The past few days of surveying has been really been an experience. Doing door-to-door surveys from 9:30am to 9:30pm with a 40-minute lunch break and 20-minute dinner break (without dinner) is just.. you have to experience it yourself to know what it's like. But there is so much to thank God for:
- The great weather: It's been cloudy and windy most of the time; the only time I felt the scorching heat was during lunch
- A great partner in Jasmine: She's really good, really fit. She could walk the whole day without the need to take any breaks. And actually, she was the one who asked the survey questions 75% of the time. My apologies to her for being half-an-hour late on the 2nd day; I know it's a capital offence to make girls wait. Sometimes I would be the one to suggest taking the lift for going 3 floors up, when she'd be the one to recommend the stairs. 真是自愧不如。 Also got to know her a little more.
- Nice respondents: Quite a few of them actually invited us in so we need not stand at their doorsteps. Some even offered us drinks!
No doubt everybody worked very hard, but I'd have to say God's grace is really sufficient. We got exactly enough respondents by end of Sunday. (:
-------------------------------------------------------
Anyway, that was just preamble. I'm not yet a parent, but I felt the tip of an iceberg of what a parent probably feels when a parent sees his/her children grow up. I saw my choir kids lead worship in front of an adult congregation for the first time on Sunday.
Pride and joy welled within me when I saw them leading worship on stage. Not that I really mentored them since they were young, or had a great part in their musical or spiritual development; but perhaps the past one year with them has brought me closer to them. And I really thank God that they have all grown and matured.
Now that a couple of them have completed their secondary school education, and pretty well too, I wish them all the best for their post-secondary education. I pray that they continue to be a great testimony in their service (not that I want to delineate and decompartmentalise service from the other aspects of their lives, but how else do I express it), studies and families.
P.S. Why is my preamble as long as the crux of my post?
P.P.S. Anyone still up for La Boheme? :D
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
有一天啊，宝宝。。。
这应该是我第一次完全用华文在部落格上写稿,想要如何下笔，还真是别一番滋味。自从中四高级华文会考以后，除了不时需要为牧师传道翻译而预备，及一次翻译一篇有关于“辅助生殖技术”的医学文章以外，似乎没太多用华文写作。阅读方面，除了圣经以外，也似乎没接触中文的书刊。也难怪总觉得自己的华文水平每况愈下，一日不如一日。
一位朋友借了我这本由台湾主播 蔡康永 著作的《有一天啊，宝宝。。。》。开始读的时候还不觉得有什么味道，但越读就越觉得有意思。接下来与大家分享一些 让我较有感触的字句：
《交换》
“但是宝宝，交换很难是一直这么心平气和的。因为你能提供的东西，别人不一定缺，而你想交换的那人，他想交换的对象可能不是你而是别人。我们不能太高估我们剪头发或除害虫的能力，在不需要的人眼中，只是多余的东西而已。。所以，我们也不能太高估，我们的爱。虽然我们常常觉得，那是我们仅有的了。”
《值得》
“反反复复会无聊吗？太阳每天都升起一次，降下一次，但只要我从对的地方望过去，日出和日落都还是让人目眩神驰。每一场雨都还是能让人狼狈或感伤，每一道闪电还是有魄力，每一道海浪、每一阵微风。。全都是反反复复，来了又去、去了又来的，宝宝，我对这些从来没有觉得无聊过。”
《演唱会》
“宝宝，我为什么一直对电视很有戒心，是因为电视老是让你以为，你听过那个歌了，但其实你没听过；老是让你以为你看过那个人了，但其实你没看过；老是让你以为你知道灾难与死亡了，但其实你不知道。。。
亲爱的宝宝，将来如果有你喜欢的歌手，你要想办法去听他的现场演唱会，去跟其他和你一样喜欢他的人在一起。你不知道那个歌手会有名多久，你也不知道他会愿意活多久。你只能趁他还在的时候，让他变成你回忆的一部分。”
正因此故，我常常都很希望能多去现场演唱会，但常去的话，对钱包的负担非常重:S
我还有一个愿望，就是能在Federer退休之前，在一次网球大赛的决赛中亲眼目睹他大显身手。但也不知道这愿望能否实现。
我几乎忘了华文表达巧妙、美丽之处。或许我该多尝试用华文表达。
一位朋友借了我这本由台湾主播 蔡康永 著作的《有一天啊，宝宝。。。》。开始读的时候还不觉得有什么味道，但越读就越觉得有意思。接下来与大家分享一些 让我较有感触的字句：
