They always say, patience is a virtue.
Do people ever question whether it is indeed one?

What if tomorrow never comes?
What is it that you want,
but feels you can’t,
until later?

There are some things that definitely can’t wait.
Like loving your loved ones, and letting them know.

Yet strangely, some things can’t be rushed.

Otherwise, it takes another turn and heads another way,
such that it isn’t the same as it would have been in the first place.
Then having it just before the last today,
would not have meant so much,
as half of what it would have been, if it wasn’t rushed.

Do the people who have left have regrets?
Or do they leave in peace for the better world?
Then only the ones left in this world have them….

Life has to be lived one day at a time.
Some things cannot be rushed,
for life’s experiences does not all present themselves within a single class.
But sometimes you just can’t wait,
you are anxious to reach the “desired end-state”.
But perhaps, it is the wait,
and surprises and experiences that time brings,
that makes the process fuller,
and the end-state sweeter.

Be patient, little gal. Be patient, little boy.
Live life one day at a time.

The two hardest tests on the spiritual road :

the Patience to wait for the right moment, and the Courage not to be disappointed with what you encounter.

Whether you are old or young, a genius or a commoner, rich or poor…
even if you choose to work for interest, rather than just to earn a living…
if you work,
you are SURE to face stress and frustrations.

Yet strangely, it is this search for money, this need to earn a living..
that poses us the very frustrations that we need to grow.
It is through the “search” for money that we come to learn that it is ultimately not the thing that will make us happy or fulfilled.

Today, my friend shared with me through sms that she had found some purpose to live for. She reminded me that now long ago, she was feeling that there was none that she wanted to live for. I am happy for her and wished that she would always remember the experience - of having survived the low point of her life where she felt purposeless, to the higher point where she felt she could live for something. Somehow this sms conversation reminded me of my own experience. Although the nature and severity of both our experiences are different, I saw some similarity in what both our experiences might teach us about life, so I made a mental note to do some reflections when I return home tonight.

Not very long ago, somewhere starting Oct, I felt overwhelmed by feelings of stress, incompetence, lack of recognition and alienation. In an area of my life that used to mean a lot to me. I lost direction, hope and motivation. I have never felt like that before. From someone who had always looked forward to the next day, to someone who dreaded it. And it didn’t help that I lost my usual sense of hope and optimism that had always helped pick me up when I fell. Everything added together, and I started becoming depressed.

But I am glad this loss was temporary. Fortunately, things turned for the better just the last week. I am still searching for direction, but at least now, I feel slightly more assured, more hopeful. I may need more time to be back on track with my usual optimism, but at least now, I feel stronger to battle my setbacks.

Back to the lesson that my friend and my experiences offered — I hope we will always remember how the low points of our life are not permanent, and that we will be over it in time (whether long or short). These experiences will not be the end of all the setbacks we will ever encounter in our lives. But they are opportunities for us to grow stronger. And for us to learn what we will need to do to pull ourselves out of these lowest points much sooner, the next time it happens. I really hope I remember these.

No matter how much love and support we may find in our loved ones, when it comes to the problems or challenges we face in our lives, more often than not, we have to deal with these challenges ourselves. Our most supportive loved ones, no matter how much help they try or have given to us, would never be in our place to deal with our challenges. No one can deal with the difficult interpersonal relationship that we face at home or at work on our behalf, or handle the dilemmic situations we face on our behalf, or manage our emotional turmoil for us. They are not us. So these are battles we have to fight for ourselves.

Does it mean then that we are actually all alone, to deal with the cruel realities and harshness that life sometimes dishes to us?

Fortunately, the answer is No.

Love in these special people is what will see us through. Even if they cannot fight our battle for us, their love can still support us when we fall. So do not feel alone.

But ultimately, we will still have to face our own challenges. Not because it is a cruel fact of life that we are alone.

But because the root of all our challenges lies in ourselves.

Love will help us see it through, as we battle our greatest enemy within.

Did God mean for us to do it this way?

To clad images of our gods in gold and other precious metals?

To mediate in a crowded midst where everyone is moving about noisily?

To ask for God’s help to resolve life’s challenges, and afterwhich return to man’s race without attempting to do things differently? In other words, returning to square one?

To quote God’s words on what is correct and what is not, what will win you God’s favour and what will not?

Maybe God exposed us to whatever will confuse us, so that the journey of discovery the Truth in itself will be a lesson…

God holds the Truth.

But would God give this Truth to Man in a single all-correct religion?

Would the complete Truth, in a single place, deprive Man of life’s most important journey — the search for meaning?

(This contribution may also be found at

If you are everything to everyone, you may end up being nothing to yourself.