Serendipity

Lately, I've had tons of stuff going on in my life.

The trip to Paris and London marked one of the best moments in my entire life. It was my first autumn in Europe (hopefully not the last) and it was all a wonderful, delightful experience save for a few unpleasant incidences. And yes, the whole Europe-account (plus pictures) will come up... when I have the time to sit down quietly and write one =)

A lot of weddings (not mine) as well in the last month. Several more friends registered formally as husband and wife (i.e. R.O.M-ed), and a few held ceremonial marriages. I had the fortune to participate in a close friend's wedding - from the night before her wedding to the full swing day ceremony and elegant dinner reception - and was part of all the fun and madness that went on. At the risk of sounding cheesy, I was brimming with joy and pure happiness watching two friends united in matrimony; simply happy that they have found each other's company significant in their lives.

So I had been jetting back and forth two neighboring countries, watching friends committing to their partner for life (I hope). Maybe it was just me, but I sense people are starting to give me that look as if to ask whether a single woman like moi is envious with all her friends moving on to the marriage chapter. And you know what, it surprises me too, but I don't. While I'm very sincerely happy for my newlywed friends, I'm not at all envious of them getting married. I do stop to imagine what it's like to be in their place, though, exchanging vows that you would stick with that other person through thick and thin for the rest of your life, making children, starting family, and all that stuff. But I do not feel even the least envious. At the moment, I just don't feel like following the herd and walking down the default path. I want to take the road less traveled and find the unique place for myself in this world.

I have also been busy with another activity that is changing my life since the past month. Call it serendipity or fate or destiny or whatever, it is IT that brought Dr Mel Gill into my life. At a time just when I needed a mentor and motivator in life, he appeared and was there to guide my way. I recently signed up for a 6-day Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) practitioner course conducted by him, and I learnt so much more about life than I had in the last decade. I'll probably need a whole new post to even begin describe all the wonderful things that he had taught me. And because of him, I had the privilege to meet the most inspirational people in my entire life: Sister Teresa Hsu, Dilip Mukerjea, Dr Kwan KY, and extraordinary people who lead ordinary lives. I can't thank him enough for all the brilliant opportunities and wonderful insights he had shared at a time when I needed them so much. I feel humbled just being in the same room with him and all these people, what more being taught by them.

I'll probably discussed what he imparted to me in another post (when I have time to sit down and write...), but while this is still fresh in my mind, there's a poem by Sister Teresa Hsu I would like to share. Sister Teresa is a 112-year old former nurse, who in my opinion, is larger than life. She is the one person I have met in real life, who has nothing to give but only unconditional love and compassion. Just listening to her sharing her wisdom made my tears flow in class. She summed life with profound wisdom when she said:

Grieve if you must,
Parting is hell,
But life goes on,
So smile as well.

Thank you Sister Teresa Hsu.
Thank you Dr Mel Gill.