https://www.letters-for-life.com/stories daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://www.letters-for-life.com/stories/to-be-open-to-joy monthly 0.5 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/e7ea3eec-f647-46df-9c1c-061a509b5a92/WhatsApp+Image+2026-01-05+at+12.05.31+%282%29.jpeg Blog - To be open to joy - And then it struck me that my mum used to adore visiting the Waitrose that was just around the corner from where we lived in the UK a decade ago. She loved exploring the local produce. Marvelling at the fish counter, or how affordable the meats were. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/df015231-8f97-46cb-8201-badbb832f647/WhatsApp+Image+2026-01-05+at+12.05.31+%281%29.jpg Blog - To be open to joy - How we could get the sweetest stone fruit and berries for merely a pound when they were in season. She was also taken by the vast a range of free range eggs they had, including from duck and goose. https://www.letters-for-life.com/stories/5th-august-her-birthday monthly 0.5 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/698ba5fa-6089-46d4-803c-cc4a0164ddea/WhatsApp+Image+2023-08-09+at+18.31.32.jpeg Blog - 5th August - her birthday As I stared at the bunch of flowers I brought for her, featuring her favorite orchids and a protea (to “share” a slice of my recent holiday in South Africa), tied together by little C with a pretty pink ribbon, I pined for her to be next to me marveling at how beautiful they were. https://www.letters-for-life.com/stories/the-first-mothers-day monthly 0.5 2023-05-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/f709b898-ee86-4fc0-a1ed-9ad4afb86055/20230514_091253-02.jpeg Blog - The first Mother’s Day… - Then this morning, I woke up to an array of my favourite things so lovingly prepared by little C. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/5aeedbeb-9a77-44d0-b7c2-f929159ef19c/20230514_181054-03.jpeg Blog - The first Mother’s Day… - So for our dinner tonight, in honour of her adventurous and waste not, want not spirit, I grilled a fish in the oven instead of relying on my usual methods of preparation for fish. https://www.letters-for-life.com/stories/move-on-or-move-with monthly 0.5 2023-05-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/5941fc3a-9ae5-4a5b-9246-eb216dd1aec2/L1002174-01.jpeg Blog - Move on or move with? This golden loaf of cranberry bread that had been waiting in the freezer, bears my mum's signature thick dusting of flour and slightly under-proofed form. A product of her Skills Future lessons that she so fervently signed up for every weekend leading up to her sudden illness. https://www.letters-for-life.com/stories/little-cs-letter-to-her- monthly 0.5 2023-02-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/85d7063a-76a1-475e-a438-01f2f30e0292/20230208_151822.jpg Blog - Little C’s letter to her 外婆 - I had to hold back tears, reading little C’s letter to my mum, guided by the questions. Seeing my mum through her eyes was both heart wrenching and beautiful. She sees my mum’s energy and playfulness, shares her love for nature and exercise, and genuinely had fun with her. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/5af7d870-17ea-44ca-8eb6-8d118195e3a2/IMG-20211012-WA0005.jpg Blog - Little C’s letter to her 外婆 - There were other things little C and my mum used to do together - watch movies, take double-decker buses just because, or go on endless LRT loops until little C had her fill of watching the train tracks go under the train. They had a simple, uncomplicated and lovely relationship that almost mirrors mine with my mum. I feel so blessed that she could share that, even if only for those few short years, and I hope this blog will help C keep these memories. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/3441e5b5-5829-4de6-928c-55e37dede078/20230208_151830.jpg Blog - Little C’s letter to her 外婆 - “I knew I was important because you were very kind and did not force me to do things I did not want to do.” From her precious, precious letter, I could see that little C also appreciated what I felt with my mum growing up - autonomy. A ‘no-must’ energy and a relationship full of mutual respect (except, hilariously, when it involved what time I took showers or going to bed with wet hair). Even when she looked after me during my confinement period after I delivered little C, she willingly bent some rules to suit my preferences. https://www.letters-for-life.com/stories/the-first-cny monthly 0.5 2023-01-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/4995bf8d-a523-4ec1-93bc-671d5e918c24/WhatsApp+Image+2023-01-23+at+01.06.01+%281%29.jpeg Blog - The first CNY… - But I was fooling no one - I teared up at every small reminder. Like when I walked past Pek Kio market a few days back and saw everyone stocking up. My mum would also have been busy buying dried goods like Fat Choy, my dad’s favourite Ho See (dried oysters), and Lup Cheong (the only time of the year she’d allow my dad to indulge). And, she would be preparing her signature dish - Chap Chye. