10-4-24
On Hari Raya morning, after prayers at the mosque, First Tutee and his Grand Uncle dropped by my home.
They brought coffee & cake too. 😊
Listening to a pre-teen speak animatedly about his new friends and being in the secondary school basketball team without either of us looking at our phones felt almost sacred.
The only time he checked his phone was to show me a video of him during a match. “So paiseh!” He chuckled good naturedly about tripping on the court.
“Maybe you come & watch me play in the next match?” He suggested. “But it’s in the stadium,” his voice trailed off.
Before they left for the day’s activities, First Tutee took some pictures from the window which he used to sit at before he entered primary one.
Hari Raya means Day of Celebration in the Malay Language. Here on our little island where our children & youth of various backgrounds can grow, learn & play together safely is truly worth celebrating.
So here’s to many more rayas ahead as we protect the peace that has been carefully nurtured by our forefathers over the years. 🙏
*paiseh – singlish meaning “embarrassing.”
Lisa Ong 