Be There

This week, Singapore mourns the passing of Kwa Geok Choo, the wife of the first Prime Minister of Singapore and the mother of her current Prime Minister.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew had commented that "she was always there when I needed her."

It's easy to be connected with your loved ones when life is a bed of roses. However, the test comes when life throws its thorns at you. Singapore would not be what she is today without Mr Lee. Mr Lee would not be what he is without her. In short, the tests that he faced, they faced together. Without her, the outcome would have been so much different. Such, is the power of being there for another person.

As I look back on my own life, I will always be grateful for three persons who were there with me. When I was travelling with the ship Doulos, every night I would visit Henk in his cabin and we would chat for an hour or so. He was always there when I needed someone to talk to.

Summer, rain, winter or fall, Anders and I would always try to wake up at 5 am and jog; though, I do confess, that was not always the case. There were a few times where the temperature was freezing and I would walk into his cabin to wake him up but he would tell me that he was tired. Deep down, I was relieved not to have to go jogging on those mornings but most of the time Anders would encourage me when I did not have the motivation to do so. Anders was there when I needed a jogging partner

Then there was Alton, with whom I touched base in church now and then. We once served together for one week in Vietnam during a teaching trip. During that week, we had tea and chatted till almost midnight every night. We spoke on everything under the moon. Alton was a very special intelligent young man. I learned the word "artificial intelligence" from him. Alton was there when I need a sounding board.

Friends encourage your strengths and accept your weaknesses. They always believe in you and stay with you in times of adversity.

In our fast paced technology world, we seem to be busier than before. Sometimes we spend more time to keep up with the latest gadgets, leaving no space nor energy left to connect with friends.

Henry Thoreau said, "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them."

If we look intentionally, we may find someone who lives a life of quiet desperation. You can be there for that someone and make a difference by bringing out that song in them?

Make someone's day!

Be there!