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/c0650822-de16-4961-915e-dd1383764485/WhatsApp+Image+2023-01-23+at+02.05.17.jpeg Blog - The first CNY… - Little C helping to make stuffing for the goose. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/1674409894455-2B3Y2025V3QX2O6QUAEL/WhatsApp+Image+2023-01-23+at+01.05.29.jpeg Blog - The first CNY… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/1674409894946-OJVT6NK41AUZAT11SUKH/WhatsApp+Image+2023-01-23+at+01.05.59.jpeg Blog - The first CNY… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/1674409897115-9A0L17U2PD50QX8K955J/WhatsApp+Image+2023-01-23+at+01.06.00+%282%29.jpeg Blog - The first CNY… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/1674409899645-VDLRAWC0S4SH47KA5UDV/WhatsApp+Image+2023-01-23+at+01.06.00.jpeg Blog - The first CNY… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/1674409900154-7XHRM9GTD6F5PU9A4F0W/WhatsApp+Image+2023-01-23+at+01.06.01+%282%29.jpeg Blog - The first CNY… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/1674409901375-1AMK1VXT193P4DF8Q2OT/WhatsApp+Image+2023-01-23+at+01.06.01.jpeg Blog - The first CNY… https://www.letters-for-life.com/stories/the-year-of-firsts monthly 0.5 2022-12-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/f82e84f5-bfa1-4323-9947-a9f7993b9492/IMG-20221223-WA0007-01.jpeg Blog - The first Christmas… To honour my mum, I decided that little C and I would bake gifts for my in-laws this year. C chose giant chocolate chip cookies and they turned out really good. We spent the afternoon decorating construction paper to use as wrapping paper. Each family had a different design. The names were handwritten by C. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/b5d0881d-fc27-464d-a8e8-503496866bc4/IMG-20221223-WA0009-01.jpeg Blog - The first Christmas… - Will this be our new tradition, inspired by my mum? Perhaps. For now, it is just my way of coping with the holidays in a way that allows me to still feel close to her. https://www.letters-for-life.com/stories/writing-even-for-those-who-have-passed-on monthly 0.5 2022-12-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/59f28ca4-ca06-470e-84e4-837f1b784d56/318768828_529994572358615_1735070966130646852_n%281%29.jpg Blog - Writing even for those who have passed on - Make it stand out Photo from Our Grandfather Story https://www.letters-for-life.com/stories/support-through-school monthly 0.5 2023-05-15 https://www.letters-for-life.com/stories/behind-the-painting monthly 0.5 2022-12-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/ccbdc9cb-56bd-458d-b6b3-65a2937ffbbb/20211027_135930-01-01.jpeg Blog - Behind the art This painting that hangs in our home was inspired by the poem, Leisure, by W. H. Davies. What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare? No time to stand beneath the boughs And stare as long as sheep or cows: No time to see, when woods we pass, Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass: No time to see, in broad daylight, Streams full of stars, like skies at night: No time to turn at Beauty’s glance, And watch her feet, how they can dance: No time to wait till her mouth can Enrich that smile her eyes began? A poor life this if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare. https://www.letters-for-life.com/stories/about-this-blog monthly 0.5 2022-12-14 https://www.letters-for-life.com/home daily 1.0 2022-12-17 https://www.letters-for-life.com/guiding-questions daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/1681046661292-CR88UC0DAK2GR1LQC7HH/unsplash-image-TejFa7VW5e4.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/1681045773257-FD9W0DQV7QRG06B469DF/unsplash-image-4QhNCFW8UJY.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/1681046382578-81ZSS8I4SN82XC0NMVSJ/unsplash-image-aB46yUmsMp0.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/1681047002145-XK6MFFCBO9F8BM1KFYMQ/unsplash-image-sydwCr54rf0.jpg https://www.letters-for-life.com/letter-excerpts daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://www.letters-for-life.com/about-us daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/560e94ad-d338-4dc1-96d4-486efa39f736/IMG-20220413-WA0014-01.jpg https://www.letters-for-life.com/origin-story daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/3d4001ba-45a0-4616-9128-114f344ed835/WhatsApp+Image+2022-12-15+at+22.18.22.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/6d22842a-570a-46ea-9ce9-5db98718b11f/20210704_131041-01.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/25cd7715-504b-461c-aac4-d64d5f95dd3e/WhatsApp+Image+2022-12-15+at+22.24.32.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/638df0f593720b6d3b281836/252e4fe4-2b66-40dd-8571-87ea68d8e7d1/20210704_200938-03.jpeg https://www.letters-for-life.com/faq daily 0.75 2026-01-05