It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Well Santa Claus is beginning to appear in the newspaper advertisements; Christmas trees are taking their places at the various retail malls while decorative bulbs are gradually crawling out of the leafy trees. Its not quite the end of the year, but in a matter of weeks I believe it is likely to begin to look like Christmas. Understandably the retailers can't wait to get their cash registers ringing...given that the year's economic recovery has been anything but smooth. Bonuses for employees - well there's talk about better payouts this year but it remains to be seen. The stock market is taking a drubbing today; some say this is expected given the rises in the past fortnight. G20 members are still struggling in Seoul to find a common platform acceptable for everyone. There's just too many rhetoric. The will to perform isn't there.

Somehow life goes on. Students are out in large numbers to enjoy their term end holidays - a much deserved one given that they waited a year for the final exams. Holiday-makers are always flowing in and out come whatever time of the year. The drinkers will get their pints and the drunkards will get their high.

I sometimes wonder just how many more Christmas will I get to enjoy? Never know. Guess it's a simple question but to give it a definitive answer is not easy. We as humans think we have the power to do many things but alas not over life. If we breathe, it's because someone up there allows us to do so. Otherwise we are just like the candle that can be snuffed out in one puff. Given the fragility of life, yet one wonders why we don't always treasure the time we have on this good Earth. Instead of ranting and complaining, we should be going out there to enjoy the surroundings and take things in their stride. At the end of the day, we should say: Oh what a beautiful day it has been!

Life's Journey

Having seen so many close friends, associates, relatives passed on in life, one somehow can't help but pause to think what legacy will I be leaving behind after I am gone. Perhaps no one will remember or talk about me. I am not a politician who may have introduced policies to change people's lives, nor am I a multi-millionaire philanthropist whose donations will be etched on the stones of buildings, not even a singer to leave a song for others to sing.

Perhaps all I have is my blog...even then it is not regularly updated. My rantings and writings may not even make it into a scrap book. My ideas and views are nondescript. But, and a big but, maybe people will remember me for what I am...just another person who led a normal life, yet is able to enjoy all that is around me, appreciate the beauty of life, music, art and all the challenges in work and business. Friends I have a few; some may disagree and say I have more than I can chew. Regrets yes I do have them, one of which was that I should have paid more attention to education when I was young. I could have taken a different route and who knows then I may not have to reflect on what is the legacy that I will leave behind. I may be a leader of sorts and be remembered by my followers. One consolation I have is that I still have friends who remember to invite me for their gatherings, old classmates whose numbers are fast dwindling as the years go by.
Family, who are closely knit though they may not always agree with my thoughts and views. But in a crunch, they will stand together as one. This is important for ultimately, it is not anyone else but the family that you go home to. It is the family that you leave behind as your legacy.