My Grandchidren My loves

TO DANIEL, DANIELLE, JORDAN AND JAYDEN (the loves of my life)

Daniel (Da Da) & Danielle (El El)

THE DAY OF YOUR MIGRATION IS FINALLY HERE
The day has come. I saw you and Danielle together with your Mummy and Daddy walk into the Immigration area and I was so sad. It really tore me up to see you walking out of my life and yet you must go. It is for your future and I have no doubts you will have a much brighter future in Australia.

Migrating is such a huge word for me. It is a word that has a connotation of separation and being apart. Every time I think of both of you being away from me, I worry about the impact that it would have on both of you. You have been under my umbrella for so many years and I have been a part of your everyday life for so long I cannot imagine a future where we will be apart from each other.

I cried and I had to turn away in order that the others will not see my tears. How I wish I was going with you, sharing with you and caring for you in the years ahead. But life is never a perfect situation. Parting is a part of life and I will have to accept it. Go with my best wishes, my love and grow up to be a strong young man confident in whatever you do.

WE WILL MISS YOU MORE THAN YOU WILL EVER KNOW
Last night I looked at you Daniel as you slept by my side as you have for so many years. I think your going away will be much less of an impact on you than it will be on your ‘Ah Ma’ and your ‘Koong koong’. I think you should be more worried for us than we for you. The sudden gap that will be created for us will be huge and to some extent frightening. To say we will miss you will be an understatement. For both of us, it will be a psychological schism in our lives. It will be like a cut that will take a long time to heal. That is because both of you have been a part of us – so close that it is like tearing our arms from us.

Da Da, El El, Jordan & Jayden,

A YEARNING UNFILLED – NO GRANDFATHER’S LOVE FOR ME
You will never realize how much we love all of you until perhaps when you grow up one day. Do you know that I never had the chance to know my Grandfather and my Grandmother. I have heard so often about how grandparents are so great companions and mentors for grandchildren but I never had that chance to know what it is like. For so many years, I yearned for a Grandfather and a Grandmother who could love me with an ‘everlasting’ love like I read in the story books but it was always an empty page. For all four of you, you have grandparents all round who dote on you. Be grateful for it and love them the way they love you.

YOU WERE BORN TO BE A WINNER
I want to tell all f you that you were born to be a winner! Never ever doubt that. It is so sad to see in this world so many people who walk with their heads down and who look as if there is so little to look forward to for them. Life does not have to be this way. Even when things are really tough, there is always hope.

Let me tell you about my childhood. I had very weak legs and I started walking at 2+ years. When I was growing up, I used to be last in everything and I had few friends because they all thought I was too much of a weakling for them. Every time we play the game called “Police and thief” where the players are split into two teams, nobody will want to choose me to be in their team. If I was the odd one out, they will give me away to the other team. This terrible rejection created in me great insecurity. I used to cry myself to sleep. Then when I was 9, I started realizing that I could do something about my shortcomings. I realize that if I practiced twice as hard and trained much much more than the others, I could catch up and that’s what I did. Slowly but surely I caught up and today I have overtaken all the boys who were so far ahead of me. Daniel, Danielle, Jordan and Jayden, you can be winners and there is nothing to stop you if you are willing to pay the price.

TO BE THE BEST GRANDFATHER TO ALL OF YOU….
That was why I purposed that I will be a ‘really good’ grandfather to all of you grandchildren and I believed I have done that well. I always thought Grandfathers will be too old to do things with their grandchildren and I thought that they would probably only play with their grandchildren once in a while and be useful only when they are required to look after them. I now know that such a view is wrong.

HOLDING ON TO THOSE SPECIAL MOMENTS
But I have been blessed. I have never let that Grandfather tag choke me down and limit me to what people think Grandfathers should do – sit in rocking chairs and relax their life away. I guess you could call me unconventional but I love this life and I will continue doing it until my last breath. So Daniel and Danielle, we have had some really great times and some really special moments. I hope to have some of these special moments with Jordan and Jayden too. I am looking forward to such times.

This part for you Daniel,

TO YOU DANIEL – I GIVE YOU MY HEART
Daniel, you and I have really had a special 10+ years together. When I saw you coming out into this world, I told my self, “This boy will be the one I give the best part of my heart too.” That’s what I have done all this time. I have loved you with all of my heart, more than I have ever loved anyone else. Ah Ma won’t be very happy when she hears this but that’s how it is. She won’t admit it but I think that is how she feels too. She says she loves me very much but I can see that there are sometimes reservations. But when she tells you she loves you, I can see that there is no reservation. So if someone were to cut up my heart, they will see that there is not one empty space without love for you.

