I had a thrilling day yesterday. I met Sylvia again! I first met her in art class, in 1998. She was one of the oldest members of the group, but I have never met someone her age with so much enthusiasm and zeal for learning. My admiration for this wonderful lady grew in leaps and bounds as I got to know her. We got along well and quickly became good friends. Sylvia impressed me deeply when she recounted how when she was in her sixties, she began to take music theory lessons and one day she turned up for her grade 2 music exams in an exam hall filled with children. Many thought she had accompanied a grandchild to take the exams until they realised she was a candidate herself! Even though we have not met in the last 8 years since I left Singapore and relocated to Perth, it was just like old times the moment we saw each other again.
Sylvia has not changed one bit, despite being nearly 88 now. Her wonderful smile still lights up her beautiful face. Her enthusiasm for art and beauty has not diminished. She tells me she still goes to art classes. I aspire to grow old gracefully like Sylvia and to remain as young as her and embrace life like her. This is a portrait of my beautiful friend, which I did as a gift to her on her 80th birthday, a few months before I left my home country for my new life in Australia:
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| Sylvia: Mixed media portrait by Artist Bee |
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