Monday, December 09, 2019

Impending End of Year 2019

2019 is fast coming to an end. At this point of time, time is being felt as a fast depleting commodity. The dawning of a new year is felt like a surging tide rushing to the shore but equally receding fast back to the vast ocean by the end of the year in the blink of the eyes. 

When Mahathir launched Vision 2020 in 1991, I had doubt whether I would live to see year 2020, that’s because 2020 was then 30 years away. Now 2020 is less than a month away. We have the opportunity to live to see 2020 and to witness together with the Vision proponent the unfulfilled Vision 2020! But politicians are always quick to come up with excuses to cover the failure. Now the new slogan is "Shared Vision 2030"?

Our Connect Group chose to conclude 2019 with a Pot Bless Gathering and it attracted a crowd of 30. This number is 50% bigger than usual. As one put it, CG is supposed to be a gathering of small group of people but that's not quite the case in our CG. This CG is a fantastic group, a very closely knitted "family" and each is supportive of one another. 


The irony for retirees is that time can be plentiful daily yet it is also a precious and fast depleting resource. The challenge is no longer aiming for elevated social standing or collecting a huge stockpile of assets. It is but just doing the little things: be an encourager, a motivator, a peace maker or just a laugh initiator. For the uninitiated, try something different and even a bit of crazy things like what David Bordon and Tom Winters suggest in their book, "101 Things You Should Do Before Going to Heaven". For examples: Stop talking for a day; spend a day in isolation in reflection and contemplation; trace the family tree...... May be 2020 will turn out to be another great year!