Working Woes ......

I was involed in some spring cleaning last weekend when I found a photo album that has been missing for years, hidden behind one of my bookshelves. By the time I completed my tasks for the day, it was already late at night. Knowing very well that I will not be disturbed by any unnecessary interference, I took out that old photo album, opened it up and took a good look at those photographs one at a time.

What I saw is the undeniable evidence of change. From baby pictures of myself to photos of broad grins with missing teeth, primary school days, from first secondary school outing to my first bicycle, my first car, my first pet and so on. If I may put it, this is a visual reminder of change, and much of it is positive. Now continue on through the photos of my overseas vacations, friends, wedding, career, social activities, pictures with my kids, with my eight grandchildren and my sixty-six birthday celebrations. 

I reckon, the physical changes that I have undergone as documented in these photos, are my ability to grow, adapt and mature. This process is normal and natural and finally - inevitable to all of us. Physically, I am much heavier today, with a big, protuding beer belly, silvered hair, wrinkles all over my face and failing eyesight. I wonder if I am really aging as gracefully as I have always wanted it to be? Some at my age or younger will go to great lengths trying to escape, or at least to cushion the impact from the mounting years. The tools most people will adopt to soften these physical changes ranges from plastic surgery, lying about our age, to a mad dash of jogging, aerobics, tai-chi, line dancing, tennis, squash and rock climbing. Many more argues that nowadays, 'it is not how old we are; it is how young we want to be?'.

While the physical changes we have undergone can be documented in photographs, those mental changes we had experienced in the past are not nearly as clean and obvious. While personal maturity can develop just as freely as aging, psychological change requires one big thing that physical change that is bought about by aging doesn't - our permission. Looking back, I am totally convinced that you can choose your own destiny, and you need the approval of only one person to get started. And that person is you.

"The strongest principle of growth lies in human choice."

Happy Boxing Day !!!