As the year 2008 draws to a close and we welcome in 2009, I cannot help but reflect upon the events that happened in the past year. I started on a project in Jakarta, Indonesia in January – a first for me, and left the comfort of Singapore for the rather foreign land. It was both apprehensive and exciting. The greatest reward must be the fact that I met quite a number of wonderful people and made new friends there.
I came back to Singapore after an eight-month stint, partly due to the fact that my father was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and he had to go for an operation. I figured I am needed back home, for a family I have largely stayed aloof from, for many years. Coincidentally, a good friend of mine of ten years also reported recently that his dad has been suspected of having pancreatic cancer – the same type that took Randy Pausch, author of The Last Lecture, aged 47.
Then I signed up for my current project, which is indescribably tough. It takes time away from my family, my Warden, my friends and my hobbies. But it brings in the dough, and that is extremely important now in such turbulent economic times.
The year 2008 ends in a rather surreal fashion for me. Two wedding dinners attended, one wedding invite in Bangkok which I could not attend, a Christmas party, met up with many friends whom I have not seen in months, and a dinner this evening with my family. Not quite looking forward to 2009, but what is meant to come will come. Already, I look forward to the end of 2009, rather than the days in between, but taking a que from Wilfrid, I shall plan for more accomplishments in the coming days. The following collage is of friends’ children, as well as my niece and nephews, photos taken in the past week.
As a Partner of a consultancy firm and friend keeps saying, “Obstacles are there to challenge us. And without challenges, we will not grow”. Happy New Year to everyone, and here’s wishing that we all come out stronger at the end of this economic crisis.
January 2nd, 2009 at 11:51 am
Hey buddy, as I read your entry, that brought back to one of the book review I have written on a book by Paulo Coelho. I wrote, “And why do we experience disappointment, defeat, and despair at times? Well, according to the author, they are the tools God uses to show us the way and to encourage us to have the courage to make mistakes, to risk failure and disillusion, and basically prompting us to keep searching, keep looking.”
I think this year, as for any other year, has a lot to go for. Paulo Coelho also wrote that obstacles and challenges are there to keep us moving forward. For whatever reason you wish to skip right to the end of 2009, I wish you and your family good health and happiness in this year! And you know you have a friend to count on, bro.
January 3rd, 2009 at 12:16 am
Thanks for the words of encouragement Wilfrid. Don’t worry, I am not so easily defeated. I’m a tough nut to crack. I will try to catch you when you are back in Singapore.