We made it happen.

Come Together: A Tribute to the Parade Participants

"Come together." Those two words could not have been more appropriate, more succinctly used, to describe the spirit of the National Day Parade 2009. Came together everyone did. From the old to the young, from professionals to school children, people from all walks of life, with the most diverse social profile. The participants came together, regardless of race, language or religion. They went on to put up the most spectacular parade.

When Chairman Ex-Co addressed the parade participants, he said something about them being the best, being the elite of Singapore for out of the population, they were the ones marching. Marching could just not be to advance in a stately and deliberate manner as an organization. It was more than that for this was the National Day Parade. To march in this parade was more of a show of the population’s strength. Of how the young and old stand in united effort atop the floating platform, firm and fixed. Firm and fixed like our predecessors. The determined people who transformed Singapore into what it is today. Firm and Fixed in their drills and movement upon commands. Definitely not to poke at our population being subservient to its leaders but rather, the will of the people to move as one, to move forward and on a grander scale, for the progress of our nation.

For the past few years, people have been talking about how “soft” this generation has turned out to be. How our generation lost their willpower to the wind, being completely dependent on parents, taken to playing FIFA 2009 on the PlayStation than to be playing proper soccer and everything else. Just because we aren’t the hardy independent kids brought up the same way they were. Sure enough, the Capteh kicking kids of the past seems way hardier than the GameBoy toting teenagers of the present but you cannot deny that our 14, 15 year olds are not as tough or as capable. In the blistering heat, the participants grimace and swelter. The same faces grimace for the whole period of 4 months. Coping with school examinations and busied with work on the weekdays and then the rehearsals on the Saturdays. One will think it is almost impossible and that only the military can accommodate this kind of punishing schedule. They could not have been more wrong; the civil contingents as with the military contingents could not have done better than to exceed themselves and the expectations of others. Surely the word “soft” cannot be associated with our parade participants.

The parade participants have shown themselves to be the best. From the population, they volunteered. This process of volunteering could have been an interesting one:

A member of the Uniformed Groups may have asked “Ma’am, I would like to take part in this year’s NDO. Can I join?”

Soldiers, Seamen and Airmen from the military contingents may have known each other within their contingent; their company was “arrowed” from “Higher up” to march, en bloc.

The Guard of Honor (GOH) contingents were probably told “You march because you’re the elite. This is to reward, recognize and showcase you as the elite defenders of our country!”

Some other member of the Social/Economic Group told his friend “Eh, Mr. Lee put my name down without asking me just because he had to submit names to HQ for this year’s NDP, so unfair, lah!”

These could have been the possible recollections of the participants at the start of the NDP journey. They may have offered themselves, could have been ordered to participate, for the pride of being in an elite organization or even felt obliged to join because their superiors at work said so.

Definition of voluntary: Done, given, or acting by choice. Each and every one of them made the choice to stay on. To get back up, even when they’re too tired to continue. To break into tears when they were told they will no longer be marching because they have fallen out too many times. To stay committed by attending all rehearsals on the weekends, shelf plans they have for the moment till after the parade. To bind to the cause of celebrating the Nation’s Birthday. Every single one of them made the choice to stay on and march.

To quit was not difficult. Excuses and reasons to give up will be at the top of everyone’s mind when the going gets tough. However, with the medical team having to stretcher off participants who collapse every other few minutes during the grueling afternoon practices is testament to the fighting spirit of the participants. They could have walked away from the dizzying heat but they pressed on till their body can no longer take the punishment. Despite falling out, these are the same participants who rejoin their contingents for the evening rehearsals. Just so that when it came to the shows, the preview and the actual parade, they can still be the proud faces standing shoulder to shoulder with the rest of their contingents proudly representing their organization as the best that Singapore has to offer.

The parade segment has always been the mainstay of the National Day Parade. From the inaugural parade at the Padang to the present parade at the floating platform, there will be the parade on National day. It will be the dedicated group of people marching on it, working tirelessly behind the scenes. Different faces each year but with the same level of dedication. Rising up to the occasion to make the parade as successful as it can be. Just as how Singaporeans have risen up for the peace and prosperity of our country.

Reflection of my NDP 2009 experience. Far from perfect. I've not written anything in a super long time so pardon my English, if it's bad.

:)