I love the rest of you (Danielle, Jordan and Jayden) with an overwhelming love too. My heart is big enough to have love enough for all of you. Don’t think too much about the feelings I expressed for Daniel. It is just that he came under special circumstances and he had the opportunity to be an integral part of our lives for more than 10 years.

THE SPEICAL TIMES WE HAD TOGETHER – SOME CRAZY TIMES TOO
I will remember the special moments well Da Da and they will be etched in my mind forever. I remember changing nappies for you and cleaning up the mess when there was no one else around. At 6 months of age, I took you and strapped you to me and we rode on my Honda Goldwing to a wedding. Can you imagine the look of the host and the guests at that wedding when they saw me riding up with you a six month old baby. You should have seen their open mouths and their shocked look. But you were chuckling merrily as you felt the wind in your face.

WE REALLY HAD SOME GREAT ESCAPADES
Most evenings, you will look forward to me coming home and taking you for a ride. We had great rides together – more on my Goldwing that any other bike. I remember taking you for a ride round the whole of Petaling Jaya. Your mother and Grandmother were horrified when they heard about our escapades.

THE FIRST TIME TO AUSTRALIA – WHAT A LOUD TRIP
As a family, we went out to many interesting destinations together. I will never forget taking you to Perth the first time when you were still so young. You cried non-stop the minute the plane took off. I could see that the other passengers were thinking how bad parents we were. It seemed as if we could not even pacify our own son. They were mistaken because we looked so young (ahem). For a few moments, strangling you did cross my mind but looking back now, it was a joy to be able to love you even when you were crying.

WE HAD SUCH GREAT TIMES ON THE GAYANA SOJOURN & MORE
Then I took you for many other different trips. I am sure you will remember Gayana Island Resort. O, you really loved that resort. For the three days we were there, you went everywhere with me. I was so afraid, you might fall off the plank walk and have problems in the sea. Those few days together were really great times. I took you for long walks and each time, you would end up being piggy-backed by me. I am so thankful to God for giving me so much strength all through your growing up years. Do you know that I carried you more than you walked yourself. If love is like this, then I want to tell you that I was madly in love with you. You were never too heavy for me. Even when we walked the waterfalls of Bukit Tinggi and I had to carry your through those streams of rushing waters, you were never too heavy. My motivation was love!

I CARRIED YOU WITH ARMS OF LOVE
I will never forget the time when you were already 9 years old and almost 40 kilos heavy. We had arrived at the 130 acre land in Bukit Tinggi where we had to walk up that long steep stretch of gravel road up to the top of the land. It was a 500 feet steep incline that stretched over a short journey. Most ordinary people had difficulties pulling themselves up that incline. I carried you up. Every step was so tough that I wanted to give up. But I persisted. I just focused my mind on love and that gave me the strength and the endurance to persevere through. What great joy it was to reach that mountain top with you. It was to prepare us for the tougher things to come.

I CARRIED YOU AGAIN WHEN YOU FELL AT GRACEHILL ORCHARD LODGE
Just a few months back, you had grown to be quite big and I told myself that I will not be able to carry you on outings again. Then came that big training walk down the hills of Kokol where you fell. It was a really bad bruise and your leg was swollen. We were still 1½ kilometers from the Lodge. You could barely walk. Without a moment’s hesitation, I reached out and asked you to climb up behind me. I carried you through that distance uphill. Many of the other climbers thought I would not be able to make it. But I did. I succeeded because like the earlier times, I carried you on the arms of love.

OVERCOMING THE FEARS OF WATER & HEIGHT
At the age of 5, we all agreed that swimming would be important for you. After all, both your Aunty Cindy and Aunty Lindy are National Champions. So your Aunties and your Mummy and many others tried to teach you but they all failed. You were so afraid of water, afraid of the dark and afraid of heights after the neighbor’s dog bit you. Every time you went to the water’s edge, you will cringe in fear. Nothing anyone did could make you overcome it. It took me a long time but step-by-step, I taught you to deal with your fear of water. Soon, you were swimming and you discovered the joys of swimming. Today, you can not only swim well, but you can also dive decently.

THE HOURS WE HAD ON THE HIGH PLATFORM OF FUN IN GOL
Remember the high platform in the GOL Lodge in Bukit Tinggi. That is where we spent years of great fun and revelry taking jumps high into the air from that 8 foot platform. You used to be really impressed by my back somersaults and front somersaults. Of course I could have taught you all these tricks as well but we will have time for these in the future as you grow up.

