On the brink ...

6 years ago - Shannon's first day at school!

Shannon's PSLE begins tomorrow and lasts four days.

Within a week, half a lifetime of learning and preparation would be put to the test - a rite of passage, a ritual perhaps, that all Singaporean students have to endure, whether they like it or not, rain or shine, hail or scorching heat. And some of them literally (well, not really literally) feel the heat, the stress, the pressure.

I'm not sure how big an impact your performance in the PSLE would have on the rest of your life - if you become a success or failure, making those bucks or a life that sucks. But I guess it is the principle of it - if you are disciplined enough to prepare for a test, big or small, life-changing or free-ranging, you will be able to control your destiny and have a say in your future. Little steps along the way get you to where you want to be.

She's on the brink - fast asleep (I hope) with interesting stories of fantasy and drama filling her dreams, as her consciousness unwinds, yet simultaneously prepares for the biggest exam yet of her growing years. In a way, it's quite cute how a young mind manages to come to grip with a milestone examination like this - while we, with experience and age (hey, stop being rude), try to calm them down and tell them, it's OK, try your best, you have a long journey ahead of you my young girl, so pace yourself.

So all the best Shanny girl, you can do it! You've prepared well and are as ready as you can be!