I had an interesting conversation that day with an old friend before I left for Thailand and its a pretty interesting topic.
He's still single but he's getting married soon at the end of the year. He's still busy preparing his wedding and we started to talked about life before and after marriage.
Well generally, I would say I fall into most of the same category of young bachelor guy before I got attached. Meaning that I get to buy all the gadgets I want and do all sorts of silly stuff without thinking too much about the cause and effects. I can quit my current job and idle for a few months before I look for a new job and etc etc...
So now, all these sorts of so called "freedom" is no longer really available for me once I am attached. And especially so when you have 4 mouths (including the new baby and my housekeeper) to feed.
So my friend asked me an interesting question. Do you missed the days you were single?
A long pause and I sincerely have to say that sometimes I really do, sometimes. Whenever I am alone in SG or alone, I actually want to spend more time on myself, traveling more and experiencing more things that I could not do now. I did told my friend how I felt and he seems to be a bit surprise as I was always lamenting on how I enjoy my new found family and life.
Its a strange feeling that I'm not sure I can express really on words but everytime I get to see my wife and my girl. (Especially my daughter) This feeling is actually much get thrown out of the window. Sometimes, just by looking at the photos I had taken for her when she was a baby tells me that all of that so called "freedom" is worth it.
Yes, I could get to spend more money on lenses, cameras and other gadgets but those are just material stuffs. The so called "freedom" is just a shroud. Are we really "free" from this world? We are still chasing something that could never satisfy our needs (Be it money or knowledge).
So I have to say F**K that so called "freedom" (pls pardon my language :P ). I especially thought so when I got hugged by my 3yr old daughter with her face so beaming with happiness every time she sees me return.
For clarification. I am not pro gahment asking you all to have babies. This is just a ramblings on my own. But I have met friends who actually survive in SG having 3 or more kids with little income and I never understand really why until I had my own child.
So to Daniel and family who works as a humble salesman and having 3 kids to feed with only his limited income. And to Maureen and John, able to survive in SG with 2 kids and John being a handicap. I salute you all! Sometimes being the so called "free" is not really living the best of your lifetime and I'm glad to say I am enjoying this new experience every day and every moment of it.
1 comment:
wow, it's been some time since i visited your blog, now the second baby is on the way.. how time flies eh?
something caught my eyes in your posting, you wrote about the freedom of quitting your previous job; you took a break (idled?) for months before looking for a new job..
well, some of us may be thinking of doing that (go for a long vacation) but held back becos of the lack of experience and (feared) the uncertainties involved; since you have experienced that phase would you mind sharing your views on this?
for example, was the "idle" time fruitful in the sense that you learnt something, or did you find it boring (or panicky) after a while?
did you adjust well when you finally returned to work at your new job in DC or did you have a hard time adjusting?
sorry for the many questions, appreciates your views when you have the time to attend to it.. thanks buddy.
best regards.
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