We used to spend hours in the sun there with your Mummy, Aunty Alice, Aunty Sam, Uncle Chris Kim, Uncle Albert and Aunty Cavyn. Those were highlights that will stand you in good stead for the rest of your life. We had so many happy moments and so many nights of singing, dancing and screaming our heads out.

THE RICHNESS OF A CHILDHOOD THAT HAD SO MUCH ADVENTURE
Yes there were so many more highlights in your life that came from being with me. Your Grandmother has complained much about my life of adventure but I want to think that such a life had brought great influences into the lives of your Mummy and your two other Aunties. Without going so much into the other phases of great fun which we had, doing things together (and I think I am being blamed somewhat for your reluctance to study), I must say your childhood has been as rich as it could have been. Riding with you as my pillion on my BMW F650 bike to Bukit Tinggi was one such highlight for me. Your trust in me was absolute. I pray that you will trust God as much if not more from now on.

Dear Da Da, El El, Jordan and Jayden,

WITHOUT GOD, LITTLE ELSE WOULD MATTER – LOVE HIM ALWAYS
God has been such a great help to me and I want to tell you that unlike other human beings, he will not fail you nor forsake you. If there is one request that I would like to make, I will want you to love God and trust him with all of your heart. Someone who knows the presence of God and his grace and his mercy will always walk right. This is very important. You will have many people who will come into your life and influence you in the wrong ways. This is where God can help you know who are the good ones and who are the bad ones you should avoid.

PICK THE RIGHT FRIENDS AND TRUST GOD
Learning to pick the right friends will be one of the most important things for all of you in Australia. The reason why I lived such a great life is largely because of the great friends that I made along the way. Many of them were great influences for me and they pointed me in the ways of positive and constructive paths that took me to achievements that were meaningful.

Let me emphasize trusting God again. A life without God is futile and hopeless. You have no bright tomorrows that you can look forward to. Never forget this. Each time you read this blog, think hard when you come to this part. Will “Koong Koong” ever tell you a lie? I want the best for you only and what I have to say here is critical for you to live a life that is worth living for. Trust God, love him, commune with him and let him lead your way.

Yes Da Da, This is for you!

A JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY – WE CONQUERED MT KINABALU
Finally for this posting, I want to share a bit about your most recent trip with me. This is the trip up Mount Kinabalu on 4 April 2008. I want to make a confession now. When I saw that you had not trained enough for the climb up South-East Asia’s highest mountain and that you were overweight, I was worried sick. I thought that you would not be able to make it but I was also determined to get you to the top whatever the difficulties.

YOU CLIMBED MOUNT KINABALU – YOU DEFINITELY HAVE THE SEEDS OF GREATNESS IN YOU
Having your Mummy there with us was a great great help. Your successful ascent to the top was a result of both of our efforts. You were wonderful in your continuation to move on despite the pain and the toughness. I was so impressed by your willingness to stand up and go on. This is the key lesson for life. Even when you are too tired and you feel you cannot go on anymore, you can actually stand up and move forward. If you do this, you will succeed in almost anything that you do. This is a really precious lesson. Take it with you everywhere you go. You are one of the few 10 year olds who stood at the top of South-East Asia’s highest mountain.

PARTNER – I HOPE TO CLIMB MANY MORE MOUNTAINS WITH YOU
What a glorious achievement! What a victory for you! I am really proud of you. You actually did it yourself. We were only there to guide you and to be a source of encouragement for you. I was thrilled to have made this journey with you and it was so meaningful to have been your friend and partner in this endeavor. I hope to climb many more mountains with you.

AND NOW THE TIME HAS COME – YOU WILL BE AWAY BUT NOT FORGOTTEN – I WILL LOOK FORWARD TO MANY OTHER TRIPS…..
And now the time has come for you to go. I will surely cry a lot of tears and I will probably recede into my favorite armchair in my own loneliness. I will miss you badly as I will miss El El, your Mummy Mindy and your Daddy Benny. But it will be you I miss the most – my partner, my friend, my encourager, my companion and my grandson. Yes, I will wish you God’s richest blessing and I know that this journey out is what will be good for you. I will need to subordinate my own feelings, my own wants for your good. Although you will be very far away from me, it will make no difference. My love will still bridge the furthest distances and reach out to you. Run with the wind, my darling Grandson and you too, my darling Grand daughter. Jordan and Jayden, I will look forward to run with you on some trips together. I love you all completely!

We will still have many more adventures together!

Your Grandfather, Hock Siew.

Sit and watch the days go by....

