Before the week started, I knew it would be a challenging one, but I’m actually glad for weeks like this, because although admittedly difficult to get by, they are opportunities to exercise faith. Yesterday, a friend mentioned that he was trying to cultivate a thankful heart; one that’s thankful in foresight and not on hindsight. And I think this is exactly what I’ve been learning a lot about this week.
In life there’ll be much more similar challenges and periods that will be more difficult, so instead of complaining or lamenting about them, I’m learning to hold fast to faith, exercise trust and give thanks in foresight in whatever I do. And also question whether the things that we’re focusing on too much (in a negative way) truly matter or not.
Today I’m thankful for where I am now, and thankful for the opportunities in the days ahead to exercise trust, cultivate perseverance and hope. And along the way, view school and exams in another perspective. I’m really looking forward to the end of the week, partly because the tests will be over, but also because I know that we’ll all get by fine in His grace and that’s something to be joyful about.
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So anyway, recently I’ve been trying to end the day earlier and wake up early and start the day early. It really helps make you feel more awake throughout the day. This morning when I woke up the air was so fresh and the sky was misty and all and it was very refreshing. Heard some faint music from outside and looking out downstairs, I saw a group of construction workers lined up neatly at the nearby construction site doing a mass morning stretch. It was such a pleasant sight – them starting the day on a good note, and I hope their day got better. I know I don’t have much of an inkling of what a work-day is like for them, but somehow it’s very heartening to see that they’re doing morning warm-ups – shows that a part of their well-being is taken care of. A few weeks back, the ACE people in Angsana organized a photography workshop for migrant workers, and I thought it was a very different community engagement experience. Have more thoughts about it, but will not share it here for now.
Earlier in the academic year I think I mentioned to a few people that although campus life was nice, I didn’t like staying in for long periods of time. Being in school all the time makes you (or at least me) feel like you haven’t left school, and you’re still in school, and I don’t really like that feeling. Staying in makes me miss seeing the little kids having fun at the void deck, the parents and grandparents walking back from the market with their grocery bags, the dogs being active in the park along with their accompanying owners, the regular friendly cleaners of the block. Add to that the fragrance of home-cooked food from the kitchen, or upstairs, or downstairs, the familiar 6.30pm Channel 8 news broadcast soundtrack (hahaha) and just seeing different forms of life in action.
Having said that, I hope I have and will continue to make it a point to treasure my weekends. Staying in CAPT/Angsana has been good for me, but home is still where the heart is :)
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