The Kindness of Fellow Singaporeans

I have always believed that our friends in Singapore are kind, I really do. Otherwise, I wouldn't have started Project Act of Random Kindness - PARK a couple of years ago. I grew up being inspired by many acts of kindness, stories of people all the way out to help others, fund raising charity shows, help for neighboring countries after they are hit by natural disasters and many more. Deep down, I know many Singaporeans are always willing to lend a helping hand, whenever they can.

With increasing connectivity provided by the Internet and popularity of social media, we start to see a lot of sharing of information; people share a lot of negative stuff on the Internet, like how people refuse to give up seats to someone more needy, how "ugly" Singaporeans can be....etc. With all these negative influence, we start to lose faith in fellow Singaporeans and forget the good that is present inside all of us. We start to criticize and condemn our own people and go along with naysayers to create more negative energy. This, in my humble opinion, is all so wrong.

My projects (P.A.R.K. & P2P) are not to create something totally new or influence anyone to be a completely different person. It's about bringing the best out of people, something that is already in them but somehow hinder and discouraged by the negativity that is surrounding them. It's about creating the culture that can help build a better society for us and our future generations, it's about providing opportunities to those who always wanted to do good but are clueless how to go about doing it, it's a beautiful showcase of what we can do and a gentle reminder of who we really are.

As much as I hope to inspire more people, I am inspired by the wonderful people I have met in this journey. As much as I hope my friends find meaning and live life to fullest, I have found a lot of meaning in what I do.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you very much for the inspiration smile emoticon

The below social experiment is a perfect illustration of what Singaporeans are made up of, watch and be inspired smile emoticon

Wishing all a happy and enjoyable weekend ahead !

Nothing is Impossible to a Willing Heart

I find this story very inspiring when I watched on TV last night. Two handicapped friends, one blind, one without arms, embarked on a tree planting mission and planted over 12,000 trees over the last 13 years. Their work help to improve air quality of a heavily polluted province and also aid in flood control. It was an uphill task not just because of their physical disability but also the land was not optimal for planting. They had limited funding and fellow villagers were cynical about their project. However, they perserved and gained more support as the area became greener. They have a dream to leave a stretch of green to the future generation.

This story inspires me in a few ways:

1. Realizing a dream (or a business) sometimes is not easy, the starting phase is usually the most difficult phase, support is lacking but self doubts in abundance. If you truly believe in your idea, you must persevere and make it work!

2. If two people with disabilities can work together and complement each other's strength to complete a difficult task, what is anything that the able-bodied youth today can't achieve? Can they work together to achieve a bigger goal? (Come on, young men & women, the world is your oyster!)

3. What more can we do for our society and our world? We always hear feedback about Singapore being an urban jungle, temperature are rising, too much vehicles on the road polluting the air....etc. However, what are the green initiatives that we can start or any existing campaigns we can support? We may not be able to solve the country's environmental problems or reverse global climate change but at least within our small circle, we can do something to make things better (even if it is only slightly better). You never know how your idea can inspire others and in today's world where everyone is connected via the Internet, one good idea can really change the world.

I leave you with a quote from this article:

"This empty riverbank was only dry sand and pebbles. It was deserted for many years. For normal people, it was impossible to plant trees there," Wenqi said. "But as the saying goes: Nothing is impossible to a willing heart."

http://www.firstpost.com/world/one-is-blind-and-one-doesnt-have-arms-but-together-they-planted-12000-trees-in-china-2222566.html

Choosing Not To Be Angry

I was supposed to meet a buyer this evening but I waited almost an hour but she did not turned up. I tried calling her a few times but her phone was engaged. She did mention that her phone could not receive calls so we agreed to meet at a specific location at a specific time, just like the good old days where there was no mobile phone. I knew there was a risk of her not turning up but I trust that she would honour her words.

I arrived 10 mins earlier for our appointment as I thought she might be early too. I waited and waited, every time I felt like leaving, I told myself to wait for another 5 mins, as she might be held up by some urgent matters. As I near the hour mark, I was convinced she was not coming. I could sense that my disappointment was slowly turning into anger as I started to have thoughts of wanting to give her a piece of my mind by sending her an angry message for her no-show.

Then, I asked myself this, how does getting angry and blasting her upside down benefit me? It could not compensate the time lost, it could not get the deal done, it would only serve to generate more negative emotions that would affect me emotionally and physically. So, I decided not to get angry and instead focus on how to solve my problem. The solution revolves around how to sell my product, not how to get even with the buyer. I know it is my choice not to go down the path of anger and destruction, because it is counterproductive and only creates more suffering for everyone.

On a happier note, a youth approached me as I was leaving to request for a wireless hotspot as he couldn't find his buyer too and needed Internet access to message that person. I get to give an act of kindness despite just going through an unpleasant experience.

So, the next time anger hits you, remember this, you always have a choice not to react to it :)

Donate Your Preloved Piano for A Good Cause

Dear Friends,

If you have a working piano that you are not using anymore, pls consider donating to our dear friend, Jean, for her community project to refurbish and donate them to needy schools and Children Homes.

The aim of this project is to empower the underprivileged children through music and in turn realize their music dreams. Piano moving services will be provided to collect from your place. If you have a piano to donate away, pls contact myself or Jean.

Thank you very much for your kindness.

Looking for Volunteer Tutors to Coach Underprivileged Primary School Student at Lengkok Bahru, 2 hours/ week

Dear Friends,

I am helping our dear friend, Ms Tay, look for volunteer tutors to teach primary school students from low-income families at Lengkok Bahru. You can choose any subject (English, Maths, Science, Mother Tongue) that you are comfortable in, as there are a pool of students waiting to match to what you can teach.

If you would like to reach out to these children from underprivileged background and can spare 2hrs per week (weekday/ weekend) to coach them on their weaker subjects, pls let myself or Ms Tay know of your kind interest. Your act of kindness today can go a long way in helping these students catch up on their studies and in time to come help their families break out of the poverty cycle by having a good education.

Thank you very much for your kindness and wishing all a great & happy week ahead smile emoticon

Where to Donate Your Preloved Crutches & Unused Medical Supplies

This took me awhile to find out as I have asked around friends, Community Hospitals, Old Folks Homes but they replied that they do not need a preloved pair of crutches. With some inspiration from the Internet, I managed to touch base with Singapore Red Cross and they are more than happy to receive the preloved crutches, together with other unused medical supplies like bandage, alcohol wipes and plasters.

Here is their reply:

"Hi Jason,

Thank you so much for your kind donation of the crutches. It will definitely be of use to us in serving humanity.

Would you happen to have supplies such as bandages (roller/triangular), alcohol wipes or plasters?

We are truly grateful for your kind contributions to our society.

Thank you once again.

Warm Regards,
Siti Humaira Sumri (Ms)
Executive
Singapore Red Cross Academy
Singapore Red Cross | 15 Penang Lane Red Cross House Singapore 238486
Tel: 65 6664 0500 (Main) l 65 6664 0513 (Direct) | Fax: 65 6336 0776"

Moving on to the next item on my list, massage chair, anyone knows where to donate, to benefit the less privileged?