Read an entry on a friend's blog. About fate, and the control, or lack of, that we have over it. Pretty disturbing, the level of pessimism it reflected. I cannot be sure that my interpretation of that entry is as what my friend's intentions were, and it could simply have been down to him feeling down. Whatever it may have been, I disagree with the contents. I believe that we are masters of our own fate. Our beliefs, and the actions that we carry out based on those very beliefs do more to shape our futures than fate itself.
Fate may chart a course for us, but it is down to us, and us alone, as individuals, to fight for or against that course. So long as that course is not taken, we can change it. We have to fight for what we want, and have the resilience to take on and overcome adversity. In history, there exists not one person who gave in to fate, and allowed the actions of others to rule over his life. Successful people have always fought against the odds, and only by not letting pessimism take over have they beaten those odds. This applies to the common man as well. Life may be tough, but hope springs eternal; things can only get better.
Sometimes, the results might not be as we hoped, or expected. And it may be argued that fate has won out, that we have failed, and hence there is no reason to tempt another failure in the future. But this argument misses the point. In all things, the process matters more than the result. Even in failure, one can find that one has learnt much from the experience, and this experience can then be used in the future. After all, to quote from a Chinese saying, failure is the mother of success. The experience gained from failing more often than not enhances the chances of success the next time around.
Failure may wound you, and knock the fight out of you, but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. The important thing is rediscovering that appetite for the challenge, the willingness to fight for a better future. Where has that fight in you gone my friend? You may feel worthless, or that you are all alone in this, but you are so damn wrong. You've got buddies man. Share your burdens, and we'll share with you our joys. We've gone through, or are going through what you're feeling, just in different degrees. We're always willing to help. You'll never be alone. Face any difficulties and we'll be there for you. Every bloody step of the way.
Have faith my friend, have faith.
i heard the crickets at 6:42 pm
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Been sneezing my head off all morning. Yes. My sinuses are back again, and with vengence too. Absolute terok-ness. Spoilt my whole morning really. Hai.
S2006. Done and dusted. Finally. Made plenty of new friends, and got to know others better. Learnt alot from many people, like the police officers Ridzuan, Ghazzali and Malik, or the bus drivers who treated me like their buddy, brother, or son. Amazing stories they all had, and I wouldn't be forgetting them in a hurry.
Gotta get the pics real soon. Haha.
i heard the crickets at 12:34 pm
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Miserable and wet. That's what the bloody weather's been like the whole day. Spent most of the day shivering away. What a dampener.
My tagboard's seems fine now. For now. Hasn't played hide-and-seek with me in a while. But then again, I haven't updated in a while. So its probably gonna start all over again. Hai.
i heard the crickets at 9:10 pm
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Ok. This is kinda late. 5 days late to be precise, but what the heck. Here goes, my tribute to all the teachers who have made a difference.
To Ms Sadayan, who taught me English in Primary 4. Who taught me that learning could be done in a fun, and pressure-free way. Who showed me that teachers are human, with their own lives, in which they make the same mistakes we all do. Who talked freely about her family, her boyfriend, and for generally treating us as her friends.
To Mrs Ho, who taught me Music in Primary 1, and English and Science in Primary 5. Who believed in us even when we made her mad. Who taught me the virtue of patience. Who taught me to write better essays, instead of the long rambling rubbish I usually wrote. Who looked after us like her own children (and still does).
To Mrs Seah, who taught me English, Maths and Social Studies in Primary 6. Who was harsh with us, but only for our own good. Who conducted Science remedials for us even though she didn't have to. Who was firm with my little gang of rebel buddies, and yet, so willing to support us in our little IT ventures. Who soldiered on, at great expense to her health. Who will retire next year, to the great loss of the school.
To Mr Kng, who taught me Chinese in Primary 6. Who got me over disliking Chinese. Who sparked in me an interest in Chinese history that still burns bright. Who showed us the marvels of the Chinese language. Who shared with us his passion for comics and sword-fighting novels. Who encouraged us to stand up, speak up, and be heard.
To Mr Eddie Tan, who taught me Science in Secondary 2. Who sparked in me an interest for entrepreuneurship and business. Who encouraged us to seek our own paths. Who made learning Science interesting. Who was strict and firm, and yet loved a good joke. Who hated to take medical leave, beacuse he felt it would have been, for us, a day wasted.
To Ms Yati, who taught me English in Secondary 2. Who got me to love the English language. Who loved her profession, and was, and still is, proud to teach. Who nurtured each and everyone of us to do the best that we could. Who treated us as equals, and never ever talked down to us.
To Ms Patsy Neo, who taught me Social Studies in Upper Secondary. Who was tenacious, and never willing to give up on us. Who encouraged us to speak up and contribute whenever we could. Who was friendly and ever willing to help us if we needed it. Who encouraged us to follow our heart, and do what we want.
To Mrs Hong, who taught me Maths in Upper Secondary. Who never gave up on me, even when I got an F9 for A Maths in the prelims. Who was willing to stay back and teach us when we didn't get the concepts. Who was ever-so-patient and kept pushing us, even when the going got tough. Who treated us as her own children, and really cared to know what was going on in our lives.
To Ms Woon, who taught me Chemistry in Upper Secondary. Who demanded the best from us, and spurred us to get our 'A's. Who was willing to put in the extra hours to make sure we did well. Who grilled us in Biology even though she didn't have to. Who wasn't afraid to give us more work, even when it meant she have to mark more too.
Fantastic teachers all. There are many more of course, who have shaped me into who I am now. And I am grateful, for all the hours they have put in, for all the hard work, for the belief they showed in us. Thank you, teachers, for a job well done.
i heard the crickets at 10:58 am
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