reminiscence

The first day of Chinese New Year had just ended slightly more than half an hour ago. My relatives are here again; I can hear the chatter in the hall and the excited cries over a card game in the dining room. My 2 nephews are squealing with laughter, playing with these soft toy balls. The TV is tuned to a football match.

Yet despite the din below, it seems quieter this CNY, somehow. I can't help but feel that something seems to be missing. It gets me wondering, is it because we - all the cousins who made the most noise - have grown up?

Gone are the boisterous sounds of our youth, the days when the youngest of our cousins (who are now 18 and 20) used to play their imaginary guitars, do a Whacko Jacko rendition and sing "I'm bad! I'm bad!".

We don't get excited over the simple game of "sam cheong" anymore, and graduated to black jack years ago. Now it's poker (which I don't participate, I'm so bad at keeping a poker face), where the games stretch longer and the stakes are higher.

Three of my cousins are married; two are dads with children, and one quite heavily pregnant mother-to-be. Soon there'll be a little baby girl to fuss upon.

Sigh.

Where have all the years gone?

Hmmmm... time to dig up some old photos from the store room...




Technorati: seasonal, chinese new year, family