My Wedding

We had our civil marriage solemnized by the Registrar of Civil Marriages on 26 December 2001.

Our outdoor shooting session was held at Ottawa Road in Sembawang. The lush greenery and many colonial-style bungalows met our expectation.

Giving away the bride by Florence' eldest brother

Assistant Priest of Church of Our Lady Star of The Sea, Father Augustine Joseph solemnised our marriage on 18 May 2002.

Regrettably, many more shots were archived in my photo album, and could not be made available on the blog as blogging was an after-thought.

Starting A Business

Sometime in April 1996, I left my high-salaried job (in fact, the best in all my careers) as a senior manager with a local major IT retailer; and started making efforts to realise one of my remaining major ambitions - to go into full-time business.

Ever since I was in primary school, I had wanted to be a businessman in my grown-up years. Just never thought of the key word, WHEN ? until then. On reflection, I probably had stayed on working with the retailer if not for harsh working conditions.

My CEO had wanted me to stay on, but I felt that "enough is enough" when I had to repeatedly look at the traffic lights to reassure myself that it was alright to drive on when ever I moved out from the office's car-park.

I was rather comfortable with my lifestyle then, but I felt that it was inevitable to make fundamental changes if I were to move onto a higher plane of achievements in life. Most fundamental of which was to sell my cosy 5-room flat in Ang Mo Kio Central.

With the cash proceeds, I started looking for suitable shop space to set up what I felt was my forte in business venture - twelve years of retailing experience.

From the notice-board at the Commercial Section of Housing and Development Board (HDB), I went on to conduct a feasibility study at a newly-built commercial centre at Woodlands New Town. GREAT ! A foreseeable bustling shopping centre specked in the midst of a vast catchment area of newly-built HDB blocks of potential customers.

The first round of tenders had gone by, and the rentals offered by the successful bidders were exorbitant. But, those were the days when optimism ran high; and every choice location was up for grabs.

The high rental was disturbing, but I was reluctant to let go of this golden opportunity of setting up my retail business; although I was already the Managing Consultant of my other business entity set up a year earlier on.

I thought to myself that if I did not grasp this opportunity to go into active business venture ( my consulting business was rather low-key then ), I probably never dare in the future. The seemingly large cash proceeds were reassuringly adequate to sustain the venture for some time.

Right in my mind, a venture is always a risks-taking effort - never be overly confident of easy succcess. I was never confident that I could have another cash fallout ( from heaven ? ) again.

I considered various options for my retail merchandise mix - groceries, household items, sports goods, etc. My decision - stationery, gifts, books, magazines and sports merchandise as they were not easily perishable, and relatively fast selling too.

I was determined to keep my business format unique (incidentally, that was why the business name was named " D' SIA CONCEPT, ie my concept of retailing although the Mandarin version bore my mum's name), and went on to design my own fixtures, layout and ambiene. Next, I went on to source for my merchandise by visiting the suppliers' showrooms across the island.

Merchandise range was extended as the days passed by. As long as there were repeated demands and enquiries by residents, we would source for the merchandise (Lower left picture shows the subsequent addition of CD-ROMs to meet the craze then).

Mum agreed to help out as I wanted to keep my operational costs as low as possible. Secondly, I believed in giving priority to my family members, relatives, close friends and ex-staff (apologetically in that order of priority) gainfully employed in my business. Could you find my mum's painstakingly helping out in the price-tagging efforts ( there was no electricity supply then ) in the picture ?

Support from known suppliers (from past working relationships) was good. In fact, several of them enquired about the official opening date for sending their Congratulations floral arrangements. I declined their good intentions. Reason: I was not sure of the viability of the business venture, so why bother about celebrations at this juncture. My Buddhist teachings had taught me to be more reticent about one's joy and celebration. The greater the celebration, the deeper the sadness that may follow. On the right: Pictures show the first Chinese New Year's celebration dinner-cum-karaoke session held for staff and invited suppliers at Ngee Ann City.
Some rear space was reserved for office and pantry use.

Contingency plans were made to boost sales in the event that the shopfront could not generate adequate sales to keep the business viable.


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Achieving Service Excellence

Excellence in any area is always an uphill struggle. This is especially so in the area of providing service. Service has so much of the ‘human’ factor that it is almost impossible to define what is good, let alone, excellent service. However, every effort made will, over time, improve the ‘feel’ involved in the giving and receiving of quality service.

