Personal Narrative: Active Lives, Merry Marriage

Active Lives, Merry Marriage

When a couple is in the best of health, the bubbles in their brewing pot of love flourishes.

Engulfed with gloom, I approached the flat with nothing but despair in mind, terrified of the story that I was about to acquire in moments to come. A story of sorrow might be given birth on this fateful day, and picturing about the precise details of it left me in terror.

Ahead loomed a narrow corridor leading to the front gates of Mr Soh’s flat in Potong Pasir. The corridor resembled a thin bridge, with one’s life hanging by a thread.

Sunlight tried to peek through the lofty green leaves as pots of plants were lined up on both sides, making the way even limited. The gates opened and standing in front of us was Mr Soh

“We learnt how to use our phones to play mobile games,” said Mrs Soh. Like millennials, their smartphones would always be a hand away from them.

Filial Piety

When I stepped into the spacious home, one thing caught my eyes - the family of four were brimming with happiness, love and pride in the portrait against the cream coloured wall. Mr and Mrs Soh and their children wearing their graduation gowns. The picture looks like it was taken in the early 90s.

Their children no longer stay with them as they have their own family. However, they make it a point to visit their parents every night for dinner. The Soh family take those rare moments to reminisce the past where the house were still filled with laughter of their younger days were their children were still young.

“My son lives very near here. I cook almost 4 days in a week for them when they come over to eat,” said Mrs Soh while sitting cross leg on their old, Chinese traditional antique sofa which had a broken seat.

Not only does the children visit their old folks often, they also support their parents financially by giving them monthly

Despite not understanding the languages over there, they had a pleasant experience spending time with their family.

50 Years of Flourishing Love

Only time will tell how two people are meant for each other. When asked how they met, both of them looked at each other, as if there was a secret that should be kept as one.

“We met in secondary school,” Mrs Soh recalls. We could see how Mrs Soh fell in love with her husband. His gracious smile was an indication of how a young handsome man would looked in the 1960s. After Mrs Soh, their precious time were either spent with their children and attending community activities. But most of the time, they spent their time with each other.

“Sometimes, we will go to Chinatown or other places like Nex in Serangoon and Farrer Park.”

Simple dates like exploring places nearby are what keeps this marriage going.

“I have my husband, I can rely on him and seek companionship, that’s why we’re not lonely,” said Mrs Soh.

Anticipating the unconventional activities that Calvary Community Care comes up with every year, the couple stays encouraged and will continue to actively participate in the companionship of each other’s