On with life...

My last teen year has officially come to an end.
It's been half a month of celebrating...
I'm lucky... Being with my pals has really been an extended birthday celebration.

I feel now that my life is full.
I'm content.
Actually... am I?

It's great to have all the material things in the world.
It's brilliant to have friends.
It's cool to be in-sync with family.

Then why do I feel like I might be missing something?

It's almost substitution...
In economics, utility...
Using something else to fill what is lacking.
Maybe I'm spoilt; there are millions out there who are less fortunate than myself.
Again, utility...
They've got all that work making up for whatever might be missing in their lives.

I went on a trip to Mersing recently (against my will).
I stayed up late into the morning... (old habits die hard anywhere on earth).
Sitting on a deckchair, all alone, with the sea breeze and the sound of gentle waves as my surround sound system, reading 'Against the Gods' by Peter L. Bernstein at 3am..
It was peaceful and quiet.
As a gauge of the level of safety and tranquillity, 2 mice actually came right up to me, sniffing at the fruitcake and cup of warm tea I was indulging in.

Basic instinct...
See mouse, SCREAM!

But I did not.
I was at peace with the world.
It was more like,
See mouse, FREEZE...

But I froze not because I was worried that the plaque infested, cat-sized rodent would do me harm, but because I was marvelling at the fact that this gutsy fella dared to approach.
Then again, animals never did have an issue with approaching me... Even in Australia.
They'll just walk/crawl/hop/slither right up and stare me in the eye.
(I've got a few pictures of animal close-ups as a result)

I can't say the same for humans...
I guess that's because in our world, layers of law, mistrust, politics, tradition, culture, emotion, prevents that pure curiosity and innocent nature.

I've not been updating mainly because there has been so much happening.
Don't get me wrong...
It's not because there has been a lack of time, but more like I'll be short-selling you short if I attempted to describe, in virtual text, these new and very enriching experiences.
I'd rather share it face-to-face, to para-quote PM Lee, "You don't feel the person if you communicate virtually."

(OMG... I've been given so many definitions of 'communicate' that I had to think through whether it was the best word to use in the above para-quote)

I dare say I'll be trying to find myself in the next few years.
Trying to make something of myself in the process and not simply be part of a statistic.

Meanwhile, appreciate the beauty of the simple things in life...





Sunset at Kelong Aceh.
"My rod guides me to the splendour of what I would be missing if I had concentrated on fish.
Whether material fish or idealistic fish.
I'm reminded that nothing makes up for the coveted fish of life and of living it."