While I was replying an email, some old memories triggered my thinking thoughts.

Recalled last year summer when I was helping out my dad in the office, and one of the tasks was to do some translation from English to Chinese.

I was working on a *very important* letter (similar to contract confirmation, letter of intention kind of thing). Towards the end, the person signed off with warm regards, (name). So to translate that, I wrote in Chinese - (name) 敬上. Then when I submitted my work to my boss (aka dad), he asked me why didn't I translate "warm regards". I said "In the chinese context it is 敬上". Then he asked, "I would like to know the exact meaning of 'warm regards'."

I was a little stunt! Rather, caught. No one ever asked me what "regards" means in this context, and I never really thought about it too. I just took it casually that its the "business way", or the "polite thing". To be honest, I dont like people signing off with ___ regards, because it sounds so fake. That's why initially when I write emails, I didn't. But now I do (only in business context, or when I get formal... not really with friends) .

So back to "my state back then", - how am I going to answer him?! The conversation then goes...

Me: "there's no meaning in particular."
Dad: "what do you mean no meaning? Surely there is one! Explain it to me!"
Me: (feeling Dad is unreasonable at that time because to me, no meaning = no meaning and no meaning cannot be explained. If something is nothing, then nothing cannot be falsely created to become something.. you get what I mean, perhaps?) "There is no meaning. It can't be explained."
Dad: "Well if there's no meaning, then why would he put it there?"
Me: "Ok, I take my words back. It means something. Just that the person writing it doesn't mean what he writes!"
Dad: (confused) "Explain further."
Me: "Well, this is like a business thing. People always signing off with regards, a bit like sending their wishes to wish you well etc. But people dont mean it. They just write it there because it sounds more polite. It is just like in Chinese, when people signed off with 敬上, do you think at all times they really respect the person?! Its just a nice way to end it. They dont mean what they write."
Dad: (pleased with my explanation) "Ohhh... I get it!"

Later that night, we had dinner with a scientist couple + 2 bankers. My dad were talking some business stuff and later he said something about life - how human behaves etc (very typical in their conversation... they discuss psychology and philosophy... perhaps that's where I started using my brains as well). My dad then told the rest what he "learnt" that afternoon - about what I said and how he feels about this whole thing.

Somewhat, I felt useful.

It was at that point in time, I felt more loved by my Dad.

I guess others wont understand how it feels like - to be me. Surely I wont understand how others feel like to them as well.

But right now - I felt more and more blessed each day.



On a side note, I am missing someone in Malaysia and hopes someone comes back soon. Guess this someone might make up the biggest part of my memory during my 5 years stay in Singapore. Somewhat, I felt that I have already been forgotten at times, before I even have (more likely never will have) the chance to forget. haha.