Friday, August 12, 2005
The Dinner Table
It's finally Friday, and I can smell... uh, the acrid air? Yes of course, the haze is the most talked about topic within the Valley in the last week or so. So we shan't dispute about that further because extensive media coverage has also been given. But I do hope we get day offs should the government declare a state of emergency *grins*I've just yet taken another personality test, allegedly a true psychology test which gives almost accurate results should we answer the questions honestly.
| ESFP - "Entertainer". Radiates attractive warmth and optimism. Smooth, witty, charming, clever. Fun to be with. Very generous. 8.5% of the total population. |
Yep, I'd say that's rather true? What do you think? I'd like to think so.. afterall, there are only about 8.5% of the total population who fall under this category, and I love being rare, being unique, being eccentric!
Daddy will be starting his new job in Jakarta next week, and he should be leaving in the next few days once his visas are cleared. It's going to be a rather big change around the house as Mom will now be left alone most of the time, with Serene busy with college and extra-curricular activities.
As newlyweds some 30 years ago, mom and dad had the whole house to themselves. Then came us all, one by one.. and the house will filled with us four growing girls. Now we are already moving out one by one, and of course, Serene being the youngest is the last to leave. That day will come too. At the end of the day, both mom and dad will end up with the whole house to themselves again.
I can already feel the loneliness! Isn't this cycle cruel? Parents give birth to us, bring us up by providing everything under the roof, making us feel loved and secure.. and after they've done all that, we leave them alone again.
With dad relocating to Jakarta, I ought to make it a point to go back home more often, just to keep mom company and have her look forward to someone coming home, instead of being in the whole house all by herself.
About 20 years ago, dad bought this dining table for our old house in Malacca. At that time, we were all little tots who didn't require much space at a dining table, so dad had the carpenter saw off a portion of the table to shorten it - claiming it to be too huge and clumsy back then.
Today, come every few months we get the rare opportunity when all 6 of us are home together. And yes, we sit at that very same dining table (mom really does know how to preserve things you see), we now feel so cramped. Elbows knocking against one another, glasses tipping over dishes, etc. Yes, now the dining table is way too small for 4 grown children and their parents. Occassionaly, mom will quip to dad "Do you regret sawing off the table 20 years ago?"
But we still love the table nevertheless because like any Chinese or Asian families for that matter, food brings families together.. and that trustworthy dining table of ours has been with us for the past 20 years, bringing us round it for meals every single day.
In all these years, before the time came for us to leave for college and whatnot, our dinner time is when all 6 of us would gather after a day's work or school, and make merry with mom's awesome dishes. It is our everyday dinner together which makes us a strongly bonded family. We were never allowed to carry our plates to the couch for TV dinners - everyone sat at their places at the table till we clear our plates. We also always waited for dad to be home before we start our meals. The moment dad's car pulled up the driveway, mom dashes into the kitchen to heat up the food, start setting the table, etc.
I miss that.
Posted by Doreen at 11:15 am
