Love Letters: In His good time

My dearest children,

Mama used to teach. I had the opportunity to witness the phenomenon called "growing up" on hundreds of students, where I saw them change from rather mischievous young boys, into men. These ex-students of mine are all in their twenties now. Many are working, and some even have gotten married! Some of these students were quite a handful in school: they failed subjects, they were rowdy in class, they couldn't sit still. Some fell asleep in class half the time, some had alot of angst, some of them sometimes forgot to do their homework. But you know what? Almost all of them turned out pretty ok in the end. The pimples cleared up, the moodiness of adolescence faded, and they grew up.

I had the chance to chat with one of my ex-students recently, when he dropped me a note to ask if I was able to write a letter of recommendation for his application to university. His story was different from the typical kid studying in Singapore, and I am sharing his story here with permission. While most take the direct path of secondary, then tertiary education, he dropped out of polytechnic halfway, and later went to do his National Service. It was in NS that he decided to sit for his A levels as a private candidate, and he went on to do pretty well. It was a story of determination, and he shared that to study for his As, he borrowed notes from strangers in the library, and got notes off the internet. Now he is applying for University.

While my student's story had a somewhat happy "ending", I can imagine how his parents would have been worried about him. As parents, we tend to worry about your future. Living in this society that values academic qualifications doesn't help, especially when the focus tends towards accelerating learning, even during the early childhood years. I admit, sometimes I am terrified when thinking about the uncertainties that homeschooling brings, since this is a path less trodden. But my student's story is a reminder to me, that not every child's path through life is a straight one. Some take a more meandering path, some head the wrong way, only to make a u-turn later. Whatever the case, I am again assured that God makes all things beautiful in His own time, and that we need to continue trusting in Him. I need to keep remembering that He holds your futures in His loving hands, and that everyone's journey is different.

Now all of you are still young, and it is my hope that you'll keep playing, exploring and discovering. You've taught me how achieving all these milestones of growing up are a matter of time. I've learnt that some just need a little more time to get there. No matter what, know that we'll never give up on you, and that we'll always be behind you. So take your time. Like how flowers grow and blossom in according to the seasons, bloom only when you're ready.

Love,
Your Mama and Papa.