Generation Gap

The smell of ointment reached my nose the moment I entered the room. The sea of grey greeted my eyes. But the cheerful voice of the emcee and the lively atmosphere belied the age of the audience.

"Aunty, why do you sigh?"

"I am in a dilemna. I have two sons-in-law. One is a lime juice seller, the other is a herbal soup seller. On sunny day, the lime juice seller will have good business. On rainy day, the business of the herbal soup seller will be good, but not the lime juice seller. I really do not know whether I should be happy or sad."

"Aunty, you should be happy that you have two sons-in-laws who have a decent livelihoods. Why do you choose to look at the darker side of things? In any case, all kids will have their own destiny, you dont have to worry so much for them."

"Sigh. How come I not worry for them. They are my kids. But I will heed your words and look at the brighter side of things."

The play received a resounding applause from the audience. The words strike my heart. It was probably the sentiments of my mom. I could see that she enjoyed the whole play and finally she found someone who can sympathise with her feelings. For a moment, I also realised that I never understood her feelings as a mother. Things may seem right and logical, but it may be very hard for a mother to accept and not to worry.

The play was followed by a heart warming hokkien song with hand movements and the whole session ended with dedication, a birthday celebration and lunch. It was an extremely enriching morning.