Daddy-Long-Leg

Not sure any of you have read the children’s book “Daddy–Long-Leg”? Quite embarrassed to confess this, I actually read this book only when I was in secondary school. It was my Dad who bought it for me, and it was a Chinese version. Describing it a little here, it is a compilation of several letters written by an orphan to a very wealthy man (whom she had never met) who had kindly sponsored her for further education, the only condition was for her to write a letter to him every month, and yet not expecting any response from him. I loved the story, the cute little sketches in the book. This is one book that after I have read the Chinese version, I went to borrow the original English version. In fact, I could not remember the number of times I have reread this book. (I have the tendency to reread or re-watch anything I like for a couple of times.)

Just a few months back, I was caught by surprise to actually catch it on TV in the form of a Japanese animation, which later on, for the following couple of weeks, my mom faithfully recorded almost every episode for me, as it was shown during my working hours.

Being overwhelmed with excitement of knowing that it was made into an animation, I fervently checked the websites to see if there was any possibility of purchasing it. (Although to be honest, the animation is really not that great.) In the midst of doing so, I accidentally stumbled upon a website and read that there is a readaption of “Daddy-Long-Leg” into a movie in South Korea. I being an avert Korean drama fans, definitely could not wait for several couple of months before I could watch it in Singapore, and therefore I requested my dear colleague to kindly purchase the movie for me from China. (Legal one I think.)

Why is such a story ever so popular? Stories like Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, have all become classic fairy tales, and despite the old fashioned storyline of always a poor young lady being saved by someone rich and powerful, people still love them. Or even stories like Superman and Spiderman, stories of heroes who gave their all to save their loved ones, aren’t these the “super” old fashion stories, and yet people still flock to the cinema to catch them?

I strongly believe that deep down within every heart, everyone yearns for someone who is strong and powerful, and yet able to identify with his weaknesses and failures in life. Therefore, you know what? I think if there are any further remakes of these fairy tales, I for one am sure that there will still be a huge number of followers for these shows, because they do give man some sort of short-term relief and comfort to the emptiness within. Yet I am grateful to know that there is truly a Daddy-in-heaven who is better than these heroes in the stories and is real!

And cheers, have a great week ahead cos He watches over you!