Greetings and objects from the past

Joo Chiat Place, Singapore. I put this photo here for it looked nostalgic.

Spring-cleaning is something I don't do often. Anyway, on the afternoon of 12 Jul 2008, I decided that it is time to start doing a bit of spring cleaning to throw away those of my belongings that are no longer of use to me. I started doing spring cleaning in the hope that I could make way for more positive things into come to my life.

I realised that I have tonnes of lecture notes from my university days which I did not even touch for the past five years. Using the library and resources from the internet has allowed me not to even have to refer to those notes. I have kept them thinking I might use them, but I had not. I threw away quite a lot of old brochures too. As I was looking through them, I was reminded of the times in the past.

By the time I decided to call it a day, I was left with four bags full of items to be disposed of. I still have to find time to do some spring cleaning of the things that are kept inside the cabinets of my room another day.

Perhaps I was in the mood for nostalgia, I took time in the evening to reorganise my collection of cards. This is a collection that I have started since I was about 13 years old. Whenever someone sends me a card or postcard, I would keep it in this collection. I have a place in one of my cabinets for these. Admittedly, I did threw away a few of the cards which were mainly sent by commercial companies and did not have much aesthetic value. As I reorganise part of the collection, I looked through the greetings and words written on some of the cards. I am thankful that the senders have taken time and care to pen down their words of concern and greetings in the cards.

This affair of reorganising my collection of cards made me realise that JY has sent me quite a lot of postcards over the years since I knew her. Many thanks to JY for remembering me on the many occasions when she goes overseas. Thanks to her, I have an idea of the sights of many countries outside Singapore. It feels like as if I have had travelled to these places and witnessed those sights for myself.

I saw one of Mystic's cards to me during the process. She does not write many cards but I suppose she does make effort to pen down each and every words in the cards that she had sent. While writing this post, I was reminded of a card that she had wrote for me, but I had lost it in Shenzhen because I was robbed when I was there. I am thankful for Mystic's friendship because in many ways, I have learnt how to be a better friend thanks to her.

There was cards from T, one of my Orientation-group mates. Looking back, I am glad that I have remained in touch with him after more than a decade. After both of us graduated from junior college, I realised that from time-to-time, we would send each other Christmas cards at the end of the year. That perhaps kept our friendship alive over the years.

While reorganising my collection, I also had a read at a few of the notes that XS had given me over the years. There was a note which she had drew the bamboo plant, and another which she put a photo of one of her dogs. I hope that she would discover that she has many strengths in her. She has earned my respect with her care towards animals, matured and insightful outlook, witty sense of humour and her resilience. I treasure and am thankful for her friendship for it has enriched me in many ways.

ML has also sent me a great number of cards over the years. It has been at least 16 years since we knew each other. Both of us visited Brisbane about 16 years old and were hosted by the same family during the home-stay segment. It is worth celebrating that both of us could remain in touch over the years! One thing I look up to her is her positive outlook of life. This has a rub-on effect on me whenever I am with her.

I have also received many cards from a number of my ex-junior-college school-mates and many others over the years. My junior college days were perhaps the time when I receive quite a handful of cards.

Perhaps I was spending quite a fair bit of time reading through the cards that I did not get to look through my entire collection. Anyway, as a process of reorganising the cards, I realise how much my friends have helped me gain a broader perspective of life itself, and have lend me support when it was needed. My words of thank you to my friends.