Daddy's little girls
It was Mothers' Day (Happy Belated Mothers' Day everyone) and Celest took Nigel for a musical performance at the Esplanade - I was originally going to bring him, but I thought it might be fun for them to go together to appreciate the sweet musical harmony that can only be delivered by the combination of an orchestra. Unfortunately he got struck by the "ahem bug", and Celest says it irritated some of the other audience members :) Good thing I wasn't there to observe that.
I sat outside with Shannon, Amber and Isti for a while as we listened to some free music by local folk singer Dawn Fung. Her music was nice, tuneful and her voice was almost angelic. However, it was the opening act by guitarist Ian Wong which really touched my heart and put tears in my eyes.
His song was about a father and daughter, trapped in a relationship where they aren't able express their feelings to each other, probably because of the Asian culture. The daughter comes home one day, looking troubled, possibly from a rough day in the office. Dad looks on, wanting to comfort her and cheer her up - however, he doesn't know how to say it. The song echoes what he's thinking: "Daughter I will always love you ... I'll be by your side". The girl, similarly, wants to express her love to her Dad: "Daddy, I know that you love me". It reflects our culture of inexpressiveness, the trap of silence and putting up a cold front. All this while, a father and daughter (and sons) live in the same house and are unable to express how we love and need each other.
And as Shannon and Amber sat (Amber more climbing and struggling) by my side as we listened to the music, I came to understand why there exists a special bond between a father and his daughter(s) - why there is the term "daddy's little girl". And it's a cliché, surely, but one day, a father will have to give his daughter away. And the thought crossed my mind that a woman walks down the aisle when she gets married, but a man walks down the aisle when his daughter gets married. So, the first time I get to walk down the aisle, I will have one of my beautiful daughters on my arm - but right after that, she will belong to someone else. (I always keep that future image in my head each time we go to church and I'm holding one their little hands as they run down the middle of the church to the altar to pray - I'm holding their hands to ensure they don't crash into others or run up to the pulpit.)
The song ended with the father saying that he will eventually have to give her away as a bride, but until then, she will always be his "daddy's little girl". I've been hunting for the lyrics, but to no avail.
It was Mothers' Day - but I shared a special moment with my little girls that afternoon too.
I sat outside with Shannon, Amber and Isti for a while as we listened to some free music by local folk singer Dawn Fung. Her music was nice, tuneful and her voice was almost angelic. However, it was the opening act by guitarist Ian Wong which really touched my heart and put tears in my eyes.
His song was about a father and daughter, trapped in a relationship where they aren't able express their feelings to each other, probably because of the Asian culture. The daughter comes home one day, looking troubled, possibly from a rough day in the office. Dad looks on, wanting to comfort her and cheer her up - however, he doesn't know how to say it. The song echoes what he's thinking: "Daughter I will always love you ... I'll be by your side". The girl, similarly, wants to express her love to her Dad: "Daddy, I know that you love me". It reflects our culture of inexpressiveness, the trap of silence and putting up a cold front. All this while, a father and daughter (and sons) live in the same house and are unable to express how we love and need each other.
And as Shannon and Amber sat (Amber more climbing and struggling) by my side as we listened to the music, I came to understand why there exists a special bond between a father and his daughter(s) - why there is the term "daddy's little girl". And it's a cliché, surely, but one day, a father will have to give his daughter away. And the thought crossed my mind that a woman walks down the aisle when she gets married, but a man walks down the aisle when his daughter gets married. So, the first time I get to walk down the aisle, I will have one of my beautiful daughters on my arm - but right after that, she will belong to someone else. (I always keep that future image in my head each time we go to church and I'm holding one their little hands as they run down the middle of the church to the altar to pray - I'm holding their hands to ensure they don't crash into others or run up to the pulpit.)
The song ended with the father saying that he will eventually have to give her away as a bride, but until then, she will always be his "daddy's little girl". I've been hunting for the lyrics, but to no avail.
It was Mothers' Day - but I shared a special moment with my little girls that afternoon too.