Today's been really great.

Went out with Shi Hui, Jolene and Yee Wen for a great time at Imperial Treasure Restaurant, and later at Bugis Junction.
Had a really great time catching up with each other, and discussing where life will lead us next.

I had that same warm, fuzzy feeling filling me up again.

To Shi Hui, Jolene and Yee Wen,
thank you
for always being there for me,
for waiting,
for understanding,
for the love that surpasses the passage of time,
a love that I hope will only grow stronger, and glow brighter no matter where we choose to go in life.

In other news,
We gave dad a huge surprise in the evening, cos it was his birthday today.
Poor papa!
He was so sad the entire day because he thought we'd all forgotten about his birthday!
Muahahaha, we'd pretended to have forgotten, and even told him we'd be going to my aunt's place for dinner.
All in good time, my mum then pretended to call my aunt and "discovered that she wasn't home!"
Oh no, what do we do then? Let's go to East Coast for dinner.
So we did have a hearty meal. No "happy birthdays," no hugs, no kisses. My father looked pretty disappointed.
Then came the crunch. "Let's have a walk by the beach," my mum said.
And so they walked and talked and sat down by the seaside.

My Brother, sister and I got busy. Whipping out the cake we baked yesterday night, while my dad was fast asleep, we stuck the "happy birthday" sign on, and the candle as well, lit up the candle, and our hands were trembling with excitement all the time.
A few quick photos for memory's sake, and we set off - My Brother carrying the cake, I the camera, and my sister sticking close by.

I didn't manage to get the first expression on papa's face when he first saw the cake, candle and all, but it was such a smile.
So five voices sang the birthday song, and we decided to cut the cake.
Alas! No cake-cutting knife!
Never fear for resourceful mummy is here.
She whipped out her credit card, wrapped it in food wrap, and proceeded to cut the cake.
We had a good laugh about the multiple functions of the credit card.

But that wasn't all, the cake, the milk and the crackers were just the start,
mummy had cleverly brought a huge sitting mat along,
and we spread it on the sand bed, and laid down on it, side by side.

It felt so great to be there, snuggled in between the people that truly care for me and whom I truly love.
We started singing songs, and everyone had a go.
I was surprised my brother could sing so well! It was the first time I'd heard him sing for years since he left the choir in his primary school days. His songs didn't sound so good behind bathroom doors too =P

When it was my turn, I had no idea what I wanted to sing, so my sister joined me for a duet, singing "Boston," then "Superman."
I sounded really horrible, with my post-throat infection voice, so thankfully my sister was there to cover up all the embarrassingly out-of-tune parts =/

This went on for quite some time, and I remember thinking I wanted time to stop
so we could lie there in the darkness, in the vastness of the sand and sea, away from civillisation and away from our busy lifes.

We are always all so busy, we hardly have the time to sit down together for dinner. Sometimes, I don't even get to see my father the entire day, and the only things we can say to each other are just about "what time will you have to get to school tomorrow?" "Oh 0700 as usual." "Make sure you wake up in time." "Okay"

What a sad sad thing!

As I discover the outside world more and more each day, I find the best place I want to be, home.
And not just home, but home with every one of my family members there, and everyone just busy with each other, not school, not work, not our own lifes.

I hope we have many more days like these,
and may we continue to grow stronger and stronger as a family.

It's been some time now, but Uncle Joshua gave me a book "The Family" by Mario Puzo, when I was embarking on my journey in IP.
I used to wonder why he chose such a book for me,
but today, as I was looking up at the stars and soaking in the beauty of our voices against the backdrop of the crashing waves, it all came back to me.

"We are a family" Alexander told his children, "And the loyalty of the family must come before everything and everyone else. We must learn from each other, protect each other, and be bound first and foremost to each other. For if we honour that commitment we will never be vanquished - but if we falter in that loyalty, we will all be condemned...

Mario Puzo, The Family

I love my family, very much.

Happy Birthday papa!...

Beach Blowout

It's a funny feeling, cos I had imagined I'd be blogging the moment it ended, no matter how it went, but that kind of mellowed out.

I guess I feel for this event more than any other, because it was our brain child, and our first and last event together as a foursome.
How did it go?
Well, here's one thing that lies in the grey zone.
Admittedly, the turn-out wasn't ideal, euphemistically speaking,
but I'll choose to look at what we dished out for those who did come.

The fire was good, the food was fantastic,
and I guess everyone did enjoy themselves.
That was, about all I hoped for,
and I'm glad we made that difference for those who came.

To Leonard, Jerald and Le-Anne especially, I say

Thank you for the music, the songs I'm signing,
thanks for all the joy there're bringing,
Who can live, without it, I ask in all honesty,
What would life be?
Without a song or dance what are we?
So I say thank you for the music,
For giving it to me...

