The sunshine of the present
Appreciate the beautiful amber setting sun, not fear the night that comes after.
by: Kevin Tan and Jeremy Goh
At the edge of Singapore lives a weathered soul, who shares an important message.
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Mr Sun is a retiree who lives with his wife in a small rental flat at Punggol North. The kindly seniors live apart from their two daughters, who both have families of their own. They are also grandparents to six beautiful grandchildren.
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The Suns used to live in a rental flat with a stranger. But after some time, the couple started to feel insecure as more and more strangers were loitering around the area. That spurred them to look out for their own flat, and they finally settled in a government rental apartment in Punggol.
Mr Sun now lives together with Mrs Sun in a quiet, peaceful life. During the week, the couple enjoys tranquil walks around the nearby park and shopping malls. Mr Sun spends his time basking in his surroundings, absorbing the fresh scenery and chatting with his friends.
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His wife is an ad hoc part time worker. However, Mr Sun was hesitant to share his job before retirement and his wife’s current occupation.
Having seen Singapore through its formative years, Mr Sun surmises that “the past is always better than the present”.
While recognising that the government has been taking care of the elderly through special welfare packages and policies, he still feels the burden of rising costs of living.
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“Things such as the milk powder, electrical tariff, transport and also housing fees — the price was much more affordable then as compared to now,” he says in Mandarin.
Mr Sun’s hopes for the future are for his wife and grandchildren. He fears that his grandchildren will have a hard time coping with the higher costs of living when they grow up. He is also afraid that no one will take care of his wife when he is gone.
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We wonder how the Mr Sun can keep his peace, with the nostalgia and fatigue of the past and the apprehension and fears of the future. But Mr Sun’s message to us is simple:
Embrace the present and make every day count.
The best thing for him, he says, is to enjoy the moment, try not to think too much, and be content in living one day at a time.
