A new beginning
Just as nature goes through its four seasons, so do we go through our seasons in life. As the flowers and the leaves start to flood the landscape, we too have those moments in our lives. The bloomings of certain achievements we have achieved after a long horrible and cold winter.
Then in the summer, our gifts and talents are further developed, further refined and further appreciated. Like those who appreciate the beauty of nature's gifts in the summer, we too appreciate our gifts and talents. We use them to help others grow, and in the process help ourselves become better people.
Then comes the fall, where the leaves start turning yellow. Some leaves start to fall, just as how we too become tired and weary in our daily lives. The daily toils, the mundane routine brings us down and some even chains us to the ground. As the sun becomes dimmer in the fall, so do our hearts. We become less vivacious with life and more cynical. As each leaf falls, we too slowly fall. Until all that's left is just a bare tree.
You would think that the leaves would come back again. But then, the harsh realities of coldness and bitterness of the winter season consumes nature. Everything is barren. Hope is somewhat gone. Sun, what sun? The sun is there, but no heat can be felt. Likewise our hearts are there, but there is no life in it. The heartbeat is there, but it's beating without purpose or meaning. Something is desperately wrong here. Will winter ever go away we wonder, as our hearts braces itself for the long cold feeling ahead.
Surprisingly, nature allows itself to be consumed by the bittnerness and the icy cool winds of the weather. Nature may not like winter at all, but nature knows its necessary, because what comes after nature, when all the ice has melted, when the dark clouds have passed away is the birth of another new beginning.
Nature allows itself to be redeemed once again. And although nature might repeat itself, for us, we have the opportunity to use that redemption for something higher, something greater ,something better. The winter seasons in our hearts allows us to become better persons than we were in the past, allowing us to grow naturally in the past, and in essence, to have a new beginning.
Its sometimes amazing to see how we are very similiar to nature. Perhaps the Divine Creater had a plan afterall.
If put your mind into it….
“If you put your mind into it…. You can accomplish anything” - Marty McFly
As cheesy and “common-sense”sical as the line above sounds, I am tempted to sometimes believe that it is true. Yes I do admit that is not always the case, but in my own life, as I reflect back and ruminate, I think the statement above holds through. As I was updating my resume earlier tonight (on a plane back to KL - I am flying back from Bangalore after a 4-day visit over there), and I went through and thought hard of all the things I had done in my past projects and those projects in my previous company, a sense of pride began to glow in me. Not the kind of pride where you think you’re the best and Mr-Know-It-All, rather a sublime pride, a pride that leaves a satisfying smile on you, knowing that you have come along way from the first day you started out.
And that’s when I began to think of Marty’s line - if you put you mind into it, you can achieve anything you want’. Lots of people are often surprise when they hear of my background.
An Economics & Business Major
Worked two years as a hardcore IT networking specialist configuring equipments for a living
Now doing management consulting
Almost 7 out of 10 people I meet will often question my somewhat uncanny background. “You did this and that, and what are you doing???” Some often quickly leap into a rather rash conclusion thinking that I am a lost soul who is confused, but to me, when I look back, I have no regrets. I enjoyed every minute of whatever it is I did. Yes I did struggle in the beginning during my IT career, but I went on eventually to obtain my Network Certification papers in 1 year, and by 2 years, I was already leading a small networking project.
Even now, being promoted just 2 months, I feel great. I feel I have earned it, although sometimes I do doubt myself, but I know it’s just silly ole talk. The fact that I am where I am today makes me smile…. Yes sometimes it’s good to feel proud of yourself!
S.O.S
I would honestly say that my best educational years actually came during my college and university period. Never before had I enjoyed a better time in my educational career than during my post-secondary period. And I guess once reason I really enjoyed my time as a varsity student was simply because I had a greater opportunity to ask more questions, to raise issues with my professors, and to really listen and learn from their replies.
I remember back in university we actually had a Executive-on-residence. Because Windsor was the automotive capital of Canada, it was no wonder that our Exec-on-residence was a senior manager (could have been a VP I think) from a large auto-company in the US and I distinctively remember him coming to one of our marketing class one night to introduce himself to us and to talk to us about branding and product design.
It was a good experience as we really got to interact and ask questions with the Executive. For me personally, that is just one of the many many experiences I have encountered whereby I would actually visit and have chats with my professors during their visiting hours. Either that, or I would never hesitate to ask questions in class (although I gotta admit asking questions in a big auditorium can seem intimidating) but I am glad in a way I asked alot of questions during my university years because that culture has continued on with me up to this very day.
Of course I am not saying that one should not read up and just blindly ask questions - in fact reading up and asking questions later helps you refine your questions even better - an obvious fact but still worth mentioning!
Today in my own work place, I still do ask questions and I am truly blessed to be part of a company culture that encourages employees to be open and to always seek out help. In fact that is one of our company's core value - to network with each other and ask questions and of course contribute to answers wherever possible!
I guess in hindsight I would say that never be shy to ask questions. It's one of the many ways we learn in life...and don't worry about "looking dumb" in front of others or worrrying what others might think of you. Too often that not, most people who ask questions are actually perceived as intelligent and attentive! I remember getting complimented for specifically this attribute when I first started working a couple of years ago!