《交换》
“但是宝宝，交换很难是一直这么心平气和的。因为你能提供的东西，别人不一定缺，而你想交换的那人，他想交换的对象可能不是你而是别人。我们不能太高估我们剪头发或除害虫的能力，在不需要的人眼中，只是多余的东西而已。。所以，我们也不能太高估，我们的爱。虽然我们常常觉得，那是我们仅有的了。”
《值得》
“反反复复会无聊吗？太阳每天都升起一次，降下一次，但只要我从对的地方望过去，日出和日落都还是让人目眩神驰。每一场雨都还是能让人狼狈或感伤，每一道闪电还是有魄力，每一道海浪、每一阵微风。。全都是反反复复，来了又去、去了又来的，宝宝，我对这些从来没有觉得无聊过。”
《演唱会》
“宝宝，我为什么一直对电视很有戒心，是因为电视老是让你以为，你听过那个歌了，但其实你没听过；老是让你以为你看过那个人了，但其实你没看过；老是让你以为你知道灾难与死亡了，但其实你不知道。。。
亲爱的宝宝，将来如果有你喜欢的歌手，你要想办法去听他的现场演唱会，去跟其他和你一样喜欢他的人在一起。你不知道那个歌手会有名多久，你也不知道他会愿意活多久。你只能趁他还在的时候，让他变成你回忆的一部分。”
正因此故，我常常都很希望能多去现场演唱会，但常去的话，对钱包的负担非常重:S
我还有一个愿望，就是能在Federer退休之前，在一次网球大赛的决赛中亲眼目睹他大显身手。但也不知道这愿望能否实现。
我几乎忘了华文表达巧妙、美丽之处。或许我该多尝试用华文表达。
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Distributing Flyers
Today I distributed flyers to inform residents that we will be surveying them for our Community Health Project (CHP) over the next week. Randomisation had it that some units were chosen, and some were not - not all the units on a floor or in a block were chosen. When I was looking at the list of units I had on my piece of paper, going around putting the flyers in metal grille or under the door, the image of the Lord passing through every household in Egypt - sparing the firstborn of all the families who painted blood on their doorframes and killing the firstborn of all the rest who didn't, came to my mind.
Thank God the main block I was given had one continuous corridor, sparing me the agony of my other friends, who had to make 5 trips up and down between the 2nd and 12th floors because the corridors were disjointed. I practically finished giving out all my flyers in half the time my friends took.
Anyway, some doors were open; many others were closed. For the open doors, it was quite interesting to see what was happening inside the house. There was this elderly Indian gentleman who was either sleeping or stoning in his bed, with his door and gate wide open. I waved and said hello; he didn't respond to me. I wonder what would happen if a thief/burglar came by. There was this elderly Chinese lady who was ironing when i said hello; she shouted something in Hokkien rather loudly. I didn't know what it meant, but it sure didn't sound too friendly; I was prepared to run if she came out after me with a stick. There was a elderly Malay lady who didn't understand English, so she went to the Malay family next door to ask what I was trying to say.
I wonder what the Lord saw as He passed through the households in Egypt.
I'm praying hard that the Lord will work a miracle. I really don't wish to survey a full day on Sunday. Not because I loathe surveying or want to slack. Just that having rearranged and pushing away all my appointments on Thursday and Friday night and not being able to be there for my ministries on Saturday, Sunday is the least I could have. I understand that CHP is important; results (of both the survey and the subject) are important. No doubt, Sunday may have a very good yield of survey respondents, because more people will be at home. But work is not my life. Why insist that a full day of surveying be done on Sunday? Does half a day make that much of a difference? What is the real value we're getting from this half a day, and are there more important things we have lost in this half a day? Are results really everything?
