Green Green Grass of Home...

Down the earthy lane I walked... to the green green grass of home...
but there was no Mary running to meet me, as the lyrics writes...

The old house is still standing though the original owner is living
in the dream of heaven... Now, we are just strangers and passing by here,
no sense of belonging as the past is only a dream of delusion...

And there is the old oak (or rain?) tree that I used to play on, and also
there is the 'Dato Kong' hut, where I used to sleep there when I ran
away from home or school, and here, it was my refuge.

Now, brothers gathering here. Around this hut of 'Dato Kong', it was our childhood
playing ground, located at the foot hill of Bukit Tunjang. Local people
used to come here to try their luck. If you were lucky, 'Dato' would
give you a dream, for 4 digits, then fortune suddenly fell on you...
Want to try? Ask me, I will take you there...

Once upon a time, my father owned this rice mill, it located in the
vicinity of hill of Tunjang, where I spent my childhood here. At the
back of rice mill is a hill, in front is a river. 背山看河, 好風景, 也好風水!

This small bridge linked between the Tunjang town & the rice mill.
We must pass through here, to go to school or town.
小橋流水人家, 古道西風瘦馬, 夕陽西下, '流浪漢'在天涯! Yes, when I came
back, I felt I am just a wanderer, passed by a familiar place, where it was
once called my home, now, it exists no more, but just a passage of my
mind... as long as the memory retains and recalls...

'So long boy you can take my place, I got my papers, I got my pay. So pack
my bags I'll be on my way... to Yellow River' ... That is the lyrics of song
called Yellow River. Here, this Tunjang river was my life line, inseparable
from childhood days. I spent hours of each day in this river, like kids
now, spending time on their computer games! That time the river was
not yellow, but clean water, even lobsters found its home here! Every time,
when there was a drown boy found at the river side, my father would
rush to identify whether the body found was his son or not! Oh...
A sigh of relief, it was not me! According to the legend, the 'water ghost'
never took the life of local boys! Ha, this is how I survived until now.
Thanks a lot 'water ghost', for not taking my life!

'You jump, I jump!' Remember, the Titanic memorable quotes. Yes, those
were the days, I used to jump from here, not for love but for fun!
And naked some more! But Leonardo DiCaprio jumped in full clothes!
And yet he never came up alive from water... sad!

By Mary Hopkins - Lyrics of Those Were The Days

Once upon a time there was a tavern
Where we used to raise a glass or two
Remember how we laughed away the hours
And dreamed of all the great things we would do

Those were the days my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We'd fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way.
La la la la...
Those were the days, oh yes those were the days

Then the busy years went rushing by us
We lost our starry notions on the way
If by chance I'd see you in the tavern
We'd smile at one another and we'd say

.....

Just tonight I stood before the tavern
Nothing seemed the way it used to be
In the glass I saw a strange reflection
Was that lonely woman really me

.....

Through the door there came familiar laughter
I saw your face and heard you call my name
Oh my friend we're older but no wiser
For in our hearts the dreams are still the same

Those were the days my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We'd fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way.
La la la la...
Those were the days, oh yes those were the days

.....

This beautiful lyrics tells about life, there is nothing in life is in a standstill, change is the nature of life. It reminds us that whether we are wiser as we grow older... Our whole life, is a learning process, learn to be wiser... This is the most important thing in life!