Make every Minute Count

Connections and bonding with your family is about shared experiences and memories.

Time is precious as are shared experiences. Sitting in front of the beach where I grew up – Tanjung Bunga beach in Penang – brought back a flood of memories. I reminisced and thought back to the many afternoons we came here to swim with my family and friends; we were waiting for the fishing boat (sampan) to come to shore so we could purchase our weekly seafood.

Listening to the waves and gradually tracing back the footsteps of my childhood, I could still remember "digging" for clams (korek siput), climbing the rocks, swimming and waving for the fishing boats to come to the shore. I can even remember my grandmother or mum negotiating the prices for the seafood from the fishermen … There was the sound oflaughter from the water when my uncles took us swimming or fishing. In contrast, on our fishing trips, our job was to sit quietly or hook the worms while they fiddled with the fishing lines and hooks…

Now, the seaside where I grew up has many high rise buildings surrounding it… But the sound of the waves, the feeling of the sand under my feet, and the rocks that we used to climb are still there. I am truly blessed to be able to be back here and spend a few days in one of the hotels that is located right in front of the beach. I have been able to truly enjoy the sun rises every morning and enjoy all the traditional food that I grew up with, while reminiscing the fun times that I shared with my family.

My parents came up and joined us for breakfast one morning and my mum shared many fun stories that they (during her childhood) shared with their own cousins at the beach and in a few bungalows along the way. She also shared tales about the lovely eateries along the way that had to make way for the high-rise buildings.

Time really flies. It is almost 30 years since I left Penang, but the memories still remain and the values I treasure are still strong. We go through stages in life, and we learn and grow at each different phase of our lives.

 The tales and memories meant a great deal to me. Sharing tales is important. Share your values that you hold strongly with your children, impart your experiences with them, and share your memories with them. Your children grow up very fast and every shared opportunity is a chance to connect with them, another opportunity to bond with them… This means another opportunity to build a stronger relationships with them.

Make every minute of your day count. Make every minute of your time an opportunity to share with your children, because those will be your children's memories that they will share with their children.

Have a connected day with your family.

Comments

comments