Joined a giveaway contest organised by National Library Board in my country. It asked readers to submit three intangible elements that complete a home. Below is my answer.
I believe that everyone needs a COE to complete his home. No, not the Certificate of Entitlement that you must buy in order to purchase a car in land-scarce Singapore. COE is an acronym curated by me to showcase the three intangible elements that make a house home to the people living in it. They are Connections, Optimism and Enjoyment.
1. Connections
As the saying goes, “No man is an island.” Our family is the one constant that helps us weather through the ups and downs of life. It is a support system that we seek whenever we face problems. Typical stoic Singaporean dads say little but show their love through their small acts; typical expressive Singaporean mums cook our favourite dishes and offer well-meaning (if long-winded) advice. We bicker and argue with our siblings but we know that they will have our backs at the end of the day. The strong connections we have with our family members make us feel less lonely and more ready to conquer life’s challenges.
2. Optimism
As a nod to multicultural Singapore, I will use a Chinese saying “ 人生不如意十之八久” which translates to “ Sometimes, things don't work out the way you'd thought they would”. Singapore is known to be one of the most expensive cities in the world. We are bombarded with a deluge of problems: rising inflation, increased job uncertainty and faster pace of living. Hence, home must be a place where optimism flourishes. If our family members stay calm amidst the chaos and see crises as opportunities, we will be encouraged to think that together as one, we can manage all these problems and make our lives better. We will clench our fists and grit our teeth (咬紧牙根) and get things done. Fighting!
3. Enjoyment
There’s pleasure and there’s purpose - and a home provides both in equal spades. Take delight in the small things, be it bonding over food that you buy from the coffee shop downstairs or playing with toys or reading books borrowed from the National Library Board. Feel heartened about our commitment to give our family the best in terms of our time, energy and money. Home is where we laugh like mad over the most inane things and celebrate pivotal milestones enthusiastically. Indeed, life is a journey to be enjoyed with your family!
Feeling goosebumps right now? Let’s go get our COE for our family now!