Service personnel need to be more sensitive to the different expectations of customers, even though the customers may appear to be asking for some merchandise which could be readily identified and understood such as an evening gown.

The tangible need of the customers is obvious - an attire fits for an evening event or appointment. It is the different expectation or want of each customer that is not that obvious.

An inexperienced service personnel would be easily frustrated by the seemingly difficult customer. Another more discerning colleague might have less difficulty in closing the sales opportunity with the same customer, for instance, by starting a casual conversation with the customer whilst trying to determine the customer's lifestyle and preferences.

A customer's dressing or lifestyle could indicate his/her sense of colour selection, and the service personnel's appropriate recommendations will relieve the customer's anxiety.

Service management must make available a conducive environment for change. Dare to change, be it after formal workshop training or on-the-job training, is instrumental in improving service quality.

Complacency, neglect, disregard, and/or shyness to champion a change for the better will not facilitate any training effort in ensuring improvement in service quality.

Rewards, recognition of excellent service, and the likes are necessary for the cultivation of the right mindset and behaviours.

Persistence and consistency of efforts and rewards by the management will ensure that the desired changes are widely accepted and implemented.

Management must lead by examples, and impress on their sales personnel the differences that their service quality could make to the bottomline of the organisation.

The readiness to SMILE, whilst others cringe; the ability to handle difficult customer, whilst others shy away from; and the desire to try out new experiences/ideas, whilst others sneer at; are some of the daily challenges that offer opportunities for improvement.

Both management and service personnel must constantly and consciously review their work processes. Nurture the 3 E’s – Efficiency, economy and effectiveness.

There is a constant need to strive for optimum solutions in all difficult situations and constraints. Standards must be set and made known to all.

Key standards include customer response time, say three minutes for a complaint to be resolved efficiently, yet effectively; check-out efficiency, say not more than five customers in any queue at any one time, yet economically – without redundant manpower; and sales per unit labour hour to ensure economy and effective use of manhours deployment.
The focus of any one aspect, say efficiency must not be at the undue expense of the others.

In essence, unity of minds and efforts, proper co-ordination and clarity of mission, goals and objectives would lead to an efficient, effective, and profitable organization.

Inculcate the right mindset on costs-saving efforts. Simple routine checks and controls such as turning off lights and air-conditioners when not in use have proven to be very effective in costs-saving efforts.

The savings may pale in comparison with other major cost factors, but the routines could instill in all the constant need to be costs-conscious.

Besides the cost reduction benefits, such "Everybody’s Efforts" mindset leads ultimately to a caring organisation, and along with it the caring mentality and attitude of its component service personnels - key characteristics of service quality.

Promote more effective communication, listening in particular; and teamwork. Participative management techniques and practices would facilitate a conducive and thriving working environment.

Staff’s grouses and complaints offer opportunities for improvement on the working environment, and an alert management could have a well of ideas for consideration even without a formal suggestion scheme.

Any desired change would be well implemented and generally accepted within the working environment, if the rationale and foreseeable impact are well shared and resolved with all parties concerned in advance.

Staff would be in a better position to accept and support the necessary changes ahead if the staff is well informed of the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats relative to the organization and industry.

Promote mutual respect and trust within the organization. Integrity, sincerity, good leadership, decorum, fair play and practices would earn trust and respect from subordinates and contemporaries.

Impact: Less widespread and frequent gossips, sarcasms, quarrels and other ill-feelings amongst the staff.

High morale and good teamwork boost the mental dimension of a working environment. Higher productivity and lower staff turnover follow naturally - consistency of service quality without unnecessary and costly staff recruitment and training.

My Testimony For Mother Mary

To : Our Lady Of Perpetual Help

A big THANK YOU to you, Heavenly MOTHER for your Intercessions and Prayers !

It is through You that I have found LOVE in my would-be wife, Florence Heng.

I met her about twenty years ago. But, never would I realize that LOVE would kindle and blossom between us ONLY in this Millennium of Jubilee Celebrations.

She didn't know me well then. I, however, had a little insight of her through her sister, Rosalind Heng, my colleague.

