My Dad, Mr. Lau Kwok Cheong

My dad is quite a normal dad. He earns enough to feed all of us, (yes including me the ever-hungry monster), buy a house, drive a car. But I think my dad is very wealthy. He is very rich.... with love and care. Haha. But really... I think he is the role model for all young boys out there. You see, some people will say to girls, grow up and marry a rich man, can liao. But I think not. Doesn't matter how rich someone is, what is important is how much of what he owns is he willing to give up for his family. My dad does not earn very much, but he spends on my mum and on his children like pour water like that. Anything we want, he buys (well a lot of the time). And he's forever surprising my mum with presents... big and small.

But those things aside, my dad has a wonderful heart. He does not ask me much about my feelings, but he's forever asking my mum to ask me things. I know because when I talk to him he seems to know a lot about me even though I don't remember telling him. On Father's Day, I called him to wish him happy fathers' day. Then he started telling me that I am a wonderful girl who does not have to be afraid of not finding a good husband. (??!!) And he launches into a a story about how good a girl I am.... which was soooo touching cos I was thinking, hey its fathers' day and here he is telling me I'm good when it should be the other way round. He says if I don't find a good guy, he guarantees he will find one for me. Hahahaha, so sweet hor.

When my family came for my graduation, they stayed in my apartment. My mum told me that my dad told her quietly, "meimei very poor thing her refrigerator got no food. before we leave let's go to the supermarket and buy enough things to fill her fridge". They forgot, but hearing that come from my dad is enough to keep me alive for ten thousand years. Even though 2 days after going back to Singapore he had to go on a business trip to Israel, he still came for my graduation. I know plane rides are very torturous for him, and I know travelling 24 hours to witness my graduation was not comfortable but he still came because he said "It is very important for him to see the first graduation of his children". I knew he would have gone through the worst hurricane or flood to come and see me wear the graduation gown and graduate. So nice hor. I was very thankful that God gave me the opportunity to bring him and my mum and sister to Niagara Falls for a short holiday after my graduation! I can't wait for them to come to MIT for my graduation next year. I already have an itinerary in mind. Shiok shiok.

My dad is 55 years old now. From when I was a toddler to when I was about sec2, he will go to Geylang East library and borrow books for my brother and I to read. A total about 10 years, of 64 books each week... he will pack and count and carry and return and choose and borrow. Now, he is repeating the same thing for my little sister. If not for my dad I will be stupid now.

In Primary 1 I won a prize for being top in standard. I won a bedtime story book, and I took a photo with my dad in the PLMGPS quadrangle. That is perhaps the most precious photo I have with my dad, because he looked like he was very proud of me then. I know he was very proud of me after I got my O levels and A levels results. But he told me after the interviews that I cannot be overly confident of myself and I have to continue working hard.

Once upon a time (like about 5 years ago), I broke my collarbone playing netball. I was very stubborn and kept wanting to go back to train even before I recovered fully. My dad was very angry, and one day when he fetched me home from training, he almost kicked me out of the car. He said, "either you stop arguing or you get out of the car". At that time, I was pissed beyond words. But that day left a lasting impression on me... because from that incident, I know my dad really cares, and he knows how to take care of his kids. Just the right mix of strictness and "letting go".

In 2002 I went up to KL with the Under 21 team to play test series against the Malaysians. That year I remember not spending much time with my parents.... and that is something I regret. But on the last day of the test series, I saw my parents in the stands. My dad drove my mum and little sister all the way up to KL to watch me play. I was very touched. I wanted to hug my mum and dad then but then I didn't. I only hugged my sister. My father knew that netball meant a lot to me, and although he was always worried that I might get distracted from school, or that I might mix with not-so-good company, he knew that I really yearned for his approval and support. So he came.

He came for my graduation too. Even though 2 days after going back to Singapore he had to go on a business trip to Israel. I know plane rides are very torturous for him, and I know travelling 24 hours to witness my graduation was not comfortable but he still came because he said "It is very important for him to see the first graduation of his children". I knew he would have gone through the worst hurricane or flood to come and see me wear the graduation gown and graduate.

At church today, the pastor talked about how fathers and fathers-to-be have great responsibilities. Many guys enter fatherhood thinking highly of themselves and assuming that they are naturally good fathers as long as they can provide material comfort for the family. But it is actually very hard to be a father. Because a father is the role model for his children. I think my dad brought me up very well. He never caned me, never hit me, never shouted obscenities at home, and he is always ready to apologize when he makes my mum sad or makes us sad.

My dad is also a good boss. I know because people at his workplace really respect him. I'm not surprised, because he knows how to "zuo ren". I think when I start work, I must ask him to impart some advice to me.

My dad's english isn't very good. Sometimes I cannot understand what he is trying to say in his emails. And when he smses, he uses dictionary but doesn't change the words. So when he wants to say "Call me", he ends up smsing "Call of". Very funny right. He also buys flowers for my mum although my mum doesn't like flowers because she says flowers will die so they are a waste of money (I totally agree). But he still buys because he says, "die liao then buy more". So sweet I write until I feel like crying.

I can go on writing about my dad forever. When I was primary 1 they made us write on big paper "My Father is...." That time I only wrote about 10 lines because my handwriting was very big and ugly and I didn't know what my dad's official occupation was and I felt a bit embarrassed. Now I feel like I can write a thousand million lines about my dad.

God has given me the best possible father. I love my daddy and I cannot ask for a better daddy in the world.


Below are some pictures of my family in Philadelphia, when they came to attend my graduation ceremony in May :)

1. Brother and me and up-and-coming genius.


2. See how happy everyone is!!! My father has this "you see how zai my family is" smile on his face. Or maybe I anyhow make up one but then I really think my family very zai so you just have to believe it.


3. I have a vision. My sister thinks I'm a clown. My dad doesn't know where the camera is. My mum as usual is the only one who knows what to do (i.e. look properly at the camera and smile)


4. My brother and I are supposed to look like the statue. My sister is a copy-cat.


5. My father likes to take photos with statues, although he is not interested in who the statue really is.



6. Perfect sign to take family photo with. I know I say this many many times liao but then... you know I want to say it again. ILMF.


Happy happy bom-pi-pi.