The Next Generation. Succession.

I remember my nephew Michael (my eldest sister's son) at about four years old in 1985 when they were staying in Damansara Utama. Jeannie and I were not even married then and we used to take him out to nearby department stores, Kimisawa and Printempts located at what is Atria Damansara Jaya today.

Jeannie and I had just known each other a few months then but years later whenever we reminisced about those days, feeding Mike Kimisawa foodcourt curry mee soup (he loved it) always came up. Somehow, for Jeannie and I, the image of Michael enjoying his curry soup (at that age) froze-framed the memory of our own feelings together at the time.

Mike was obsessed with the garbage truck that came around and he called it a metal dinosaur; he even aspired to be a garbage man. When he dropped out of kindergarten, we were certain he was on his way towards achieving his ambition. Nothing wrong with that...isn't that part of what life is about? Setting goals and achieving them?

Fast forward to yesterday, 23rd January 2010 - 25 years later and Mike is 29 this year. After graduating as an engineer from Imperial College and a few years working at Morgan Stanley, London he is back in Malaysia. Yesterday, Mike and long time girlfriend, Lay Peng did what Jeannie and I did on 28th February, 1986; they got registered. To me, they seem a very complementary couple. The cycle of life continues with the succession of generations.

From my parents' side Mike is one of 5 grandchildren; the third generation. This third generation had very different upbringings because of their respective parents and Krystyn (born 1986) & JJ Cheah (1990) are only just getting to know cousins, Elaine Goh (1982) and Sharon (1980) & Michael Phang (1981) better (vice versa). It is not because of age difference or the timely advent of social media but mainly due to parents.

Over the years as adults I hardly met my elder sister Grace except on occasions and as for my eldest sister June, I had not, nor chose to meet in almost 10 years before yesterday. When June phoned me a couple of days ago to invite me for Michael and Lay Peng's matrimonial tea-ceremony, I was always going to attend and Jeannie would have wanted too.

Yesterday, at June's house I watched as the next generation begin to claim their station as adults in the family with Mike's marriage being the watershed. Grace's Elaine is an only child and currently working in Singapore so could not attend. Sharon and Mike have a good sibling relationship and though they may not be as openly expressive of their mutual affection like Krystyn & JJ, they nevertheless are close. I see that Sharon and boyfriend Melvin are good together and am confident Elaine, Krystyn and JJ will one day find their life-partners too.

What is important is that they be allowed to make and learn from their own decisions/mistakes as consenting adults. But why did I sense the vibe of a possible ambient perception (an erroneous one, I would add) that Mike was being dragged to the alter? Perhaps it was just my imagination. Perhaps generations should be allowed to succeed generations.

Congratulations Michael and Lay Peng; here's wishing you both bliss and a wonderful life together...From Tua Khoo and on behalf of Ah Khim.