Just finished watching Flywheel, a movie about a dishonest used-car seller who experienced a change in His life when He came to Christ. He was struggling to make ends meet, owe the bank a lot of money, and was about to be forced to sell his business to pay the bank. But God blessed him when he came to Him, and on the day the bank was supposed to come for his business, he sold 32 cars in 8 hours, a miracle by his measure. There's a lot more to the movie. Go watch it yourself.
I should trust God to make a way. *nods*
Thank God the main block I was given had one continuous corridor, sparing me the agony of my other friends, who had to make 5 trips up and down between the 2nd and 12th floors because the corridors were disjointed. I practically finished giving out all my flyers in half the time my friends took.
Anyway, some doors were open; many others were closed. For the open doors, it was quite interesting to see what was happening inside the house. There was this elderly Indian gentleman who was either sleeping or stoning in his bed, with his door and gate wide open. I waved and said hello; he didn't respond to me. I wonder what would happen if a thief/burglar came by. There was this elderly Chinese lady who was ironing when i said hello; she shouted something in Hokkien rather loudly. I didn't know what it meant, but it sure didn't sound too friendly; I was prepared to run if she came out after me with a stick. There was a elderly Malay lady who didn't understand English, so she went to the Malay family next door to ask what I was trying to say.
I wonder what the Lord saw as He passed through the households in Egypt.
I'm praying hard that the Lord will work a miracle. I really don't wish to survey a full day on Sunday. Not because I loathe surveying or want to slack. Just that having rearranged and pushing away all my appointments on Thursday and Friday night and not being able to be there for my ministries on Saturday, Sunday is the least I could have. I understand that CHP is important; results (of both the survey and the subject) are important. No doubt, Sunday may have a very good yield of survey respondents, because more people will be at home. But work is not my life. Why insist that a full day of surveying be done on Sunday? Does half a day make that much of a difference? What is the real value we're getting from this half a day, and are there more important things we have lost in this half a day? Are results really everything?
Just finished watching Flywheel, a movie about a dishonest used-car seller who experienced a change in His life when He came to Christ. He was struggling to make ends meet, owe the bank a lot of money, and was about to be forced to sell his business to pay the bank. But God blessed him when he came to Him, and on the day the bank was supposed to come for his business, he sold 32 cars in 8 hours, a miracle by his measure. There's a lot more to the movie. Go watch it yourself.
I should trust God to make a way. *nods*
Sunday, January 3, 2010
A Beautiful Picture
I saw a beautiful picture during service in church today.
My pastor's 5 year-old son sitting beside him. He does not sing with the congregation, but plays quietly with his water-bottle, with a contented smile on his face.
A new youth sitting amongst the youths.
A family of 3 generations worshipping together, singing praises to God.
成长不单在于人际关系、知识或事奉的多寡；关键在于是否在基督里面与上帝有亲密的关系。
Sometimes when I have too many things on my mind, I get rather flustered. :S
My pastor's 5 year-old son sitting beside him. He does not sing with the congregation, but plays quietly with his water-bottle, with a contented smile on his face.
A new youth sitting amongst the youths.
A family of 3 generations worshipping together, singing praises to God.
成长不单在于人际关系、知识或事奉的多寡；关键在于是否在基督里面与上帝有亲密的关系。
Sometimes when I have too many things on my mind, I get rather flustered. :S
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Review of 2009
Now that the CMPS report is complete, I have a little time to look back at what happened in my life in 2009. The list of significant events is as follows:
January
1. Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella (featuring Lea Salonga)
February
1. Formation of Jubilate and assisting in conducting this youth choir, whom I have grown to love and have the blessing of watching them grow together, musically and spiritually
2. Formation of Caleb and having the privilege of leading this cell group, with whom I have the blessing of growing, learning, laughing and going through ups-and-downs together
3. The Screwtape Letters (Theatre)
March
1. My 21st Birthday Party (This has gotta be the highlight of the year. Still very touched to this day)
2. Baptist Youth Choral Festival
3. Chinese High 90th Anniversary Dinner
4. 2nd M.B.B.S Part I (Thank God I made it through)
