Their story

My Mom and Father were teenage sweethearts. They dated since secondary school. Both stayed in their kampongs in Hougang area. My Mom stayed in Hougang 6.5th mile, while my Father stayed in Hougang 4th mile. My Mom told me when they decided to get married in their mid 20s, my mom's father (my grandfather) was quite reluctant. He was not sure whether my Father could give my Mom, what they called "a good life".

My mom was the eldest of 11 children, and was already working in civil service. She gave almost all her pay packet to my grandfather every month end, to help support her huge family.

I am not sure what my grandfather's "a good life" means. I guess, as what every father would wish for, he would have wished for his daughter to marry a rich and capable husband so that she would be well provided for in future.

My Mom could have and almost married a Thai Chinese tycoon, if she and my Father had not already met then. Word has it that in a visit to Thailand with her grandmother (my great grandmother) in her early 20s to visit relatives, the elders in Thailand had wanted to match make my Mom to one of the tycoon's eldest son. However my great grandmother diplomatically turned down the request as she knew my Mom was already attached. Instead in a twist of events, my Mom introduced her 3rd sister, to the tycoon's 2nd son. Although they have not met each other, they started off as pen pals, and eventually when they met, they fell in love and they got married after that. Today my 3rd aunt is happily married in Thailand with 3 grown up chidren.

As for my parents, after all these years, I think my Mom has done averagely well, in the sense, she stood by her man for her entire life, helped supported the family and is also our pillar of support through good times and bad times. They are still happily married, in these times where divorces are pretty common. So I would say, they did ok, after all.