The ragged pieces of ideas and thoughts of my attempt to live a life as a contemporary monastic in the urban city of Singapore..
Just when I thought that we are closed to recovering fully from last year, Uncle Ah San passed away with a stroke last week on the 17th Jan. It was exactly 3 months after auntie Elsie (she left us on the 17 Oct) Rachel their 15 y/o daughter was in such sorrow though she knows they are in a better place. We pray for the strength of God's hand and peace to be with her. We are also doing whatever we can physically.
Another death in Mag's family humbly reminds us again of our mortality. We talk about it, reflect upon it more and its never enough. If we die today will we die doing what God has called us to do or will we die caught with our pant's down just trying to make life more comfortable? I believe all of us are born with a set of right things to do. It's not about doing what's easy than it is about doing what's right.
Most of us live unreflected lives, allowing life to control us with its demand every single moment. When that happens, it is so easy our day will turn into weeks and our weeks into months, months into years and without realising it, it becomes a little too late to do important things that matter.
Some of the things that people will never regret having done when on their death bed are hugging people, building friendships, skipping rope with children, investing in the next generation, giving of our time and money, telling loved ones how much you love them, writing a book or creating something with our hands to bless others, using God given talents and gifting and developing them. There are much more and maybe many things unique just for you.
Today is never too late, we should reflect upon what we are doing against what we should be doing for a truly 'regret free' life. After we have done that, to work on how to do these things with great love and passion. Nike got it right but not quite right. It's not exactly about just doing it. It's about just doing the 'right things' and doing it greatly.
posted by Hiew Hong Teck # 11:48 PM
Monday, January 22, 2007