Time is treasure

At times, I really feel bad and sad for my family ever since I enlisted into the army. The army has specified when and what time the recruits will book out. But you know sometimes… just sometimes, I feel that I want the whole of Saturday and Sunday for myself.

Like now, my sister has finally finished her PSLE, and it’s during these free time that I wish I can just stay at home and spend some quality time with her. Since she’s free, I wanna bring her out to wherever she wanna go. Or maybe get her something that she really wants. Or just something that a brother ought to be doing for his own sister.

My mum now has to be content living with just practically 2 people in the house for most of the time. I know her knees are not as strong as before but she still goes to work every day and do as much household chores as possible. How I miss those days where I can wash and hang clothes every other morning, clean the toilet occasionally and tidy up the house as and when I can.

Every Sunday as I head outside to tie my boot laces, I can feel my Mum’s heavy heart. As I kissed her hand, I know she’s thinking that it’ll be 5 more days before she can see me again. And as she said “take care of yourself“, I know she really meant every single word.

It’s not until I walk out to the bus stop all alone that I ponder what my family might be feeling, not until I take the long bus ride that I realize how tough this phase of my life might have hit them.

But I believe there are people who are worse off than me. And in fact I choose to believe that they are coping better than me. And I also believe that things happen for a reason, that they occur because I am able to face up to the challenge.

My mum, my sister and Babe - in them I found my inner strength.