Irony of Life
Life is suffering for me. I suffer because there are strings attached to life on earth. I realized this hidden terms when I asked my dad for money for a trip during my school break in my teen. For teenagers now, holiday is an entitlement that you can ask your parent for. Not during my time.
I still remember my dad’s words. “Son, I can give the money for your hol but then you won’t enjoy it as much as if you were to earn it yourself.” Well, that’s my dad’s way of saying “NO”. Not wanting to waste a school break I went to look for a job. Preferably something light, pay well and not too far from home. Before long, I found a day job packing peanut that paid $3 bucks a day in one of the neighbour’s kitchen. Cottage industry was rampant in those days and it seems everyone was making some kind of stuff in either their kitchen or backyard.
The pay was not bad as my allowance was only $1 per week then. It was a monotonous back breaking job. By the time I saved enough for that trip, the school holiday was over. I ended the term break with no holiday and a sore back. I learned two important lessons. I had actually wanted to visit little dot with my friends then. Lesson no:1, if you dont want a life of sore back, better have enough vitamin “M”!
This little story is not unique or funny, so there is no punch line or words of wisdom in this last paragraph. But then, I thank all for staying the distance. Missing out on that trip to little dot, I had yearned not to miss another opportunity to “visit” again. So, after my “A” level I applied to study in little dot. The rest, as the saying goes, is history. Now, I am “stucked” here and go back occasionally to my hometown for holidays! It is one of those little ironies of life. Lesson no:2.
“Be careful of what you wish for. It may actually come true!”
Burung Pipit 