{Ballet when I was 4. I miss ballet classes. Those memories in the dance studio were quite an important part in my childhood I guess.} 

Sunday was a relaxing day. I like peaceful Sunday afternoons. Occasionally I decide to look through the heaps of photo albums we have stored in our storeroom. Many of them have collected dust, the photos yellow and beginning to fade, but the memories still remain vivid in my mind. So I decided to flip through the photo albums that Sunday and take a walk down memory lane. Looking at old photos is always such a warm and nice feeling, reminsicing about the old times and never fails to put a smile on my face. I can't help but lament about returning to the old times when I was much younger and carefree, when life just comprised playing, eating and sleeping. 

This was at my auntie's wedding ceremony years ago. We were really bonded then. Sadly, we're not really on such close terms now. It's one of the many friendships I regret not working out though.

I remember attending lots of extra lessons when I was young, like art classes, swimming classes, ballet classes, abacus classes. And ballet played a really significant part of my childhood I guess. It always took up my Sunday afternoons (classes were 2-3 hours long), it was tiring but fun. Our class was very bonded and as usual, I was the youngest. I remember how we would always go to the toilet to change together after lessons, laughing and just having fun with each other's company. My dad would always wait outside the dance studio patiently and I was always proud of the fact that he was the only dad there so all the moms and my teacher knew him while my sis went shopping with my mom. And at every end of the year we would have a concert. There was one where our teacher had us draw on fake eyes that looked gigantic and disproportionate but you couldn't really tell on stage. All the adults were laughing at our enormous eyes I swear. Then there was another year where we had butterfly costumes and one of my wings dropped off. 2 hours before the performance. In the end I had to carefully flap my wings while dancing because after all, rubber bands aren't that secure...

Just look at how tiny all of us were! (Just in case you didn't know, we're the puny people in purple, I'm the one on the extreme left.)

This was me and my sis during my fifth birthday at my grandma's house. I actually still remember this birthday celebration really vividly and most of the stuff we did. Especially since this was one of the rare times my sister wanted to wear the same clothes as me. (It's definitely never going to happen anywhere in the near future.) And the presents. I think I got a handicraft set from my uncle which was too complex for me to comprehend then and a thick heavy Winnie the Pooh book (that's still his fav even now).

I really love looking at photos of the past and laughing at all our stupid selfs. I wish I had more photos to look at but taking photos then wasn't as convenient as whipping out a cameraphone to capture a moment in time now. Nevertheless, these photos will always be my treasure and I'm definitely going to fill up my albums with more photos to come! :-)

Yep, that's me in the middle with my paternal cousins.

It suddenly dawned upon me that I've already been through almost 1 and a half decades of life. That's really long and the thing is, it seemed like I was just Year 1 a few months back. Time passes so quickly that you don't even realize it. Maybe it's the earth spinning quicker since it was shifted off its axis during the Japan earthquake (that must have been quite an impact) - I know, I listen in geography lessons - But that's not the main point. I suppose time is always ticking away, I'll die to buy time. Wait no, if I die then I can't use up the extra time I've gotten. Scratch that. I'll love to buy time. I really wish how I could teleport back to those times when I was in kindergarten having fun playing around in my mini kitchen, serving fake plastic vegetables and fruits to my grandpa, cutting them up with my pink hello kitty chopping board set, wearing mommy's high heels. The list is endless. I guess I could still do that too if I wanted but there's just not enough time. School is overwhelming, the work just keeps flowing in like flood gates, I don't get to experience a day where I have no homework to do. There's always that never-ending responsibilities to fulfill. If it's not homework, it's piano (and I have  masterclasses with the prof from Royal College flying over from London). Life is ever so busy. It's only August and I already can't wait for December holidays. (Not to mention, ChildAid 2013 & National comps). Sigh. That's life. We live for the future. The present has become the future. We study to get good grades to get a good job so that we can support our own family next time, to allow our children to have good education so that they can get good jobs and support their own family. It's this eternal cycle.

But as the saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining. Though life may always be hectic, hey, at least I still have people who care for me to talk to, to confide in, to laugh with, to have fun together. It's all these little precious moments that makes life, so memorable and cherished. We can never go back to the past, but we can sure create our own future, and we can definitely enjoy the present for as long as it lasts. 

Awww♡

I was such a crumply newborn then hahas. 

 

Now | Then (also 3 years ago). 

I can't buy time, but I sure can reminisce about the old times, and embrace the now me. I'm still a teenie, I have many more years ahead of me and it's all up to me on how I want to spend it. For all I know, I'm very sure I want to enjoy life to the fullest! So for now, let's just Carpe diem!