Finding Joy

Finding Joy

I lost one community, only to find another

The main tower of Thomson View, the writer's old home, with tarpaulin cladding reaching ever higher, like a shroud being pulled up.

Finding Joy

My mother’s unfinished love story showed me that joy doesn’t need a happy ending

The writer's mother. Reading her mother's old love letters allowed the writer to see her more fully.

Finding Joy

Want to know what’s really going on in our children’s lives? Cook for them

Conversations over dinner have inculcated open communication in his family, says the writer.

Finding Joy

They cleaned our estate for years. A final meal made us neighbours

A neighbour isn’t just someone who lives near us, but anyone who puts their heart into the places we call home.

Finding Joy

Without chilli, food just isn’t the same

Chilli may well be Singapore’s most indispensable and omnipresent culinary ingredient. It can be a make-or-break, says the writer.

Finding Joy

My students left my classroom. They didn’t leave my life

The writer with one of his former students, Joanna, in London in 2025. He counts her as one of his dear friends.

Finding Joy

I get by with a little help from my (work) friends

Friends add another dimension, infusing meaning into the work experience, says the writer.

Finding Joy

I was a chicken rice lover. Going pescatarian was surprisingly liberating

Food became less of an indulgence and more about nourishment, says the writer.

Finding Joy

In defying gravity, I’m unlearning everything I was told about ageing

As we age, we forget that moving our bodies against gravity can be fun, says the writer.

Finding Joy

A pilot’s first flight ends on a high. What follows is even better

The adventure of flight taught the writer joy is something to be cultivated.

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MDDI (P) 046/10/2025. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No.202120748H. Copyright © 2026 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.