Behind the shrubs, the roar of city traffic is muffled to a low hum as I step foot on the pebble trail. A sign overhead reads ‘Clementi Woods Park’. Stretching far beyond the peripheries of my vision, the folded leaves of trees bask themselves in the warm embrace of the sun. As I take a few steps forward on the park trail, I cannot help but close my eyes for a moment to enjoy the sounds of life. Like a grand symphony from the classical era, the chirps of the songbirds, the laughter of children and the rustling leaves come together in concordance to bring music to life. Every intermittent call from the birds perched on trees forms the rhythmic pulse that my footsteps follow. Opening my eyes to see the colours of my world, I notice that many are also strolling in the park today. Straight ahead, a middle-aged couple is bringing their children for a relaxing stroll. The shortest one, who I presume is the youngest, is a young boy in blue overalls. Drawn by the quiet pull of maternal love, he clutches his mother’s hand throughout the walk, while pointing curiously at the falling leaves and asking his father why they fall. Patiently, his father squats down to give a lesson for his son.

Feeling the rhythm of my feet, I continue on my leisurely amble in Clementi Woods. Sunlight suddenly breaks through, momentarily blinding me as it refracts through my glasses into a scatter of opalescent colours. Turning to my right to avoid the sun, I see a wooden gazebo on a lush verdant field. The warm scent of oak rises from the wooden gazebo, drifting softly through the air. Inside, I see a couple sitting across a table with longing eyes that interlock with one another. The woman's subtle elegance and charm are highlighted by her beige cardigan worn over a flowing white dress that is complemented by basic white sneakers, and a white shoulder bag with a tiny yellow flower. Opposite her, the man sits in a light linen shirt with casually rolled sleeves and dark trousers. His relaxed yet attentive posture and steady gaze reflected her unspoken longing. It feels almost as if they are trying to reach out beyond the distance to weave their heart together and be ones with one another. On the table, a game of Scrabble lies open. It seems that even a hard fought game of challenging vocabulary and strategy could not break the bonds of love.

As the hands of the hour tick by, the golden hues of the evening sun have given way to a muted but still energetic cobalt blue. Like sprites jumping out of blooming flowers, a dozen children are playing at a playground. The playground equipment, painted in bold red and yellow, cuts strikingly against the blue sky. With the fire of youth burning brightly in them, the children exhilarate with their pitchy voice when playing with each other. A group of children are chasing one another in hopes of tagging the other team. Whenever one of them gets tagged, they would burst into laughter before taking a seat on the ground for a short break. The sounds of folly booms loudly in the increasingly quiet night, showing that life still teems on in the dark.

Before long, the dimming light of the night has faded to a sky full of stars. The street lamps respond to the call of the stars and decide to switch on, illuminating the park with an incandescent glow. As evening settles, visitors gradually depart, leaving behind the calm of the park. As I take one last look backwards, all there is left is the susurration of nature.