5. Defending the Caveman
April
1. 3-day trip to Hong Kong to get my I/C, visit relatives and eat
2. RZIM Faith Weekend at Malacca: Being in the World and not Of the World
3. CATS!
4. Clinical Skills Foundation Course @ NUH
May
1. Much Ado About Nothing @ Fort Canning Park
2. Sundown Marathon (My first marathon, though I walked nearly half of it)
June
1. Vietnam Trip (with the many exciting and memorable experiences. I shall return to Halong Bay one day!)
2. Commencement of weekly Precept bible study on Genesis (weekly for 7 weeks)
3. Medicine Posting @ SGH (Thank God I made it through. Thank God for a great CG and tutors)
July
1. Commencement of Every Young Man's Battle book study (weekly for a couple of weeks)
2. Missions Conference (Thank God for the opportunity to interpret and conduct)
3. Sing Dollar! The Musical Comedy About Money
August
1. Da Vinci Exhibition @ Science Centre
2. Army Half Marathon
3. Straits Times 7.59 Series
4. Mayday Concert!
September
1. Surgery Posting @ TTSH (Thank God I made it through, despite screwing up my EOPT case. Thank God for great tutors. An unforgettable first night call.)
2. HOS Choral Music Camp (Thank God for the opportunity to conduct. It was a nerve-wrecking but immense learning experience.)
October
1. Emceeing for the first time for a wedding (A good learning experience.)
2. First meeting with Christian Acapella group
3. Performance at Hour of Inspiration at AH (Never try to sing We Are the World in the morning)
4. Nike Human Race!
5. Family Medicine Posting @ a Harbourfront clinic, shipyard and Woodlands Polyclinic (Thank God for my new, current CG. Lots of laughter and nonsense with them around)
November:
1. 林以诺牧师 培灵会 (Thank God for the opportunity of leading Cantonese worship in front of a congregation of 800+ for the first time. The whole experience had taught me how to deal with unforeseen limitations and circumstances.)
2. 2nd World-In-Singapore Concert
3. Psychological Medicine Posting @ SGH (Thank God for nice tutors. It had been an eye-opening experience.)
December:
1. Standard Chartered Half-Marathon
2. Messiah Concert (Probably a once(hopefully twice)-in-a-lifetime experience. It's not only the months of rehearsals or standing on stage for 3 hours with only a 15 minute interval, but experiencing God through the music)
3. Broadway Beng - Jiak Liu Lian!
4. Lea Salonga
5. W!ld Rice: Beauty and the Beast
6. Happy Songs for a Great Recession by Budak Pantai
7. Caleb Retreat
8. Carolling with Hwa Chong Voices @ Fullerton
9. Carolling with Jubilate
10. Christmas Service programme
11. EPH Posting: CHP (Too early to give comments yet :p)
On the background of:
1. Sing Voices (weekly)
2. Jubilate (weekly)
3. Caleb (weekly)
4. VCF (weekly)
5. Worship rehearsals (once to twice monthly)
6. Combined Messiah Rehearsals (twice monthly)
7. Tuition with 6 lovely kids (once to twice weekly each - There were a couple whom I did not follow throughout the whole year, but on and off. It feels that the time and effort I spend on them is insignificant compare to the joy, humour and laughter some of them bring me)
8. Screwtape Letters book study (weekly - currently on hiatus. To resume this year?)
9. CAs (erm. many?), EOPTs (4) and Case write-ups (11 - 2 Med, 2 Surg, 4 Fam, 2 Psy, CMPS)
Looking back, it doesn't seem like such a busy/hectic year. Or does it? Many of my classmates or friends out there probably have equally, if not more, busy schedules than I do. But one thing is certain:
None of this would have been possible without the grace and mercy of the Lord my God, who sustains me and gives me strength to live everyday.
