As Singapore turns 60, and I inch closer to 50, I wonder how much progress the little red dot has made in the last 6 decades. And what is it I can hope to achieve in the next decade or so. And while women my age are looking at menopause for the next, not so exciting milestone, Singapore is constantly re-inventing itself to stay relevant and always be ahead of its times. Okay, don’t get me wrong. I am not comparing myself with a entire country that has been making consistent progress at great speed. Instead, it is my way of saying I am inspired by the continuous efforts and success of a tiny little dot that happens to be the Asian headquarters of all big business names I can think of.

When I first visited Singapore in 2003, little did I know the country would never let me leave. But 22 years is a long time. A place that once felt foreign became home slowly but steadily. The people, the surroundings, the weather and most importantly the feeling of belonging that my children born and bred here experience, have never let us move elsewhere. While I spent the last couple of decades raising my family, this garden city has become more modern from what it once was. A massive facelift to the city that has given birth to iconic structures like the Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Flyer, Gardens By The Bay and the Double Helix Bridge that never existed when I first landed. Sentosa, a sleepy island with a monorail and a fountain show is now a tourist hot spot with Madame Tussaud’s, Universal Studios, adventure sports and a newer version of the monorail. And newly developed attractions show up every other year.

The streets of Singapore that once looked empty, now know the meaning of a traffic jam, thanks to the population that touched six million last year. The city skyline, once restricted to the buildings around Boat Quay and Clark Quay has extended to the MBS vicinity making CBD a glittering crown in the heart of the city. A new tower for MBS in the next five years means more tourists, more business and a more resilient economy. The Changi Jewel, the increase in the number of terminals at Changi Airport, the rising trend of million dollar HDB flats, a new Prime Minister for the first time in twenty years are signs Singapore has been flourishing indeed.

A city that is now spread-out like a jigsaw of smaller, self-sufficient zones, each, equally supported by workplaces, healthcare, education and housing, offering equal growth opportunities. It is surprising how the multi-cultural fabric of the country has been carefully taken care of, ensuring people from all walks of life, races and religion, co-exist peacefully on this island nation.

With passing time, my spouse and I have passed the baton of youth, hope and dreams to be realised in a new world to our offspring. And so has this country. As the landscape of Singapore keeps changing, reminding me of the wave of youth I once rode, I wish and hope the next generations to pave forward. To march ahead. At 60, Singapore still looks a young 16. Here’s wishing Singapore a happy, happy 60^th! Majulah Singapura!