Life is a destiny

Yesterday was a day I would never forget. There was a long lost classmate whom we had lost touch for 43 years. Immediately when we finished our secondary school, all school mates went their way to seek their lives. Some pursuit their studies further if they were lucky, while most of us had to get employment at a tender age of 18 or 19 to support our parents.

It was by chance, I was given the hand phone number of this friend, Henry Tan who took time with his family to come down from Singapore to meet me at Mid Valley in Kuala Lumpur. We had spoken on the phone and had communicated through the email before we met. On that exciting afternoon, I was too anxious to see him because I wanted to know whether we could be able to recognise each other. Surprisingly we could because he remained as youthful as a boy whom I could identified on the spot. We hugged and yelled like kids at that moment. A moment of the lost 43 years of growing different.

We never talked much 43 years ago, although we were with the same class for two years. But that afternoon, we chatted for hours without realising it. Even his wife and 3 daughters had to excuse us by moving away to let us have some privacy.

Today when we looked back, we could see how we had utilized our time and how we had progressed. Henry strongly believed that life is a destiny and we have to make the best out of it because we have only one life to live. He had done well with courage. He started young in life working as a class 3 clerk with The Government TNB when at that time was called as LLN.

He drew a tight salary of only RM250 per month and it would be insufficient to help his parents. With his determination and hard work, he continued to self study until he got his MBA. After working with the government for 22 years, he was offered an irresistible offer to work in Singapore with the corporate sector. According to him, opportunity comes only once in a life time. He scarified his 22 years government job plus benefits and took the venture to step foot in Singapore. There was no turning point ever since then. From rank and file, he rose from a mere executive to his present as a General Manager of this International Corporation. I considered this as truly an achievement. Henry, you have done well and I have to take my hat off for you.

Yes, our life is a destiny; "Smooth roads never make good drivers. Smooth sea never makes good sailors. Clear skies never make good pilots. Be strong enough to accept the challenges of life. Don't ask life, 'Why me?' Instead say, 'Try me?' Henry, you had definitely tried and you are wonderfully a refined person and well-balanced in every way. Congratulation!