Happy 42nd Singapore!

Majulah Singapura! We are 42.



In womans' terms, that means the ovaries are going to shrivel up in a couple of years =)) But in the greater scheme of things, on an international nation-building scale, we are young. Almost infantile.

But unlike a menopausing woman, we are ovulating new ideas everyday. Good or bad ideas nothwithstanding, we need to adapt and respond to changes in a very hostile world. And although it takes a fair bit of government-led 'ingenuity', we are quickly finding our feet in this big bad planet.

And it helps that for all our infancy, we pack quite an economic and dare I say, intellectual wallop.

Yes we Singaporeans diss our own Little Red Dot alot. But way back then when I still used to attend every National Day Parade, everyone stood shoulder to shoulder when the helicopters hovered by hoisting the Crescent & Stars in the flypast. And it was hard not to get caught up in the mass nationalistic euphoria. Even if only 2 minutes ago, you wanted to bash that irritating kid next to you with the equally irritating parents in their noisy Cheena-accented Singlish.

So I leave you with Tanya Chua's Where I Belong. My all time favorite propaganda piece from 2001's NDP festivities.

Good or bad, this is where I belong....

Morning comes around and I
Can't wait to see my sunny island
In its glorious greenery, whether rain or shine, it's still beautiful
Bright lights shine on the streets at night
Guiding me closer to home
To a place where I'll be safe and warm, where I belong

Friends and families by my side
Seeing me through as I grow and learn
Everyday's experience, bitter sweet or sour
They're still wonderful
As they become precious memories
They'll be kept close to my heart
And no matter where I am I will always know, where I belong

Chorus:
Where I belong, where I keep my heart and soul
Where dreams come true for us
Where we walk together hand in hand towards a future so bright
Where I belong, where I keep my heart and soul
Where we're one big family
I want the whole world to know, I want to shout it out loud
That this is where I know I belong