This article is for R Vani, a Hindu.

Two mornings ago, I was in church. There’s nothing newsworthy about someone attending Christmas service, unless of course he’s Malay in Malaysia. Since I’m Chinese, it’s hardly earth-shattering except that normally you’d not find me in church unless it’s for a wedding.

This occasion however was a friend’s baptism and I’m happy for her. An exuberant tune ‘Joy to the World’ kicked off the service and I sang along. It’s jazzed up nowadays with guitar, keyboard and drums accompaniment compared to the piano-only I remember from my schooldays. I joined too in the spirited singing of another familiar hymn ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’.

Although I know the traditional hymns, the Christian tradition of my school however never made me a member of the faith. Singing praise of Jesus on Christmas does not make me Christian either. And I don’t reckon anyone will see me in church again until the next time a friend or relative invites me to their nuptials.