Thanks you guys =) for the music and so much more.

And so, what's left of it all, if everything else comes to nought?
I guess the wisdom gleaned from it all, will stay.

It was a tough time, from the point the project was conceived,
and the day itself brought some really cold moments for me too.
I learnt that words are powerful things,
some had given me strength and hope, like a warm hand reaching out to give my heart a little squeeze,
still others felt like a soak in a tub of icy-cold water.
I am thankful for these moments, because they're additions to my inventory of experiences.

I believe it was effort and time well spent,
I believe it was not foolish to have had big dreams on the turn-out,
I believe we have done our very best, and we've done well.

But
I also believe we made several mistakes,
I believe we can learn a lot from the experience,
I believe we are stronger than ever before,
I believe we've laid the foundation stone for a better blowout in the not-so-distant future.

Come on everybody, we're on our way....



Brother Bear- I'm on my way!

Tell everybody i'm on my way
New friends and new places to see
With blue skies ahead, yes i'm on my way
And theres no where else that i'd rather be

Tell everybody i'm on my way
And i'm loving every step i take
With the sun beating down, yes i'm on my way
And i can't keep this smile off my face

Cause theres nothing like, seeing each other again
No matter what the distance between
And the stories that we tell, will make you smile
Oh it really lifts my heart

So tell 'em i'm on my way
New friends and new places to see
And to sleep under the stars I couldn't ask for more
With the moon keeping watch over me

Not the snow and not the rain, can change my mind
The sun will come out, wait and see
And the feeling of the wind
In your face can lift your heart

Oh... theres no where i'd rather be
Cause i'm on my way now
Well and true
I'm on my way there
I'm on my way now(x3)

Tell everybody i'm on my way
And I just can't wait to be there
With blue skies ahead, yes I'm on my way
And nothing but good times to share

So tell everybody I'm on my way
And I just can't wait to be home
With the sun beating down yes I'm on my way
And nothing but good times to show

I'm on my way
Yes, I'm on my way...

Anonymous student:

"I expected to see a "different Australia" from what I saw with my family a few years back, and I did! I discovered a lot more about Native Australian Aborigines especially, it feels good when I know the veil of commercialised image of aborigines has been lifted, and I have also become more aware of the rich diversities of cultures in the world.
I find the most important thing I took back, the lesson of humility. I used to think everything would be different, now I know that it is not so simple. Reality has hit me hard. My internal struggle throughout the trip took me a long time to sort out and reconcile with. Now I know, I am weak when I think I am strong, I am weak when my strength does not lie within but without, and that only God will make all things new."



It's been awhile...

It's raining outside,
but I'm here, I'm inside, I'm warm and dry
and thinking...

I'm thinking
about the moments past,
about more innocent times we had,
about more happy times we shared.
And I'm thinking,
how far away they are!
Perhaps not so much in the measure of time,
but in it's stark contrast to reality.

Impossibility.

And I think,
we'd be playing in the rain now.
Our hairs wet, just like the day we were both marinated in the ocean,
emerging, salt in our eyes, laughing
starting out afresh on the clean sheet of linen.
Starting out fresh,
and laughing.

And I think,
you're not so far away now,
from where my thoughts and wishes roam.

No, I've trapped you inside,
cos I've lost the key...

And where you are now,
it's raining.

Self-love is simultaneously
the driving force that keeps us alive
and the all-time cause of condemnation
under-water slickers
and sneers
for the foolish turtle

that dared stick its head out
to lead the world to that better tomorrow
for which love, our love for ourselves far supercedes

We talked about the seven seas,
the dreams we have and triumphs be.
We spoke too, about far better days
where fear is history, and kept at bay.

Yet, dare you speak of what you have within,
How far you'll go, and how keen is keen.
I say, yes, surely the blood redeems,
but effort too, you must put in.

For dreams are dreams,
and they don't take much,
but it's what we do, that's truly key

For if we cry,
we brood,
we whine,
will wanes,
but the heart alone has not taken pain,
then let us no longer delude,

nor speak of castles when materials elude.

Grace Alone

Every promise we can make,
Every prayer each step of faith;
Every difference we can make,
Is only by His grace.

Every mountain we will climb,
Every ray of hope we shine;
Every blessing left behind,
Is only by His grace.

Every soul we long to reach,
Every heart we hope to teach;
Everywhere we share His peace,
Is only by His grace.

Every loving word we say,
Every tear we wipe away;
Every sorrow turned to praise,
Is only by His grace.

Grace alone which God supplies,
Strength unknown He will provide;
Christ in us our Cornerstone,
We will go forth in grace alone.