small things

Of course the big moments are cherished. Birthdays, Christmas, graduation, marriage. But the big moments are destined to be big. It’s the small moments that we didn’t expect anything from that are a big deal when they turn out better than we could imagine.

It springs up as a surprise. A sunset at the beach turns into a memory that you smile at when you think about it 20 years later. A impulsive jog in the rain creates a sensation of thrill and delight that you’ll remember when you walk in the rain years later. A last minute lunch at a cafe with a friend provides a photograph that you’ll look back on and send to that friend no matter the length of radio silence between you two.

It’s the small things that matter the most because we didn’t expect anything out of them.

lanterns at Labuan

2 weeks before my country announced a movement control order due to the Covid-19 outbreak, my family and I took a trip to Labuan Island. It was a 2 hour drive from our home to the jetty in a small town and then another 2 hour ferry ride to Labuan Island. It was not my first trip to this island but it was a first for my grandfather. He had visited all the states in Malaysia except Labuan Federal Territory. He had always planned to visit with my grandmother but unfortunately she passed away before he had the chance to. To fulfill my grandfather’s adventure across the country, we took him there on the weekend before his birthday. We spent one night there. It was a lot of fun to visit the small shops in town, the botanical garden, the beach and the Labuan War Memorial for the soldiers of WW2.

This photo is of lanterns outside of a Chinese shop open at 10pm. My family and I were headed to the shop next door to buy some snacks. These lanterns caught my eye as I was looking away from the glances of the tipsy men at the shop.