Gratitude

When I think of why I am doing what I am doing, gratitude always comes to mind. The people who helped me when I needed them most, the acts of kindness they have done for me, will always remain in my memory for years to come.

When I started my National Service, being the homely boy I was, coupled with a drastic change of environment, I had quite depressive thoughts in the first week of training. My platoon instructor, who had the unfriendliest of look, actually took time to counsel me when I told him that I was not settling well. He made me realize that my problem was not as huge as I imagined and that I was not alone in dealing with them. I had the support of the people around me to cope with the transition.

When I couldn't sleep at night because it was either too many mosquitoes flying around or too hot with the mosquito net casted over my bed, I asked my buddy if I could swap bed with him as his bed was directly under the fan. I never expected him to agree but he did and I am truly grateful to him because insomnia is such a pain, especially when sleeping hours were so precious those days.

When I was struggling with studies in the first semester of my engineering course during my Uni days and feeling so stressed up, my friend became my knight in shiny amour to offer me free coaching on my weaker modules, at the expense of his own free time. I was able to catch up eventually and help other course mates who are weak in their studies.

So, why do we give kindness? We give kindness because we know what it is like to receive kindness. We give kindness because we have been touched by the kindness of others. We also hope that our loved ones (children, parents, friends) can also be on the receiving end of other's kindness and that they can receive help when they need most. This is possible if all of us can develop the kindness culture within our society. The people you help today will go on to help others and who knows, that person may be your loved one or it could also be you.

Thank you for believing in kindness & here's wishing everyone a happy & enjoyable weekend ahead smile emoticon

"Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you." ~ Princess Diana