The following story was extracted from the book "Letters from Grandma and Grandpa: Legacies for Life" in English by Lim Siok Hoon Rebecca (editor). Chapter Four: Our values... for the soul. Contributed by Ho Woon Ho, the former principal of Henderson Secondary School and Nanyang Junior College. She is a columnist for the Lianhe Zaobao Fukan, with the alias He Meng. She has six grandchildren. Dear Tsung Wen, Choong Kai, Choong Ren, Yi Ning, Kelly and Tsung Sian, August is a wonderful time in Singapore because we celebrate our country’s birthday. On this joyous day, I write to all of you with sincere wishes and heartfelt blessings. The four seasons follow the law of nature. Everything grows fresh and new in spring. Plants germinate and add new leaves to their extending arms as they stretch toward the morning sun. Flowers blossom in summer and display all their beauty and luxuriance. Autumn then arrives and fills the world with beautiful hues in a time of harvesting and reflection. Finally, winter arrives to layer the barren trees with a coat of snow. It is a time of rest before spring comes again. Similarly, our journey in life is made up of four seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Every season has its special meaning and significance. To live life fully, one must cherish the Four Seasons of Life. You are like the seedling that has emerged from the earth. You need sunlight and rain, and the tender, loving care of the gardener. You are fortunate and blessed to be born at a time when Singapore’s economy is strong and growing rapidly. Your forefathers have worked tirelessly for the last 42 years to build a stable, peaceful and prosperous country - this beautiful garden city - so that you will not be in want of food and clothes. You will then be able to live and learn in a peaceful and conducive environment. I have no doubt that your parents will love and care for you with all their heart, nurture, educate and guide you. Just like the soft, tender touch of the moonlight, their love will light up your path even when it is dark. Family ties are precious things that are forged by the love of parents. They are priceless treasures that remain unchanged in life. Truly and deeply appreciate parental love - for love is a song without words. Be filial to your parents, and always remember: filial piety is the most important virtue in Chinese values. Nothing in life lasts forever. We cannot take our country’s success for granted. A tightly woven social fabric can still be frayed. Life is never a straight path. It is full of vicissitudes, with unexpected twists and turns. There will be mountains to climb, oceans to cross and storms to brave. There may also be failures and setbacks, pain and sorrow at every stage of your life. In the first season of life, you must build a strong foundation based on ethics, knowledge, physical strength and mental well-being. Continue to learn to strengthen this foundation and maintain high moral standards. You must learn to survive and be a beacon of virtue and integrity. Learn discipline, self-esteem, confidence, independence and self-motivation. Always show enthusiasm, think positive and have a passion for what you do. Be respectful to the elders and be a good mentor to the juniors. Moral values such as diligence, humility, sincerity, and altruism should be your principles in life. Summer quickly arrives as we reap the harvest of spring’s toil. I hope that you will work hard to build up your moral character. A person’s character is the pillar of life, the backbone of a generation, allowing people not to be swayed by affluence, be unyielding to oppression and unaffected by poverty. The 21st century is a rapidly changing period, where new technology and new knowledge are discovered or unveiled everyday. You must stay current and upgrade yourself everyday. You must make learning a life-long process; acquire knowledge that will put you in good stead to face many challenges ahead. May you ride the waves in the sea of life. Be a civilized, moral and forward-looking citizen in the modern world. From your Grandmother with love. This letter has been translated from Mandarin and is featured in the Mandarin version of this book. (This story was contributed as part of the 'To My Grandpa/Grandma' project initiated by NLB & the Advisory Panel for Seniors. This project is an inter-generation initiative targeted at grandparents and grandchildren. It aims to encourage the sharing of personal experiences, and to use personal stories, narratives and shared heritage to connect the different generations.) A photo of Ho Woon Ho and her grandchildren. Title devised by Library staff.