When hope arrived by post — Ng Kwan Hoong

September 14 — The sound of the postman’s motorbike bell rattling through the neighbourhood was a signal that everyone leaned eagerly towards their doors. For our family, it represented a gateway to uncertainty and excitement. We never knew the contents of the day’s delivery, whether it would be a personal letter, a friend’s postcard, a favourite magazine or simply an eagerly awaited envelope.

The postman’s visits were more than just the delivery of letters; they carried the potential for significant changes in our lives. As a young student, I vividly remember applying to universities, sending my forms off and eagerly waiting for any response. Every morning, I listened for the motorbike’s familiar sound. Sometimes the postman would stop at our gate, and my heart would race with anticipation.

The waiting days could be frustrating, but they taught us an important lesson about hope – it existed not just in the arrival of a letter, but also in the days we spent imagining and hoping. Today, we live in a world where communication is instantaneous. Letters are sent and received within seconds, and we often take for granted the anticipation that once accompanied waiting for a physical delivery.

There is value in these advances, as they have made our lives more convenient and connected. However, I wonder if the speed of modern communication has diminished our ability to experience hope gradually. Waiting for a letter allowed us to form connections with our postman, who knew our family and became a part of our neighbourhood.

In a world where hope is often immediate, we may have lost the subtle, contemplative nature of hope that came from patiently waiting. While I appreciate the conveniences of modern technology, I believe it is worth remembering the mornings spent waiting for the postman. They remind us that some experiences gain meaning through gradual anticipation and gradual unfolding of hope.

Even today, the postman delivers a card at our door, informing us that nobody was home to receive a registered letter or parcel. I still smile when I see it, remembering the times when hope was delivered by post and the possibility that good news might arrive. This is the personal opinion of Ng Kwan Hoong, Emeritus Professor of Biomedical Imaging at Universiti Malaya, a 2020 Merdeka Award recipient, and a medical physicist by training.