I was clearing old folders from my laptop this morning when I found a copy of my bridesmaid speech for The Sister's wedding some 3-4 years ago.
It really brought me back to the night I delivered this speech at her wedding. I may be bias here, but it was the most beautiful and perfect wedding I have ever attended. If you know my sister personally, you will understand why I say 'perfect' :)
Anyway, I re-read this speech this morning and just like it did before, it brought tears to my eyes. Yes, I was in tears when I delivered the speech on that fateful night - so was my Sister. We completely ruined our eye make-up but it was all worth it.
Here's sharing my speech with you all. For those of you who know her, I am sure you will agree that she is every bit as AWESOME as I have described her below.
Good evening ladies & gentlemen, family and friends. My name is Frou and I am the bride’s younger sister (yes, younger). I am here to say a few words on behalf of my family and I would like to start off my speech today by telling everyone a shocking truth.Once upon a time, The Sister is actually bigger than me.
You don’t believe me? I have evidence: [FLASH PICTURE]
OK so maybe she is not exactly that much bigger but the size of her bob hairdo certainly is. This picture was taken maybe twenty years ago. You will notice that The Sister have pretty much shrunk back to the same size, but I certainly have not.
I chose this picture to be featured tonight because it represents the both of us very well. My mother loves taking pictures of us when we were young. On this particular day, we had an extremely long photo shoot. This is one shot where my mum was taking particularly long and we were ordered to hold the pose and wait.That is me on the left– extremely impatient, disgruntled and extremely sulky. I refused to look at the camera after being subjected to such a long wait. I was told that I have pretty much the same attitude even today. The Sister on the other hand - is a perfect angel – just as she looks today. If you look closely, you will see that she actually has a pained expression on her face. Not only is she holding the pose obediently, she has to hold up that fan as instructed and she is leaning against me to keep me in check and make sure that her sulky little sister don’t run away. And that is the dutiful daughter and caring sister she was back then –and that is true right up to this very day - twenty years since that photo was taken.
As a child, The Sister is extremely bright and focus. She did however through a rebellious stage in her teens –when she started having ear piercing, wearing Doc Marten boots and refusing to speak very much to us – but that didn’t last very long because unlike her confused siblings, The Sister knew exactly what she wanted in life. Since young, her passion for architecture and design is apparent. Every time she comes across a gadget or toy, she would examine them, take them apart and put the back again – just to see how they work. I remember us siblings loves playing with Lego brick toys when we were younger. We will invent a theme of the day and compete with one another to build the best structures according to the theme. If our theme is houses, The Sister will end up constructing a double storey house with swimming pool. If the theme is restaurants, hers will have automatic swinging doors and bar top counters - and all these with Lego bricks. We were never her match.
The Sister knew exactly what course and which university she wanted to go to. My dad sent her to Australia to pursue an architecture degree upon her request. She never failed a single subject and graduated with first class honors. Entering the workforce, The Sister excelled at every job she undertook. She never had trouble finding a job and is headhunted all the time. Being the perfectionist she is, she perform every task given to her on time and delivers quality work. She is what every employer would call, “value for money employee”.
All the above showcase The Sister as a super-achiever individual. But what is she like as a daughter and sister?
As a daughter, The Sister is extremely low maintenance because she sets such high standards for herself, she needs no further nudging from our parents to do well in life. She never caused my parents any grey hairs – because she always did what she is expected to and then more. She is always the shining example for the rest of us siblings.
My relationship with The Sister started off extremely rocky. Because she is always the best in what she does, I have always copied her since we were young. I wanted to wear the same clothes she wore, have the same hairdo and do what she does – including playing tennis. Two years later, I was also made the school a tennis captain just as she was. I was gleeful but I didn’t know how much work it actually involves. Unfortunately my team didn’t even make it to the quarter finals. Oh well….that was one of my failed copycat attempt. Of course she finds me annoying because not only was I an annoying copycat sister, I am also silly and loud one. We went to the same schools but she never acknowledges my presence. I always have to walk two steps behind her at school because I am just not cool enough.
When she left for Australia at 16 years old, I was suddenly without my role model. While I thought that our relationship is doomed to take a downward spiral, it actually took a 360 degree turn for the better. Distance does make the heart grow fonder. We realize that desite all that time we spent in high school avoiding each other, there exist a bond between us that we ourselves are not aware of. We became very close after she left for Australia, writing to each other every week using snail mails that run up to tens of pages and sending each other small gifts and postcards whenever we can. Our reunions are always very short – usually once a year for a week when she comes back during school holidays. Subsequently I went away for studies in the UK. Since then we were always living in different countries, right up to today. That’s why we always treasure every moment we get to spend together, no matter how short. I put all social activities on hold when she is in town. I am very happy that this year, we got to spend a lot of time together to preparing for this wedding.
