Grateful 17 Mar: Tourist

I had a most tiring but enjoyable day today, being a local tourist. And I am thankful to have had the opportunity to do so. It has been some time since I last looked at the island through a different lens, and I found myself appreciating it in ways I had not expected. In this regard, I am grateful to a colleague-turned-friend for making it happen:

• Friend. I thank WL for arranging this walk. Since leaving corporate life some years back, I have kept in touch with him. He would also reach out to me to seek counsel on his career, and at other times simply to catch up. In recent months, our meet-ups have taken on a more intentional form: morning coffees and walks. And for today, he suggested something different - a walk from the western side of the island towards town. As an eastie, my familiarity with the west is largely limited to areas around MRT stations and key attractions. So having the opportunity to explore the park connectors in the western and central parts more closely was both new and deeply enjoyable. I am thankful to him for that.

• Local Tourist. We met at Queenstown MRT and began our walk towards the CBD area, had breakfast in town, and continued towards the Victoria Street and Bugis area before I left him near Jalan Besar. The route took us through park connectors linking Redhill, Jervois Road, River Valley, Killiney Road, Robertson Quay, and Clarke Quay - areas that, when explored on foot, felt totally different from how I usually experience them. What stood out to me was the morning rhythm of these neighbourhoods - workers hurrying to work, elderly residents going about their walks and breakfasts, and tourists exploring local suburbs. From Clarke Quay, we continued towards the Peranakan Museum, SMU, CHIJMES, the National Library, Bugis, and the Sultan Mosque (see picture) at Arab Street area. These are places I have passed through many times, often without a second thought. Yet today, walking through them unhurried, I was reminded of the stories they carry, stories that form our nation’s history. It made me realise how easily we overlook the richness of our own heritage in the midst of our daily routines. For this, I am grateful.

• Tourist. After I bade WL farewell close to noon, I made my way towards a bus stop in the midday heat. There, I noticed two foreigners - probably in their 70s, rather heavy in their build, visibly warm, perspiring heavily and a little flustered. From their appearance, they seemed to be Westerners, possibly from Eastern Europe, judging from the unfamiliar language they were speaking. They were studying the bus routes, the lady clearly tired and somewhat exasperated, while the man - presumably her husband - tried to figure things out. Sensing that they might need help, I approached them and asked if there was anything I could assist them with. They were trying to get to a particular MRT station, and I guided them accordingly. It was a simple interaction, but their smiles as they boarded the bus, along with their enthusiastic wave, stayed with me. I was thankful for the small opportunity to be of help.

It was supposed to be an ordinary day. Yet, it turned out anything but ordinary. I had a meaningful catch-up with a friend, saw my own city with fresh eyes, and was given a chance to extend a small act of kindness to strangers. By the end of the day, I had clocked more than 17km. And for all these, I am grateful.