"If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness." ~ 2 Cor 11:30
-----------------------------------------------------------------
On a side note, movies I watched this year:
1. Red Cliff
2. Bride Wars
3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
4. Valkyrie
5. Slumdog Millionaire
6. He's Just Not That Into You
7. Marley and Me
8. Angels and Demons
9. Night at the Museum 2
10. X-men Origins: Wolverine
11. Knowing (Is this the Nicholas Cage one?)
12. Ice Age 3
13. 500 Days of Summer
14. The Ugly Truth
15. Whatever Works
16. Year One
17. The Blue Mansion
18. My Sister's Keeper
19. Michael Jackson: This Is It!
20. Love Happens
21. Mulan
22. Sherlock Holmes
23. Avatar
**Addendum: Forgot to add -
24) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Princd
25) My Girlfriend's an Agent
26) Accident
This works out to an average of 1 movie every 2 weeks. Not that many right? A quarter to a third of them are probably free tickets anyway. Heh.
January
1. Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella (featuring Lea Salonga)
February
1. Formation of Jubilate and assisting in conducting this youth choir, whom I have grown to love and have the blessing of watching them grow together, musically and spiritually
2. Formation of Caleb and having the privilege of leading this cell group, with whom I have the blessing of growing, learning, laughing and going through ups-and-downs together
3. The Screwtape Letters (Theatre)
March
1. My 21st Birthday Party (This has gotta be the highlight of the year. Still very touched to this day)
2. Baptist Youth Choral Festival
3. Chinese High 90th Anniversary Dinner
4. 2nd M.B.B.S Part I (Thank God I made it through)
5. Defending the Caveman
April
1. 3-day trip to Hong Kong to get my I/C, visit relatives and eat
2. RZIM Faith Weekend at Malacca: Being in the World and not Of the World
3. CATS!
4. Clinical Skills Foundation Course @ NUH
May
1. Much Ado About Nothing @ Fort Canning Park
2. Sundown Marathon (My first marathon, though I walked nearly half of it)
June
1. Vietnam Trip (with the many exciting and memorable experiences. I shall return to Halong Bay one day!)
2. Commencement of weekly Precept bible study on Genesis (weekly for 7 weeks)
3. Medicine Posting @ SGH (Thank God I made it through. Thank God for a great CG and tutors)
July
1. Commencement of Every Young Man's Battle book study (weekly for a couple of weeks)
2. Missions Conference (Thank God for the opportunity to interpret and conduct)
3. Sing Dollar! The Musical Comedy About Money
August
1. Da Vinci Exhibition @ Science Centre
2. Army Half Marathon
3. Straits Times 7.59 Series
4. Mayday Concert!
September
1. Surgery Posting @ TTSH (Thank God I made it through, despite screwing up my EOPT case. Thank God for great tutors. An unforgettable first night call.)
2. HOS Choral Music Camp (Thank God for the opportunity to conduct. It was a nerve-wrecking but immense learning experience.)
October
1. Emceeing for the first time for a wedding (A good learning experience.)
2. First meeting with Christian Acapella group
3. Performance at Hour of Inspiration at AH (Never try to sing We Are the World in the morning)
4. Nike Human Race!
5. Family Medicine Posting @ a Harbourfront clinic, shipyard and Woodlands Polyclinic (Thank God for my new, current CG. Lots of laughter and nonsense with them around)
November:
1. 林以诺牧师 培灵会 (Thank God for the opportunity of leading Cantonese worship in front of a congregation of 800+ for the first time. The whole experience had taught me how to deal with unforeseen limitations and circumstances.)
2. 2nd World-In-Singapore Concert
3. Psychological Medicine Posting @ SGH (Thank God for nice tutors. It had been an eye-opening experience.)
December:
1. Standard Chartered Half-Marathon
2. Messiah Concert (Probably a once(hopefully twice)-in-a-lifetime experience. It's not only the months of rehearsals or standing on stage for 3 hours with only a 15 minute interval, but experiencing God through the music)
3. Broadway Beng - Jiak Liu Lian!
4. Lea Salonga
5. W!ld Rice: Beauty and the Beast
6. Happy Songs for a Great Recession by Budak Pantai
7. Caleb Retreat
8. Carolling with Hwa Chong Voices @ Fullerton
9. Carolling with Jubilate
10. Christmas Service programme
11. EPH Posting: CHP (Too early to give comments yet :p)
On the background of:
1. Sing Voices (weekly)
2. Jubilate (weekly)
3. Caleb (weekly)
4. VCF (weekly)
5. Worship rehearsals (once to twice monthly)
6. Combined Messiah Rehearsals (twice monthly)
7. Tuition with 6 lovely kids (once to twice weekly each - There were a couple whom I did not follow throughout the whole year, but on and off. It feels that the time and effort I spend on them is insignificant compare to the joy, humour and laughter some of them bring me)