FLEETING DAYS ARE RUSHING BY.....
All of us think of time as an inexhaustible commodity. But it is running us by. Just today (a public holiday in Malaysia) I sat at my table and wondered how time has flown by. Then I thought of the memories of days gone by. 52 Mount Kinabalu climbs with so many people - many of whom I have forgotten but who now with the wonderful advancement of the Internet I can get in touch with again.

GREAT MEMORIES THAT MAKES US STRONGThen I thought of the thousands who passed through my life in different places and at different times. Looking back to what we did before and looking back at great memories is what makes us strong. I am also reminded of the song that goes:

A SONG THAT REMINDS US OF DAYS GONE BY....."Once upon a time there was a tavern
where we used to place a glass or two
Remember how we laughed away the hours
And think of all the great things we would do

Those were the days, my friend
We thought they'd never end
We sing and dance forever and a day
We live the life we choose
We fight and never lose
For we were young & sure to have our way

Then the busy years went rushing by us
We lost our starry notions on the way
If by chance you pass again the tavern
We'd look at one another, then we'd say (Those were....)

SO MANY FRIENDS - SOME LIKE PASSING SHIPS ON THE OCEAN
Most of us would have so many friends. For many of us, it would take a long while to recollect all those friends. Do you know today that you can get in touch with all of them so long as they have an email account. What a great way to now rekindle old friendships!

TRY HARD ENOUGH & YOU WILL GET THROUGH TO THEM
If you sat down hard enough, you will recollect thousands of them. Let me give you an example of what I can recollect:

Primary school teachers (Cator Avenue school)
Primary school classmates
Primary school schoolmates
Neighbors in the area of Fair Park where I grew up
Neighbors in Canning Gardens where my God mother's house was
Wolf cub friends (Cator Avenue)
Secondary school teachers (Anderson School)
Secondary school classmates
Secondary school schoolmates
Scout friends of the 8th Ipoh troop where I was Instructor(Anderson school)
Girl guide friends of the 1st Ipoh Company where I was Instructor (Methodist Girls School)
Girl Guide friends of the 8th Ipoh Company where I was Instructor (Ave Maria Convent)
Friends & Teachers from the Methodist Girls school, Ipoh
Friends from the Elim Gospel Hall, Ipoh
Tuition students of mine when I was teaching in Ipoh
Sporting friends from Ipoh (Football, Basketball, Hockey, Badminton, Table-tennis, Athletics, Volleyball, Softball, etc)
Friends from Sitaiwan where I grew up part of the years
Church friends from Penang where I grew up part of the years
Church friends from Taiping where I grew up part of the years
Butterfly collecting friends from Ipoh
Family members from Ipoh
Family members from Penang
Family members from Kuala Lumpur
Family members from Singapore
Univerity coursemates from Universiti Malaya
Billiards partners from Universiti Malaya
Association members from Economics Society, Student Union, etc
Lecturers from Universiti Malaya
Sporting friends from Universiti Malaya
Church friends from Life Chapel, Petaling Jaya
Church friends from Bungsar Gospel Hall, Kuala Lumpur
Hongkong Bank colleagues from all over Malaysian branches

THE LIST WILL CONTINUE IN THE NEXT POSTING AND I WILL SHOW YOU HOW YOU CAN FURTHER EXPAND ON IT.....

Failure isn't failure...

Yes, my friends, Failure is never failure until you fail to try. I will never forget how I had fared so miserably on one of my business ventures. I was virtually wiped out and starring Bankruptcy in the face. Every prayer I uttered was seemingly so hollow. It was like an echo of huge proportions.

I really felt like crying. I was heavily in debts. I had told my partners if we lost money, I will be responsible for it. And here I was - without any answer, without resources and without hope in the real sense of the word. I was so down that I could not see beyond the huge wall of problems that was before me. I then remembered back to when I was climbing one of the mountains that I had been on, years back. Everything seemed so hopeless when we came to a seeming end of the trail and what was before me was a huge steep rock that was standing in my way. I had tried to go round it but it seemed almost impossible. There were deep holes round the other side.

I had wanted to turn back but my intuitive self told me that there was a way through. So I told the group I was leading that we will move on. Amidst the groans and protests that came, I walked further to the steep right. It was constant probing and that was when I spotted a small opening. As I squeezed through it and came out into a ray of light, I knew then that hope is always fulfilled with persistence. It is during the most trying times that we must never give up. Just as I squeezed through, the whole trail opened up again and we made it to the summit. What a reiteration of the power of belief in our lives.

