58

Dad's turning 58 this year... nearing the not-as-big-as-reaching-the-half-centenarian age of 60...

Then it got me thinking.... I'm 16... 16 years.... sounds like I've already come a long way, doesnt it? And how odd, when I look back on these 16 years, it seems to have flown by so fast, and some of the past still clearly stamped in my memory... School, kindergarten, all the times there, all the times I used to snack in the evenings like a hungry pig...  from the time i was a small boy with a  large tummy, i've now become a big (not fat-big, but age-big, fit-big, you get the idea) boy with a small-ER tummy...I remember the times when we had a big, black, chunky TV, so many things we;ve watched and learned from that tele, now it's off to charity. Same with my bro's old, torn (yes, torn) bed. Holes everywhere. Now I recall when he slept on it, me on the mattress beside him, every so often dad bunks in with us. Then I look at Clinton, or Rychard, or Christine, or anyone who went to the same Tadika Morning Star together with me, and now they've grown up and matured so much, transforming into handsome boys and pretty girls... It all seems too fast to happen...


When the PMR trials was on, I cant help but think that 1 year has past by so fast...all the hardship endured last year is now just a memory... and these 16 years roaming Sitiawan... its no different... 16 years have past so fast... in another 16 years, I'll be (well, I should be) out working, happily married, with children, and our own house. And in that 16 years, you may be thinking why is life dragging on so slowly, but after that 16 years, you'll realise just how fast time passed, and how much further you've come.

Even Dad has told me:

You're now already 16 years old. You've grown into a big boy. I'm already nearing 60. I know I dont really have much time left, I can go anytime, maybe in 2 years, maybe 20 years later. Time passes really fast. I remember when Abang was still in From 1, Form 2, and now he's already out of college, has his own job, soon it will be your turn. Now you're already 16, next year is already SPM, before you realise it, you will be looking for a job as well. You will have to prepare yourself for the grown up world, you will reach it very quickly.

From the times a father and his 2 sons shared a room to sleep, now one sleeps alone, the other has a job, and the father has retired. Think about all the years in between, then I think of how fast that change has come.

Im sure Dad has lots more words of wisdom, perhaps he'll save it for next time. That next time, I dont know when, but I'm sure it'll come soon enough....