8. Screwtape Letters book study (weekly - currently on hiatus. To resume this year?)
9. CAs (erm. many?), EOPTs (4) and Case write-ups (11 - 2 Med, 2 Surg, 4 Fam, 2 Psy, CMPS)
Looking back, it doesn't seem like such a busy/hectic year. Or does it? Many of my classmates or friends out there probably have equally, if not more, busy schedules than I do. But one thing is certain:
None of this would have been possible without the grace and mercy of the Lord my God, who sustains me and gives me strength to live everyday.
"If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness." ~ 2 Cor 11:30
-----------------------------------------------------------------
On a side note, movies I watched this year:
1. Red Cliff
2. Bride Wars
3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
4. Valkyrie
5. Slumdog Millionaire
6. He's Just Not That Into You
7. Marley and Me
8. Angels and Demons
9. Night at the Museum 2
10. X-men Origins: Wolverine
11. Knowing (Is this the Nicholas Cage one?)
12. Ice Age 3
13. 500 Days of Summer
14. The Ugly Truth
15. Whatever Works
16. Year One
17. The Blue Mansion
18. My Sister's Keeper
19. Michael Jackson: This Is It!
20. Love Happens
21. Mulan
22. Sherlock Holmes
23. Avatar
**Addendum: Forgot to add -
24) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Princd
25) My Girlfriend's an Agent
26) Accident
This works out to an average of 1 movie every 2 weeks. Not that many right? A quarter to a third of them are probably free tickets anyway. Heh.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Farewell 2009
I have been intending to review 2009 for myself for some time. But as it would have it, I haven't been reaching home earlier than 12 midnight for 3 of the past 5 days; and of the days I did, there was too much work to be done or I was just simply too tired. And now, with the CMPS report, I guess that'd have to wait till after Monday, when hopefully I'd get a bit of a breather.
Daily for the past week, there would be 2 pages reviewing a particular aspect in the past decade. I'm wondering whether I should make such an attempt to. A decade ago, I was 11, in primary 5. Certainly, many many things have changed since then. Many experiences, and I'm inclined to think there're many more good than bad ones. God has been extremely gracious and good. I always thought that if I were to sit down and count God's blessings within a year, it would already take forever, if I even remember all of them; what more a decade, or a lifetime? (:
At this point of time, I would just like to express my deepest appreciation and thanks to all those who have given me lifts home for the past year. With the start of clinicals, many of my friends and classmates have started to drive. I'm always very thankful and touched when many of them offer to give me a lift all the way to my doorstep even when it's already past midnight, or to somewhere I need to go. It really demonstrates the love that they have for me and my other friends. It's not as if all of us live within close proximity of one another. Twice in the past 4 days, 2 of my choir friends have ferried 4-5 people who lived in different parts of Singapore. And it's not even on their way home. By the time they reached home, it would already be past 1am. Yet they do so willingly. Thank you so much. (: If I ever get a car, (after I get my license, hopefully next year), I would reciprocate this love I have been shown. You can hold me to my word.
Going for watchnight service and countdown in a while. For the first time in many years, I have not made a concrete decision whether to go out for supper after countdown, or even stayover at someone's place. For the past few years, I would have more than made up my mind days in advance that I'm only going to reach home in the late morning of 1st January. Is it age catching up with me? The desire just to have some time on my own at home? Not wanting to have to hang out with a large group of people? Is it to accompany my mum, who had spent many of the past new-years on her way home alone because my sister and I would be out with friends? Or just the thirst for a good night's sleep of more than 6 hours in the comfort of my own bed? I don't really know, it could probably be many or all of the above. But certainly, there is an element of fatigue setting in. Can't wait to finish my CMPS report (which is due Monday), it seems to be the only thing on my mind nowadays (besides CHP), since tomorrow would already be Friday.
