Address: 2 Lai Shun Rd, Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong
To My Childhood Park:
How are you these days? You must have a different look now. When I came to visit you three and a half years ago, you still looked similar compared to many years ago. I have not been able to meet you in person ever since then, but when I came across a recent photo of you, I knew that you have worn a new paint along with a part of you replaced by a slightly new structure, but deep inside, I knew everything has remained the same.
I remember that I always liked to come visit you after school, or during the weekends with my nanny. Hopping between the different play structures made me feel as if I was travelling between different islands, and the floor was lava; I would travel from one platform to the next by climbing and proceeding through the monkey bars. When I stood at the very top of the slide, I felt as if I was invincible and had the ability to conquer everything, since I was usually the child standing on the ground, always looking up to someone else.
You taught me nearly everything about survival. We might be excited about the accomplishment of being able to climb higher, but it would still hurt if we fell on the floor, even if it is made with rubber; having aspiration requires us to take responsibility for ourselves and the consequences we face. Thinking back to the game I played with my friends where we would have to hide from the “catcher” without ever touching the ground, I realized that my experiences navigating through the loops and nets of the different structures have also taught me one thing:
there are always various ways to tackle a problem, and we should not remain stuck at one spot.
Thank you, for all that you’ve taught me. I really, really hope to see you soon.
Sincerely,
Joyce Leung