AFVOA Newsletter of Year 2021

Section 6 - Memoirs CV 2 No. 01 / 2021 Page 89 of 123 The young Commandos under training go past, left /right echoing in unison to their quick march/jog or run. The beat is so evocative of the EME training battalion where my marital life had begun 60 years ago! What a lovely way to be transported back into time. As early risers we can actually spot the rising sun in his 'Fanta' orange glory; he climbs up further losing his vivid orange to a harsher whiteness that our rheumy eyes can barely handle! The privilege of seeing sunrise be it amidst swaying coconut palms, or on the singularly pristine beaches of Maldives, that glory can never be surpassed. In fact, the rising sun draws paeans of appreciation and involuntary 'Surya Vandana' happens to those so inclined! In Singapore, I have delighted in seeing the rising sun, shine on those spectacular glass- fronted skyscrapers that flank the 'Kalang' river. TS Elliot's ' Sunlight on a broken column' wafts into my mind, as I spy that column of liquid gold - yet achingly broken, awesome beauty as some panes have not yet received the rays of the sun! Or, at times vignettes of my morning walk near Regent park in London enthral me with memories, as do earlier walks along the dusty yet calm roads of Fujairah UAE, and the bustling 'Satwa' at Dubai. Did those walks actually happen? I am lost in a reverie as the beloved companion then, is now no more! Neighbourhood dogs wag a reluctant tail unsure if you are friend or foe! Pampered pooches walk disdainfully past; Owner pet parents delight in their leashed pets- pause, exchange notes with other dog lovers! My fancies are Molly and Julie, huge Alsatians that are so amicable in demeanour; or the cuddly little brown Teddy bear ‘Chewy (Chewbacca), absurdly bouncy and full of life. Sadly, I miss my own Lhasa Apso terrier 'Chica', who left for the 'Rainbow world' of Doggy Heaven when the lock-down was instituted last March. She was truly a princess, noble-born with qualities that endeared her to one and all. For a long time, this aunt will be remembered as Chica's mom!! Morning walks are prime time to commune with the sublime! The natural wonders on the road, the gaggle of passers-by, the cheery greetings all inspire one to understand one's place in this wide world! One realizes that we are but a part of humanity with all its woes, yet how one tries to uplift oneself is really what Life is all about! 'Man is born to be happy' says the Dalai Lama, and one instinctively chooses that path. No matter what troubles and travails assail us, the freshness of the morn, the gentle sun, the rustle of the leaves, the aura of calmness, the joy of a new day spells out new hopes and new