Quarter of a century
Congrats to me! I've officially lived a quarter of a century today! How many more will I have to go?
I've found out that one really does get many more birthday greetings with the help of Facebook reminders. :)
Thanks to all who made the effort to conjure up something in words to wish me happy birthday! It kept my phone and msn ringing the entire day! :)
I'd list down all your names here so you'd know I didn't forget you! :)
In order of who msged first! :)
Liping (gets the honours!)
James
Abigail
Ruth
Diana
Hobbit
Amy
Cindy
Jee Lee
owner of hp number 98380909
Xinyan
Xueting
Weicheng
Jinyuan Oliver
Jingqian
Jacq-jacq
Enmei
owner of hp number 97221911
Clement Yee
Cherylene
Yanling (from church) appeared here.. spoke to us and then went off.. only to remember seconds later that someone prolly smsed her in e morning to remind her of my birthday and she shouted across the corridor and came back to say 'Happy Birthday!'
WeiYee
Azi
Bai Ziqi
owner of hp number 96705484
Yan Sing appeared somewhere here.. and we talked for some time before she asked 'eh today no nid to work arh?' and i said 'erm. ya. cos it's my birthday.' to which she was so embarrassed I suggested she could hide behind a tree.
Sheila
Weihao
Regina
Yanling
Viggie
Shuai Ge SiangMeng
Jeannie
Daniel (Rat)
Rachoo
Thankew! The mushy parts shall not be published here. :) They shall be kept private. I have no idea why jacq has the ideas that she has.
__________________________________________________________
25. Quarter of a century. In many parts of the world, 25 means one has probably lived about half his life already. How long will I have? How long will I really have?
For us guys in Singapore, for many of my peers, this is where it all starts. Where it all begins. Up to this point, we have had our paths written out for us by Tharman Shanmugaratnam and his predecessors. Beyond this, it is up to us.
This is the starting line. This is where the gun goes off. Unfortunately, in this race, there are no false starts, and often no punishments for doping. There are no 'the next Olympics'. This is where some shoot way ahead, and others are left behind. And sometimes, it feels like 'i'm two steps behind, somebody must have moved the finish line..' (Corrinne May).
Yet, sometimes I feel the race analogy isn't concrete enough. It feels kinda unidimensional, and doesn't seem to portray the depth we so desperately need in our lives in this world.
As I look ahead and look at the lives of those before me, I realise that those who have been successful, who have achieved, who have made a difference are those who have been focused from a young age, and set out their minds to do it. The question is: what are we to focus on? what are we called to do?
I am reminded how the Bible reminds us to "run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2) Looking to Jesus, what He calls us to do and how He lived His life.
This is a time for foundation-building. I believe the direction and foundation we choose to have could potentially determine the direction for the rest of our lives. Not to say that we cannot switch careers midway, but this is about so much more than careers. It's about whether our lives will count in any significant way at all. What values will we choose? Will we choose goodness? Will we choose strength? Or the depth of our personhood? Heart? Or what, exactly will we choose? Or as my dad sometimes says, 'if we don't choose anything, we will end up choosing nothing.' May we all choose that which is good, precisely because we are still young. Because if we choose liberally now, we may not be able to choose anymore later on.
'there are a thousand reasons why I should give up.. but I'm stubborn in the things I believe..' (Corrinne May, again)
I've found out that one really does get many more birthday greetings with the help of Facebook reminders. :)
Thanks to all who made the effort to conjure up something in words to wish me happy birthday! It kept my phone and msn ringing the entire day! :)
I'd list down all your names here so you'd know I didn't forget you! :)
In order of who msged first! :)
Liping (gets the honours!)
James
Abigail
Ruth
Diana
Hobbit
Amy
Cindy
Jee Lee
owner of hp number 98380909
Xinyan
Xueting
Weicheng
Jinyuan Oliver
Jingqian
Jacq-jacq
Enmei
owner of hp number 97221911
Clement Yee
Cherylene
Yanling (from church) appeared here.. spoke to us and then went off.. only to remember seconds later that someone prolly smsed her in e morning to remind her of my birthday and she shouted across the corridor and came back to say 'Happy Birthday!'
WeiYee
Azi
Bai Ziqi
owner of hp number 96705484
Yan Sing appeared somewhere here.. and we talked for some time before she asked 'eh today no nid to work arh?' and i said 'erm. ya. cos it's my birthday.' to which she was so embarrassed I suggested she could hide behind a tree.
Sheila
Weihao
Regina
Yanling
Viggie
Shuai Ge SiangMeng
Jeannie
Daniel (Rat)
Rachoo
Thankew! The mushy parts shall not be published here. :) They shall be kept private. I have no idea why jacq has the ideas that she has.
__________________________________________________________
25. Quarter of a century. In many parts of the world, 25 means one has probably lived about half his life already. How long will I have? How long will I really have?
For us guys in Singapore, for many of my peers, this is where it all starts. Where it all begins. Up to this point, we have had our paths written out for us by Tharman Shanmugaratnam and his predecessors. Beyond this, it is up to us.
This is the starting line. This is where the gun goes off. Unfortunately, in this race, there are no false starts, and often no punishments for doping. There are no 'the next Olympics'. This is where some shoot way ahead, and others are left behind. And sometimes, it feels like 'i'm two steps behind, somebody must have moved the finish line..' (Corrinne May).
Yet, sometimes I feel the race analogy isn't concrete enough. It feels kinda unidimensional, and doesn't seem to portray the depth we so desperately need in our lives in this world.
As I look ahead and look at the lives of those before me, I realise that those who have been successful, who have achieved, who have made a difference are those who have been focused from a young age, and set out their minds to do it. The question is: what are we to focus on? what are we called to do?
I am reminded how the Bible reminds us to "run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2) Looking to Jesus, what He calls us to do and how He lived His life.
This is a time for foundation-building. I believe the direction and foundation we choose to have could potentially determine the direction for the rest of our lives. Not to say that we cannot switch careers midway, but this is about so much more than careers. It's about whether our lives will count in any significant way at all. What values will we choose? Will we choose goodness? Will we choose strength? Or the depth of our personhood? Heart? Or what, exactly will we choose? Or as my dad sometimes says, 'if we don't choose anything, we will end up choosing nothing.' May we all choose that which is good, precisely because we are still young. Because if we choose liberally now, we may not be able to choose anymore later on.
'there are a thousand reasons why I should give up.. but I'm stubborn in the things I believe..' (Corrinne May, again)
Oopss... Happy Belated birthday!