Duckling becomes a swan

When I opened The Jakarta Post, dated April 25, I noticed a difference. Then I spotted the "Box" at the right side bottom. The Post has become a strapping twenty-one year old, a prime youth, "full of beans" to quote Woodhouse. Indeed, the 21st anniversary of the Post, the Indonesian window to the outside world, must be a cause for celebration in Indonesia.

I was a regular reader of the Post starting from its very first issue in 1983 up to 1997. To me, the success of the Post, in its arduous journey since 1983, and against many odds, is indeed awesome and quite overwhelming and I feel very happy on this occasion.

Naturally, I thought, it is not enough only to congratulate the Post on this occasion. The Post should be praised and complimented. So musing, I borrowed words from the famous evergreen advertisement of Johnny Walker and framed "Born in 1983 and still going strong".

However, on second thoughts, I dismissed this as inadequate. The Post is not only going strong but gaining in strength, working hard all the time, so to say, sifting the grain from the chaff, collecting the gold from the dross and promptly informing and delighting its readers.

So, I settled for this tribute: That the duckling of 1983 has become a swan. A swan not only because it is an arresting looker. Legend has it that when a swan is given milk mixed with water it will drink the milk alone and leave out the water.

I wish the Post every success in scaling new heights and attaining immortality.

G. S. EDWIN Jakarta