Yesterday, Today and the Long and Winding Road Ahead

It seems just yesterday that I was looking forward to the year 2004, of getting my A level results, of enlisting in the army, of getting my driving license and the long break from school. At the same time, I was wondering whether I have wasted my 2003, having failing to put my plan B into action, not doing really that well for my physics paper and failing to win anything with my softball team. But how the river of time flows... It is already the year 2005 and I am still in a blur as to what happened in 2004...

2004 on a personal note holds many lasting memories... The main highlight of the first quarter of course would be getting my A level results. I still remember distinctly how I was trembling with a heady cocktail of anticipation and fear, worrying that my A level would be a fiasco like what my O level was. In the end though, it was about all that I could have reasonably hope for, but what should have been a moment of triumph turned to be strangely hollow, for not all my friends were as pleased with their results, and it puts dampener on everyone's mood. It must have been the feeling my friends felt when I my O level results, for it is difficult to be truly merry when others are feeling miserable about themselves.

The second quarter is basically dominated by BMT, of which I have already spoken much of. It is however most pleasant to find that despite the fact that our BMT platoon has all headed their own separate ways in the army we are still in contact with each other through various mediums. There is some true after all when the SAF says that BMT forges friendships through the hardships that were shared. And there was hardship aplenty in Jaguar company...

The third quarter was when I was a TSS who divided my time between one guards and CCO Stagmont, of which I am very grateful since I was able to meet and know more friends while at the same time learning first hand how similar but yet at the same time how vastly different the various units can be. It was basically quite a culture shock for me to go from the highly regimented 1 Guards to the happy go lucky Stagmont. While I was apprehensive about changing camps initially, it dawned upon me the fact that given time I will be able to adapt to the surroundings and more importantly the people for now I am also getting used to my current life in CCO Nee Soon as a combat medic.

The remainder of the year was basically me being stuck inside the School of Military Medicine (more popularly known as the School of Movie Making for teaching its students how to Wayang like a true pro...). While I have to admit there were times that I was bored out of senses, I must say that I actually take pride in the fact that I am learning things that may one day allow me to save someone's life, which is better than building a seven storey pagoda like what the Chinese like to say. It was also great from a personal standpoint for my platoon include many characters of which I was glad to be friends with.

As the year 2004 ended with a clamity that is Tsunami which hit Asia, it was a sobbering ending for what has been an eventful if not always pleasant year. This is perhaps a reminder to all of us how insignificant human life compared to the might of mother nature who cares not whether it is the festive season and a new year is coming. Then again it warms my heart to learn that the disaster has brought out the hero in many of us, with scores of people doing whatever is in their capacity to aid those affected by the disaster, from donating money to going in person to assist in the rescue and recovery operations, of which I hope to be part of as a medical personnel.

In a way though I see this as a good omen for 2005 instead of an ominous sign, for it signifies that while life may throw many challenges at us and make us feel like despairing, we will become emerge stronger because of it.

May 2005 be a better year ahead for all of us!

Quote of the day

"Flowers never emit so sweet and strong a fragrance as before a storm. When a storm approaches thee, be as fragrant as a sweet-smelling flower."

-Jean Paul Richter (1763 - 1825)