Create Magic With Me

Do you believe in Magic? I do. But not the Harry Potter or David Copperfield kind of magic. I believe in the magic of human kindness.
Magic is about making a seemingly impossible task possible, magic is about wow-ing everyone watching and magic creates hope. Now, I am going to invite all of you to be real life magicians by doing all of the above.
The Magical Project:
Fundraising for Lee Ah Mooi Old Age Home (LAMH).
Background:
LAMH is expanding it's nursing home care to it's 2nd home in Silat Avenue. The home needs $2.6M funds to renovate wards, install lifts to aid residents' mobility, build a garden and create a conducive environment where pioneers can age with dignity and respect.
Why Help Lee Ah Mooi?
Lee Ah Mooi Old Aged Home is a family run nursing home that does not receive any subsidies from the government and unlike other profit-driven nursing home, LAMH's mission is to provide quality nursing care at affordable price. Over the years, they have relied on generous public donations to keep the operations going and absorb increasing operating costs without compromising the quality of nursing care or increasing fees for the residents.
The Home epitomises the true spirit of giving, as cemented through the legacy of the late Mdm Lee Ah Mooi, who started bringing abandoned Samsui women and Ma Jies to her home to care for them. They are also very welcoming of volunteers to host charity events at the Home.
How can we help?
The current crowdsourcing campaign stands at $19k, which is less than 1% of the intended target. Let's give within our means to help them get momentum going for this project. If you can only spare $1 or $2, it is also good enough because a million of us donating $1 is one million dollars.
Link for donation:
bit.ly/SupportSilat
If you can't donate due to tight finance, then help to create more awareness for this project by sharing this post. You may just share it with someone who wants to donate so never underestimate the power of share, especially in today's increasingly connected world.
If you don't wish to share on your wall, you can leave a comment or #supportlamh because every comment you leave is seen as an engagement by Facebook, which will bump this post up in the group and has more chance to appear on our member's wall.
Everyone can help play a part in supporting this project in the simplest of ways. I assure you that the magic will appear when the donation figures started increasing, achieved through our collective efforts in creating awareness.
We all will grow old someday and become reliant on other's help, isn't it nice that we give some kindness while we are blessed with good health? Isn't it wonderful that we can do something nice for someone who probably won't find out or has a chance to repay us? When the renovation works are completed, you and I will own a part of the Home.
Thank you for your love and kindness !
PS: As LAMH's kitchen will be closed for a year due to renovation, they need sponsors for meals and snacks like biscuit and milo for tea breaks. If anyone is willing to sponsor or know of sponsors, pls sound out! Home bakers are welcome too, cheers

Don't Let Fear and Worries Rob You off the Happy Moments you have Now

Let's say you just bought a pet goldfish, he is so adorable, respond to you when you are near. You love the goldfish so much and feel so happy that you are blessed to have this goldfish as your pet.
Then, a thought entered your mind, "What if I lose my goldfish one day?" So, everyday you spent a portion of your time worrying and let fears and insecurity fill you, dreading about the day when you will lose your goldfish.
The same principle applies in Life. We sometimes fill ourselves with so much unnecessary worries that rob us off precious time to seize the moment. Actually, there is no need to ask the "What if" questions because we will lose what we have someday. Everything has an expiry date, including ourselves.
Worrying may get you slightly mentally prepared but you cannot possibly cover all angles and it will not prevent things from happening anyway. If we live in the moment and live everyday the best we can, there is no need to fear the day we lose what is precious to us because we have make full use of every opportunity to cherish what we have.
When a negative thought fills your mind and makes you worry about losing what you have, don't waste time engaging the thought. Instead, shift the focus to making full use of whatever time / opportunity we have to create beautiful memories and to treasure what we are blessed with. Cheers.

My Blessed Childhood

One of my vivid "childhood memories" is visiting hospitals, GP, TCM, to treat the various ailments I had as a child. My parents were lowly paid blue collar workers and medical expenses aside, it is draining for them to keep seeing different doctors yet unable to find a cure. I considered myself blessed because I eventually outgrow them and they were neither major illnesses nor life threatening.
However, not all children are as blessed as most of us, in particular those suffering from cancer. All parents will want their child to grow up healthy and enjoy a memorable childhood but a major illness like cancer turns their world upside down. The parents, with their immediate loved ones, suffer together with the child who is sick.
We can do a little more to encourage them, by pledging our support to Children Cancer Foundation (CCF). CCF helps many Singaporean families whose children suffers from cancer to deal with the hefty medical bills as well as offer emotional support for the immediate family members.
I have done a small part in making the bald statement to raise awareness for childhood cancer, donations for CCF and to encourage children cancer patients that it is okay to be bald.
https://www.ccf.org.sg/giving/fundraisng_event.php?id=fundraising-for-children-with-cancer
As we shower love onto our own children, let's give a little bit love to the children who are suffering from this illness. I hope more of us can come together to do something for them and their families. The annual Hair for Hope is coming up in July, so please support your friends, especially the courageous ladies, who shave their heads for this event.
We help because we can, we help because we are more blessed, we help because we can build a more caring and gracious society with kindness. And eventually, we will all benefit from the seeds of kindness we sow today.

Give Yourself Many Reasons to Be Happy

You and I, we are so different. We have different outlook in life, different priorities, different goals and different dreams.
Yet, we are so the same. We yearn to be loved, we hope to receive encouragement when we are down, we seek to find meaning and purpose in life and lastly, we want to be happy.
I am just like everyone else, I have bills to settle, I face issues in life and I am not spared from experiencing anger, stress or any negative emotion, either self-inflicted or bestowed by someone.
But I try to live my life a little differently by constantly reminding myself of the many blessings that I have and this makes me happy. Every blessing that I count is a reason of happiness. For example, it can be as simple as having a good night rest on a comfortable clean bed and waking up feeling refreshed.
If Life can give me 10 reasons to be unhappy, then I give myself 100 reasons to be happy. When you can give yourself so many reasons to feel happy, I can assure you that your mind will treat your current issues as a passing raincloud. On the other hand, if you choose to focus on your issues only, you magnify them and make yourself feel miserable. Very soon, you will let your issues define who you are.
I share with you how I live my life as a reference, I am not expecting anyone to be me because we are all born differently. But amid the differences, all of us deserve to be loved and to be happy.

