Friday, September 07, 2007
50th Anniversary50 years huh?! I would certainly pray and hope that J and I will still be around to celebrate our Golden Jubilee over a romantic dinner...
Prior to our nation's 50th anniversary, I was kept occupied with various negative articles about our country's state of affairs. The economy was heading towards the downside and share market was sliding as well. News on corruption in the highest level of the government hogged the lime light of every newspaper (does PKFZ ring a bell?) and I could hardly see any flags being displayed on buildings (except the opposite Kuala Lumpur Hospital) and cars.
I was tempted to give my two cents on the various issues clouding our Merdeka celebrations but I was too busy planning for our vacation. Now, a week later, I am still inclined to do so. However, something I saw yesterday literally stopped me...
I was driving back to my parents' place to pick up J and Little Skywalker as usual. I drove pass the children's playground that is near my parents' place and saw my grandmother and Little Skywalker there. Little Skywalker had just finished his cup of ice-cream (courtesy of my grandmother) and was about to run about the playground.
I parked my car and joined him while relieving my grandmother to her 6pm TV series. At first, I followed the little monkey around to make sure that he doesn't perform any dangerous stunt like running too fast or walking up the slides. I noticed there were a few kids around. Being the good PR himself, Little Skywalker got acquainted quickly with one of them (a few years senior than him) and started following him around, doing what he does.
After making sure they weren't up to something dangerous, I took a step back and sat down on the bench, continue to keep an eye on them. Soon after, more children came to the playground. One old man even came in a motorbike with his two grandchildren. Little Skywalker continue to tagged along with one kid after another. He even befriended the old man and his two grand-daughters. The old man later offered to push Little Skywalker on his swing and later asked him to race with his grand-daughter on a run around the field.
All this time, I was merely sitting there and observing all these activities that involved Little Skywalker. Suddenly, it struck me! I was one of them many many years ago, naive and innocent. No one was a stranger back then. I could hardly tell the differences among children of other descent. Even when we don't speak the same language, we still have a means to communicate with one another, like what they are doing now.
Unfortunately, we grow up to be much cynical and suspicious of one another, no thanks to our mediocre education system and bad leadership. How can anyone expect their young ones to grow out of our current predicament when our leaders do not have the will to overcome their own differences? How can we expect our future generations to be united against any external threats when all we do are issuing threats and pointing finger against one another?
All the activities that were going on at the playground mirrors exactly to those Merdeka advertisements that were shown over and over each year on TV, except this is real!
Only time will tell whether such a wonderful atmosphere will continue 20 years down the road...
Only time will tell how our future generations will judge us based what we are doing to one another today...
Happy 50th Anniversary Malaysia!
Jotted down by Egghead :: at around 9/07/2007 08:13:00 AM :: and invited 2 Blah(s):
2 Blah(s) by:
chanelwong,
Sasha Tan,
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