3 Things They Taught Me

1) Don't forget your 'big teeth'

Because of the wisdom tooth extraction, I have to be extra careful when I eat. For the first two days, I could only have milk, yoghurt, milo + oats, lamington, etc. No chewing as I was afraid the wound would be affected. Today, the bleeding has stopped completely and I tried to take some soft food, like pumpkin cous cous and Persian rice from the salad bar. I tried my best to only chew using my front teeth, as I wanted to avoid having food particles trapped in the 'socket' (the hole).

This reminded me of my grandma. She was the one who 'enlightened' me. Yes, like how Buddha attained enlightenment. My grandma spoon-fed me till I was in Primary 1 or 2. (Don't be jealous!! haha)

One day, while feeding me, she said she noticed that I had been chewing with my front teeth only. I had been eating very slow. Because I had only been told to 'quickly eat/quickly chew', and 'teeth' = the front teeth I saw in every human being, I was trying my best to grind those food stuffed into my mouth as fast as I could without biting my tongue.

That's when she told me about the wonder of molar teeth. I was born-again.

If Will-I-AM reads this, hey how do your nephews chew?

2) Don't walk under the rain

My dad forbade us to walk under the rain, because we would fall sick as a result of doing so. I didn't understand the logic behind it. So, the rain has got some kind of poison in it? Or is it a superstitious belief? I kinda figured out that it's to do with the sudden change of temperature of your head/scalp?? Still not sure though.

So there were instances where I ran home from the tuition centre or riding the bike from school under the rain. Got scolded by dad. Why other people could do it leh? Shouldn't my dad be proud of me? I was so 'man', just braved the rain.

I was caught in the rain on my way back from Coles, with bags full of milk, yoghurt, etc. I just 'walked' home, wanted to run but would be embarrassing to do so since everyone was so cool and walking calmly under the rain. Somehow I felt guilty doing so....

3) Don't walk/run barefooted outside the house.

I don't think I had ever stayed back after school to play. So, I knew nothing about the 'etiquette'/ common practices.

One year, when I was still in primary, I participated in the church camp. It was a 3 days 2 nights thing. It was on the last day, in the afternoon, probably the last activity. Something like a relay race, so you got to pass the batons, but on a much smaller scale.

Strangely, people (mostly the boys), removed their shoes before their turns to run. It seemed odd to me, shouldn't we always wear our shoes? But because it seemed 'wild' and maybe some peer pressure too, I followed suit. I was having fun.

I didn't know my dad was already there, watching us playing the last game. When it was over, he came to me and asked me why did I take off my shoes and said that I shouldn't have done that because it would make my skin rough? (think that's what he said) And FYI, my dad's not the softie type, he was an athlete!



Missing home suddenly....