One very memorable sister moment for me, was the time when she made me cry really hard. It was in the year 1999 when I graduated from law school. I received a graduation present from her in the post. It was a supplementary credit card fully sponsored by her. On the birthday card, she wrote that she never had a credit card at my age – the age where she needed it most. She is giving it to me because she wants me to have everything she never had growing up – and that includes not only being able to provide for me financially, but also to be the best sister she could ever be. I couldn’t stop crying.
It wasn’t the credit card which touches me – but it was her wish for me to have better things in life than her. Most older sisters resent their younger sisters for having it better in life, but she is just the opposite. My sister is a big-hearted giver. Her generosity to her family knows no bounds. What she has achieved in life, she always shares with us. Be it time, money, space or just a listening ear, The Sister always puts her family before her own comfort. She is the one we can definitely lean on when weary – and always the first to come to mind.
There is one example during our childhood which can illustrate this. There was a particular day when all of us – 4 siblings – were at home. We were at different rooms in the house and were doing our own thing. Suddenly we heard our youngest Brother shouting for The Sister. He was probably 6-7 years old then. He keptshouting her name over and over again. Now all his three sisters were at home and The Sister is probably the furthest in vicinity from him. We live in a pretty big house. Our youngest Brother relentless called for The Sister despite me and my older sister responding back and asking him what’s wrong. In the end, we sent The Sister to go and check on him. Apparently he was playing in the TV room and have accidentally pulled a TV cable causing the TV set to drop right on top of him. So while being crushed by a 25 inch TV, the first thing on his mind is to get our skinny-ass Sister to rescue him instead of his other two heavier and obviously more able-bodied sisters. That is how much she is revered over us.
Though we may not have said it before in words, being the typical Chinese family we are, me, my parents and my siblings are extremely proud of The Sister – not just for her many achievements in life – but because she has always strive to be the best daughter and sister in every way she can, for us. On this very special day, we would like to tell The Sister that she deserves all the happiness in the world for being the amazing person she is. My family and I are extremely happy that she has chosen The Brother In Law to be her husband– an obviously perfect partner for her because my sister has never made an unwise choice in her life.
To my brother-in-law, you have demonstrated yourself to be an extremely responsible and most importantly, patient and enduring partner for my sister all these years. On behalf of my family, we sincerely welcome you to be part of our family and we trust that you will love and cherish our dearest daughter and sister for as long as it shall be.
It really brought me back to the night I delivered this speech at her wedding. I may be bias here, but it was the most beautiful and perfect wedding I have ever attended. If you know my sister personally, you will understand why I say 'perfect' :)
Anyway, I re-read this speech this morning and just like it did before, it brought tears to my eyes. Yes, I was in tears when I delivered the speech on that fateful night - so was my Sister. We completely ruined our eye make-up but it was all worth it.
Here's sharing my speech with you all. For those of you who know her, I am sure you will agree that she is every bit as AWESOME as I have described her below.
Good evening ladies & gentlemen, family and friends. My name is Frou and I am the bride’s younger sister (yes, younger). I am here to say a few words on behalf of my family and I would like to start off my speech today by telling everyone a shocking truth.Once upon a time, The Sister is actually bigger than me.
You don’t believe me? I have evidence: [FLASH PICTURE]
OK so maybe she is not exactly that much bigger but the size of her bob hairdo certainly is. This picture was taken maybe twenty years ago. You will notice that The Sister have pretty much shrunk back to the same size, but I certainly have not.
I chose this picture to be featured tonight because it represents the both of us very well. My mother loves taking pictures of us when we were young. On this particular day, we had an extremely long photo shoot. This is one shot where my mum was taking particularly long and we were ordered to hold the pose and wait.That is me on the left– extremely impatient, disgruntled and extremely sulky. I refused to look at the camera after being subjected to such a long wait. I was told that I have pretty much the same attitude even today. The Sister on the other hand - is a perfect angel – just as she looks today. If you look closely, you will see that she actually has a pained expression on her face. Not only is she holding the pose obediently, she has to hold up that fan as instructed and she is leaning against me to keep me in check and make sure that her sulky little sister don’t run away. And that is the dutiful daughter and caring sister she was back then –and that is true right up to this very day - twenty years since that photo was taken.
As a child, The Sister is extremely bright and focus. She did however through a rebellious stage in her teens –when she started having ear piercing, wearing Doc Marten boots and refusing to speak very much to us – but that didn’t last very long because unlike her confused siblings, The Sister knew exactly what she wanted in life. Since young, her passion for architecture and design is apparent. Every time she comes across a gadget or toy, she would examine them, take them apart and put the back again – just to see how they work. I remember us siblings loves playing with Lego brick toys when we were younger. We will invent a theme of the day and compete with one another to build the best structures according to the theme. If our theme is houses, The Sister will end up constructing a double storey house with swimming pool. If the theme is restaurants, hers will have automatic swinging doors and bar top counters - and all these with Lego bricks. We were never her match.