The Best Gift We Give to Our Loved Ones is Our Health

The best gift we can give to our loved ones, other than our time, is to take good care of our health. Because we are not the only ones suffering when we fall sick, our loved ones suffer together with us.
Taking care of our own health seems like an easy and straight forward thing to do, but it actually requires discipline and hard work.
Take for example, if you have time on the train to take a short rest, will you choose to surf the net or FB instead? When it is time to sleep at night, will you sacrifice your sleep to catch the addictive korean dramas? When it comes to eating, will you choose the soupy/ steamed dishes or will you choose the oily, flavourful and deep fried? When you are hungry, will you think that it is okay to delay your meal for an hour or two because work comes first? When stress and anger come, will you learn to let go or dwell on negative energy and make yourself feel worse?
I never believe in taking shortcuts to good health, we need to moderate ourselves in every aspect, physically and emotionally. Less of the negative stuff (fatigue, unhealthy food, sugar, negative emotions) and more of the positive stuff (exercise, rest, water, clean vege/fruits, positive vibes) and we will all do fine.
Our loved ones need us to be healthy so we can all care and love one another. Without you, everything will be so different, just like no matter how big and magnificient the jigsaw puzzle can be, missing one piece makes a world of difference.

An Act of Kindness Creates Positive Energy and Happiness

Saw an elderly Auntie at Mcdonalds asking around for someone to buy her a cup of green tea but was rejected a few times. She looked kind of embarrassed that no one was buying her a drink so I decided to approach her and do the honor. Though the green tea ($3.50) costs more than my fillet-O-fish burger ($2.50), the more important thing is that it made the Auntie happy. When you have the ability to make a person happy, you will be happy as well, especially when you see that the person is so thankful to you.
Maybe this action alone is not going to change the world, but at least it creates some positive energy, it creates happiness and when I share this experience, maybe it will inspire you to do likewise when you are in a similar situation. If everyone starts giving a little more love and kindness, it will definitely make our society a better place to live in.
We are all surrounded by so much negative energy, e.g. stress from studies, workload, financial burden, rising cost of living, news of gloomy economy...etc. All these negative energy inside us will not disappear by themselves, they transform to frustration and anger, and it only takes a spark to ignite a big outburst. We need kindness, we need to give kindness, because only then can we diffuse the negative energy and live happier lives.

Our Society Needs More Kindness & Tolerance

The recent video on an elderly being bullied by a young couple got many netizens angry. Some netizens condemn the actions and are keen to identify the couple to public shame them. This also led to some distress for a lady who was wrongly identified.
While public shaming seems the easiest way to achieve an agenda (get even, seek justice, send out warning), I hope we understand that we are using negativity against negativity, which is probably fuelled by another negative emotion called anger.
Somehow, I think this incident wouldn't have happened if there is more tolerance, understanding and kindness, i.e. more positive energy. If the seat is "choped" and taken, the young couple could have shared the table or at least gently tell the Uncle it is taken. Of course, it takes both hands to clap, Uncle could have shifted elsewhere if the table had no more seats left, when politely informed by the couple that the table is taken. When everyone can respect one another, there will be peace.
I hope we achieve some positive outcome out of this incident. Amid the stress and pressure we face daily, together with all other negative emotions like anger, frustration, let's try to be more tolerant, treat others how we want others to treat us and give a little more kindness. It makes our community better and makes us happier. Because in an incident like this where negative emotions were overflowing, no one (young couple, Uncle, Uncle daughter, netizens) wins.

Always See The Good In Every Situation

When a pregnant lady walks into the train, the lady at the reserved seat did not stand up to offer her seat but 2 gentlemen not on the reserved seats quickly offered theirs.
What is the picture that you paint in your mind? Will you condemn the lady or will you commend the gentlemen? If you understand the true meaning of kindness, you will know that giving is without obligation, it cannot be forced upon (lady on reserved seat) but given from the heart when nothing is expected of the giver (gentlemen who offered their seats).
Also, always see the good in every situation, rather than remember the bad. It will change your perspective of this world and that makes you happier too.

Doing My Part For Children with Cancer

"Mommy, why does everyone else has hair but I don't?"
This is one question that children with cancer could be asking their parents when they suffer from the side effects of chemo treatment. They may not understand why they are going through this difficult phase. Their self esteem could take a dip when they lose their hair, especially when they are teased by their classmates.

It has been almost a week since I shaved bald. Despite the assurance from the barber that I had a fantastic head shape, family members commenting that I actually look better in the new look, I still feel weird and somehow a little insecure walking around, esp. when meeting shocked colleagues and friends.
I think for children or anyone, men or women, suffering from cancer, the most morale crashing thing they fear is for people to look at them in different light and think they look weird or shun them thinking the illness is contagious. This is a double blow on top of the physical trauma (hair loss, appetite loss, the pain and suffering experienced during the treatment process).
We as fellow members of the community can do so much more for them. If we can encourage them by telling them it is okay to be bald, to show them they are not alone in this fight, and to provide that little financial support for the families in need, it will make their lives so much better. When we give them hope, we also give ourselves hope.
This is my humble fundraising project for children with cancer and their families: https://www.ccf.org.sg/giving/fundraisng_event.php?id=fundraising-for-children-with-cancer
I do whatever I can, whenever I can, within my means, and I feel blessed to be a giver rather than a receiver. This is not a quest to prove how much I can raise personally but a quest to prove that every one of us can help make a difference to shape a better world together.
When you know that your existence helped made someone's life better and when you know you have achieved things that money can't buy, you will realise that your life is a well lived one.
Thank you everyone for your support and kindness !

3 Things we can learn from babies.

1. Always curious, always learning.
Babies are always curious and always keen to explore the world around them, as a result they learn a lot within a short period of time. As we aged, our curiosity and desire to learn things slow down because we thought we knew a lot already. But the world we live in is big enough for everyone to keep learning and exploring, until the last day of life. Technology advancements (think google and youtube) mean that these information are more readily available as compared to 20 years ago. So, keep learning and keep improving.

