Saturday, July 24, 2004
Wonderful Miss J

Allow me to wax lyrical about someone for a change.There will be no puns in this post.I'd just like to praise someone whom I think a lot more people should know about.That this young lady happens to be my cousin is besides the point.Even if she wasn't,I'd still put her on a pedestal.And maybe if she was older,I'd probably woo her with every last bit of energy I have.But she's my cousin and she's very young,so too bad.

Miss J is a cousin of mine who lives in the States.She's all of 16 years old.I didn't really talk much to her for a long time until the end of last year when I started spotting her on MSN and started talking to her.She left me a good impression then.Well,I went over to the US with my mum and a couple of relatives in March and met her in person.I was able to hit it off with her quite easily(and I don't hit off with people easily,especially girls...on my fingers...I count about 3 and she's one of them)and were able to talk about a lot of stuff.I'm 27,she's 16 and we talk well?Well,either I am immature or she's mature for her age.It's the latter.Which is one thing why I think highly of her.She doesn't have a boyfriend(how many teenagers don't have a bf/gf now?)because she feels she is too young to have one and wants to concentrate on her studies.Said that it didn't bother her that she's not popular because she's not draped on the arms of a boyfriend.Besides this,she really does have a bubbly personality, laughs easily.I think a lot of people will find her great company.

Besides this,let me mention that she is a straight A student as well and regularly tops her school in various subjects(the past semester it was Spanish and Math I think).She does the chores at home(cook,clean,fold clothes,etc) and besides managing her own homework,has to discipline her younger brother(younger by 5 years)to ensure he does his homework as well.She draws manga for leisure and yes,she does draw a mean picture.She's pretty good at it really.She does social work for her ECA and regualrly spends her time helping out at homes for the mentally challenged and also helps at some children's functions.Oh,since she's so good,it must be compensating for something...a lack of looks perhaps?Sorry,she's not bad-looking,rather pretty actually.Too good to be true huh?

Well,I somewhat think for someone so young,she's not having it easy.Her mother (my aunt) is a strict disciplinarian and I guess that's why J has such a good upbringing.But her mum is no longer here now.She passed away on June 11 because of cancer(the reason why we flew in March was to see her and take care of her for a short period.I find it hard to accept someone who looked so healthy when I was there is now no longer with us.Life is so unpredictable.I will never forget her.).Even before that,she's had to take over the household chores to lighten her mum's load.But at least the disciplining of her brother was still largely done by her mum.Now that she's gone.J has to take care of everything.And also look after her own work and help out with her dad who runs a store.For a 16 year-old,that's remarkable.What's better is that she understands she has to do all these and does not complain much about it.(She does have 2 elder siblings but they are away working in other States and are not home most of the time)

I find it surprising  that when I look around to find a great model of how a teenager should be,I will find it in America,not here.I am sure that are very good teenagers around here as well but someone with the same level of maturity and does as much?I'd be hard-pressed,I think.She does have dreams in life.She wants to move out of the house because the State she is living in is one of the poorest in the US and have one of the highest crime rates and she knows she cannot stay there.But she also knows that she cannot leave until her younger is old and mature enough to take care of himself and that is a long time to come.And she will not leave her dad behind either.She wants to move to a place where she can take care of him too.I mean...come on,find someone else who thinks like that at 16.

You can all tell that I am exceptionally fond of this little cousin of mine.In fact,I have often told her she should come to Singapore and work here.And with all her relatives around(my aunt married my uncle,a US citizen and moved there 20 years ago so the rest of the family are all here),she'd be on familiar ground and would fit in easily.She seems to like the idea as well,but hey,she wants to be close to her dad,remember.But she also fundamentally a small-town girl who's very simple and nice.I don't know how transplanting her to a big city would do.I turst she'd remain true to herself though and I'd love her to come here.I think a lot of guys here won't mind her coming and knowing her as well.She's probably make a great girlfriend.Hold on tigers!She's just 16.Bid your time.

Sigh,it'd be years before I see her face-to-face again.Maybe even longer.In the meantime,I wish her well and that she'd stay the same.Wonderful Miss J.