Tell me...where does time go? Saturday, when I last put fingers to keyboard, seems a lifetime and more away. So much water under the bridge in terms of happenings and lessons learnt, as well as so much water literally under the bridge from the rains that have been falling daily. Add to that the two earthquakes yesterday when, high up in my concrete eyrie, I could not only feel but see my apartment building swaying. My office chair slid back and forth across the tiled floor with me sitting in it, lamps moved and pictures shuddered. Wind chimes tinkled in the absence of wind. I felt dizzy. The weirdest of feelings. But I, and all Singaporeans are safe. Buildings were evacuated and it was all very odd but we are all safe, unlike our beleaguered Indonesian neighbours.
Events have been unfolding over the past few days that have really brought home once again how differently we all see the world. How easy it would be if life were black and white. But it isn’t. It is largely grey and the way we see it is so very different from one person to the next. Morals, ethics, right, wrong. Do we have the right to judge others? Just that very question is debatable within and of itself.
Like the lion dancer looking out at the world through the window in his costume so we all look out at the world through the windows of our experience. We look at the same thing but often see something totally different.
All the more reason to be conscious that our every thought, deed and word leaves an imprint on those around us and although we may believe we are acting with integrity others may not because, as I mentioned earlier, life is not black and white.
First published 7 March 2007
Image © TJF Photographics 2007 All rights reserved