2. Keep trying until you succeed.
What happens when babies first learn how to stand or walk? They fall, then they get up, then they fall again, then they get up and keep trying until they succeed. No babies ever thought that this is too tough and decided not to try anymore. As we grow older, the negative thoughts, self doubts we have inside us made us want to give up more easily and thus stop us from reaching our goals. Be like the baby, ignore the negative voices and keep trying until you succeed.
3. Love the people who love you, and ignore the rest.
If a baby loves you, they enjoy playing with you and they want to spend their time being with you. Babies don't waste their time on people they don't like, nor do they do harbour hate in their mind. As we matured, we start to get affected by the negative people, the negative events but these are things that do not matter, yet take our focus off those that matter. So, be like the baby, focus your time and energy on the people you love most and ignore those who are not deserving of your time.
The traits of a baby represent the purest form of human beings, there is no prejudices, discrimination, hate among the different races, religion, nationalities or skin tones. If we truly want the world to be a better place, it is time we "almighty" adults take a leaf out of a baby's book and start to bring out what we are truly made up of

Start the Day with Positive Thoughts

When you wake up every morning, what are your first thoughts?
If you wake up thinking, oh man, another working day, so tired, you dread about facing your boss, the workload, demanding clients and so on, chances are your day will be uninspiring and boring because you have given yourself many reasons to be unhappy and negative. And this happens when your day has barely started.
If you wake up feeling blessed that you are alive, you don't have major health issues to deal with, you are living in a safe country, you have all your basic needs fulfilled, there are variety of food options everywhere, the public transport system can get you almost anywhere, you have an income to support yourself and your loved ones, then you set the tone for a happy day ahead.

Even if things don't go your way and negative events are happening, e.g. stuck in traffic jam, more workload, you will still feel thankful that you have so much more that matters, beyond these ad hoc negative events. But if you start your day already feeling negative, any negative event happening is going to make you further demoralised or depressed.
So, pay attention to your thoughts as you start your day, because how you think determine how you live. How you live affects the people around, your loved ones, your friends or even strangers online. If you live your life in a very negative fashion, it rubs on to the people around you, more anger and hate will be generated in our world. So, let's all be more positive and spread more positive vibes around, shall we? It may not be the easiest thing to do but we can all try ya?

Counting Blessing in a Power Outage

We often don't realise how much we are blessed until the blessings are taken away from us. For instance, my block experienced a power outage just 2 nights ago. During that one hour plus of outage, we were basically doing nothing in darkness because the lights, fan, TV and whatever electrical appliance were all down. We had torchlight but it was not bright enough for us to carry on our normal activities. We had battery operated hand held fans but they were not strong enough to keep us cool.

It is in these times that we realise that we have taken for granted the many blessings that we have in our lives, simple things like having electricity to operate the household appliances, the lights, the fans, the aircon, the water heater, having clean drinking water off the tap, having gas for cooking...etc. Not everyone in this world gets these things readily like we do. Even within Singapore, there are poor families who had their electricity cut off because they couldn't afford them.
The more we realise how much blessings we have, the more thankful we are for having them, is the more contented and happy we will be. Stop being unhappy with what you don't have and instead shift the focus to the many blessings you already have.

Give when the Opportunity Comes

Was clearing my old stuff when I chanced upon a stack of uni notes. Back then, I loved doing mindmaps to understand the concepts better, and I am glad that I shared these mindmaps with anyone who found them useful during that time. Because if I held onto the mindset that sharing would let my peers gain an edge over me or made me acdemically weaker, and I missed the opportunity to help someone, then it is an opportunity gone forever. The syllabus has changed after so many years and the notes are pretty useless to me or anyone now.
Opportunity missed may be opportunity gone, what we can give today may be irrelevant tomorrow, so let us give whenever and wherever we can. Life is too short to look back on missed opportunities and the things we could have achieved when we are given a chance to do so.

Know Your Needs vs. Your Wants

Overheard the PA behind me asking one of my junior staff about his new bag. They then went on to talk about the price and the conversation goes something like this, "His (another junior staff) bag cost $200+ because it was made in Korea, mine cost $100+ and it was made in US."
I just bought a new bag too, I thought it is stylish, lightweight and fits my needs. Because it was brandless, it costs only $20. I have nothing against young working adult paying hundreds of dollars for a backpack but they must not later complain that life is tough, everything is so expensive and work is chaining them down because they can't survive without the income. There are options out there and they chose the one that is more high class which obviously comes at a higher price.

If we can all learn to manage our "wants" and focus on our "needs", life is not that bad afterall. We may eventually learn that we are more blessed than we thought.

Kindness Makes the World Better

This morning, I was very thankful that at my most desperate moment, I managed to find a toilet. It was at a place I didnt know a toilet exist, the petrol kiosk. The attendant was kind to direct me there. I was also thankful that the seat in the lone cubicle was clean because I really dread toilet seats covered with urine. I then realised the toilet roll ran out but luckily i have own pack of tissue. I left the remaining of my pack there, so the next patron will not get a shock when he realised there is no paper.

Life can hit you with unexpected events and nothing is more comforting when you can get help when you need them most. Always be kind when you can, you could just be another person's life savior at their most desperate moment.
Part 2:
Was lunching at a coffeeshop when an Uncle dropped by to sell tissue paper. Let me make a visual assessment: Uncle looks to be in his early 50s, not very old, no disabilities, don't look like needy so I didn't buy from him. He walked one round and got rejected by everyone else. That justified my assessment/ judgement on him, doesn't it?
However, something in me made me want to buy from him, to encourage him after all the rejections. I mean I dont have to give him $5 or $10, but surely I can pay him $1? Even if he is not a needy, he is still a businessman. So I waved for Uncle to come to my table. I gave him $1 and told him I only need 1 packet (instead of 3).
Uncle's reaction surprised me, he told me since I only need 1 pack, he can give me for free. Moments ago, I was judging him but now he was willing to give me a packet for free despite not earning / selling anything when making his rounds. I eventually insisted he sell me 1 pack for a dollar and he later gave another pack of pocket tissue to me and told me it was good (useful).
We built walls with people because we passed our judgement way before we even made an effort to understand them. Only kindness can help to tear down all these walls and made us bond closer as fellow members of the human race.

Compare With the Right Group if you wish to be Happy

If I ask you don't compare and you said you can't because it is human instinct, then I ask of you to compare with people who are worse off than you, if you really want to be happy.
It is simple logic actually, you compare with someone who is better than you in certain aspects, naturally you feel inadequate and unsatisfied. But if you compare with someone who is worse off, you will more blessed in many ways.
All our life, we are always comparing, consciously or subconsciously. As long as we have common ground, we have room to compare; we compare against our friends, our siblings, compare kids, compare spouse...etc. However, have we stopped to ask ourselves what is the true purpose of doing so? If it is to excel or gain happiness, by all means pls go ahead and compare. But if it creates unhappiness, jealously or anger, pls stop to evaluate again because the purpose is meaningless really.

Sometimes, you may be sucked into this cycle of comparison unknowingly because it was initiated by another person, but I believe you absolutely have the power to pull yourself out and re-evaluate what you are doing.
Don't spend all the time and energy doing things that are unconstructive and then later regret you could have spent your time more wisely or give them to the people who matter most.

