Wednesday, February 13, 2008
3 things I want to share with people who read my blog.Or rather 3 observations today which set me thinking.
1) A conversation with a 72-year-old lady in a coffeeshop this afternoon during lunch.
It all came about when the lady (I won't call her an old lady. She looks 60!) called me over to her table, and told me that I could sit with her at her table. First thing I thought of was, "My! She's friendly! How many young people will do this?" I had this thought because I knew that young people today are skeptical (or rather I am! That's why this issue struck a chord within me!); they wouldnt ask a stranger over that easily, without any ulterior motives!
And our conversation began. We were talking about our life stories, the food in Toa Payoh, and the high living costs in Singapore. It was an interesting conversation, in Mandarin and Hokkien. I like the way the old lady told me "You must work hard!" in Mandarin, when I told her I was a university student. I like the way she told me how getting a job now is only easy when you have a cert, I like the way she talked about her grandchildren, and how they were all university graduates, but late parents. I simply love the way she talked so easily, albeit with a stranger, about her life stories, about where she lived, about why couples 50 years ago never quarrel, about her children's long working hours, about divorces in today's day and age. She simply summed life up so nicely altogether for me.
To her, life in her time was simple. Couples never quarrel, because they know the virtue of giving way.
To her, couples today quarrel and end up in divorces because they experience high levels of stress in the workplace, and hence go home with a bad temper and thus treat their spouses as their punching bags.
To her, life today is not simple.
To me, life is not simple too, I agree.
Life has too many complications, too many things for you to do, too many worries.
Auntie simply summarised everything I have been thinking of in a small little conversation.
That brings me to my second sighting today.
2) Seeing an old lady having difficulties eating her lunch, yet hesitating on whether to approach her to give aid.
Sometimes I just feel so pathetic. And apathetic. As if I didnt care, when actually I did.
I was looking at her, eating so helplessly. One voice in me tells me to go up and offer help. Yet another voice kept holding me back, telling me that I didnt even know how to help her.
And there I sat, for a good 15 minutes, simply looking at her struggling with her lunch.
I feel so.. useless.
On one hand, I sat there thinking.. if I were her, I would love to have someone offer me help.
I thought of how I could make her day.
I thought of how I could make her life so much easier.
I thought of how happy she would feel.
But the sad thing is..
those were simply MY THOUGHTS.
Not my actions..
Utterly disappointed with myself.
I thought of someone beside me who used to give help to others without any qualms. I thought of how sincere she was in offering help. I thought of her smile, and her loud voice. And that sincerity. She is Yinwei.
I always thought she had the biggest heart amongst my friends.
In fact, I yearn to be like her.
I yearn to help others, I yearn to live. Not simply for myself but for others as well.
Once again it brings me to my 3rd thought.
3) After all that thinking, I chanced upon an old lady who seems to be walking very slowly, but she seemed like she was waiting for someone else, with another old lady.
My initial thought was to go up and help her, after all that reflections I had previously. Yet at the same time, I found myself apprehensive again, thinking too much again.
Well before I go on about all the same stuff again, probably I have a question to ponder about, and let the people around me think about too.
a) Do you live for yourself? Or do you live for others?
For me, at this point of time, I feel regretful. I felt that I was simply just a selfish pig, I was simply living for myself, and everytime revolving around me was simply ME, ME and ME.
I hate how things are going.
I hate how I try so hard to solve my minute meaningless perceived problems, that I neglect everything around me, that I forget that the world is actually revolving around me, and I can make that difference with that small little gesture, just by simply reaching out that helping hand.
I want to live for others- I like that satisfaction it gives me. And seeing that smile on their faces- priceless.
I hope all these have struck a chord in you.
Live for the world around you today. embedded in between at 2:52 PM