The Sister knew exactly what course and which university she wanted to go to. My dad sent her to Australia to pursue an architecture degree upon her request. She never failed a single subject and graduated with first class honors. Entering the workforce, The Sister excelled at every job she undertook. She never had trouble finding a job and is headhunted all the time. Being the perfectionist she is, she perform every task given to her on time and delivers quality work. She is what every employer would call, “value for money employee”.
All the above showcase The Sister as a super-achiever individual. But what is she like as a daughter and sister?
As a daughter, The Sister is extremely low maintenance because she sets such high standards for herself, she needs no further nudging from our parents to do well in life. She never caused my parents any grey hairs – because she always did what she is expected to and then more. She is always the shining example for the rest of us siblings.
My relationship with The Sister started off extremely rocky. Because she is always the best in what she does, I have always copied her since we were young. I wanted to wear the same clothes she wore, have the same hairdo and do what she does – including playing tennis. Two years later, I was also made the school a tennis captain just as she was. I was gleeful but I didn’t know how much work it actually involves. Unfortunately my team didn’t even make it to the quarter finals. Oh well….that was one of my failed copycat attempt. Of course she finds me annoying because not only was I an annoying copycat sister, I am also silly and loud one. We went to the same schools but she never acknowledges my presence. I always have to walk two steps behind her at school because I am just not cool enough.
When she left for Australia at 16 years old, I was suddenly without my role model. While I thought that our relationship is doomed to take a downward spiral, it actually took a 360 degree turn for the better. Distance does make the heart grow fonder. We realize that desite all that time we spent in high school avoiding each other, there exist a bond between us that we ourselves are not aware of. We became very close after she left for Australia, writing to each other every week using snail mails that run up to tens of pages and sending each other small gifts and postcards whenever we can. Our reunions are always very short – usually once a year for a week when she comes back during school holidays. Subsequently I went away for studies in the UK. Since then we were always living in different countries, right up to today. That’s why we always treasure every moment we get to spend together, no matter how short. I put all social activities on hold when she is in town. I am very happy that this year, we got to spend a lot of time together to preparing for this wedding.
One very memorable sister moment for me, was the time when she made me cry really hard. It was in the year 1999 when I graduated from law school. I received a graduation present from her in the post. It was a supplementary credit card fully sponsored by her. On the birthday card, she wrote that she never had a credit card at my age – the age where she needed it most. She is giving it to me because she wants me to have everything she never had growing up – and that includes not only being able to provide for me financially, but also to be the best sister she could ever be. I couldn’t stop crying.
It wasn’t the credit card which touches me – but it was her wish for me to have better things in life than her. Most older sisters resent their younger sisters for having it better in life, but she is just the opposite. My sister is a big-hearted giver. Her generosity to her family knows no bounds. What she has achieved in life, she always shares with us. Be it time, money, space or just a listening ear, The Sister always puts her family before her own comfort. She is the one we can definitely lean on when weary – and always the first to come to mind.
There is one example during our childhood which can illustrate this. There was a particular day when all of us – 4 siblings – were at home. We were at different rooms in the house and were doing our own thing. Suddenly we heard our youngest Brother shouting for The Sister. He was probably 6-7 years old then. He keptshouting her name over and over again. Now all his three sisters were at home and The Sister is probably the furthest in vicinity from him. We live in a pretty big house. Our youngest Brother relentless called for The Sister despite me and my older sister responding back and asking him what’s wrong. In the end, we sent The Sister to go and check on him. Apparently he was playing in the TV room and have accidentally pulled a TV cable causing the TV set to drop right on top of him. So while being crushed by a 25 inch TV, the first thing on his mind is to get our skinny-ass Sister to rescue him instead of his other two heavier and obviously more able-bodied sisters. That is how much she is revered over us.
Though we may not have said it before in words, being the typical Chinese family we are, me, my parents and my siblings are extremely proud of The Sister – not just for her many achievements in life – but because she has always strive to be the best daughter and sister in every way she can, for us. On this very special day, we would like to tell The Sister that she deserves all the happiness in the world for being the amazing person she is. My family and I are extremely happy that she has chosen The Brother In Law to be her husband– an obviously perfect partner for her because my sister has never made an unwise choice in her life.
To my brother-in-law, you have demonstrated yourself to be an extremely responsible and most importantly, patient and enduring partner for my sister all these years. On behalf of my family, we sincerely welcome you to be part of our family and we trust that you will love and cherish our dearest daughter and sister for as long as it shall be.
3 comments:
Its a beautiful speech piggy. I thought so the first time you shared it with me and I still think so now. You should keep the file so you'll always be reminded :) I wanna see the big hair picture!
~ESP
It's beautiful...very much so.
touching one....reminds me of my sis and myself :(
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