate milk that they sold in the canteen, and a scolding would ensue but it made me learn a lesson that maybe it’s what we do that makes what we feel. People can no longer see that white and sky blue when the rain pours uncompromisingly, but inside that very pure heart lay a boy who cares more about making himself happy because he knows it’s more important than anything. That even if it rains, the stained white is still white.
But things change huh?
Loading comments...