The double-edged sword of nostalgia: Holding on while letting go

Abstract

Nestled among the private estates and towering HDB apartments, Kampong Lorong Buangkok was a time capsule dating from 1956, buried in plain sight. An oddity in this city-state, which seems to have been engulfed by the ever-advancing era of modernity, serves as a tantalising reminder of the fleeting nature of history and time. The distant hum of cars and the amalgam of city noise in the background were a stark contrast to the tranquility before me, pulling me into a soothing embrace of serenity and calmness. As I ventured inside, the noise seemed to quieten down, replaced by the soft clucking of chickens, rhythmic chirping of the crickets, and the gritty crunch of gravel road beneath my feet. I took a deep breath, and immediately, the unmistakable perfume of the earth stung my nose—the slightly musty scent of petrichor in the air as rain freckled the ground.