An envelope filled with inspiration

Hello, everyone! I am Audrey Wan, granddaughter of Wan Chwee Seng, The childhood stories my grandpa recounts are not just pieces of writing, but words that touch your soul, painting a beautiful picture in your mind of those carefree, golden days. His poetic canvasses, spread with vivid colours, transport you to a magical land of moonlight, sandy beaches and towering coconut trees. Even my grandfather’s bubbly spirit and smiling, dimpled countenance is admirable for someone in his golden years. I will always look up to him. As a schoolgirl of ten, I also love writing as much as he does, and today I will share with you a motivating experience which will help me go further.

Hi, I am Audrey

With my mom, and baby brother, Ethan

An envelope filled with inspiration

By Audrey Wan

It was a small white envelope, pure and clean. Slightly frayed at one edge, it bore no clue to the meaning that lay within. The fancy ‘Hallmark’ symbol imprinted in the centre was its only means of ‘decoration’.

The small, white envelope

I picked up the envelope from my mother’s bed and warily took out the card inside. ‘Thank You’ it spelt in bold, cursive letters on the patterned beige front. Now I was curious, and I felt like Alice as she peeped into the tiny door. Thank you? What for? I opened it up. Rows of neat, slightly lopsided letters filled the page. Not an adult? I scanned the writing and finally understood.

Dear Andrew, it said,
I’ve enjoyed my attachment at IBN very much. I’ve learnt so much from your mentoring, which allowed me the freedom to explore and test my ideas; enabled me to learn and experience the skills in designing experiments, reading papers and learning how to present and write. I’ll always take the skills and lessons I learnt from you everywhere I go. Thank you for all the lessons/skills you’ve taught me and all the effort you put in to mentor me.
Yours Sincerely,
S.Z.

My dad, Andrew

I could picture my father Dr Andrew Wan, a scientist, patiently explaining the ins and outs of scientific experiments as S.Z., probably a college student, nodded his head.repeatedly.
I felt touched, as If I had been mentoring, and could almost feel the joy my father must have experienced when he had successfully helped someone to take a step towards his ambition. Suddenly, the picture in my mind turned to me, as an adult. As a doctor confidently helping a sick child in the clinic as a frantic mother looked on; as a botanist on a tour of the Botanical Gardens, or even as a lecturer lecturing on stage in a university!

I suddenly wanted to help others with the gifts that I had, and help them pursue their dreams! Thank you, envelope, for being in the right place at the right time!

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