S’porean, 30, who moved to live & work overseas shares the tiny, everyday moments she misses the most

Every morning, my mum packs me a breakfast sandwich to take to work. Or at least that’s when I was still living in Singapore.

After moving overseas to work, I now make my own sandwiches for breakfast. In fact, I don’t do it every single day because I’m too lazy. (Unlike my mum, who is never lazy.)

But these sandwiches are never the same as my mum’s.

Sandwiches that make our day a little brighter

After cooking dinner for the entire family, my mum tirelessly prepares sandwiches for us to take to work the next day. Rain or shine.

Making sure that we eat well has become a routine embedded in her daily life. My mum’s breakfast sandwiches are always packed with loads of nutritious ingredients – boiled eggs or omelet, vegetables, cheese, avocado, plus a protein such as ham or tuna.

Even when we insist that she doesn’t have to go to the trouble, she always waves us off and says: “Aiya, very fast one, tomorrow you can just grab it and go!”

But if you ask me what I miss most about mum’s sandwiches, it’s not the sandwiches in themselves (even though they are delicious).

It’s actually this:

Her sandwiches are so special because her sandwich bags often come with random doodles and cute little messages like “have a good day” or “be happy”.

The flowers, cats and ladybugs are rough sketches (some more sophisticated than others), but they make me smile every time. Apart from feeding us, I know my mum is trying her best to make our day a little brighter.

The everyday gestures

Like any other Asian family, our family is not about grand shows of affection or big gestures. Care is shown through the little everyday things.

Sometimes, when waiting for the bus at night or when it’s raining heavily, my dad would offer to pick me up from the nearest MRT station so that I can get home safely.

If we were heading home after work around the same time, he would gladly swing by my office to pick me up. This not only saves me 30-40 minutes of commuting time in the rush hour traffic, but he also gets a precious, extra 15 minutes to talk to his daughter.

Now that I’m not in Singapore, my parents’ care for me takes the form of texts to make sure that I’m home – despite living overseas, they remain part of my everyday life.

We may not always realise how much others are supporting us, often in ways we least expect.

Living in a different country has made me realise how my parents’ love is always quiet and consistent. They don’t say “I love you”. Instead, every single day, they say “Are you home yet?”, “What did you eat?”, “Hope you have a good dinner”.

These texts have become part of a daily routine to check in on me and make sure I’m safe and well.

In February this year, I returned to Singapore to celebrate Chinese New Year with my family. Of course, my mum cleaned my bedroom and changed the sheets to welcome me home. She even very thoughtfully laid out my favourite cushion:

As it was during the new year period, we had numerous family gatherings and meals outside of home.

Those meals were delicious and very sumptuous, but as I type this from my apartment in Thailand, I miss going home after work and eating my mum’s home-cooked fare. Especially her grilled fish, which is my favourite.

These meals are her way of making sure we have something good to look forward to after a long day – a warm home and a hot, nutritious meal.

It was only after that trip back to Singapore that I found out something else: My mum had stocked our fridge up with salmon and saba, thinking that she might be able to cook it for me when I was back.

Sadly, the six days came and went so quickly. We ran out of time :(

“A Little Better” Film Contest

It's often the smallest things that make a big difference. A delicious home-cooked meal at the end of a day, going home with a loved one, or silly scribbles on a sandwich bag.

Everyone has moments like these in their lives – it just takes different forms.

Share your heartwarming family stories in the “A Little Better” film contest. This contest not only provides aspiring filmmakers with a chance to explore their passion, but also celebrates special family bonds that make everyday moments just a little bit better.

The submission period is from Apr. 2 to Jun. 2.

See more details here.

This sponsored article by FairPrice Group encourages us to appreciate the small and unexpected yet meaningful gestures from our loved ones that help make every day a little better.

Top photo composite image from Canva and Google Maps/Alvin Khoo