Soul Sculpture

I was watching a special programme on channel 8, featuring 'Soul sculpture' and I am truely inspired by him. He is now an advocate in oganic and enviromental issue and has lead a very simple yet meaningful life. What amazed me is how he gave up his 6 figure annual salary job to proceed to 'discover' life on earth. Travelled around the world to understand the world, and now despite of the peer pressure, he insisted that he no longer want to live the busy city life he used to lead.

It was the 1997, silkair plane crash that gave him a wake up call. Due to his job requirement, he had to travel alot via plane. Apparently, that incident had a strong impact on him. He wonder what if he was one of the passenger on that plane? He knew that he didnt want to die, for he had not live his life the fullest. In order to figure out the meaning of life, he quitted his job and went for travelling for 4 years. The experience had thought him many things about life other than money and material.

I feel that singaporean are too busy chasing after material and money is a measure of their success. What success really means? Does it really mean living in high-end appartment or drive luxury car? To me, I fell that they are simply too numb in the midst of chasing their 'success'; they have forgot how to enjoy simple happiness in life. Relationship and friendship grew apart and I really wonder if it worth it.

My colleague L is one of a very typical Singapore. I cant blame her because this is how our society shapes us. She always tells me how to get more money or how to climb the corporate ladder in the fastest way. I know she meant well, for I cant deny money is still the utimate and fundamental tool for basic survival, however, to me, I will still feel 'empty' even if I am on top of the ladder.

L once told me that I have plan fast, for it be too late for me to start all over again. She is now in her 30s and she told me that when she was my age, her salary is almost what she is getting now. In another words, I am such a loser for only getting half of what she used to have when shes my age.

Now I question myself; will I be satisfy with my life if I am a high-flyer? Well, life is not a race. I do not see why I must get myself involve in this 'ladder climbing' competition. To me, I may not be young, but I am still not too old to start all over again. So what if I always change job, and so what if I never stay long in a job, I believe I can only discover my passion this way and at the same time, to reinvent myself. I really don't mind getting a pay of junior level, as long as I realise what my passion is by the end of the day.

While some of my friends are busy with looking for rich boy-friends or too busy making money, I always wonder if I am a freck for I can never fit into their community. Maybe this is what makes me so different from the rest. I have plans and goals. I hope to achieve it, but by doing so, I do not have to follow the crowd and get myself conform to the structure and system registered in a typical sterotype Singaporean's culture and perception. While acheiveing my goals, I want to feel 'alive' at the same time. The sense of being or feeling 'alive' is something which money can never buy.

I have achieve a step to being 'alive' by enaging in voluntary work. I am not doing it very frequent but this is still my very first step. Of course, there will be more to come. Utimately, I hope I can get to travel the world, just like the guy featuring in 'soul sculpture', to understand the human race, our mother earth and of course to understand myself as a human being.