Well, the festive celebrations are over. Like it or not, am sure most of the Chinese Malaysians are settling in to that routine of traffic jam and daily routine of office or school rush again. We won't have any long break till the next Raya holiday in September and that's when the festivities holiday will start again.
My friend shared this song with me when we were talking about parents and children relationship. And I think sharing this with all of you is very timely with the recent Chinese New Year festival and the coming Mothers and Fathers' Day celebration.
This song "Cats in the Cradle" by Harry Chapin is very meaningful. The lyrics talked about a father and his son. How the father is always busy with his work, making a living. And as the son gets older, the son wanted so much for his father to spend time with him. But each time the father keeps saying 'another time, another day, when you are older'. The son then told the father that when he grows up, he’d be like him, the father. And like all life cycle, the father grew old and now it's the father's time to want his son to spend time with him. Now the son tells his father 'another time, another day’ the same excuses that his father had told him when he was young.
Do read the lyrics. I felt very touched with this song. I hope this will reminds all of us that nothing is more important then our immediate loved ones, our parents, our children, our relatives especially the older ones, our friends. Time passes so fast and we are so caught up with our routine life that without realizing it, we are just living routinely, year by year. Just looking at our kids growing up, our parents growing older and older each year, would have make us all realize that time doesn't wait.
So take time to spend time with our kids, with our aged parents. Set a good example for our kids. And it doesn't necessary need to wait for an occasion. Any day is good to call them, just to ask how are they.
At the end of our life, we can't take along those jewelleries, clothings, handbags, shoes... that we loved so much, live in the same big house, beautiful furnitures, big flashy car, that we work so hard to buy and spend our life paying off the mortgages. All we can have are loving memories of good time that we shared, and hope that these good memories will translate to good karmic energy for us, for our families.
In parting, I share this quote with you all.
When snake is alive, snake eats ants.
When snake is dead, ants eat snake.
Time can turn at any time.
Don’t neglect anyone in your life!
CATS IN THE CRADLE (by Harry Chapin)
My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talkin' 'fore I knew it, and as he grew
He'd say "I'm gonna be like you dad
You know I'm gonna be like you"
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home dad?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then
My son turned ten just the other day
He said, "Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let's play
Can you teach me to throw", I said "Not today
I got a lot to do", he said, "That's ok"
And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
And said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah
You know I'm gonna be like him"
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then
Well, he came home from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
"Son, I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head and said with a smile
"What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?"
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then
I've long since retired, my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind"
He said, "I'd love to, Dad, if I can find the time
You see my new job's a hassle and kids have the flu
But it's sure nice talking to you, Dad
It's been sure nice talking to you"
And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then
