Of songs and reconnecting

The munchkin has been requesting of late to watch two music videos on YouTube. Of course she wouldn't have learned of them, were it not for me who introduced them to her in the first place. As a pretty obstinate anal mother, I wield a tight control over her media exposure. It literally means the exposure is almost non-existence. One would not fail to notice her fierce concentration on the little screen whenever we are at friends' and the tv is on. Except for short clips of ballet performances, she doesn't get to watch anything else while at home. This is by no means my way of saying how proud I am for sticking to my 'principle'. No, in fact, I am deeply aware that principle must be an unhealthy extension of my control freakness. On the other hand, a time will come, soon enough I am very certain, when she is going to bug me incessantly about watching some programs which her friends in kindergarten or school have seen. By then there will be no turning back. And let's not forget about social media.

Just recently I read that Neil Gaimen took a four-month break from social media. It's a feat considering he is a successful writer and has 2.3 million followers on his twitter. His reason: 'I'm just going off to be bored.' More specifically, '"The biggest problem with Twitter is that I'd be in a taxi and I'd be on Twitter and it would keep me interested. I realised I wasn't getting bored enough and [that I needed to get bored] to start plotting things and coming up with ideas.'

I wonder how he does it. I am just a mere mortal with no followers and yet I am connected all the time. The only saving grace is I am still resisting the idea of getting a data plan for my phone so at least I am off line when I am on the go. BUT to my dismay, I have recently 'progressed' to downloading some clips on my phone for the convenience of watching them while waiting or on the train as opposed to reading. The daily scene of my fellow Singaporeans burying their nose in the screen of their tablet/mobile phone on the train suddenly danced acrossed my mind. What stopped me from downloading more videos is there is no more extra storage space on my phone. Fortunately.

Yes, the two music videos in question are now on my phone, two old Chinese songs. Recently, I have a sudden interest in anything Chinese. From Chinese/HK films and songs, to reading up on Chinese history (in English of course) and trying to understand poems and songs. I find a certain joy and peace in them and a reconnection with what I see, read and listen. I tell myself it must be a phase because I still love my Radioheads, Charles Bukowskis, The Grand Budapest Hotels. Then again, why do I have to justify that it is just a phase? Why can't I just embrace this new-found obsession and accept it as my rebonding with the Chinese language and my culture? I may not be a Chinese from China and Taiwan and may not understand their culture but I did grow up in a Chinese culture albeit a Singaporean one and speaking the Chinese language. By reconnecting, I suspect I am assuaging my homesickness, my being away from my childhood home for so long.

Anyways, I digress. The reason my daughter is allowed to watch the videos is because of the brilliantly-written songs. The first song is about looking at the change of seasons through the eyes of a cicada. The words are poetic, the melody hauntingly beautiful. It lets your mind eye wanders through the fairy tale world of misty forest amidst falling leaves and red maples:

秋蝉

聽我把春水叫寒　看我把綠葉催黃

誰道秋下一心愁　煙波林野意幽幽

花落紅　花落紅　紅了楓　紅了楓

展翅任翔雙羽燕　我這薄衣過得殘冬

總歸是秋天　總歸是秋天

春走了　夏也去　秋意濃

秋去冬來美景不再

莫教好春逝匆匆　莫教好春逝匆匆

The other song is by one of the singers from a popular boy band which has since disbanded because one member had to serve his national service. Many will perhaps dismiss the song as just another pop song by some pop idol who can't sing to save his life. What touches me however, is the sincerity in the words which is penned by the singer himself and the deep friendship they share years after they have gone their separate ways while not forgetting to encourage and support one another during the course of their lives and careers. I find it very commendable because that willingness in putting high value on and effort in maintaining a friendship while separated seems rather rare to me these days, let alone in the glitz and glitter of the entertainment industry：

祝你一路顺风

那一天知道你要走　我們一句話也沒有說

當午夜的鐘聲敲痛離別的心門　卻打不開你深深的沈默

那一天送你送到最後　我們一句話也沒有留

當擁擠的月台擠痛送別的人們　卻擠不掉我深深的離愁

我知道你有千言你有萬語　卻不肯說出口

你知道我好擔心我好難過　卻不敢說出口

當你背上行囊卸下那份榮耀　我只能讓眼淚流在心底

面帶著微微笑用力的揮揮手　祝你一路順風

當你踏上月台從此一個人走　我只能深深地祝福你

深深的祝福你最親愛的朋友　祝你一路順風

Because I am deeply touched and moved by the songs, I was very eager to share that emotion with my daughter. She might not fully understand the sense of the songs but I am more than happy to let her experience their beauty, even though it is through a media device. That she seems to understand.