Just a Thought!

This is my very first poem, inspired by a Sing China 2020 song and a Bible sharing session that I am conducting this Saturday - it is really amazing how two totally disparate events caused me to write this heartfelt poem: Because of you My life has changed Because of you My life has meaning Because of you I've learnt how to love Because of you I've learnt how to live Thank you, Death.

In the midst of a pandemic and impending recession, it is vital for us to stay positive and hopeful else we can easily spiral into depression. But where can we find glimmers of hope in such dark times? Dr Hoe-Nam Leong is one shining beacon of hope as he recounts his arduous experience of contracting SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) while treating Singapore's first SARS victim in 2003 in a recent interview on 12 April 2020. And now, he is back at the frontline battling the highly contagious Covid-19 virus! Be inspired by his powerful sharing and how he thinks the Covid-19 pandemic would eventually pan out!

It has been more than 8 years since I last felt compelled to write a movie review - and this time, it is on a most unlikely choice: Passengers (2016) . I downloaded it recently on Netflix for my budget flight to Osaka to watch with my beloved wife. I had low expectations because it seemed like a standard Hollywood movie which cashes in on two of the brightest stars in the entertainment industry: The ever-lovely Jennifer Lawrence and brawny Chris Pratt . The story sounded intriguing right from the onset: The Avalon , a sophisticated spaceship transporting 5,000 colonists and 258 crew members in hibernation pods, is en route to the Utopian planet Homestead II , a journey which takes 120 years. However, due to an unexpected asteroid collision, one pod malfunctioned which caused its inhabitant, Jim Preston (Chris Pratt), to wake up 90 years too early. Hence, Jim finds himself in certain doom and gloom: spending the rest of his life in solitude and knowing he can never reach Homest...

I love Superheroes ... but I love more the unsung heroes among us as well as the hero that is in YOU - because there is nothing more inspirational than to meet a real hero in the flesh! So hope my quotes below will unleash the hero in YOU (regularly updated - my personal reflections on them can be found here ): "Never postpone doing good because you never know if the opportunity would be postponed for good." "If all the time & effort spent complaining are dedicated to solving problems, there will be less problems to complain about." "Character is doing what one thinks is right, not doing what one thinks is wrong and constantly learning what is right and wrong." "When you count your blessings, you multiply your joy & divide your ego." "Be on the lookout for small opportunities to help someone so that when the big one comes along, you’re ready." "Speak words of Kindness as they give Hope, Strength & Motivati...

If you had listened to the main themes of " The Dark Knight Rises " and " Man of Steel ", you would agree with me that Hans Zimmer is one of the most talented composers of cinematic music of all time.  Music is the universal language of humanity - it connects our hearts and reaches the innermost and unchartered depths of our very being. And in a movie, it is the key unseen actor who is always in the background, tugging at our hearts, spurring our spirits, courting our emotions and transporting us into another reality. For me, this is the crown jewel of Hans Zimmer's work to date - a theme song for the Superhero of all time - put on your best headphones (mine is the awesome ATH-M50 ) and be wowed:

During Chinese New Year, I drove my family and a friend's family out in my new Touran for a fun time at eXplorerkid followed by a sumptuous dinner at JustAcia . At the end of the outing, during the car journey back home, my friend's young daughter candidly said that it was the happiest day of her life ! I was deeply touched and for a moment, was at a loss of words - I just turned back and gave her a wide smile. I struggled to recall the last time I've used the magical phrase " happiest day of my life " - it seems that Adulthood has kidnapped Innocence, Contentment and Unconstrained Joy and set an impossible ransom... Perhaps it's time to go on the offensive - to bring back the simple joys of life that make life's many challenges bearable - will contact Childhood and Contemplation on a rescue plan now!