What a lesson - what an answer!! There is always a way through if we look hard enough. Yes, in your life my friend, if you have problems right in front of you, take heart!!! Rise up in your spirit - it always begins there. Say to yourself, "I will not be discouraged. I will rise up from the difficulties that are around me and I will use it as a stepping stone because I know I am destined to be a winner!!"

You are a winner my friend - just know that!

Will you climb with me.....

Just yesterday, my Manager Sam asked me about the mountain climb and I thought to myself - why don't I post a note on the climb so that anyone interested can view details about the climb. Please go to mountkinabalubeckons.blogspot.com if you want to know about the climb.

LESSONS OF LIFE - FROM THE CLIMB
Actually life is quite similar to the Mount Kinabalu climb. It is there before you and if you make it a clear objective in your life, then you cannot avoid making the climb. Climbing Mount Kinabalu will make you a much stronger person mentally. One day when the storms of life hit, you will carry the fortitude required to overcome such storms.

NO EASY TO GET PLACES.....
Unfortunately today climbing Mount Kinabalu is no longer easy because of the huge demand for places. To plan for a climb is a crazily detailed process. It is not like planning for it for a month and making the climb. Today people come from all over the world to climb and they pay for their places 6 months in advance. You simply can't get places for the climb. We planned for the April climb almost 1 year ago.

THE CLIMBS ARE ALMOST AT COST.....
Our climbs are amost made at cost. The additional charges are the following:

• Arrangement fees paid to my Associate company in Sabah to arrange the bookings, transportation, guide arrangement (guides who are my regulars), hotels, snorkelling, restaurant booking, etc. It also covers the provision of one staff who will handle all the spare bags when we climb and delivery of packed meals, etc.
• Cost of 3 staff who will come for the trip and handle the administrative arrangements. This adds a small amount of cost to the climb per pax.

NOT COMMERCIAL TRIP - NO SPECIAL TREATMENT
Please remember that this is not a commercial program so climbers should NOT come in and demand for special treatment. It is simply a climb organised for you and you come in just alike any of the other climbers who are there as friends. In 52 climbs, we have had complaints only once and even that was due to a misunderstanding. This is a climb that I make for friends and because there are additional places, I open it to friends of climbers.

COST OF CLIMB COVERS A 5 DAY - 4 NIGHT TRIP
Remember, the cost charged does not cover only the climb. It covers 5 days 4 nights of an organised trip. The first night is spent at the Pines Hotel. It is a lovely rustic hotel nestled amidst a proliferation of flowering plants. The dinner is usually very good and the first night is spent in the many meeting huts for bonding and briefing.

A STRETCHED CLIMB OF 3 DAYS - 2 NIGHTS
The climb which begins on the second day is a 3 day-2 night climb. This doubles the cost of the Mt Kinabalu climb but almost everyone makes it to the top in such a climb. The enjoyment is tremendous and everyone who has gone for the usual 2 day-1 night climb have said that it is so much more enjoyable for a climb stretched by one more day. We have also included the cost of guides for the climb but the cost of porters have NOT been included. This is because people bring different amounts of stuff for the climb and it is best that they pay for what they elect to bring.

Then on the fourth day, we get to stay at the newly refurbished Palace Hotel in Kota Kinabalu where breakfast on the fifth day is provided. The fifth day takes the group to snorkelling in the exotic islands of the Kinabalu Parks and the cost is also covered (excluding lunch).

TRAINING PROGRAMS ARE PROVIDED AT PART OF THE PROGRAM
All-in-all, 2 dinners with the best of KK's seafood cuisine is provided. The rest of the meals are on your own. What is most important are the training programs that are arranged. We actually lose money on these training programs because the time spent for such sessions are not really covered in terms of cost. We provide for only RM100 to cover the sessions.

YOUR CHOICE TO CLIMB WITH US?
So you have your choice. Climb with us and have the benefit of the experience of 52 climbs thrown in including preparation and training provided for you or you do it on your own and save a little bit of money. Ask the many who have climbed with us and they are saying to me, "Why don't you charge more?" My response to that is I am bringing many of my friends to climb and I can't do that.

WE CAN'T GO LOWER ON THE CHARGES!
Compare this with the commercial climbs I have arranged in the past when I took groups. If they want me to climb with them, a 5 day-4 night trip would cost them at least RM1,800 (and that was before the fees and charges were raised by the Sabah Parks). Some have asked whether the rates can be lower. Unfortunately the answer is no. We have little room to go lower.

