I took a taxi... the driver was a woman. An middle-aged auntie. She was very friendly, upon the start of my journey, we talked about traffic to her children, kids being overseas and degree education.
During the conversation, I suddenly felt a mother's love, very strongly. Something I wouldn't hear from my own mother, something a traditional Chinese Singaporean mum would not tell their kids directly. While she was telling me about the experiences of the people she knew or passengers she met... about their children whom left for overseas education or work and never came back again... (hey, angela, I thought of you). And suddenly, also for your mother... She began to describe how a mother would feel...
She said of her selfish thoughts of keeping her children by her side... she spoke of the love she has for them, rather not have them going away and living thousands of miles away. She isn't worried about getting monthly allowance from them, but of not being able to see them, being physically close to them. She fears for the worst, for her children to leave for the greener pasture and forget about the importance of kinship. She fears that when she is old and dying, the children are not there for her. She fears that if the children come back when she's old, they wouldn't have enough quality time together. At that moment, I suddenly understand how a mother feels.
I have many friends whom are away from their families now, and I know a lot of them still value their relationship with their family (well, I hope they seriously do). After being through a lot of shit, I can't admit that family is not a very important part of our life. And we will carry this with us till the day we die.
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