SHE, Seen Through My Neighbour’s Eyes

 SHE, Seen Through My Neighbour’s Eyes

              (Story- Being A Firebrand)

 “I came, I saw….And I don’t know leh..

I remain awestruck by this Lah. Call it my home now, lor”

Surely a home to many, coming from near and far and put together their dreams, their stories that the red tiny dot holds, nurtures and flourishes for each of them; it feels home, sweet home to many, so many.

At 56, SHE looks iconic and here I’m, standing in amazement, beholding my beautiful 18 years of journey with HER, casting a luminous glow on me, for those innumerable opportunities, experiences, connections I built here that I’m grateful for. 

What struck me for this article was  some impressionistic and eyesome flashes of some dreams, some stories, that were not mine but which pranced around in the chatters of my neighbourhood and seen through my next door neighbour’s eyes. 

They say, treat and love your neighbour as yourself😊.Yes, one exceptional part that remained constant in my observation for the iconic nation was about discovering a fan, a dreamer, living close by, often gushing over how he or she connected and bonded with the bright, vibrant and lovely land, a promising place of dreams, drawing a diversity of talents, culture, people from various geographies and adding to its own distinctiveness and cultural strength.

The fascination and the admiration stories I heard, saw and experienced about SHE (SAFE-Home&Environment), the "Majulah Singapura" grew on me like anyone else but I think I never expressed adequately ever.

My article is an ode to human connections, sweet stories from within the 
neighbourhood acquaintances, reconnecting us dearly with our ‘Karma bhumi’, a Sanskrit term which means ‘land of work, karma or action’.

Our body is made of five fundamental elements – Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space. The personalities of the characters from within my vicinity, who prompted me to write this piece, uncannily resonated strikingly and symbolically with these elements in some ways that gave me a metaphorical kick and I knew instinctively that  I had to express this. 

 

BEING A FIREBRAND

FIRE represents way more than we can possibly interpret- a provider, destroyer, a passion, drive, creativity or spirituality, any of it, all of it and what not. Fire can light up through the darkness, it can burn into flames, to give back-light, warmth and shine to the world; it can cause destruction or danger too.  

“Be Good, and you will shine…in the light, in the darkness…” she is the lady who walks the talk that she holds with her children with confidence and pats, like a true firebrand!

Meet Sumati, The Lady With The Fire Spirit- Hailing from a remote village of Ooty, located in Tamil Nadu State of India, she was merely 17 when she accidently got married to an already married person under pressure. She could not connect to this incident of her life and questioned herself only, for having succumbed to it.  A strong willed woman cannot let any adversities, challenges of life come in way of her independent thinking, deterring her purpose, quest for the journey of life. 

She did not realize how this untoward happpened, just at the spur-of-the- moment, one that seems beyond any rectifiability. 

Sumati certainly had aspirations from life, she somehow did not come in terms with this reality which needed more time to kick in for her. She would fuss and whine about it, burning in an emotional pain. The fire in her would have blown her mind away, had she not got the support from the very same family, including her very supportive husband, who understood her dilemma then and always thereafter too!

So what was next for her? A new road to an unknown journey, leaving behind her village, for an entirely new escapade she had no clue about! All she had with her was truck load of self-confidence, never settling will-power to succeed and a very hard working spirit that could help her learn to swim upstream, live better and be able to do things for herself, her family and society at large.

“Unfamiliar country, unknown people, culture and no friends. This was my new destiny road I had to take head-on but I had dogged determination to make it here….” She chuckled sipping a strong tea with her employer, who articulated back her responses and expressions to me for major twists and turns of her life for this article. 

“..and see madam, here I’m, in Singapore for last 28 years, having tea with you, there is no looking back madam", she would continue blithely her chit chatting with her employer sharing about her small, big incidents, her life.

 Destination Singapore!

AT PRESENT- As of today, Sumati has spent 28 long years in Singapore! Considering that now she is around 52 years old, she has spent more than half of her life working, servicing and living in Singapore to support herself and her family better back home. She has had a sustainable, successful stint working as a Domestic Helper in Singapore. 

                                         

Sumati is my neigbour for past 11 years; actually she came here few years before me. Both she and her employer are one of the most dependable neighbour friends around here. Anyone who knows her well would say that Sumati is a woman with- hands of a master chef with great culinary skills, heart of a gold; always beating for her fellow workers, friends in Singapore, in her hometown; mind of her own and character of great virtue. She has been demonstrating her qualities, immaculately at her work and in her personal social circle of almost 3 decades here.

Interestingly, what excites the firebrand lady is shielding, guiding and helping people around. She is known to be passionately involved in helping her village people get jobs, support. I'm told that she would spend a considerable amount of time, efforts assisting fellow domestic helpers, especially the new ones who count on her guidance to learn ways of living, travelling etc. in SG. She is that go to person kind!

In nutshell, she gets a high when she is able to create happier atmosphere around. Over the years, Sumati has expanded her network of people, friends, relatives here and enjoys living a perfect life of work, connection and balance in Singapore- her home! 

Sumati also has has her uncle in Singapore who is a high court lawyer in Singapore, another pillar of support standing here with her through thick and thin.

My compliments to her kind employer too who played an important role in developing and helping Sumati in all phases of her life and letting her ‘be. Theirs is an extension of a beautiful mother-daughter kind of relationship also, where Sumati is a mother like figure not just to her employer, but to the children in the house too. A companionship going strong for over 15 years now and here to stay!

When she was approached to know if she would like to be written about, she smiled widely and allowed us to ask her more…

Back home, Sumati has a very supportive family and husband, who is currently working in a shipping company in Dubai. She is proud mother of two young children in late teens now.

Her employer has always talked highly of Sumati, sharing about her exceptional problem solving, effective leadership, smart and working skills which she can apply effectively in all situations. There was one unique incident the employer recalls when one of Sumati’s acquaintances met with an accident in Dubai and she was so concerned about the person’s well being that she made her way to directly speak to the doctors in Dubai and managed to seek clarity on insurance, billing, progress etc. and helped the person in all aspects during his tough time. This was one of many incidents where she impacted lives, for her village people, friends in Singapore. 

Her favorites in Singapore? Local delight Rojak. Visit to Novena Church, besides temples in Singapore.

What next for Sumati from here?

She is building her home back in her home town where she would eventually go back after retirement, while continuing to live her dream of working in another- home Singapore!

Having lived most of life away from her dotting children, just to be able to give them better life, her children who would get this message from her usually, but when I approached her for any message for her children then she has happily conveyed same again for them through this article. I had asked her what she would like to see her children become and her response, absolutely unedited, in her exact words was this, "Nothing specific, they can become whatever they like to, I just want them to become like me (not helper) but just like how I had been- a good daughter, a good sister, good wife, good mother and a good human being always, I  did nothing wrong in life and have had good relations with all. I want them to be like this too ONLY.”

I sincerely wish this for your children and all the children! 

Best wishes Sumati.

‘Be Good, you will shine…In the light, in the darkness,

Be Good, be the light…shine on you and others

Be Good, is all I want YOU to become!’

 

(Thank you readers)