Kindness is Looking Out for One Another

A group of pedestrain was walking across the road even when the lights were not in their favour, simply because there were no cars. Then, a car came and a lady quickly alert another lady who was nearest the car but busy on her phone. They do not know each other, yet it doesn't stop one lady from looking out for another.
I like that and I think we need that. Life can be tough, Life can be hard, but if we look out for one another, help one another, we can make things so much better for all of us. We don't need to keep competing with one another, fight one another, the world is big enough for all of us to co-exist together. The world has enough negative energy, if we continue to fight one another instead of help one another, we will only create more negative energy, which is neither meaningful nor helpful.

We all want to see a better world, yet it is in these little actions that we give on a consistent basis, that we bring about change, through our collective efforts.

The Story I did not Share

 The year 2014 was a fantastic year for me in terms of community service. My Project Act of Random Kindness - PARK initiative was picking up, I started this group, P2P, and together we helped many projects/ initiatives achieve their goals and reach out to those in need. I also had another group where we rally everyone to help water the drying plants everywhere in Singapore and we were all so happy when the rain finally came.
Just when life couldn't get better, I crossed path with the big 'C'. I was initially very confident of my health as I rarely fell sick and didn't want to go through a biopsy. The doctors told me that the chance of getting the illness is only 1%, considering my age and health profile. I did it anyway to get a peace of mind. The biopsy result turned out positive and I was diagnosed with the early stage of a rare and aggressive cancer. It was a period of denial followed by uncertainty and then fear, as I struggled to cope with the diagnosis. I was not the only one suffering, my family members suffered together with me. We were busy running around, seeking 2nd opinion, learning more about the illness and exploring the treatment options. Luckily, I was well covered by insurance then and only need to fork out 10% of the total treatment cost. Otherwise, the medical bills would be another burden for me.
From my own experience, I know that cancer can hit anyone and sometimes it is very unexpected. I was living a healthy lifestyle, I don't smoke or drink, I rarely fell sick and there was no family history in my entire family tree but somehow I still got it. When cancer happen to a young child, it is even more heartbreaking, because their lives have barely started. Their time should be spent on exploring the wonders of the world and not in battling this illness. It is a draining journey, waiting for test results is nerve-racking and sometimes complications kicks in during the treatment cycle. Even if results are negative, the risk and fear of relapse are always there.
I think we as fellow members of the community, can do our part to support the children suffering from cancer and their families. If I can forgo that just one meal at my favorite Japanese restaurant or miss just that one movie and use that amount to help save a life, I think it is money well spent. I hope we can all understand that we are not just donating money, we donating hope as well, to encourage these children and their families that they are not alone and many are in this battle with them.
This is my campaign to raise funds for CCF, to help the families of children cancer patients:
https://www.ccf.org.sg/giving/fundraisng_event.php?id=fundraising-for-children-with-cancer

I know I can count on all of you to make a difference. This is what makes our group great and this is what that makes every one of you special and wonderful.
Thank you for believing in kindness and thank you for spreading your love to those who need them the most. Let's build a better world for ourselves and many generation to come.

If You Want to Be Happy, Envy Yourself !

If you want to be happy, the person you should envy most is yourself. I am very sure that someone out there is going to envy you for something you have and they don't. It could be your cheerful personality, your quick wit or your kind nature. Find it and "envy" yourself for that.
We live in a world where there is so much comparison with everyone else, yet we conveniently forget that no one is perfect. I envy you, you envy him, he envy her and end up we are all unhappy. If everyone start looking at what they are blessed with, the enviable traits of being themselves, then that is when they start to find contentment and inner peace.

Be the person enviable and envy the person you are, because you are the one and only one in this world. You are unique, you are special and you are your own kind of beautiful, so love yourself because you deserve it !

The World Needs More Actions

This morning I realised something while taking the bus, that is if the hammer to break the glass is dislodged, it will give out a stinging alarm sound.
The hammer was dislodged somehow in the midst of my journey and the alarm sounded but no one did anything about it. Some people could be ignorant, some people could be waiting for the bus driver to do it, since it is "his bus and his job" right?
To keep waiting means we suffer together, until someone do something. So instead of questioning why others is not doing it, why don't I question why I am not the one to put the hammer back to stop the alarm? Of course, I can give reasons like I don't know how or I am sitting way at the back of the bus but I can try?

The world has too many questions, why this why that, yet too little actions being taken by the people who question.
Let me ask pose these questions too:
"If not me, then who?"
"If not now, then when?"
You and me, we can do so much more, and the world needs that. Start taking small actions today, we will make a difference together.

What is a Happy Day?

If you ask me a few years ago what is a happy day, I will describe a day where there is no work and I can do the activities I enjoy. These days usually only happen when I am on leave or on a vacation trip.
But if you ask me the same question today, I will describe a day where there is no need to go to the hospital, no medical review, no need to go under the knife, no need to anxiously wait for medical results, no need to rush to A&E in the middle of the night, a day where I am healthy and feeling good.

Doesn't that sound like the everyday we have? But we often don't realise how much we have until we lose them. Health, quality time with our loved ones, when we have them, it seems like an entitlement that we have for life. When we lose them, we start to have regrets and wish we have a second chance or given more time to appreciate what we have.
Life is about choices and you can't win all the time. When you decide to spend time on one area, you lose time on other areas. Know what is really important to you and channel your energy to the real treasures of your life and stop wasting time on the things you don't really need. Make everyday a happy one !

Counting Our Blessing On a Rainy Day

I thought I should share this sight to let everyone know what is a blessing.

It was raining quite heavily outside and 2 construction workers were donning thick yellow raincoat and continuing their work of drilling the floor. We are all blessed that we don't have to work under the heavy rain and that we are all dry and covered with warm clothing in this cold weather.

Be contented with what we are given, because what we have could be what is in the dreams of others. Count our blessings everyday, positive energy and happiness will come to us. Have a fantastic week ahead, everyone !

My Fundraising for Children with Cancer

Dear Friends,

As you tuck your child to bed, read a bedtime story and pat your child to sleep, as you reflect on a tiring day both at work and at home, you probably didn't realise that somewhere in Singapore, an exhausted parent could have spent countless sleeping nights caring for a sick child, she could be praying for successful surgery or a negative test result, she could be on the verge of despair due to all the emotional trauma of seeing her child suffer, coupled with a mounting medical bill.

