To Start With "Everything Suddenly Went Quiet"

Lousy internet connection on my laptop led to me seating myself down at my younger brother's computer just now, to get some homework done. As I settled comfortably into the swivel chair, I noticed two sheets of paper peeking out from under the printer. Seeing "Commonwealth Essay" as the underlined heading at the top left hand corner, I immediately yanked them out from underneath, not giving so much as a thought to the whole 'curiousity killed the cat' thing (anyhow, I'm still alive, so obviously it didn't kill me).

So I started scanning the page, and as I read on, honestly...WOW, I couldn't take my eyes of the so beautifully typed words. His story was about the Japanese Occupation in Singapore and the fear that ripped through one particular street as a soldier made his way from one end to the other. It wasn't very long, but it captured the emotions of the victimized people of Singapore so well; it really got me thinking about those fearsome times and the feelings of the people then, so scared, so vulnerable. To achieve so much with so little is in my opinion, truly amazing.

Reading his essay (without his knowledge, of course), suddenly made me realise how he's matured so, how he's grown up, right before my very eyes. It was almost a 'where did that little boy go?' moment. From Primary Two to now, Secondary Two. Surely that's not possible, I think to myself, and yet, it's true. From those stories we used to make up together as kids, those make believe scenarios we'd plan as a team, to his own Commonwealth Essay today, I can't deny that he's really - as some old, auntie, distant relative would say once a year at Chinese New Year - a big boy now. And it pleases me.

Sure, I don't think (and I probably never will think) that he's some good looking dude who's going to sweep all the girls in his future college off their feet, neither do I feel that he's the most socially apt person alive (trust me - he isn't), but hey, I'm proud of him. Yup. I'm proud of him and what he's become.

Still, no matter what happens, be it now or in the future, he'll always, ALWAYS be my little brother.