35th entry - Ups and Downs

In life there are bound to be ups and downs. As we are going up, we usually enjoy the view and the anticipation of better things to come. At the peak, we are thrilled to be feeling on top of the world. The next minute, our world can come crashing down on us. Viewed from one perspective, life can be likened to a continuous roller coaster ride in which the thrill-seekers have neither the choice to get on, nor the choice to get off (short of committing suicide to end the ride prematurely).

Of course, this analogy argues that our lives are predestined - the way a roller coaster track is fixed. Many people like to believe that they can control their destiny. My personal view is that we can make decisions in life that can affect our destiny but we are not able change it entirely. In other words, our upbringing (values), how we think (attitudes) and what we do (behaviours) impact how we get to a certain point (i.e. the journey) but not where we eventually arrive at.

Imagine a roller coaster ride that allows us to change the direction of our path. If we make one decision, we will expect to have a bumpy but exhilarating ride, and if we make another, we will expect a calm but uneventful journey. But no matter what direction we choose, we will eventually reach an end-point. I like to believe that this end-point is actually the beginning of a life beyond the grave, one that is eternal and endlessly fulfilling and joyful.

Meanwhile, its useless anticipating what the end-point would be like. We can do everything in our power, with all our abilities (in-born and otherwise) and resources, to make our journey more meaningful or enjoyable. Yet most of us cannot foretell the future with absolute certainty. We can make certain predictions based on what we can see now or what we or others have seen before, but there are no guarantees.

What then is the implication? Many people just react. Live day by day. Most of us dont even have time to reflect on past actions, examine our attitudes and align them with our values. Not even when changing our values has a tremendous impact on shaping our journey and bringing us closer to our desired outcome. But the main drawback of merely reacting is that we may never learn from our mistakes, like having memory loss daily as though suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

Recently I had been in a rough patch at work, which explains for my long absence from Blogosphere. I was mildly depressed, and I was unable to think positively, and I had no mood to reflect. Fortunately, I had constant encouragement from my beloved S, my close friend KC@FK and my parents, as well as two caring colleagues who I like to regard as friends. Its difficult to imagine how I might have coped without them. I was also comforted by the belief that my church bible-study/cell group members are praying for me. I also felt that God never left my side, for which I am immensely grateful.

Learning to face up to a mistake I made, and bearing the consequences of my erroneous actions in the past, provides an opportunity for me not to repeat the same mistake again. But I consider myself really blessed to have loved ones around me to lift me up when I am down. With strength, support and love from those around me, its easier for me to admit my failure, pick myself up and start over afresh. I'm glad I'm not alone on this roller coaster ride of life.