Caring for a child is a tiring process, caring for a child who succumb to a prolonged illness like cancer is the fatigue multiplied many times. It is also an emotional roller-coaster for the parents, filled with fears, worries and anxiety, when they see their child go through the painful treatment process.

I hope to do more in my personal capacity for these families, which is why I am starting this fundraising campaign. In the past few years, I have campaigned for events, volunteers groups and individuals who are in need of urgent help and donation, but this will be the first ever fundraising project I am hosting.

My objectives for this fundraising project:

1. Raise funds for Children Cancer Foundation (CCF). I have good faith that CCF has helped many families deal with the heavy financial burden of medical treatment. Personally, I have seen CCF help Baby Aden (baby boy who was diagnosed with Leukaemia at just 3 months) subsidise a huge bulk of his treatment cost. Till date, CCF has helped Aden's family with almost $300,000 in surgery fees, chemotherapy and transplant cost. This is great testimonial that CCF is not willing to give up on any child despite the heavy cost.

2. Make a bald statement. Yes, I am going to shave bald to show moral support to cancer patient, especially young children, and to tell them that it is okay to be bald. It is a daunting thought to shave bald but I know I am blessed that I can shave voluntarily, rather than have hair dropped off due to the effect of treatment. I know I am no David Beckham, so I will definitely be conscious on how people look at me but this is nothing compared to what the cancer patients are going through. With your support, I will find the courage to pull this off.

3. To tell everyone that you can contribute to the betterment of this world in your own unique ways. If an ordinary person like myself can raise a humble amount of $100, imagine what a million of us can raise? yes, 100 Million dollars to charity! It may not be shaving for charity, it could be other things, something that you are good at, e.g. baking, crafts, running for charity.

4. Building the community spirit to help one another. I can shave, I can campaign but if there is no one supporting, then we achieve nothing at all. Your support towards this cause will help build our community spirit, something we need to help one another get through the toughest times, that will be our biggest safety net.

As I seek your support for this campaign, I ask of you to donate within your means. If your means is $1 or $2, I am equally grateful and appreciative for your support. Remember, if a million people donate $2 each, we would have $2 million. It does not matter how much you donate, what matters is we are in this together. Also, I have worked with CCF to create a fund raising page (see link below) so that all your donations go directly to CCF and not a single cent through me.

On behalf of CCF, the children suffering from cancer and their parents, I thank you for your selfless contribution and act of kindness. May Life bless you with good health, peace and happiness and may you continue to spread the love around. To the parents and children suffering from cancer, don't give up because everyone is right behind you, to fight this battle with you. Stay strong and keep going, good times are just round the corner.

My fundraising page (click "Donate to this event"):

https://www.ccf.org.sg/giving/fundraisng_event.php?id=fundraising-for-children-with-cancer

Life Has No Reset Button

There is no reset button in Life; all the bad experiences, the embarrassing moments, you wish you could rewind and make better decisions but you can't. This is unlike any computer game where you can die a hundred times and still go on to defeat the last king and win. In real life, you die only once!

Yet, the beauty of Life is also due to the very fact that there is no reset button to make everything perfect, because Life is not meant to be perfect. There is no perfect life where every decision you made is right, you don't make perfect friends who have no flaws, you don't meet nice, kind and trustworthy people all the time.

We go through ups and downs in Life, we made wrong decisions which we regret, we meet people who hurt us, we have days where everything is going against us. However, whether we like it or not, these experiences enrich our lives and make them better. Someday, we will be thankful for them because they made us stronger, made us wiser, let us see who our true friends are and make Life much more interesting and meaningful.

I always believe that everything in Life, good or bad, happens for a reason. It is up to us to make the best out of every situation so we continue to improve and progress as a human being. Don't let setback hinder you and don't let failures define you. It is not over until you decide so. Everyday is a new opportunity for redemption and to make things better. Make full use of it. Cheers

The Ups and Downs of Life

I have a friend who was doing quite well in his insurance biz just a couple of years ago. I remembered during our catch up, he drove a sports car to pick me up for lunch. Then he told me he had another sports car at home for his dad. He shared that his monthly expenses was more than 10k but it was alright, since he was earning much more anyway.

Recently, we chatted again and he told me that he was not doing too well, a few failed business venture made him lose a lot money. Unable to accept his business failures, he tried to use gambling to recoup his losses and ended losing more, totalling a million dollars of losses. He is still in debt as per our last convo.

Life may get you up to the highest point but it can also send your world crashing, just like my friend. Don't envy others when you see the glamorous side, what you didn't see could be the pain and sacrifice, or the turbulence they may have to go through thereafter. Find contentment in your life and count your blessings, because while you may not ride the hot air balloon to admire the scenery of the world, you could also be safe and sheltered from the punishing thunderstorm.

Amazing Things Happen When You Believe in It

Amazing things can happen, when you believe in it.

Almost 3.5 yrs ago, I started a cause to promote kindness. It wasn't the most popular thing to do actually, as compared topics relating to food, parenting, investment or buy/ sell. The hardest was to get people to buy-in your idea and to believe that what you are pursing is worth their attention and time, especially when we live so busy lifestyles and hardly had time for anything.

It was a one man mission right from the start; me writing the blog, creating the page then the group, all with a common aim of encouraging kindness. Initially, there was hardly any response, people I added to our group left and requested not to be added again. I went around asking the popular influencers/ bloggers for help to do some publicity for our project but none responded. It was the moment when the tennis ball was going to hit the ground, and also the lowest the project could go. Because the tennis ball bounced off higher and higher after that.

Soon, people start to see the value in this project, the cause and that all the sharing serve a certain purpose. You see, inside our hearts, you can always find love. It is a matter how deep we hide inside us, often wrapped by the harsh reality of life. When we can slowly peel off layers by layers, like an onion, the love will appear.

When we have more support, the members requested to join in, instead of involuntarily being added by me. Then, we started to make an impact, little by little, especially to cases that fell outside the government safety net. We have a few urgent cases seeking help and at times I found myself swept by tens and even hundreds of PMs, waiting for me to respond. It was stressful but at the same time rewarding to know that a single individual is able to carry so much responsibilities on his shoulder.

Fast forward to this day, we have more than 10,000 members in our group but I am no longer the face that runs the place. I have handed over the main duties of managing the group to my capable admins. I believe in empowering people to achieve their full potential more than building a legacy to my name. I am heartened to see our kindness community grow, to see leaders born and to witness hope growing. And yet, we can do so much more, not just from the few of us, but everyone. A million of us giving just $1 each, we would have assembled $1M.

