The Bedok of 70-year-old Mdm Tan Ai Ling’s childhood was full of open doors, with children darting in and out and racing down to the bustling beach – a playground for the kids of Kampung Amber.
Some may recognise the kampung as the same one where our current Prime Minister Lawrence Wong grew up, but Mdm Tan, a few years older, says she has only ever seen him on television or in the news.
Her youth was spent digging for clams to boil over wood in discarded tin cans, or pounding glass bottles into shards to armour handmade kites. Kite fighting was a favourite pastime of the kids then – each tug of string a test of skill, and if a friend’s kite went hilang (missing), you earned bragging rights.
Mdm Tan’s speech is peppered with Malay words, the language she shared with friends of all races, with whom she built strong and lasting bonds. Today, at St Luke’s ElderCare (SLEC), some elders affectionately call her the centre’s counsellor. She chuckles: “Maybe it’s because I treat everyone equal... People feel comfortable, so they come to talk and listen.”
She joined SLEC after a fall and stroke about five years ago. With determination and the support of the physiotherapy team, she regained her strength. That resilience, combined with her natural warmth, continues to shape how she meets people – with kindness, humour, and a ready smile.
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