REASON FOR NON-REFUNDABLE DEPOSITS
This is also the reason we collect non-refundable deposits. Please remember that I have to pay cash upfront to get the climbing places and stay at Laban Rata and the risk of loss is high. This is why I try to get the no of climbers early and then I close the climb places. After the climb places are secured, there will be no more places that can be given out.

TESTOMONIES OF THE PAST CLIMBS
What are some of the responses from those who have climbed? The testimonials will be posted in the blog on Kinabalu but suffice it to say that the following comments are representative:

• I have never enjoyed myself so much on a climb. Although it was tough (but I expected it to be so), I will hold the climb as one of the highlights in my life. Ong's team performed superbly and the organisation was outstanding
• Mindy, Alice and Sam were wonderful in the way they handled the team. Of course Hock Siew's leadership and encouragement made all the difference. Without his encouragement and help, I would not have made it to the top
• I can't believe I climbed South-East Asia's highest mountain. There were many moments of doubt but Hock Siew's briefing and preparation of our minds at each stage of the way made all the difference. I cannot see how the trip could be further improved.
• I cried and cried at the last part. I just could not go on anymore. This was when Mr Ong came and led me on. His constant encouragement and help got me to the top, step by step. I am so grateful to him for going out of his way to take me through the last mile. I have learnt precious lessons that I will take with me through the rest of my life
• What a climb. What a feeling - to have the wind blowing into your face and to know that the effort has been all worth it. Thank you Hock Siew for the wonderful organisation and thank you for the great motivation that you gave. Having your guitar and having us sing throughout the whole trip is truly unforgettable. It was like re-living my days of youth and carefree freedom again. Thanks again!

The testimonies speak for themselves. Come and enjoy yourself!!

Life isn't about waiting for the storms to pass.....

Life isn't about waiting for the storms to pass, it is about learning to dance in the rain.....

How relevant is this statement! Time and again, we have just stood still when a storm came into our lives and we did nothing but wait for it to pass. In my own life, I have waited for many of such storms to pass and years were wasted away in such periods of waiting.

LEARNING HOW TO DANCE IN THE RAIN

Mired in failure and self-pity
How many of us have wallowed in self-pity hoping for things to change? Failure is a terrible word and it grips us so tightly that we often never pry loose its grip on us. That's why many of us are still bound by experiences that happened years ago. Such fears debilitate us and cause us to never step out of our secure zones.

Gripped in the bondage of constrains
If we continue to be mired in such negative zones, we will always be constrained in our lives - constrained to wait out the showers that come so often in our lives. We will never watch the splendour of the rainbows after a storm and see the wild flower in bloom. We will always miss the highlights that add so much to enrich our lives.

We can learn to dance in the rain
Yes, my friends, we can learn to dance in the rain and to see the spectrum of a thousand colours light up our lives. If you examine your own life, you will see that what really matters are really only the highlights that take place in your life. It is the mountain top experiences that stand out.

We must first seek to apply it to ourselves
We all have to live our lives for a clear purpose and it is more than just carving out a career and raising a family that matters. We all owe it to ourselves to bring out the vibrant colours in our own lives before we can even talk of helping others bring out theirs.

We must learn to get wet in the rain and like it.....
Dancing in the rain requires you to let down your hair and not care about the wetness that washes all over you. It is learning to stare at life in the face and say, "I will not be dampened by you." Not only will I not be dampened; I will also surmount you and use you to bring out the rainbows in my life......

The right way to live - a life of liberty
What a way to live!! I have been dancing in the rain almost all my life. The more people tell me something cannot be done, the more I go out and do it.

COME DANCE IN THE RAIN WITH ME.....

So often, people come up to me and say, "I wish I could be more like you and live my life to the fullest!" My response to that is "Why are you even talking "funny" like this? Can't you see that it has nothing to do with your abilities or even your limitations. All it need is a change of attitude!"

Governed by opinions.....
Comments like the following are very common - "O, my husband thinks I should not do this" or "My friends say I am not made out for adventure" or "My Parents are freakish in their safety concerns" or "I think I am too old for this kind of strenous activities." And so, the list goes on.

You make your own choices - a story of a feisty spirit
You make your own choices, my friends. Recently, I met this wonderful lady who had so much wanted to climb Mount Kinabalu. I could see the glitter in her eye each time she talked of climbing. It was obvious to me that she was tired of her routines in life and now with the children grown up, she was raring to have some adventure in her life. Each time, she talked of climbing, her husband would discourage her and talked of all the negatives......

I will make it my mission.....
I like her spirit. The more the discouragement would flow, the more determined she would get. She knows that she has to live her life the way she wants to live it if she is to find real meaning. I have no doubts she will reach the mountain top and as she feels the wind in her face, she will know what it is to live life fully.

