Happy Heart Blog
HDB: Here Dwell Babies
Every kampung needs a Ketua Kampung (Chief).
What’s the difference between an HDB block with an Uncle Woof-Woof (an endearment for my old neighbour in our previous estate), and a HDB block that is silent, disconnected and even hostile?
Well, perhaps this:
Man, 66, arrested for murder after woman stabbed in Yishun noise dispute – CNA
(https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/yishun-murder-knife-attack-woman-dies-arrest-neighbour-5365531#:~:text=SINGAPORE%3A%20A%2067-year-old%20man%20was%20arrested%20for%20murder,to%20hospital%2C%20where%20she%20died%2C%20said%20the%20police.)
Uncle Woof-Woof (named aptly so because, according to my mother, he was a good KPO who would ‘bark’ i.e. care and ask questions and was always there and available when you needed him) was a middle-aged man who knew EVERYONE in our HDB block.
He was always saying hi, and always being friendly to our neighbours.
When there was a chameleon that had found its way into our home, he had been the one to charge in with an umbrella and chase it out, at the behest of my mother. The same was true for my neighbour with a giant rat under her bed.
Uncle Woof-Woof exemplified Kampung Spirit. So, too, does my own father, albeit he is a quieter man who smiles and does not engage unless he knows you well enough, or if you initiate contact.
These wonderful men are great examples of what a single friendly face in an HDB building can do – to remove vermin from homes, befriend the friendless, and generally act as a force that maintains peace and harmony within a common shared residence that is a HDB apartment building.
In my own experience, having 2 young children who are GUARANTEED to be loud, I’ve had a neighbour come to my door asking me to keep my children quiet. While I cannot appreciate the way he’d broached the subject (he was very abrasive), I can understand his frustration.
This was followed by police visiting my unit, and counsellors from the nearest Family Service Centre visiting my home.
Did any of this help to reduce the noise level? Unfortunately, no. It was not enough, because no one who had tried to help us had availed me of the very thing I needed to stop the noise – connection.
Support, care, community – these were the things that would have helped me: not judgment, censure, or a ‘quick fix’. Said neighbours eventually moved out.
Right now, more and more, we need a Ketua Kampung in every block. It doesn’t take a lot to step up and say ‘that’s me’. We don’t need a task force or another organisation, or even a Neighbourhood Support System Program (although that could be helpful).
We just need one man to step up and say ‘I’ll do it. I will smile at my neighbours today. I will hold the lift and press the button to their floor. I will be courageous enough to say hello to new faces in my residence’.
The more Uncle Woof-Woofs we have, the better for society. If we want unity in the face of an increasingly maddening world, care and support have to come from us.
The next time you see trouble – a child crying, a father screaming, a mother struggling or a lonely old man talking to himself – borrow the Ketua Kampung spirit and be available. Help is at hand – help is in YOUR hands.
Lee Shermin Aminah
Happy Heart Hub
26/09/2025
Do You Want a Happy Heart?
Published by HappyHeartHub
Before any journey begins, there’s a question:
Do you want it?
Do you want a happy heart?
Not just a pain-free life. Not just distractions or momentary highs.
But a heart that is truly at peace. Aligned. Alive. Whole.
Wanting Begins with Knowing
You only want something once you know what it is—and why it matters.
A happy heart isn’t soft in the weak way.
It’s soft in the strong way.
It knows how to stay open even when life gets hard.
It can bend, but it won’t break.
It leads with kindness, but it holds its boundaries.
And most of all—it makes you feel at home in your own skin.
Ask Yourself
- Do I want to feel calm within?
- Do I want clarity over chaos?
- Do I want to live with love, not fear?
If yes—
That’s the first step.
You’re not chasing something outside of you.
You’re choosing something within you.
The heart says: I’m ready when you are.
With love,
HappyHeartHub
What Is a Happy Heart?
Published by HappyHeartHub
A happy heart isn’t always smiling.
It’s not about being cheerful 24/7 or having everything figured out.
It’s about feeling safe, aligned, and alive inside.
It’s about knowing yourself—and being kind to what you find.
A happy heart is one that’s:
- Rooted in clear intention
- Open to growth
- Gentle with pain
- Honest with desire
- Guided by something greater
The Journey to a Happy Heart
No one is born with a perfectly happy heart.
It’s something we learn.
Through reflection, struggle, healing, and love.
We unlearn shame.
We soften fear.
We choose what nourishes.
It’s not about avoiding heartbreak.
It’s about becoming whole through it.
Your journey to a happy heart starts with a single question:
“What does my heart need right now?”
And from there—step by step—you walk yourself home.
With you,
HappyHeartHub
Who Has a Happy Heart? And Why Some Don’t.
The Journey of Learning and Growing:
A Reflection on the Happy Heart
What makes a heart happy?
It’s a question we ask ourselves here at HappyHeartHub. And maybe, deep down, it’s a question you’ve been asking too.
Is it success? Safety? Love? Calm? For us, a happy heart is simply a healthy heart. Not just physically—but emotionally, mentally, and spiritually whole. A heart at ease with itself. A heart aligned with its intention. A heart willing to learn and grow, even when the path is uncertain.
But here’s the truth:
Not everyone feels they have a happy heart.
And maybe that’s where the journey begins.
Intention: The Root of a Happy Heart
When our intentions are clear and kind, our hearts feel lighter. We’re not carrying the weight of what we “should” be, or who others want us to become. Instead, we’re asking:
- What matters to me?
- What kind of person do I want to be in this moment?
- What is my heart trying to say?
A happy heart isn’t perfect.
It’s present.
It’s not always cheerful.
But it’s always trying to connect—with truth, with purpose, with peace.
Dialogue with the Self and the World
Many of us live with a noisy mind and a silent heart. We’re told to achieve, to perform, to stay busy. But our hearts speak in softer ways. Sometimes they whisper. Sometimes they cry.
At HappyHeartHub, we believe in learning the language of the heart again.
That means asking hard questions—and being okay with not always having answers. It means noticing when you feel tense, or alone, or disconnected—and gently asking yourself:
What do I need right now?
It also means being in dialogue with the world around you. With nature. With people. With silence. And with the One who gave you your heart in the first place.
Why Some Hearts Struggle
Some hearts carry pain.
Some have been taught not to feel.
Some were never told they were allowed to want more—more kindness, more joy, more meaning.
But pain doesn’t make your heart unworthy. It just makes it tender.
And here at HappyHeartHub, we believe that even hurting hearts can become hopeful again. With time. With intention. With safe spaces. With grace.
Your Journey Starts Here
Happy hearts are not found.
They are grown.
So wherever you’re starting from—whether your heart feels soft or sore, open or guarded—we welcome you. This hub is for you.
We’re walking this path too.
Together, we can learn to listen.
Together, we can grow.
Together, we can remember:
A good heart is a happy heart.
And every heart can learn to be good again.
With care,
The HappyHeartHub Team