My sharing is to encourage you that if you have a dream or a goal, be bold in pursuing it, because you never know how far you can go until you try. Sometimes, you may feel like you are reaching the rock bottom, but that could be turning point you need to bounce you off higher after that. Believe in your strength and potential, just like how I have believed in mine and everyone else's. Cheers

Appreciating the Gift of Sight

Why am I happy? I am happy because I can see. Without the gift of sight, this wonderful world will be less fascinating.

Imagine going to Paris but not seeing the Effiel Tower, going to Switzerland and not seeing the Alps, or going to Japan and not being able to see the Sakura blooming.

Imagine missing out on the great movies, the amazing sight of food, seeing your loved ones, reading and even surfing Facebook. We build our memories based on what we see throughout our lives.
While it seems like an entitlement because everyone around us is able to see, it is actually a blessing that all of us have. There are people who are not as fortunate as us to have the gift of sight. Just think of those awaiting for a cornea donation/ transplant, local or overseas. And as we aged, our vision will deteriorate somehow. It is definitely not an entitlement or something we could hold on forever.

If we could take a minute each day to count the blessings we have, maybe Life is not that bad afterall. Cheers.

Life. Ferris Wheel.

Life is like taking a ride on the Ferris Wheel, at times up at times down. When you are at your lowest point, rest assured that it will pass and the Ferris wheel will bring up to the highest point again. When you are at your highest point in Life, enjoy every moment of the beautiful scenery and make the best out of it. Don't let unnecessary and meaningless thoughts disturb your peace and stop from fully enjoying the best that Life has to offer to you.

Life is never boring in the Ferris Wheel. While it may seem such a routine to repeat the cycle of life everyday, but everyday brings a new adventure. You will meet people from all walks of life, you will build relationships and form new networks, you will hear their stories and you will share your stories and you may create new stories with some of them. The scenery around you is changing with time and there will always be new exciting things waiting for you to explore.

I hope all of us can be like the Ferris Wheel, lifting people up when they are down and bringing them to places of magnificent views and scenery. The Ferris wheel will always be the icon, as it stands out among other infrastructure. We can also stand out, by doing doing the extraordinary in our ordinary life, by impacting lives of others through our gifts and strengths, by making a difference to the lives of others. If someone's life is enriched because of us and if someone is thankful that we existed, then we would have succeeded.

Be inspired by the Ferris Wheel and be as inspiring as the Ferris Wheel, wishing everyone a fantastic week ahead !

Counting Blessing On a Rainy Day

What is in a Blessing?

It is raining heavily everywhere in Singapore. Do you have a shelter that protects you from the heavy rain and keeps you dry? Do you have enough clothing to keep warm?

The cold weather makes you hungry more easily. Do you have something warm to eat? Are you able to find food easily? Do you have money to buy food?

Is your work affected by the rain? Will you have no pay because you can't work due to the bad weather? Or it is business as usual, you still get paid, rain or shine?

Maybe you are dealing with many issues in life, but do remember that we always have simple blessings to savour, also remember that it is possible to seek simple pleasures to lift yourself out of the gloom.

Be positive and be good to yourself, find reasons of happiness and you will get out of your predicament soon. Problems are meant to be solved so that we can grow as a person. So, don't be afraid of problems, overcome them and become stronger !

Negative Energy Affects The People Around You

When the hairdresser thinks that she is overworked and underpaid and she is unhappy about it, she in turn gives poor service to her customers, gives them crappy haircuts, the unhappiness is transferred to the customer.

When a father brings all the stress from work back to home and starts getting irritated over the smallest matter, the negative energy gets transferred to the spouse and kids.

Human beings are social networkers, what we do and say influence others, be it our loved ones or friends on social media. So, if we think that we are the only ones suffering from our negative emotions or actions, then we are wrong. I urge everyone to keep their negative emotions in check, we have a social responsibility to ensure the well beings of others, as well as that of our loved ones. Don't let the people around us suffer together with us. Find ways to diffuse those negative energy so we can all be positive and happy together.

Be Responsible For Your Actions

My boss arranged an early meeting on a Monday morning, I can let it affect me in two ways, one is to blame the boss, blame the organisation, make myself feel miserable, telling myself Monday is sooooo blue or second way, be thankful that I get to see this beautiful world sooner than I usually would. I choose the latter.

I reached office earlier than the meeting time, waited for the meeting to start and people started streaming in, some colleagues came much later than the meeting time, but my boss didn't say a word, and it seemed that this behavior was acceptable.

Why should I make an effort to wake up an hour plus earlier when I could easily come in at a later time and no one is going to say a word? It all boils down to responsibility, doing what you know is right and not being influenced by the actions of others. It is always easier to heck care and follow the crowd but will you stay true to your own conscience? If people start dirtying the toilet seat because no one is watching them, are you going to follow also because no one knows and everyone is doing it, despite you knowing it is wrong to do so?

Our actions speak a lot about our character, you can be the person who always get away with things but you wouldn't earn respect from the people around you. When you don't display responsibility, you lose credibility and trust. So, stay true to your conscience and be a responsible person and do what you know is right. The world will be a much better place, if everyone is responsible for our own actions.

Your Time Is Your Life

Your time is your life. As much as I feel privileged to be your friend, I hope what I wrote is worth your time reading. Because when you spent that bit of time reading what I wrote on my wall (which also shows up on your wall), you give a part of your life to it.

My time is my life. As much as I enjoyed writing these articles, I hope they benefit you and are useful in some ways. It has to be this way, else I am just generating noise on cyber space. When I write, I too give a part of my life to you, in hope that I add some values in your life.

Your time is your life, now you decide what and who do you wish to give a part of your life to. Do you want to give a part of your life to things you can't control, to the opinions of others you can't change, to revisit bad memories and hurting yourself again and again, to hate and anger which drive you down further? Or do you wish to give a part of your life to the people who truly deserve it, to building beautiful memories, to help people, to make a difference and live a meaningful life?

Your time is your life, you decide.

Don't Be Afraid in Getting Into The Water

When you go swimming and the water is too cold, so you waited. But no matter how long you wait, the water is not going to turn warm for you. If you slowly put a foot in, then your legs, then half a body and very soon your body conditions itself to the coldness and it will not be as cold as before.

The same goes for the problems and challenges we face in Life. If you just keep waiting, they are not going to get better just because you waited long enough. You need to take small steps to slowly resolve them. When you take the first step, you will build good momentum to carry you through resolving the issues that you are facing.

