Chinese New Year, some after thoughts...
Being away made homecoming a very sweet event. While most took the opportunity to "run away" from it all. We, the nomads, will do everything to get home. Once home, it is always about catching up with friends and families...on top of the feasting and fun, there were not so ordinary moments...

Of death...
The cycle of life. An ex-colleague's father passed on and I could be there. It was good to know that all are going fine with her.

Of simplicity
I have always admire this friend of ours. Looking at their lives is a lesson in itself. Both husband and wife work for a non-profit organization (NPO), "Youth at Risk". Well, we all know what income is like from a NPO. They have three wonderful kids...(read hard)...no iPad, no Wii, no DS, no PSP....no tuition. Their eldest girl scored an almost perfect score at the last PSLE exams and went on to study in a SAP school with full scholarship until she finishes her 'A' levels. This is a huge financial burden taken off the father's shoulder.

Their kids took out pic-up-sticks, UNO, Monopoly to play with Kai and Ann during our Chinese New Year visit to their house. Board games like these foster friendships, build communication skills, help the kids to socilize instead of sticking to hand-held gadgets. I have banned Kai from having his DS due to some bad behaviour. It has been two months now and he is doing fine without it! Hmmm, perhaps sending Kai to stay with this family will be a great summer camp. As for me, I have stopped thinking about iPAD. Simplicity is the way to go.

Of betrayal...
A friend made a huge mistake of buying over a half-a-million-dollar business and what made it most painful wasn't the dollar and cents but the very person who gave him the problem was a friend of more than 20 years. It was no longer a business that failed but one of betrayal. Nothing is more painful than being betrayed by someone you have trusted. This is why I live my life drawing a clear line between friendship and business. I am just glad that I was there to listen....the job of a friend.

Of miracle...
A pastor friend who had gone through two major brain operations could fly to Singapore for a holiday, fully paid by a good samaritan. And I had the privilege to catch up with him and his family and to listen to the story of how a S$300 per pill made its way from the US of A to the Philippines. Not just one pill but ten of them! That meant a lot to a pastor who does not earn a fixed income. If God is not at work, tell me, who is?

Never ever think that Chinese New Year or any festival is a chore. I know I am not wrong to say that for many of us, we only meet certain of our friends and families once a year and it is during the Chinese New Year. Make it NOT a chore!