Forever

I don't remember exactly what this was for... Some SG50 thing? Oh well.

In exactly three thousand and forty-five years from now, I imagine myself reading the newspaper over the shoulder of a child, watching as he scrunches up his face in confusion before the voice in his earpiece explains the simplified content for him. I imagine myself breathing in fresh air, unlike my neighbours, dead due to asphyxiation caused by the smog-laden atmosphere. I imagine the people here, whizzing around in the air at the speed of light, lighting up the sky like streaks of lightning. I would be so old by then, yet my body probably would not grow a day older. The war, the riots, the bloodshed. I would feel the darkness of it all seeping through my veins, every year on this very day. However, just like all waste substances flowing through veins, they are meant to be disposed of. I would spend more time reminiscing the many of my successes over the years. Despite my current youth, I am proud to have weathered through all the storms of sweat and tears caused by my accidental birth. I have no doubt that in exactly three thousand and forty-five-years’ time, in the year 5060, I would not have disintegrated into ashes. I would not be driven underground like the rest of the world. I would be protected from the pollution and I would be 'smarter' than everyone else. I have only lived through 50 years, but I am confident I will survive. I am Singapore. And in the heart of every Singaporean, I will live forever.

Cover image from Shutterstock, by artist Diego Schtutman.