touched

I caught the National Day song 2008, Chinese version by Joi Chua yesterday for the first time.

I think it's one of the best MTVs ever. I was touched by how they cast real-life issues in a positive light - there were 3 vignettes, an old newspaper seller with a vertical marathon theme, a young adult boy and girl who liked each other... but the girl is disabled; and a young primary school student who keeps drawing seemingly disturbing red colored art, but is put together at the end to show a big red star, reminding us that we are stars, that despite our common every day life problems, we can rise above it all, and find our dreams - that we are not too old to compete in vertical marathons, that being disabled does not mean that we cannot find true love, that even though we are small or insignificant we can contribute.

I was touched and I think that for once instead of encouraging us to build racial harmony, etc, they really wanted a theme that spoke to our hearts.



Today watched a DVD of last year's movie 'Bridge to Terabithia'. It's billed as a children's show but had surprisingly adultish issues - the trailer looks like it was another of those Narnia-type stories, but it's more of those heart-warming yet thought-provoking stories that cause us to take a deeper look at life and at ourselves. To me, it speaks about friendship on a deeper level - like Jesse and Leslie who share a special bond playing in their 'magical' forest and makebelieve kingdom, not just pals going to the same school... and somehow believing that everything in life will be alright as long as they have each other, for support and to realize their imaginations. Leslie's untimely death threw Jess into a quandary - he did not want to go back to his old, uninspiring life again, but he was also afraid to live, and experience life the way they shared. This story is all the more poignant as it is based on a real life story (The author's son best friend, Lisa, was killed by lightning when she was 8.)

Being overly consumed at work recently - not just me but mostly everyone around me, I feel that it sorts of kills the body-mind-and soul. Why do I need to escape to my Melaka where I can wake up with the sunrise and the birds chirping around me to experience God in a deeper sense? Why is it the harsh reality of life that we don't have time for hobbies anymore, not even able to finish reading a book or two within a month? As work-oriented as I may seem, I do wish for another life at times, a time where we are not slaves to inflation, where owning a house, even a small one, does not seem like an impossible dream. I'm not going to be one of those who have no time for love, family or kids. I'm not going to work so hard that I cannot enjoy the fruits of my labour. And yet, the toils of life are evident on us. We can't stay out too late because we need to rest for work tomorrow. We are working on weekends, and those weekends that we aren't, we can hardly get out of bed. I'm sure all these will come to pass soon. I know of some people who work longer hours than me, and earn less than me. I'm not complaining, but I just wish that this lifestyle isn't the case.

And in a world like this, sometimes it's the friendships, the rare, intense, friendships that we need to keep alive - the friendships that keep US alive... that gives us the strength to carry on, that brings a smile on our faces each time we think of the people who have helped us along life's journeys, and we can only wish to do the same for others walking along too. I've treasured my unlikely friendship with TBO for years. Sure, we don't meet often. We don't even seem to share deeply. But over time, I begin to understand how much value I put into this friendship. Why I cannot replace the photo I keep always close with me. I think I will be devastated if it comes to an end, yet, perhaps it may soon enough. Sometimes, all I want is for him to be happy, even if it means a life without him. Have written a letter yesterday, and so touched that many people are praying for us. I just hope all turns out well!

Right now am still cheerful, bravely facing what may come. It's never easy to tell someone exactly how you feel because you may lose this beautiful friendship and never have it back again.