Mother's Day

A week has passed since I last posted in this blog. Been quite busy with plenty of things happening...some good, some bad...

Anyway, Mother's Day was just over and I think Father's Day will be coming real soon some time in June. My family celebrated Mother's Day with a simple dinner at Secret Recipe. Nothing much, just a small, quick and rather quiet dinner.

After the dinner, I was asking myself.... why is there a Mother's Day or a Father's Day? It is supposed to be a day people show love and gratitude to their parents... but shouldn't it be a everyday thing? Why need a day to remind ourselves that we are suppose to love our parents? Maybe that is just us... always need reminders and taking things for granted.

One thing i notice also is the difficulties in expressing love to our parents and vice-versa. I believe those who is of older generations has been brought up under strict regime of "it is shameful to express love explicitly unless to your partner". Unlike the "gwailos" how many of us ever told "i luv you" to people other than your partners? Maybe the new generations.... but definately not my generations.

I remembered during my early secondary school days... my parents enrolled me to some seminars on life improvement thingy. This was because one of my uncle went through the seminar and found it useful. So i had to go. First thing i realised was the materials was in chinese and the seminar was in mandarin! I was like...huh??? Anyway... i just follow along and tried to keep low profile. The seminar was teaching us how to live life and to respect others....or something like that.

The one thing i remembered about this seminar was...there is a session whereby the lights was switched off and as a result the room was pitch black...Then the speaker was telling us to reflect on our pass and how we did wrong to our parents... and everybody around me was beginning to sob... and then cried.... oh my gosh!!! I was like...huh??? what is goin on??? then a mike was passed around for people who wants to confess and express their feelings. some was crying and mentioned about their sins... some regretted as their parents died... and NO! i didn't use the mike!

Moral of the story was...to tell your parents that you love them before its too late. So the assignment of the day was that... go home and tell your parents "i luv you". I can tell you this...it is not easy to say " i luv you" to your parents. I dont know why but I think after 14 years of upbringing without the word " i luv you"... it is difficult. Darn difficult.

Anyway, I waited and waited to gain some courage... and finally i was alone with my dad at the kitchen. Mum was asleep already by that time. I was looking at my dad and I blurted it out. " Dad... I luv you" He was shock and for a minute there is no expression on his face. Silence.....very awkward situation for both of us.....and it lasted forever.... and then he smiled.

It has been another 14 years since i last said "i luv you" to my parents.... and i havent even said it to my mum. Hmmm when will i have the courage?

Have you told your parents that you love them?