A Doc's Life is a underground Medical Blog about some poor Singapore doctors. They are sibei sian and very buay song. Best practices not observed!
(Warning: Grammar is non existent in this blog. Those obsessively compulsive about good English please go no further and book an appointment to see your psychiatrist in Singapore.)

Saturday, September 17, 2005

I Love You Too

I once had an eccentric colleague named Bob (name changed to protect his identity). He was 5 years older than I was and I loved listening to his exploits.

One day, we were just having our usual boh liao conversation when he told me, " You know BL, I told my mum that I loved her yesterday......"

While you might see caucasians hugging one another in sitcoms saying "I love you all" all the time, we Chinese never ever do so. Maybe he came from a really westernized family?

"No lah." He replied. "Its just that it hasn't been easy for me to get to where I am today if not for them. I always felt I never thank my parents enough."

Indeed, Bob did not take the usual route to medicine. He only decided he wanted to study the art of healing after he completed his National Service. He had to wait another year while he applied for an overseas university and his parents had to mortgage their flat to support him through his studies in UK.

"After that, I ran up to my dad, gave him a hug and said I love you too!" He said, laughing. "He looked so in shock, I was worried he would get a stroke, hahaha...."

His words made me wonder when it was that I last expressed some form of gratitude towards my own parents. Being ever so busy with work I had always put off plans to bring them out. You cannot forget that important anniversary with the wife or girlfriend without grave consequences but you always knew that all your parents would say is "Its ok, the next time" if you had to cancel. Perharps all that is needed was a simple gesture like Bob's. A simple gesture that is so difficult to accomplish in our culture.

Suddenly, I felt I missed my parents alot.

"So how did your mum react? She must be really touched! Did she cry?" I asked.

Bob said sheepishly," No lah, she scolded me for giving her goose pimples!"

28 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:45 PM

    aust med student, me love u too!
    first to comment... a good omen!

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  2. Anonymous12:34 AM

    haha. I love you too. second to comment, good omen.

    eh, the story very touching. when i was younger, i did not really treasure my parents, but as i grew older, i started to realise how much they sacrifice for me. like paying for my very expensive education here in Australia. I feel bad for placing such a burden on them sometimes, but i will promise myself i will make it up to them somehow next time.

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  3. Long time didn't come here to read your blog. Nice to come back and saw a touching entry!

    Yep, agreed.

    I think the hardest words to say to my parents is "I love you"

    Don't know why.

    I think I will regret not saying them one day.

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  4. Anonymous12:39 AM

    loctor, i luv u toooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

    GIMME MC~!

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  5. Anonymous1:30 AM

    dear how to contact u?

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  6. Anonymous2:10 AM

    aust med studentbf, you leave your contact, I will contact you, not the other way round. hey what course you doing? i thought you said you are a med student?

    Dr Bl Og, actually it is not true that in westernised countries, it is easier to say I love you to parents. Western countries can be quite conservative too. For example, in one of the conversations i had with my ang moh colleagues, they said that they found it difficult to discuss personal issues like their relationship problems, sex education and expressing their feelings to their parents.

    However, i still agree that it is more common in asian countries for parents to express their love for us through actions, for example, cooking herbal soup for us when we are sick.

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  7. Anonymous2:41 AM

    dear i cook for u.

    my contact ar? not that i dont want to give you, but it's difficult to publicise here... let me think and get back to u kay?

    lub u deep deep.

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  8. wah.... this has become a matchmaking site... haha

    i love my parents too =)

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  9. I think it's hard to say express affection in our culture. And my mum's way of showing care is by saying "Dinner's ready!". My dad's way is by asking "How are your studies..." Which sorta irritates me till i remember that that's his way of showing concern.

    Gratitude is one of the most important virtue. Let's show it, cos one day we will have kids too.

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  10. Anonymous2:21 PM

    i think we chat here can liao... hahaha

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  11. Anonymous3:01 PM

    i said that to my mum and she told me in that case since you love me so much, can you give me more money allowances...

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  12. Anonymous3:07 PM

    ur site down this morning? really makes me feel disappointed cos i very much wanted to read any new stuff. got hacked? or maintenance?

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  13. Anonymous3:10 PM

    hey your site reminds me of the hk movie featuring doctors with their humorous conversation. does doctors in singapore engage such conversations during their breaks?

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  14. anon @ 307pm: yah site was down. some funny error. thought i had been banned. scary
    anon @ 310pm: which hk movie is that?

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  15. Anonymous4:03 PM

    should be hk serials not movie

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  16. Anonymous4:15 PM

    to the person called adventurer who asked about what can be done to make transition to aussie education system easier...i strongly recommend that you get to know at least 3 other of your fellow soon-to-be classmates before arriving in australia. better still, contact any of your seniors who will be in your uni in asutralia.

    try to find accomodation before you come here and come at least 1 week in advance. spend time learning how to find your way around, take care of your finances and basically socialise with your soon-to-be classmates.

    You may want to buy a few textbooks from singapore. the basic things like anatomy, physiology and pathology. And bring both warm weather and cold weather attire. it is very hot in the day and very cold at night.

    Don't be worried. you will be ok. the first year in med school is very easy, just enjoy yourself.

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  17. Anonymous4:51 PM

    tink all blogger.com blogs are down juz now..perhaps they're hunting for pple who attempts to create racial disharmony..hohoho...

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  18. all i'm doing here is matchmaking!!! pro gahmen's policy wor!!!!

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  19. Anonymous5:07 PM

    not all blogs are down.went to xiaxue one is ok leh.

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  20. Anonymous5:07 PM

    not all blogs are down.went to xiaxue one is ok leh.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous5:09 PM

    i think dr blog u better be careful. some hackers are aiming your site. some antivirus page when i tried visiting your site earlier today. maybe it is no good to be too popular too.

    luckily your true identity is hidden.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous5:11 PM

    just curious how u make that door pop out the lantern and mr bean's head?

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  23. Anonymous9:27 PM

    dear i miss u

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  24. Anonymous1:45 AM

    u then gay! HAHAHA!!! *SWINGS MY HORSE*

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  25. Hey, anyone got URL (for their blogs) for those "charged bloggers" RE: Racism? Can post here thanks!

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  26. Anonymous1:30 PM

    they are surely removed... you think they can leave such seditious content online for people to check it out? it will only incur more warth!

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  27. Hiyo, I haven't see ma...

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