Even though I did not participate in the epic queue for the wake, Lizzy and I decided to volunteer when our church decided to give our drinks and snacks to the people lining up the gun carriage route today. The crowds started forming up 3 hours before the carriage was scheduled to pass Bouna Vista. We were giving out water, bread, biscuits and umbrellas alongside Sheng Siong who were giving out drinks and snacks as well. We used their trolley and helped them give out their bottled water. Bread was more popular than biscuits because biscuits were too dry.
It poured like crazy as if heaven was mourning as well. Everyone braved the rain for a few hours for a few seconds of chanting as the carriage passed. This bigger-than-NDP-and-Chingay scene probably would not repeat in our lifetime.
Later when we attended service, they interrupted the sermon so that we could join the live broadcast and observe the minute of silence with the rest of the country. When the national pledge was recited and the national anthem was sang, I have never felt so emotional singing Majulah Singapura before. For one, I have not sang the National Anthem for some time. Images of National Service and various NDPs which I attended flashed through my mind. Even attending the NDP ‘live’ was nothing compared to this. Suddenly, I never felt as appreciative of Singapore as I was before, with tears in my eyes.
There was a photo of a rainbow appearing on Instagram. A new beginning for the future of Singapore. After Moses, there is Joshua.