A Step Closer

By De Ming

The sixth day of the sixth month begins to be of significance in my life on the sixth year after the millennium. In short, though it was the hungry ghost festival or something like that on that day and the sign of the devil according to the bible, that date meant a couple of things to me. Namely, the scream of agony from my wallet as money had to be extracted, the shout of strain of my tired feet searching wearily for the right gift and a once in a year chance to show to a certain someone how much she was appreciated, for the sixth of June marked the birthday of my really great real friend Xia Shuen.

Two years after that, today that is, the ritual of buying a present for her marks a dawn of a new saga, the hunt for the right gift had once again begun. So a week before that blessed day, I made a point of finding her one, thus I search high and low, far and wide till my feet ached and my sister gave me those ‘when can I go home?’ look. For unlike normal girls, Xia Shuen did not give me the impression that she fancied soft toys and buying things that she liked would mean that I had to ikat perut for a couple of years. It seems after hours of effort, I failed. Until I walked pass a D.I.Y shop and a sudden blast of inspiration struck me.

I was going to make her a present!

So the not so brilliant mind of mine began to weave webs of creativity until the final plan was to tie a couple of knots and frame them up. The knotting was quite okay, though at times I had to redo the knots and I finally finished it at around two-thirty in the morning. The framing process occurred in all the perfect circumstances and it was the case of being at the right place at the right time. But at last it was done. So here it is:

I went for Xia Shuen’s surprise party on the birthday date itself and though truth be told I was left out just a slightest, tiniest bit seeing as the rest of her friends were scouts except for the ‘Minority’. Though I went home in a rather good mood, because of this special talent that Xia Shuen has that makes people feel appreciated just by talking to them.

To Xia Shuen, although your birthday may not seem much to you now, it means a lot to us, because it truly is a joy to be able to tell you how much you have impacted us in our lives, to be able to tell you that you are a very special person in so many ways, not only as a dedicated, committed and outstanding scout, but also as someone who is caring, kind to all, understanding, patient, though pretty stressed, cheerful when there’s not much homework and no scouts problem, fun and like I say talented in making a person feel appreciated.

Sorry for all those times I have hurt you, sorry for all those times I got upset at such minor stuff, sorry for being quite cold (sometimes lah) and sorry for ever doing or saying the wrong things. I truly never meant to hurt you.

Thank you though for being so patient and forgiving towards me. I appreciate it. I wish you all the best, hope that your dreams may come true and a guy who dresses well comes in your path and you will have ducklings that walks done catwalks. Lastly…

Happy Birthday!

The Road Not Taken

By De Ming

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood,

and I— I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

-Robert Frost

For indeed, you are who you are not because you were born as such. You are who you are not because of the surrounding and it’s many factors, but you are who you are because of the decisions you make.

-De Ming-