To end off, would just like to quote Dr. Ang Peng Tiam, who wrote the following words in his column in the Straits Times supplement, Mind Your Body:
"Everyman wants to take control of his life. But the truth is, you are not in control. I , as your doctor, am not in control either. Someone else is in control - a higher being."
This patient [with recurrent breast cancer] is still very much alive today - a living miracle, full of vitality and purpose in life.
My silent prayer is that, by God's grace, the miracle will repeat itself. As we approach the new year, we are reminded that there is hope even in despair, light in darkness, and, as a doctor, even though I have no control over my patients' destiny, I can be a vessel of peace.
Daily for the past week, there would be 2 pages reviewing a particular aspect in the past decade. I'm wondering whether I should make such an attempt to. A decade ago, I was 11, in primary 5. Certainly, many many things have changed since then. Many experiences, and I'm inclined to think there're many more good than bad ones. God has been extremely gracious and good. I always thought that if I were to sit down and count God's blessings within a year, it would already take forever, if I even remember all of them; what more a decade, or a lifetime? (:
At this point of time, I would just like to express my deepest appreciation and thanks to all those who have given me lifts home for the past year. With the start of clinicals, many of my friends and classmates have started to drive. I'm always very thankful and touched when many of them offer to give me a lift all the way to my doorstep even when it's already past midnight, or to somewhere I need to go. It really demonstrates the love that they have for me and my other friends. It's not as if all of us live within close proximity of one another. Twice in the past 4 days, 2 of my choir friends have ferried 4-5 people who lived in different parts of Singapore. And it's not even on their way home. By the time they reached home, it would already be past 1am. Yet they do so willingly. Thank you so much. (: If I ever get a car, (after I get my license, hopefully next year), I would reciprocate this love I have been shown. You can hold me to my word.
Going for watchnight service and countdown in a while. For the first time in many years, I have not made a concrete decision whether to go out for supper after countdown, or even stayover at someone's place. For the past few years, I would have more than made up my mind days in advance that I'm only going to reach home in the late morning of 1st January. Is it age catching up with me? The desire just to have some time on my own at home? Not wanting to have to hang out with a large group of people? Is it to accompany my mum, who had spent many of the past new-years on her way home alone because my sister and I would be out with friends? Or just the thirst for a good night's sleep of more than 6 hours in the comfort of my own bed? I don't really know, it could probably be many or all of the above. But certainly, there is an element of fatigue setting in. Can't wait to finish my CMPS report (which is due Monday), it seems to be the only thing on my mind nowadays (besides CHP), since tomorrow would already be Friday.
To end off, would just like to quote Dr. Ang Peng Tiam, who wrote the following words in his column in the Straits Times supplement, Mind Your Body:
"Everyman wants to take control of his life. But the truth is, you are not in control. I , as your doctor, am not in control either. Someone else is in control - a higher being."
This patient [with recurrent breast cancer] is still very much alive today - a living miracle, full of vitality and purpose in life.
My silent prayer is that, by God's grace, the miracle will repeat itself. As we approach the new year, we are reminded that there is hope even in despair, light in darkness, and, as a doctor, even though I have no control over my patients' destiny, I can be a vessel of peace.
For One More Day
You may not believe it anyhow.
But ask yourself this: Have you ever lost someone you love and wanted one more conversation, one more chance to make up for the time when you thought they would be here forever? If so, then you know you can go your whole life collecting days, and none will outweigh the one you wish you had back.
What if you got it back?
Another one of Mitch Albom's books. Don't really have much to say about it, having read Five People You Meet in Heaven and Tuesdays with Morrie not too long ago. Personally there wasn't anything fresh within the book which appealed to me. Hopefully, Have a Little Faith would have something new to offer.
But ask yourself this: Have you ever lost someone you love and wanted one more conversation, one more chance to make up for the time when you thought they would be here forever? If so, then you know you can go your whole life collecting days, and none will outweigh the one you wish you had back.
What if you got it back?
Another one of Mitch Albom's books. Don't really have much to say about it, having read Five People You Meet in Heaven and Tuesdays with Morrie not too long ago. Personally there wasn't anything fresh within the book which appealed to me. Hopefully, Have a Little Faith would have something new to offer.
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