posted by L'abeille on Nov 30
Wooi… November’s gonna end, December’s coming and soon we’ll wave sayonara to year 2007. Did you have fun this year or you’re so stressed with work, money and family that you didn’t even realized we’re about to reach the end of the year? Sigh! When I was younger hor, I love year ends. As a kid, what’s there to worry about right?
To a young child, year end means school holidays. That means NO boring tuition..except the part where me and my girlfriends will miss the chance of meeting the high school boys parading at the tuition centers in white long pants..ahem..
20 years ago, year end means Christmas is coming and I’ll be showered with all the presents I’ve been dreaming all year long. Well, when you’re young, your wishes are quite easy to be fulfilled. I don’t have to worry about what to buy for the rest of the family and I’ve never heard of “Last minute Christmas Shopping and all the stress one would face”. I’ll just sit under the 6 foot Christmas tree on the 24th of December. All my love ones will walk
over to me, pinch my cheeks and mess up my little ponytail, give me a kiss and a of course my Christmas present.. *giggle*
Year end means I’ll be a year older soon. Right after celebrating Christmas, I can’t wait for January to arrive. I’ll start my countdown when January comes, crossing every number on the brand new calender. My heart beats faster as my birthdate approaches. Why? All because I wanna add a 1 to my age. I wanna be a grown up lady so much! Don’t laugh, I was THAT innocent..*eyes rolled*
After my birthday comes Chinese New Year where all my uncles and aunties will talk about their bonuses and increment. For a little girl like me? Who cares? As long as mom gives me a dollar a week, I’ll fell like I’m the richest kid in the world.. At the end of the week, I still have some coins to slot into my piggy bank made of old Milo tin. Never was I worried if I won’t get my weekly allowance or it never crosses my mind if parents will or will not increase my allowance the following year. Bonus? What bonus?
Who cares if there’s no Valentine in my life at that age. Little boys throwing love letters in my pink schoolbag? I’ll bring home and show mom. We’ll laugh over sweet little love notes and down the bin the letter goes. In fact, nobody stresses over when little L’abeille is getting married. Nobody wants to know who L’abeille is dating and why is L’abeille still single *THE BEST-EST YEARS*
20++ years later, year end is no longer as fun. We begin to wonder what’s the new price for our favorite chicken rice and char koey teow next year. We’re worried if the petrol price will not remain the same the following year. Parents starts to worry if they’ll earn enough for their children’s education and needs. We’ll start to count how many “balik kampung trips” we need to cut down when we read about this but when we think of all the old folks at home, we’ll just have to pay the extras and visit them even more often. We prayed that the Man Up Above will blind the management *temporarily* so that they won’t accidentally read this article and paste it on the office notice board…*LOL*
Mmm..it’s not easy being a grown up isn’t it? As a kid, you’re basically stress free. There’s always parents to take care of everything- physical and financial needs are well covered but there’s one thing lacking! In the eye of a young child, they just can’t wait to grow up because they wanted FREEDOM. When I was 4 and while I was fantasizing about all the nice dresses I can wear, the high heels and the freedom to do things I want to do.. I didn’t know or rather realized that there’s one word that ties to FREEDOM being an adult .. it’s called R-E-S-P-O-N-S-I-B-I-L-I-T-I-E-S. Agree or agree not?