The true spirit of Adventure - the indomitable spirit of man
I love this kind of spirit of adventure. I have taken almost 2,000 people to climb Mount Kinabalu in 52 climbs. Time and again I have seen the indomitable spirit of men (perhaps even more in women) take hold of their limitations and drive them to surpass their own limitations. I spoke to 120 young Leaders three weeks ago at a RYLA camp organised by the Rotary in Johore at a rustic place called Sedili. There, I challenged them to soar like Eagles and never to let the shackles of mediocre thoughts bring them low. I could see the glitter in their yes as they made fresh resolutions to do things differently. What wonderful feelings as I came away seeing their spirits rise!

More stories of such courage
Lim Yong Keat wa 68 years old when he climbed Mount Kinabalu with me earlier this year. Many told him he was crazy to attempt such a climb at his age. Did he even stop to ponder such negative thoughts. No! Right from the start, I could see the tremendous determination in his eyes. He was going to make it irrespective of what it was going to take. With such a spirit, how could he not succeed. He made the top earlier than other younger climbers. Yong Keat knows what it is to pay the price to be a winner.

The call of a true champion
This is the call of a champion - to surpass and exceed every limitation that life has to offer and to take responsibility for what happens to you. The true champion don't go around blaming people and things for what happens to them. They stand strong amidst the force of the lashing rain and they never get dominated by the seemingly insurmountable winds & problems that come into their lives.

Yes, my friends, even as I write this blog in the early hours of the morning (started at 4 am), I feel so refreshed simply taking stock of what it really means to be a champion in my life. All I know is that God did not make me to lose in life!

Think of a baby who starts to walk at the age of say, 11 months.

The baby will stand up for short tottering moments and then he will fall down again. He will probably stand up, walk a few tentaive steps and fall again and again. He will probably fall thousands of times in the course of learning to walk. Sometimes the fall may be so painful he may cry for long moments. BUT WILL THE BABY SIMPLY SIT DOWN AND REFUSE TO WALK AGAIN. NO!!!

The baby will rise up again after each fall and he will walk again. He will rise up and walk again and again and again until he can walk consistently and well. He doesn't give up until he finally succeeds. That is how God has made us and that is what God plants in our lives - the mind of a winner and the chanracter of a Champion. We are all champions.

You can do it!!!
Don't let a small disappointment or a setback hold you down. I want to speak into your life right now and say - You can do it!! You can rise again after each disappointment and press on, knowing that success is much nearer than you think.

My life as an open book

When I started blogging, I wondered what I should write about? I thought the best way would be to open up my heart to those who would read my blogs. So here goes....

18 Dec 2007

Changing priorities
I can't imagine how life is all about changing priorities. So quickly, another Christmas is around the corner. I can't believe how fast another year has passed. When I was 16 or 17 years old, I wished that time would come faster so that I could grow up and do the things I wanted to. Now it's a different set of feelings. Sometimes, we don't really mind time standing still. Little wonder that our priorities change with time.....

Life's uncertainties
Last month, I had 2 narrow encounters with death (read my blog: dreamsobig.blogspot). Unbelievable when the first escape was from a massive river tsunami and the second from a herd of wild elephants. Who could have thought that such things will happen? As someone who relish a life of adventure, I have no doubts that we must learn to love much and do what our heart desires all the time..... We so often think we have control over what happens to us. How foolish and futile are such thoughts! Yes, my priorities really changed with the 2 experiences.

Getting old is not optional
When I was young, I used to point out people who were just over 40 years old and say, "that old guy...." Now I am 57 and I can imagine people pointing me out and saying, "that old old guy"....... How ironic that what goes round come back full circle soon enough.

For the times they are a changing.......
I can't help but think of that song that goes, "Come Mothers and Fathers throughout all the land, And don't criticise what you can't understand; Your sons and your daughters are beyond your command..... and the things they are rapidly changing" How true it is! Older folks just have to learn that they must give understanding instead of thinking they can still command the thoughts and the decisions of the younger generation.....

Isn't it so true that life is like hopping from one stage to another. You don't want to look back. As for me, I am looking forward to what will come next.

Getting older - "change" is really the only change you need?
You certainly get wiser a bit more with age. You command more respect but as times change, you simply adapt or you become obsolete. More and more, young people simply can't bother themselves with the older ones. The reasons for such behaviors are frequently "self-inflicted" by the older ones. They demand for respect when no one cares about such demands. The rich ones who think their money can buy their way through every situation had better beware.

