the kids had been singing snatches of what sounded like ‘we are singapore’ days before national day. the little one would putter about going “seeeng-a-poh… seeeng-a-poh…”, and the older one would ask the title of the song where “got lion roar, that one”, so we knew they’d been brainwashed – i mean, taught in school about national day. “singapore’s birthday?”, he asked. well, sorta, i guess. that’s much simpler than having to explain the history of independence to a 4-year-old.

i’d never been to a national day parade when i was young, my parents preferring to stay put at home and restrict our national merriment through live telecasts of the parade on tv. izad on the other hand, has only fond nostalgia of the NDPs he’d been to as a kid, now lamenting how difficult it has been to obtain tickets since the advent of the balloting system. i guess i’m not “patriotic” enough to reallllyyy want to participate en masse in flashing flags and singing in unison to sappy songs about being home, truly, but there’s enough of it to go along with the crowd to soak in the holiday atmosphere and enjoy the roaring jet displays and spectacular fireworks, the latter admittedly being my only favourite part of the celebrations.

actually, my seemingly lackadaisical attitude towards the concept of patriotism extends to having few complaints of being born here and subjected to the system that is singapore. (sometimes i even find myself defending the system, despite myself – well, as they say, don’t bite the hand that feeds you, heh.)

comfortable and complacent, how’s that for being a model singaporean?

and now, enough of that perennial (and truthfully tiring) grumblings of “wasting taxpayers money” rubbish, you cynics. (there’s plenty in the coffers, take this is small change.) i love fireworks, my kids love fireworks, and i’m ‘technically’ paying for it too, so suck it up and enjoy lah! :p

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