When I was in high school, it was mum’s ‘job’ to ferry me to and from school everyday except on those rare occasions when something came up and dad would do it (actually mum dropped and picked me up from school for as far as I can remember but this story’s revolves around my high school days). So, for that 5 years (from Year 7 to Year 11), everyday after school mum would be there, patiently waiting. There were hardly days when I had to wait for her. As soon as I came out of school, I’d spot mum’s car, hopped in, and we’d begin our 15 minutes journey home.
And everyday, the moment I stepped into the car, mum would ask, “How was your day today?” She would ask me every single day that I knew to expect it. Some days when I just had a really bad day and was feeling awfully tired and narky, I would dread the thought of answering to “How was your day today?” when all I wanted was some ‘me time’ (can you imagine…dread?! How ungrateful!). But other days, when something exciting or funny or even something out of the normal routine happened, it filled me with joy thinking I could tell mum all about it when school ended so that I could relive the exciting moment just by telling someone else about it. Or on the days when I was feeling sad or I got into a fight with a friend, it brought comfort knowing I could tell mum all about it later. Amazing thing is mum never got tired of hearing my stories and was ever so patient even on my bad days. I do reckon I must have hurt her feelings on the days I wasn’t very responsive and for that I truly am sorry.
Fast forward to the day I entered college…
This would be the first time I lived away from home, having attended daily school all my life. In college, for the first 2 semesters, I had 2 roommates who were all in different classes and for the 3rd semester when our room got reshuffled, I ended up getting 2 new roommates who were my classmates. Everyday after class ended, I would walk back to my room and was greeted by emptiness. Nobody ever asked, “How was your day today?” and that was when I realized how precious those 5 simple words were and I could truly appreciate all the times mum was there to ask me that simple question. My first 2 roommates said that people rarely ask them that and so they never really thought of asking it to anyone else (fact for that matter is, I suppose no one could care less on your daily happenings). And my last 2 roommates? Well, we were all in the same class after all. We practically see each other 24/7 so they’d usually know about everything that had happened during the day.
I miss those times when mum was right there beside me and I could tell her everything face-to-face, on the spot. Though she’s not right here beside me now, she’s only a phone call away and if I were to pick up the phone right now and give her a call, it brings a smile to my face just knowing that when she picks up she’ll say, “Bunny! How was your day today?”
I truly treasure those words. I wonder if I’ve ever told you how much they mean to me and I wonder if over the years I’ve in return ask you the same question enough times to make a difference or have I’ve always just thought on how the world revolves around me and hardly ever ask you back.
Mum, words alone cannot express on how much it means to me and what a difference it has made for you to ask that simple question. For now, I can only say, “Thank you, mum and I love you so much!!!”
And everyday, the moment I stepped into the car, mum would ask, “How was your day today?” She would ask me every single day that I knew to expect it. Some days when I just had a really bad day and was feeling awfully tired and narky, I would dread the thought of answering to “How was your day today?” when all I wanted was some ‘me time’ (can you imagine…dread?! How ungrateful!). But other days, when something exciting or funny or even something out of the normal routine happened, it filled me with joy thinking I could tell mum all about it when school ended so that I could relive the exciting moment just by telling someone else about it. Or on the days when I was feeling sad or I got into a fight with a friend, it brought comfort knowing I could tell mum all about it later. Amazing thing is mum never got tired of hearing my stories and was ever so patient even on my bad days. I do reckon I must have hurt her feelings on the days I wasn’t very responsive and for that I truly am sorry.
Fast forward to the day I entered college…
This would be the first time I lived away from home, having attended daily school all my life. In college, for the first 2 semesters, I had 2 roommates who were all in different classes and for the 3rd semester when our room got reshuffled, I ended up getting 2 new roommates who were my classmates. Everyday after class ended, I would walk back to my room and was greeted by emptiness. Nobody ever asked, “How was your day today?” and that was when I realized how precious those 5 simple words were and I could truly appreciate all the times mum was there to ask me that simple question. My first 2 roommates said that people rarely ask them that and so they never really thought of asking it to anyone else (fact for that matter is, I suppose no one could care less on your daily happenings). And my last 2 roommates? Well, we were all in the same class after all. We practically see each other 24/7 so they’d usually know about everything that had happened during the day.
I miss those times when mum was right there beside me and I could tell her everything face-to-face, on the spot. Though she’s not right here beside me now, she’s only a phone call away and if I were to pick up the phone right now and give her a call, it brings a smile to my face just knowing that when she picks up she’ll say, “Bunny! How was your day today?”
I truly treasure those words. I wonder if I’ve ever told you how much they mean to me and I wonder if over the years I’ve in return ask you the same question enough times to make a difference or have I’ve always just thought on how the world revolves around me and hardly ever ask you back.
Mum, words alone cannot express on how much it means to me and what a difference it has made for you to ask that simple question. For now, I can only say, “Thank you, mum and I love you so much!!!”
My lovely mum
Mum and her 2 daughters
No comments:
Post a Comment