There is great satisfaction in solving problems and overcoming challenges, so don't be afraid in getting into the water. You will appreciate the beauty of swimming after you overcome the obstacle of getting into the water.

Every One of Us has a Purpose !

The toilet roll is used to hold all the toilet paper together but once the toilet paper is used up, the toilet roll can be used for other purposes, e.g. as a holder for stationery, as a craft item or as a toy for hamsters. The toothbrush is used to brush teeth but once it is time to change to a new toothbrush, the old one can be reused for cleaning purpose. The plastic bags we used to contain our groceries can be reused as garbage bags.

Everything in life has a purpose, so do every one of us. We can have more than one purpose, if we know how to constantly keep ourselves useful. When we are young, we are full of energy, and as we age, we lose that bit of energy but we gain more knowledge and experience. At any point in life, we always have something to give. What we can give to the world defines our purpose, so don't ever think that you are too insignificant to contribute to our world. Your gifts and strength are what make you unique and they are the things that the world needs.

You are not just a student, you are a great study companion and an encouraging friend; you are not just a teacher, you are a great motivator and someone the young look up to, you are not just an engineer, you are a great innovator and the architect of future technological advancement, you are not just a serviceman, you are a great protector and the symbol of courage and honor; you are not just a chef, you are the creator of happiness. You are not just someone's child, someone's spouse, someone's parent, you are so much more. Find your purpose and rock the world !

Love Yourself Everyday

Today (14 Feb) is Valentine's Day, if you have not already known from the sharing from your friends on Facebook. If you do not have a partner celebrating with you, giving you surprises, it is okay, you are loved anyway. You have your parents loving you, you have your friends loving you, you have people around you loving you and there is also one person most capable of loving you, that person is you!

So, be good to yourself on today, take some time out for yourself, go grab a nice dinner or buy something for yourself. You deserved to be loved, and it is not just today, but for every day of the year. Happy Valentine's Day, Everyone !

If You Didn't Win the Lottery, You are Still a Winner

My dear friends, if you did not win the $12M Toto, please don't feel sad or disappointed, because chances are you probably don't need that amount of money anyway. What you need is good health, a supportive network of friends, family members and the freedom to do what you wish, which are probably what you already have now.

$12M is a whopping sum of money which can last you a lifetime, but yet there are many things this sum of money can't buy. For example, money cannot make a seriously ill man become healthy again. Money can buy you the fastest car in the world, but if you get stuck in a jam, you will still have to wait. Money cannot reverse aging, no matter how many botox shots one can take, one will still look old someday. Money cannot buy love, cannot buy friendship or kinship, and even if it does, the love bought is not genuine or sincere. When you are at lowest point in life, you need support and encouragement and people give it to you because you have been
there for them, not because you have money.

What we really need is where we should focus our time and energy on. Start building relationships with our loved ones through the acts of love we can give to them, even the most simplest form of asking them well and offering some encouragement to them if they need one. Start taking good care of your health by cultivating good lifestyles and eating well. I have seen many friends falling sick recently, so we should really take good care of our health, including our mental health.

When we can understand these principles, we will be contented and happy, it doesn't matter if we win the big prize or not, because we already have so much blessings.

Fyi, I did not buy a ticket :)

Love is Celebrated Every Day of the Year

If you are especially good to your mum on Mother's Day, you bring her to a nice restaurant to dine and buy her expensive gifts, but for the rest of the year you show her little concern, aren't there for her when she needs you the most, will she be happy?

Similiarly, if on Valentine's Day, your partner can pamper you like a princess, but for the rest of the year is not caring, loving or comforting, do you think he is a fantastic partner?

I quite like the idea of having a day to celebrate romantic love or parental love but love is definitely not given or celebrated on just a single day, it should be given or celebrated every day !

So, if your partner didn't do anything special for you on Valentine's Day, don't be angry or judge him based on that day. True love is always about giving and not expecting. This day should be remembered for generating positive energy and building relationships, not about resentment and failing expectations.

Also, you don't have to compare yourself with what others are getting, because you may have so much more than them for the rest of the year. Cheers :)

Another Reminder on Importance of Health

* Original Post on 6th Feb 2017 *

I had one of the worst experience of my life last night when I fell quite sick, but I met a wonderful cab driver who really made everything seemed so much better.

It was already past midnight when I boarded the cab and the taxi Uncle who knew I was feeling extremely uncomfortable, kept asking me to take deep breadths, kept reassuring me that we would reach A&E soon and that everything would be fine. Mid way through the journey, I wanted to vomit and Uncle quickly passed me some plastic bags. I felt really bad because of the stench and apologised to him but Uncle was really nice to say it was okay, he told me I would feel better after vomiting out the bad stuff. At times like this when you feel most vulnerable, it is really comforting when someone can extend their kindness to you, it really makes a world of difference.

When I was at the A&E, I thought I was the most in need of medical attention, because I was short of breath, but I saw other patients wheeling in from ambulances and already unconscious. Health is indeed the most precious asset we will ever had, without it, we lose everything. If you are going through a rough patch or having Monday blues, take heart that your problems will be solved one by one, because when you have good health, everything is possible.
Today happened to be my company's CNY lunch celebration, where good food will be served but I am staying at home eating porridge. That is the perfect illustration, isn't it?

PS: Am feeling much better today and on the road to full recovery

What Does Being Human Means to You?

Today (Feb 3rd) is Human Day (Lunar Calendar), what does being human means to you? What defines humanity?

To some, human beings are scary, human beings are a destructive lot, especially to Mother Nature. Human beings create lots of sufferings, through wars, violence and killings.

However, I believe human beings are all born good, it is when we cannot control the negative emotions (anger, hate, fears, greed) inside us, that made us do bad things and hurt others.

If we can just take a look at the behavior of babies or young children, we hardly see any discrimination, hate or anger towards one another. If you give love to a baby, the baby loves you back, it is as simple as that. It is already encoded in our DNA that Love is the very essence of Life and Humanity. We sometimes make things very complicated due to our high intelligence, but actually humanity can be very simple, we are born to love one another.

Maybe some day, the world will be destroyed by humans but till that day, there will be many fellow humans who will do their best to stop this day from coming, by giving love and healing the world. I wish all my friends a Happy Human Day, may you understand the true meaning of being human and be a good human being while given a golden opportunity in this lifetime.

The Meaning of True Fortune

The Chinese always want to "huat", especially during Chinese New Year. "Huat" means prosper, have lots of money, wealth and fortune. But do we really understand what is true fortune? Is it all about striking the windfall and having lots of money?

