This trip back to Singapore has been an extremely fruitful one. I’ve managed to witness and experience things that cannot be understood by anyone unless they’ve also gone through what I’ve gone through as well, having to study and live overseas and returning to my home country for the 1st time in a year.

This feeling seems like something that cannot be explained. It seems to me that I’ve really learnt a lot and have changed. I remember before I left for Australia to further my education 405 days ago on 27th December 2007, I was an extremely ignorant boy, who thought I knew every single thing in the world about survival. But after landing in Australia, I was indeed very wrong.

The past 350 plus days in Australia is like a once in a lifetime experience. It’s something that cannot be understood unless you yourself is placed inside there, going through what people goes through as overseas international, surviving with not much support, especially financially, in a foreign land where people are of different culture and of different skin colour from you.

The main thing this return trip has taught me about is the world “Treasure”. I’ve never really learnt to treasure people and things around me, until I came back this time. I’ve realised that time is really limited; people do have their own lives to carry on as well. People have all already move on, so for myself, it’s not about myself anymore, it’s about everyone around me. It’s not also about the past time when I’ve spent with them that matters, but it’s who we are now, in the future, after we’ve gone through as we enter the next chapter in our life.

To me, after so many years of observation and experience, I’ve came to this conclusion that one will only know how to really treasure and love something, only when they’ve lost it already. Coming over to Australia last time, I’ve given up so many things. I’ve made tons of sacrifices. I’ve made tons of commitment. I’ve lost almost everything, from my freedom to my friendship to even my family. This was the period of time when I’ve decided to make this crucial decision, to really treasure every single one who’s around me, be it they play a big or small part in my life. They may be just people who I come across or talk to only once, they may be friends whom I’ve already know for a long period of time, I’m going to treasure every single minute and second with them.

That was why that when I was in Singapore, I’ll really take time and effort, to really go all out to reach out to all my friends, to spent as much time with them as I can, to help them out as much as I can. I personally feel, that to make up for the past time that I’ve lost, that’s the minimum I can do now to compensate them.

During my trip back to Singapore this time, I must say that my main focus was in a few areas. They are, Badminton in MSL, catching up with all my friends and family, making new friends in my new cell group and also to catch up with people who used to be above my life like my teachers and mentors, making impacts to people’s life from hearing what I have to say to them from my experience while studying overseas, guiding my juniors and to get attached back to God’s house again.

To conclude the 50 days that I’ve spent there, I believe that I’ve accomplished all of them, every single one of them. I must say that it has been a really awesome time to catch up with everyone who was a part of my life before I left for Australia at that time. Like my secondary school friends, badminton mates, school teachers and mentors, church mates and many others. Spending time with them by a simple task of going out for a meal can be something that is unforgettable and extremely meaningful.

During this trip back, I’ve also met many new people who was part of my “new life” in Singapore. I must say that I really thank God that I’ve met every single one of them. They will be people from my badminton team, who are my new juniors, as well as people from my new cell group, N246.

Starting off with my badminton juniors, they are really lovable people. Just that their attitudes really suck at times, this is something that I seriously will not tolerate at all if they are not having the right mindset about going for my training. I remember they used to complain about my training and how strict am I towards them. But at the end of the day before I leave, I’m really glad that they’ve came and thank me for many things, especially about teaching them the skills not only in badminton, but about living life to the fullest potential. As for the seniors who are in the badminton, they’ve all grown up. Their thinking has really become more mature, but they are still as playful as ever. Their passion for badminton was still burning deep within them, and as I played against them, I can sense the frustration they have when they can’t hit the bird over the net. I can sense their excitement in them when they are trying to aim for a more complex shot each time. I remember myself telling Miss Lim, that such things can never be seen and experienced anywhere else, but only inside a secondary school. Because Primary school is still the time when we are all still childish and ignorant, secondary is where we all grow up and go through many things to learn more about growing up, when we go to a higher level, you won’t be able to see such a sight where people and lives started to be moulding again. That’s why I personally really love to see my secondary school juniors and the time as they grown older.

As for my new Cell Group N246, they are a really on fire bunch of people. Interacting with them has really made me feel much closer to God. I remember that when I first came back, I was feeling extremely dry spiritually, but after interacting with this CG, I’ve seen every single one, regardless of what each of them are going through, regardless of how young or how old they are, regardless of what they do for a living, they all have one thing in common, which is, they all really love God and is really on fire for Him. This sight has really been something that motivated me. I felt I became much hungrier for his word and his presence. I used to be someone who’s not easily touched by the presence of God, I do not really will humble myself and cry out to Him when I’m in need, can say that in conclusion, N246 has really made me learn how to remove the veil of pride, learning how to slowly humble myself more before God.

To end, this trip to Singapore is really indeed extremely worth it. 100% worth it. Something that I will like to have gone through once again. But as human beings, we all have to move on, no point staying at this comfort spot forever doing nothing and not wanting to improve and desire for a breakthrough. Because if life is all about staying in the comfort zone, not stepping out of it and not having the believe to move on better each and every day, I will really find it really boring, uninteresting, that I myself will feel tired of living. So let's live life to fullest daily bah =)

Labels: Australia, Badminton, CHC, MSL, Singapore, Thoughts and Feelings