Soo Huey Fen's space

         16th July is the first stay in NUS, but, it is my dad's birthday too. I can guess this will be the first time that I'm unable to celebrate a birthday with him. What a sad thing! Anyway, a very early best wish for my lovely Papa...Happy Birthday!

          My Papa is one of the eleven children in his family, whose dad, or my grandpa is a rubber tapper, and my grandma is a full-timed devoted housewife. He came from a very limited education background but had never given up to pursue his studies. During the end of his secondary school life, he finally got the LLN Scholarship and was being offered to further study at Kuantan Polytechnique. There, started his new journey of a brand-new life.

         Papa and I are close as there's a bond of blood and also common in thought. Every parent teaches child with cane as most of them will hold a perspective that "spare the rod and spoil the kids". However, he had never used a cane even he was frustrated indeed. Still, I remember that he would only use some newspapers or more familiar with, was a thick dictionary, guess what? Yes, he would just throw at me with that stuff. The way he nurturing me didn't irritate me, make me dislike, but it was sometimes hamper my lovely mood at that moment. Moreover, I'm more interested to dad's guidance. He is always playful and comes with a sense of humour as he likes to tell some jokes and verbalizes with a dozen of ideas to trick people at anytime. This is why the neighbours' kids are always be the victims of his trick and yet seemed to be drawn to my dad.

          Papa likes to cheer me up by switching the TV programme to comedy series. He loves to make his speech long whenever there's a "need". He said, "There are thousand of troubles and challenges in life, but we need to overcome those obstacles as it's the sole responsibility of human to be advanced." For me, it is a habit or much likely an aptitude to lodge complaints to Papa. He listens to my complaint, grievance and sadness quietly and never gives much arguments or explanations for that dissatisfaction of mine as he knows that his daughter will never accept a single word when I'm in trouble. When I was studying lower form, I was really in confusion with my studies. I easily got to understand something normally, but, I would just twist or add-in my "supposed-to-be" ideas, causing my writing subjects were not as excellent as the other top-scorers. "Don't let yourself be the fool who tries so hard to climb off the window, yet the main door was not locked", Papa's advice was wandering in my mind for moments. 

          Papa is ambitious and has foresight in various cases. He said to me, "Don't take anything as granted, but, we can still dream of our future as it's a step to achieve it." He likes to share with me his "kampong boy" memory, his experiences at several levels of his development of life, furthermore, his perspective of life in future. He always dreams of owning a cottage which is built a bungalow on the hill and he wants to grow fruit trees during his retirement. I understand that he is innocent and pure as his plan for future will not be alike as the others, what he wishes to have is freedom and tranquility. He has never asked more than that. Besides, dad encourages me to expose myself to nature which is so magnificent and finely created in order to include all the living things. Sometimes, I also feel that I am bearing the responsibility to let my dad have them all, whether a sedate kampong-life or a luxurious living style. Therefore, I need to work hard for it as he needs it.

          Papa is a dedicated and loving dad. He loves his kids, wife, the whole family and even our home. During meantime, he likes to decorate and clean our home with his distinct, creative ideas. He did mentioned, "home is the only place where we can treat it as shelter during wars, a place where we can totally be comforted, relieved and relaxed." Although he keeps giving his children an expression of delight and happy, he still has his dilemma in many situations. Once, I overheard his conversation with my mum that, if his daughter needs fund in continuing study, they will have to sort it out to collect those expenses for me. Upon my notice, these few years, he started to run for the night-shift task. He convinced me that no matter how, he is still expecting me to be graduated and able in achieving my goal in life. His sacrifice really causes me to pull my socks up and double my effort to be success in any co-curricular activities, studies and my duty as a lovable and understanding daughter. "I don't want to disappoint my Papa," that is what I repeatedly reminding myself. I love you!