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Hallo
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Singapore turns 39 next Monday.
Now, that means I am a big brother to this birthday boy simply because I am 46
this year.
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Come to think of it, I have been
around before this new nation was born and when new generations of
Singaporeans are born and they study Singapore's past in their history or
civics lessons, I will be counted by them as someone who was around before,
during and after the birth of Singapore as a nation.
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That makes me special in their
eyes, for my experiences and memories of that time just before, during and
after the birth of Singapore make for interesting study.
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So, in anticipation of that time
coming, I am, right here and now, penning my thoughts on Singapore turning 39.
In fact, that's what this Web site is all about - collecting Singapore of the
present and preserving it for future generations of Singaporeans to
appreciate.
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As a 40-something, what are my
thoughts on life here? Well, for one thing, I am sure glad I was born after
the Second World War. I missed all the suffering and the pain. But, that's not
so good after all, for without such suffering and pain, I could not have
gained insight and hindsight - elements which would stand me in good stead for
weathering the storms in life.
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I would be branded a softie - the
kind who would not be resilient in times of trouble. I would be one who likely
won't be able to stand again after a fall. But, it's not as bad as I have made
it look, for I have people born before and during the Second World War - who
are still alive and well now - dispensing advice around me.
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These chaps have 'chiak yiam'
(eaten salt), especially since they have been through the baptism of fire in
the form of the Second World War.
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What of me? What enriching
experience can I offer the future generations of Singaporeans? As a baby
boomer* I cannot boast of having survived the Second World War. I also cannot
say I am part of the generation which prepared the coming of Singapore into
nationhood - that rightly belongs to the pre-war residents of
Singapore.
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So just what can I, a 40-something
Singaporean, boast about? I know what - I am the first generation of
Singaporeans who get to bask in the efforts of those who created the Singapore
nation. I am among the pioneer batch which got to taste the beginnings of a
better life here in Singapore. I am one of those who can look back to the time
of Singapore's birth and declare proudly that since that day, life here in
Singapore has been getting better and better.
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From living in someone else's
pre-war shophouse to making my own home in an HDB flat, from hearing - yes,
hearing - black & white TV (for those of us who did not have a TV set) in the
corridor outside someone else's house to having my own colour TV set, from
having to keep cooked food overnight in a meshed wooden cupboard to owning a
fridge, the list goes on and on.
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These are the things that the
younger generation takes for granted. Why? They were not around to witness the
times when there were no such things in Singapore. They were not privy to
hardship and suffering. Theirs is a world of McDonald's restaurants,
friendster.com and mobile phones.
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Now, that rings a bell. It's a
case of the pot calling the kettle black, for I am part of the generation
which went through what the younger generation is going through now - basking
in the success of this island-state called Singapore.
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Is life here indeed getting
increasingly softer, as it gets easier, for us Singaporeans?
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What can and should we do to
arrest the trend of us Singaporeans taking things for granted, of expecting
everything to be run like clockwork?
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The schools have made community
project work compulsory for all young Singaporeans. That's a good start. The
idea is good, but our young must be made aware that doing community work is
not a perfunctory exercise done for the sake of collecting curriculum merits.
That's where the teachers come into play - to inspire and guide.
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In the very least, our young will
learn to appreciate that the good life they are now living right here in
Singapore continues because more of us consider ourselves part of the
community, with a role to play.
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This way, they will be better able
to weather the storms that future years may bring - long after the pre-war and
the baby boomers have moved on.
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And, hopefully, when future
generations of Singaporean students read this story as they study Singapore's
past through anecdotes and other writings, they can say to themselves this -
that life is indeed still getting better in their time.
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Now, that's what I wish for
Singapore this month as we celebrate National Day.
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Have a good week!
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*baby boomers:
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- Early Baby Boomers (born
between 1947 & 1954)
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- Late Baby Boomers
(born between 1955 & 1964)
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Are
you a baby boomer? |
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should be sent to editor@getforme.com.
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to the Editor section. Please quote 020804 as subject.
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Monday with the Editor: National Day Ponderings
