<"Yukun">

Monday, December 21, 2009

Everyday is a winding road.

As we draw closer to yet another year, I'm sure many will agree that it's been eventful in every way possible. And I'm equally sure that it wasn't plain sailing for the past 11 months or so for everyone. That's life. Everyday is a winding road and not everyday is a Sunday.

Sure we will have good times. There will be bad times as well. But what makes us different from everyone else? It's how we handle the downside of life. Of course it's always easier said than done. Unless we walk in the other person's shoes, we won't know how BAD they're having it. But sure as things go down, they have to eventually come up (and vice versa).

For me, it's been a year of untimely deaths (of friends, relatives and loved ones), work and personal health issues. I've just lost my favourite grand Aunt this week. There are depressing / frustrating stuff that I'm still facing but those are personal battles I have to face myself. It has not entirely been a good year for me but neither has it been THAT bad a year. There were precious little moments that I'll remember for the rest of my life.

And in all honesty, it's no walk in the park whenever tribulations comes our way. No one said life would be easy. But if we don't fight to survive and we give up the struggle, we'll never know what living is.

Just today, I had an awful day at work. But at the end of the day, because I reached out and helped a fellow human being, I went home feeling great. The seas were exceptional choppy and rough today. Even the most iron-stomached person got seasick. And as I was returning home at the jetty, I saw an elderly woman hyperventilating and looking very pale. She was struggling to walk straight. Her equally elderly husband was next to her. I asked her what's wrong and from the way she replied, it was obviously seasickness and a mild panic attack. It didn't helped that she had a pacemaker. I helped calm her down and taught her to do some basic breathing exercises in order to regulate her breathing rhythms. She was fine after doing so. Both of them keep thanking me and wanting to buy me supper. I obligingly declined. As I walked away, she said, "thank you for having such a kind soul."

To all the socially ungraceful Singaporean heartlanders that walked them by and giving her that "what the fuck" look... I'm truly ashamed to be Singaporean.

It was a shitty day, and there was nothing I could do about it. But because of this simple act of kindness, I don't feel so shitty after all. And I know for a fact that out there right now, there is this old lady who has regain a glimmer of hope for the human race.

So for whatever reasons, your live is not going your way...