Arrogance - what a terrible "come-around"
Yes, those who are rich and affluent, who think their wealth and their position can buy loyalties and obedience had better think again. Time and again I have seen such people grow old completely disregarded and "cast aside" by those who serve them and even their own family members. The terrible consequence of arrogance is that it creates resentment and long-lasting anger in the hearts of those who are on the receiving end of arrogance.

The mental abuse of subordinates and the less fortunate can only bring consequences that come around. The end for such people is usually terrible. Those who simly condemn and abuse others through their behavior will end up with the same consequences. The call to change is NOW!

Brittle bones & bony brittles....
Yes, as age comes on a bit more, you would not be able to play games as proficiently as you once could. The aches come more quickly and go away more slowly. Recovery is certainly more tedious. People say you can't have sex as frequently or as vigorously but I beg to disagree. Sex simply gets better with age. You don't rush anymore and you take time to bring out the better things.

Still with age........

• You remember clearly things that happened many years ago but you can't remember things that happened yesterday
• You can see clearer much further but you can't see where you place your next step
• You doze off sitting down but can't sleep lying down
• You have the urge in your mind but you can't have the action where it matters
• You make a lot of noise but no one listens much to you
• You give your employees instructions but your grandchildren give you directions
  
  Laid back or laid out
  Still if you just lie back in your life and wait, you will be laid out soon enough. If you keep yourself fit and you watch out for your lifestyle, let me tell you that you can feel great, think great and be great. If you lived healthily, you will stay healthy until you die and what a blessing that will be.
  
  The sad tragedy of "resignation"
  Many people just resign themselves to what they are and what they are not. They say, I can't do this or that because I am not cut out for it. If I asked you to come climb Mount Kinabalu (South-East Asia's highest mountain at 4,093 meters) with me, would you hurriedly shake your head and say, "no way - such things are not cut out for me!" Or would you say, "I am not sure I can but I will gladly try!" To be resigned to your perceived situation is the saddest part of existence. Don't give in to resignation. Join me for my programs and you will see your whole perspective of life change...
  
  Me - I have no doubts.......
  Me, I have simply no doubts that I want to live my life in a great way. I know I will still play my games vigorously, run my races with glee, have great sex frequently, pursue new interests and hobbies (like playing the piano, playing the drums, learning lawn bowls, etc), start new ventures, spend great time with my family, love God even more......
  
  I am looking forward to the coming years with great anticipation. Are you?
  
  ON TIME
  Time is too slow for those who wait
  Too swift for those who fear
  Too long for those who grieve
  Too short for those who rejoice
  But for those who love
  Time is forever......
  
  Precious time - a lesson of goodness
  In 1968, one of my dearest friends in Form 6 was suddenly stricken with tumour of the brain. We were both 18. He played rugby for the state schools team and he was a strong young man coming into the prime of his life. Like me, he was a scout and we both represented the state and country in scouting.
  
  There can be no waiting time ... it just flows on
  As his condition deteriorated, I remember visiting him in hospital and sharing precious fleeting moments with him. Still he would encourage me to stay strong. On one of the last visits and I knew I would not see him alive again, I held his hands in mine and we both cried and cried. I cried for the years of the future that he would never experience. I cried for the end of a flower that would never come to full bloom. My heart was torn from side to side. I pleaded with God to spare him but it was not to be.....
  
  As I walked out of the hospital ward that final time, I turned to look back at my best pal, Kam Fatt. As I wiped the tears from my eyes, I could see that wistful smile on his face - he was telling me to stay strong and to live life to the fullest and to honor God. I remember the song that we used to sing together so often - "O Mr Wing, we'll sing-a-ling-a-ling with all our hearts to you; In winter, autumn, spring a-ling-a-ling and all our whole lives through....." In that short existence of his, he had sand with all his heart......
  
  Kam Fatt left me a call to live out my life to my fullest potential. It was a call to "live" my life in the best possible manner. For those of us who are privileged to be given life in its abundance, the great tragedy would be for us to live our lives in a defeated plot with hopelessness as our lot. Kam Fatt brought strength to my existence and he left an indelible legacy of hope and excellence with me. "Don't settle for the plains," is what I heard from him when we were young. "Go for the mountain tops!!"
  
  What about you my friends? Will you re-examine your life and see how you have been so blessed with the good things you have been given!!. If you are blessed, will you change and rise up to fulfill what you can become and do the things you once thought you cannot do? My friends, it is all about attitude and focus! Willyou go for the mountain tops of your life?