The Bintangkian Lau Peng Yu Reunion – Thanks For The Memories

The Bintangkian Lau Peng Yu Reunion is now history but it has been etched into the memory of those who made it to the function.  Hats off to the organizing committee for pulling off the best reunion ever. They outdid themselves, creating great memories for all of those who attended the function. I wish to convey the biggest kudos to Francis Chen, Benson Chew, Jenny Chew, Magdelene Chew-Chia, Lee Kie Chiong and Ivy Lee….you guys are awesome!

The large turnout was beyond expectations and speaks volume about the efforts of the committee and many ex-students of Kai Chung who did their best to encourage their fellow schoolmates to join the reunion.

The reunion was scheduled for July 7 but people started trickling into Bintangor a couple of days before that. By July 6, a lot of participants had arrived in Bintangor and by July 7, you would bump into a lot of “lau peng yu” when you walked around the town.

Ex-Kai Chung students came from many countries around the world including USA, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Singapore.

I have a great time at the reunion. With so many activities planned for us, time passed so quickly. But to me, my most treasured moments were meeting ex-teachers and fellow schoolmates whom I have not seen for 30-40 years.

It was Bennett Cerf who said that middle age is when your classmates are so gray and wrinkled and bald they don’t recognize you. How true that is!

To all those who were at the reunion, I wish to dedicate this song by Barbara Streisand to you all:

The Way We Were

Memories light the corner of my mind.

Misty water color memories

Of the way we were.

Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind,

Smiles we gave to one another

For the way we were.

Can it be that it was all so simple then,

Or has time rewritten every line?

If we had the chance to do it all again,

Tell me? would we? could we?

Memories may be beautiful and yet,

What’s too painful to remember

We simply choose to forget.

So it’s the laughter

We will remember,

Whenever we remember

The way we were.

 

We said goodbye. There was a lot of hugging. Sadness tugged at our heartstrings when we parted after the reunion. A question lingered in our minds: When will we meet again?

“Don’t be dismayed at good-byes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends.” – Richard Bach