After I was discharged, I was walking towards the pick-up area waiting for my ride. As my surgical wounds were still raw and painful, I was walking with a slight limp. Next to me was this boy in his wheelchair and his mum was with him. When he saw me, he asked me whether I needed his wheelchair. I smiled and kindly declined, saying that I was okay.
I took the opportunity to talk to the boy and his mother. It was through the brief conversation that I found out that the boy was suffering from leukemia. He was due for a surgery the following week and was in the hospital that day for a pre-op review.
My ride came and I told the boy and his mother that I would come by and pay them a visit.
As mentioned, I arrived at the hospital and enquired about the boy's ward. The staff, who now knows me because I have been visiting the hospital so often for my post-op review and change of dressings, checked for me.
Suddenly the expression on her face changed. She informed me that the boy had passed away two days ago, on Saturday afternoon. My heart just sank. I was two days late.
I decided to go to the Singapore Botanic Gardens for a walk. As I was strolling towards the Swan Lake, I regretted not visiting the boy last Friday when I was at the hospital for my post-op review. I was just wondering what if I could have met him then. At least I could have spent some time with him, perhaps bringing a smile or two to him. Sigh.
This blog is dedicated to the 8-year boy named Marc Ang, who in spite of his illness, spared a thought for me by offering his wheelchair. Marc, I will always remember you but I am sorry for being late. I hope to see you again soon in a land where there is life forever.
I sat on a bench, under these over-hanging branches, basically reflecting on life. It was a good two hours spent with God. I thought of Marc. I could still recognise his voice though it was only a couple of minutes knowing him.
I learnt through this episode that life is too short for us to mess around with it. Many times we think that we have many more years to go but we forget that it could also last only as far as just tomorrow.
I then asked myself since I only have that limited time here, what are my priorities in life? With that perspective, does my ambition matters? Is it really important to earn so much money? Where does God stand in my life? Is He at the top of the list? If not, why?
I also thought of the "what-ifs" - are we going to live our lives with many regrets or do we want to make each day count so that even if tomorrow death calls on our door, we will smile and say I am ready to go?
I pray by considering the "what-ifs" now, we are challenged to not take life and the people we love for granted.
I have taken life and the people I love (God, mum, dad, grandma, my brother, my sister, my relatives and my friends) for granted. Perhaps by living today as if it would be my last, I will be able to cherish them much much more.
"Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions. And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Luke 12:13-34
I sat on a bench, under these over-hanging branches, basically reflecting on life. It was a good two hours spent with God. I thought of Marc. I could still recognise his voice though it was only a couple of minutes knowing him.
I learnt through this episode that life is too short for us to mess around with it. Many times we think that we have many more years to go but we forget that it could also last only as far as just tomorrow.
I then asked myself since I only have that limited time here, what are my priorities in life? With that perspective, does my ambition matters? Is it really important to earn so much money? Where does God stand in my life? Is He at the top of the list? If not, why?
I also thought of the "what-ifs" - are we going to live our lives with many regrets or do we want to make each day count so that even if tomorrow death calls on our door, we will smile and say I am ready to go?
I pray by considering the "what-ifs" now, we are challenged to not take life and the people we love for granted.
I have taken life and the people I love (God, mum, dad, grandma, my brother, my sister, my relatives and my friends) for granted. Perhaps by living today as if it would be my last, I will be able to cherish them much much more.
"Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions. And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Luke 12:13-34
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