By the Sea

By the Sea

1st Jan 2005 will be spent by the Sentosa beach with toastmasters of the Changi Simei TMC. The tides will come and go unceasingly. But our lives will also come and go.

26 years ago, as a secondary school boy, I was with my best friend Jonathan Tang at the East Coast beach. We were wondering what the future will bring to us. Now looking back. Yes we had the answer. Went to NS, backslided from our faith, got married, had children, had a career, grow old...and then die. And the young ones take our lives and carry on their lives. One generation after another.

Now looking back, 46 years of my life has past. I've got an awful lot to live for. Knowing that things are transient, I hold nothing too dear cos when I die, I can't bring them with me.

God has given my eldest sister only 40 years of her life. But God was generous to give me a little more years. I'm grateful.

As I stand and stare at the beach. I reminded that I'm just a passing pilgrim. The beach will always be there. The waters will always be there. But I will not be there every year. Someday I too will vanish from the scene. Then forgotten. Like the writing on the sand, it too will be washed away by the tides of time. And no trace of it.

Today the flower blooms with colors and glory. Tomorrow it withers with age and then...die. Vanity, vanity. All is vanity.