Life likes to remind me that s/he has been teaching me for far longer than I can remember. As I walked towards Raffles Place, the Singapore River, and Boat Quay I found myself walking down memory lane. I remembered friends hanging out by a dirty stinky river having fresh orange juice. The place beside the Post Office where the best fruit and juice stand used to be is coming into view. Life seemed so different then. The hot discussion items were the latest fashion we had seen in a magazine and how we were going to get our favorite tailor to make us a copy that would be better than the original. Music, girls, and sports always came up. I remember debates over hidden tracks and the messages they contained. Sports were always local as was the conversations about girls and relationships in a small community.
Life seemed to be simple then. There were no mobiles, SMSs, emails, and social networks. It is easy to look backwards with fondness. The key is that one knows who survives the chapter to move into the next. In today’s world, one is never sure.
As I turn the corner and come to edge of the river, I am not sure that anything has changed at the center. Individuals, young and old, worry about their futures. While we have mobiles, PDAs, and social networks today, it is easy to feel lost and alone. We may have more ways to stay connected but that should not lead anyone to think that we actually are. The externals may change but the hearts thirst within remains the same.
As I look at out the water, I remember standing on this point many times before. I remember Life’s voice bringing learning images to mind. It is good to remember how God was and is involved in our steps. In remembering I realize I am embracing hope. As the day fades, “the wise counsel God gives when I’m awake is confirmed by my sleeping heart.” (Psalm 16.7) Darkness is here momentarily, the light will return.
