brainwashed

Happy birthday to my beloved country!

I still remembered in the Harold and Kumar movie where 'George W. Bush' said to the two, "You don't have to believe in your government to be a good American. You just have to believe in your country."

Its not that I don't believe in my government; they have run the country pretty well [at least I don't need to fire live rounds except when I'm at range], but just like everyone else around the world its more convenient to point fingers [middle ones at that] at the government when the citizens are unhappy. Rising cost of living, influx of foreign talent that makes competition ever more bloody, getting stuck in a place doing everything except defend the country, gloomy future etc, I do wonder if something can be done to make life easier.

But the country is not just made of the government. The country is also made up of each and every single one of us, all our stories, our tears, our laughters, our friends, our languages, our cultures, our everything.

This is the place I kicked tennis balls with my friends at the basketball courts during recess, the place I walked down the slopes with my friends to the MRT station after school, the place I cheered the school on with everyone in soccer finals, the place I learnt about computers, the place I gave two years of my youth to in the name of peace, the place my mother caned me, the place my house is built on. Its all the memories and experiences that is collectively put together to form my unique 'Singapore' that is different from everyone else. Or simply put, there is the sense of belonging for the place I grew up in.

Most, if not all, people and places have changed forever. Most, if not all, of the things I did before will never be done again. [For instance the cane has not been used for many years.] But its all of the memories and experiences that stay with me forever that I call this place my home, and not anywhere else.

So just like the movie said, I believe in my country. Isn't National Day also about believing in your country? I celebrate her birthday because the country and I are still fighting fit after one year, and at the same time I renew all the hopes and faith I placed in her, and pray for the very best that everything will turn out well again, for her, for me, and for everyone around me.

Its a bumpy year ahead; I think everyone can see for themselves and no one needs the Prime Minister to tell us. Hopefully the country will survive through.

It should I guess, she has weathered worse storms before.

On a random note, apologies to borrow more than just your MSN nick:

'what is ironic is that in the army, all you get is a 15 mins observance parade.one that made us read the pledge and then go thru a BRIDGED version of national anthem which we are not suppose to sing along with.'

Haha didn't know the exact same things that happened to me happened to you too.

Happy birthday again!