a Year.
Ok its time to put 2008 in retrospect.
2008 began on a plane bound from cape town for me. Its interesting to see how people from different time zones usher in the new year. First you see singaporeans talking loudly when its our 12am. Life goes on for the rest of the plane as far as they are concerned. Then an hour later, you see the japs walking around n greeting one another. If there were more diverse people from the continents on board, who knows how many new years we’ll be celebrating on one flight.
Is this a ‘how time flies?’ moment. maybe. 2008 saw me maturing finally as a soldier. It began with alot of uncertain times. where black can be white, and then black again the next moment. tempers flared during stage one preparations. everybody was feeling the heat and the pressure. but all the effort eventually paid off. Then msk came along, and i personally experienced the real jungle. I saw for myself that there are really places that are not humanly passable by virtue of vegetation. I then trod a path of outfields, which can bring a mixture of stress, responsibility, accomplishment, disappointment and frustration.
ndp then came along, and it was a sort of lull. It was memorable for the company. the group of us drivers started doing civilian things together between rehearsals. The italian dessert we ate on our nation’s birthday was an experience in itself.
after that was a mad rush to the army a levels. we could start our countdowns. our last tekong outfield. our last lim chu kang outfield. bye bye to cemeteries and durians. and soon, our Last outfield, in wallaby. My last outfield was memorable for a few reasons. The exercise cut around 5pm. and we drove back to a truly unforgettable queensland sunset and rainbow.
The sky was a riot of colour from horizon to horizon. our spirits were high as the wind blew in our faces. my jeeps raced back to camp.
after a levels, it was switch off, and attitudes slid down a slippery slope. and while shifting back to civilian life, i decided to go for a retreat. it made me realize that i lived almost an entire year without a God. God was an option on sundays and outside that he was out of my life.
the retreat rekindled a fire in me. once again, in ways i did not expect. i filled my spiritual cup. i felt inspired once again.
and south africa opened my eyes to the wonder of God in creation. n now i feel so foolish cos it took me a trip to africa to made me realize this. we search the ends of the world for something, only to realize that its always been right there. here. now.
first thing i did when i got back was to cycle to boon lay for the duck kuay teow, and then mass. i knelt in a pew and offered all these to God, like a love letter, a lifesong. that was when i truly felt 2009 began.
my resolutions? 2 things. one, to do a huge mural when i ord, all the way til i enter nus in aug. and two, run n gym on a regular basis. going fine so far, this past month. oh, n i’ve also my platoon t-shirt to settle before i ord.
to 2009!
alvin ong dozed and watched the sawdust trampled night @ 12:55 AM
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