It was raining while I was travelling on a boat in Mekong River. On the bank of Mekong River were simple houses which had been there from 1 generation to another. It is a tradition in Vietnam for generations to live under one roof.The boat was travelling at a modest speed. For a brief moment when the boat passed by a house, I could see a mother with her children seating at the balcony on the ground floor. The sound of the boat might have attracted their attention and the mother quickly encouraged her children to start waving at us, knowing very well that we were tourists. The wave from these children were sincere and 1 of the girl, about 4 to 5 years was so enthusiatic that she waved and sent french kisses at us. I waved back to reciprocrate our friendliness. It was a memorable sight and I could never forget it.
A few thoughts went through my mind. Firstly, of course that Vietnamese from villages were friendly. They had shown their warmth to passing visitors. This was not the only time that Vietnamese had shown their simple hospitality. While travelling in Saigon river back from Vung Tau, I had the opportunity to go above the cabin and to the open deck of the hydrofoil. Again, a family of boat people were waving at me/hydrofoil while we speed passed. (Note: This doesn't mean that criminals do not romp the street of Ho Chi Minh City or for that matter any other urban cities)
Secondly, I was thinking that people were borned with different fate. The girl would have a life very different from children borned in Singapore. The life would not be filled with computer games, stress from school works and attending supplementary classes .... Life in a village was simple, seating on the balcony waving at passing boats and probably listening to stories from her mother. Her life would be different from a child growing up in an urban city with constant emphasis on competition. It also makes me think I have my own destiny to fulfil. There is role that I must play in the society and contribute. I was thinking what if I was borned in that house along the bank of Mekong river, I would have a different path of life.
Finally, if she was borned 40 years early in the same village, her life and fate would again be different. The war would have changed the course of her life. Perhaps, there was destiny and fate among each and everyone living in this planet.