True fortune to me is the ability to spend what you earn, with the people you love, doing what you enjoy most. You may have millions in the bank, but they are not truly yours until you have the chance to spend them. Some people work their health off to accumulate lots of savings but are unable to enjoy due to poor health. Some people have lots of money to travel the world, go to the most beautiful places, but there is no one to enjoy with them. Some people hold high positions at work, receive high pay but are under tremendous stress all the time, even at night. I do not consider all these above mentioned examples as having good fortune and prosperity.

If you have a loving family, some closed friends, your basic needs fulfilled and you have some spare savings for rainy days, you can afford a holiday (even staycation) once in a while and most importantly, you are healthy and able to appreciate good food, beautiful scenery, then I think you are already very blessed and a person with good fortune and prosperity. You can have more, but you may lose even more. Being able to appreciate what we already have, makes us realise the fortune that is already with us.

I wish all my friends a Happy and Prosperous Chinese New Year, may you always be blessed with good health and happiness, as well as the wisdom and courage to choose what is really good for you. Huat Ahh !!

My Most Satisfying Moment

My most satisfying moment came when there was something I thought I couldn't achieve but I did it anyway and it worked.

I have a loved one who is my senior and someone close to me. Her life is filled with so much negativity, she is always worrying, always imagining the worst, getting herself stressed up and losing sleep over the smallest issue. Every time after I counseled her, she felt better but the cycle of negativity returned soon after. The thing about older folks is their unwillingness to break free of decades of old habits and adopt new and positive habits. I felt helpless and ashamed to call my motivational writer when I could not motivate her to be positive and happy. But I still tried to do it anyway.

Recently, we had a long talk and she told me that she felt enlightened and really wanted to cast aside all the thoughts that was causing her unhappiness for so many years, many of them revolving family issues. I thought no harm sending one of my writings to her, though I didnt tell her I wrote them. The correspondance sort of ended there until one night she WA me to tell me she was reading my "long message" over and over again. She was probably troubled by some negative thoughts and couldn't sleep. She told me the mesaage was meaningful and "wonderful" (direct quote from her message). That was a very satisfying moment because she is one person whom I thought I could never influence because of her strong character.

I learnt that every message, every action we sent out with good intent, has an effect on people. We sometimes give ourselves too many reasons to fail, before we even try. If we try and fail, it is still better than not trying at all because not trying is a definite failure.

I hope we can all keep working on our goals, our dreams, keep improving ourselves and make a difference to the lives of other. Even if the results do not present themselves to us immediately, keep the faith that the our actions will bear fruits someday.

No Festive Mood, Never Mind !

I am in this situation whereby colleagues and friends around me are in festive mood while I am under pressure to deliver my work in a very tight project schedule. Late lunch, quick lunch, OTs, work stress, are all becoming common.

Should I feel sorry for myself? Should I blame my boss for all the pressure and tight deadline? Or maybe I should get angry with the colleagues who are taking their time to respond to my urgent requests?

Will doing all these help me? No. On the contrary, it only serves to make me more negative, build more resentment towards everyone and indulge in self pity, which is neither helpful nor meaningful.

If you see from an organisational perspective, there is no such thing as expecting less work during festive season, because we don't receive less pay during these periods as well. If we get less work, then it is a blessing, if not, it is normal. There are many people who had to work through the Chinese New Year, so I am definitely more fortunate than them.

In this festive season, I am thankful for good health, thankful that my loved ones are well, thankful that I have enough for myself and my family, thankful that I am surrounded by the wonderful people. And that, is all it matters, isn't it?

Thankful For the Sheltered Walkway During Heavy Rain

On a Monday morning when it is raining so heavily, I am thankful for one thing: sheltered walkway. While I may take a longer route to the train station, the sheltered walkway kept me dry and safe, as I probably be wet even I carry an umbrella walking on the street.

Stay dry and be safe, my dear friends & have a fantastic week ahead ! Every day is a gift, a blessing and an opportunity to change for the better, make it count, cheers :)

When You Are Feeling Inadequate

When you think that your spouse is not sensitive enough, not loving enough, not taking initiatives, someone out there could be suffering from abuse issues in their marriage.

When you think that your kids are not smart enough or taking care of them is draining all your time and energy, some parents out there could be struggling to care for a special needs child, some parents could be coping with the loss of their child and some couples could be having problems conceiving.

When you think that you that your parents are always nagging, over protective and controlling, there are many out there who grew up without parents' love, some have not even seen their parents before.

When you think that your work is overwhelming and your boss is being unreasonable, someone out there could be hoping that they can get a shot for interview at your company.

When you envy the people living in private property and driving posh cars, someone out there may just wish they have a shelter over their head, a nice comfortable bed and uninterrupted supply of electricity, water and gas, just like what you have now.

When you wish that you could travel the world like an adventurer, someone out there may just wish that they have a healthy and abled body, just like you, to do the simple things in life with their loved ones.
When you think that living in Singapore is so tough, so stressful, so boring, someone out there in the poorer developing nations or someone living in the war zones, may have wished that they were born here, because their fates would be significantly different.

When you think that your life is tough, someone out there could have wished that they are living your life instead of theirs.

Unhappiness usually revolve around comparison with others who are better off than us, while contentment comes from seeing the blessings we already have.

When we can do a shift in mindset from seeing what we don't have or unhappy with to seeing what we have and are happy with, we have reached another level of enlightenment. To get there takes practices, it takes courage to break free of old habits, it requires determination but yet after going through the process of change, you find that it is all so worth it.

Counting My Blessing On A Weekend Morning

Every weekend morning, as I laze on my bed, deciding whether to get up or not, I count my blessings.

This comfortable bed, together with clean bedsheet, pillow and bloster is a privilege denied to some fellow Singaporeans, e.g. the needy elderly who have difficulties cleaning their own sleeping environment, due to health reasons. There are also poor families who couldn't afford a proper bed, some of these families have young children sharing a single mattress. Because I have so much more than them, I am the lucky one.

As I sleep till late morning, there are many people already hard at work, those in the service line, those in F&B, weekend to them is just another working day because there will be no income if they choose not to work. Or simply, their job scope requires them to work on weekend and public holidays.

Life can be quite challenging but yet in some aspect, we are still better off than some and being able to recognise that, instead of feeling sorry for our plight, is the key to happiness. With a happy life, there is room for greater things, like giving kindness and making a difference to the community. Life becomes more meaningful this way.

Wishing all a happy and blessed weekend ahead !