Day 328 : Love Lettuce to Mum

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Recently, Singapore Post celebrated World Post Day (9 Oct) with a very meaningful photo contest on its Facebook page called Posting Moments. The contest encouraged Singaporeans to submit photos relating to moments where they would send and/or receive a post. It could be a letter, a present, or online retail therapy materialised. Submissions must be accompanied by a title and short caption to explain why that post meant something to them. The first prize is an iPhone 5… a very attractive reason for the contest to become the Apple of my eye.

So I obsessed about it day and night, thinking about what photo to submit. The natural thing to do would be to scour for meaningful letters, take a snapshot and upload. Problem is, contents in those letters are for my eyes only. Heh heh. And I don’t have a stamp collection to brag about although I used to dabble in philatelic pastimes for a while in my early teens. I wonder where did my stamp album, once so treasured, had disappeared to.

With no ready material, my enthusiasm faded. I had an idea that sort of examines the relationship between traditional post and the advent of SMS, email, Watsapp, Facebook, and what not, but to execute that photo needed help from friends and good weather. I’m up to my neck with work and some overseas trips so time wasn’t with me. And the weather has been sulky lately. Plus, the more I thought about the idea, the more lame and ludicrous it seemed.

Then today, I woke up with this other lame idea which is easier to execute in a photo, and meant a lot more to me. When I was studying in Melbourne in 2000 and during a period where I could only write letters to my mum because she’s totally un-techie, I always asked about her health and “Stay Healthy” is something I usually sign off with before “God Bless”.

Now that we are living together, I show my concern for her health by making salads for her dinner when I get the time. “Lettuce” and “Letters”, being phonetically similar, got fused in my brain this morning and this photo was born from the womb of wordplay.

My mum and I regularly send SMSes to express our love and care for each other but those are just words. They are heartwarming thoughts, but what if there’s something physical that come with the words. Instead of just saying “Stay Healthy”, wouldn’t it be great if I can send a vitamin pill or a piece of fruit, not virtual ones, that could make a physiological difference?

A SMS, Watsapp or email cannot do that. But with a traditional post, I can send health. Have your letter and eat it too. And that’s what this photo is about and my Posting Moments.

Too bad the brain wave came too late. Today is the last day for photo submission as well as the last day for voting. But well, since I’ve been mulling over the contest for so long, even if it means I don’t stand a chance in the contest, I would still like to have this post, a blog post, to tell mum I love her and please STAY HEALTHY! More letters lettuce will be coming your way! Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.