A week that all Singaporeans will not forget.
So much have been documented, shared, aired, written and spoken in that one week about our dearest founding father Mr Lee Kuan Yew since his passing on 23rd morning.
Intense emotions
Unexpected outpouring of tributes and condolences
The nation paused.
We cast aside our work, stature and differences and we come together to pray, to reflect and to share in our solidarity and love of our nation.
We left ourselves dumbfounded by the queues that never stopped since day 1 all the way to day 6, round the clock, to pay our last respects to this very special man of Singapore.
Here's archiving my thoughts and reflections for that week, culminating on the last day of the State Funeral. Cried buckets with my wife in front of the TV, and so did the sky.
On demise
Sadly, more often than not, famous/great/talented people somehow only get celebrated, appreciated and remembered only after their passing from this world. Indeed, our life here on this world is limited and we have only this one chance to live our life to the fullest and live a legacy of our own behind, and this legacy could last longer than our lifespan.
Grateful still that fellow Singaporeans, young & old, get to learn and appreciate what this man had done for us. I'm sure he has inspired us in some ways after this episode.
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On the nation
This sentence kept repeating over the week - He gave his whole life for Singapore. His thoughts is always on the nation, he's so much in love with the nation, not so much for himself but for the people.
What does this remind me of? Jesus, who came into the world for us and died for us. LKY's dedication, sacrifice, foresightedness and great visions are unsurpassable thus far by any Singaporean leader. It's truly a blessing from God like many have shared, that LKY was born to Singapore and eventually led the country from Third to the First, in just a few decades.
We have topped ourselves in the list of the most unhappy nation / people and over the years people (including myself) have lamented on the escalating cost of living, stress and too rapid a pace of development.But deep down inside, we are still grateful and we ought to be. The week of national mourning brought the country together and the sight of the queues, volunteers, heartfelt driven actions actually gave me the boost of confidence that in times of trouble, Singaporeans will come and stand together. And I'm certain that from this testimony, our national defence will be able to stand the test of any adversaries.
On leadership
Honesty, integrity, commitment, clean government. Lead by example. Team player. And the list goes on. Many shared about how frugal LKY was and it was really a strong reminder for me (and I hope for many others as well) to think twice before I spend.
LKY also believes that if you set your mind to do something, do it well and good, if not, don't do it at all. Sometimes when we slipped into a mode of idleness / restlessness at work or at home, this is what we need. If we don't labour, and don't work (hard) on it, we'll bear no fruits. If we don't carry our own crosses, we won't be able to reach Calvary.
Quality and Performance. A meritocratic society. Not through connections and ties （关系）but through your capability and talents, that's where you will be rewarded. Debatable by many but I can't think of any better way to lead a nation in this way, no doubts along the way we criticise about the obsession of this "merits" in grades, and always wanting to give a grade, number or ranking. Sometimes we just need to understand the main message - to do our best and be good at what we are doing, and excel. Perhaps it's due to the fear of a lack of motivation, hence all these incentives, ranking, grading, needs to come into the picture, giving undue stress and competition for many.
Continuity and mentorship. We can see this lacking and needed in many areas such as in office, in church etc. And mentorship is really about giving advice but leave decision making out. It's about grooming and passing down of knowledge, experience and wisdom. So we don't complain why the younger generations these days don't know this & that, why they like that, have we asked ourselves if we have nurture and mentor them the way we should have?
On family
A strong leader and yet a family man who treasures quality time with children, grandchildren and his beloved wife over a simple hearty heartland-ish dinner. He's afterall still a human, like anyone of us. He is a role model for me for his dedication to his wife and family despite his commitment and responsibilities.
He believed that his children shouldn't have any special treatment and privileges and choose not to spoil them, and to stay grounded. I guess that's what many of those kids born with a silver spoon in their mouth ought to learn, thinking that the country or other people owe them something.
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Truly hope that fellow Singaporeans living in this hustling and bustling place will make that chance like this once in a while to pause, take stock, reflect, count our blessings and be joyful. Life is tough, and sometimes a struggle and a pain for some who don't even have a chance like me to sit back and write a blog post. That's where we are called to share and spread our joy to those who need it.
Holy Thursday yesterday, Jesus washes his disciples feet. A call to serve and to love.
And here's dedicating this one song that tugged my heart in this episode of my life. Relook at the lyrics. Meaningful and inspiring. We'll do you proud Mr Lee.
One People, One Nation, One Singapore.
Live singing at Parliament House during the Lying in State by Rani Singam and Jeremy Monteiro
We've built a nation with our hands
The toil of people from a dozen lands
Strangers when we first began, now we're Singaporean
Let's reach out for Singapore, join our hands forevermore
Chorus:
One people, one nation, one Singapore
That's the way that we will be forevermore
Every creed and every race, has it's role and has it's place
One people, one nation, one Singapore
And when the time comes for the test
Our vigilance will never rest
We'll be united, hand in hand
We'll show the world just where we stand
And reach out for Singapore, join our hands forevermore