On my cousin's, Catherine Seah, prompting, I came to the Novena Church for nine consecutive sessions in the latter part of 1999.

I confided in you, and found joy in praying to you ever since.

Petitions I had, but few. You knew my priorities.

Finding a life-partner was uppermost in my mind.

Soon after, I met Florence again at a Life in the Spirit seminar.

I enquired, and She affirmed that we met many years ago.

A lovely and pretty sweetheart that GOD has, in His own time, planned for me,

but without my realising it.

THANKS BE TO GOD !

With your blessings and God's constant showering of LOVE, our LOVE and understanding for each other is growing from strength to strength

with each passing day.

Come next year, and you'll find another proud Catholic family in your midst.

We count on your blessings and prayers.

THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN !

From : David Sia

Your Non-Catholic Son

October 2001

A Trip Back To Ancestral Home With My Mother

Above photo: My mum (in blue attire) sitting in the living room of my late grandparents' home.

Franking her, sister-in-law (partially hidden on extreme left), my three cousins (children of my mum's late brother who did not recover from a fall at a construction site in the 1970s), my fourth aunt and her husband, my third aunt, my fifth aunt and her husband, and my second aunt. My mum had four sisters and one brother (youngest).

Mum left Guangdong in 1953, after the communists came into power. Her migration was hastily arranged with the help of my second aunt's husband (who is also related to my maternal grandmother), on receiving rumours of the communists' intended isolation of China from the rest of the world (how true from hindsight).

Exit permit application to the local authority was turned down, but mum (always true to her strong character) argued her way through, and subsequent clearance was supported by higher authority, given that my father, and paternal grandparents were already residing in Singapore.

The unpleasant experience sank in, and mum haboured many years of fear of ever visiting China again. I could sense the relief that she exuded when I once explained to her the rights of being a Singapore citizen. Paramount of which would be her entitlement to Singapore governmental intervention in the event that she was denied of her right of returning to Singapore on visiting China.

Incidentally, mum struggled with her Singapore citizenship application over many years without success. Her competency in the National Language (Malay) was appaling, but that was a basic requisite of acquiring citizenship in those days. Mum made several applications, but to no avail.

It was only when I was gazetted as the Assistant Commissioner of National Registration in 1979 when I enquired on the feasibility of asking my mum to resubmit her application. The response from the official was supportive, and mum's application was approved without her turning up for any test or whatever.

To these days, I wonder whether or not my short career in the civil service had helped her citizenship application as my department and the Registry of Citizenship were part of the Ministry of Home Affairs. No irregularity suggested. But, could familiarity with an applicant's family background have helped in a borderline case ?

Mum's visit to her homeland was a question of time. But, a dream in 1996 hastened the decision. I dreamt that mum was growing very weak and sickly.

I took no chance on the reliability of the imminent warning, and hastily made the enquiries and booking with UOB's Travel Planner for mum's trip to China.

I treasured the trip with my mum, and wanted to be mindful in the future of taking precious time off my busy schedule to make this trip together with my mum.
The overland trip by coach from Shantau to Guangzhou was especially memorable.

We left Shantau at about 10.00 pm and reached Guangzhou in the morning (about 7.00 am) to take the flight back home, all along with mum beside me (there was no sleeping berth).

I kept telling myself that I wanted to archive precious memory of this trip forever.

Mum lost one of her kidneys to cancer, and her health started to deteriorate in November 2002 when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Mum declined doctor's advice of surgery to remove the cancerous ovary. I respected her decision.

Mum passed on, on 3 July 2003 at about 1.30 pm in the comfort of my brother's home.

Before her passing on, mum managed to explain to me on her decline of surgery - she would be too weak to withstand the surgical operation.

Either way, she doubted that she could have survived, and she was contended to leave for eternal life at her earthly age of 74 (lunar age).

MY GREAT MUM, ALWAYS !

What Some Do To Our Loved Ones At Night

I visit the Choa Chu Kang cemetery regularly. Often, there were tell-tale signs of some mass prayers by strangers on the night or nights before.

There were incense papers strewn along the paths leading to new burial grounds. Leftovers were found at the graves en bloc, and they were evidence of some standardized spread of offerings.

Previously, I had dismissed them as the acts of desperadoes hoping for lucky numbers from the newly buried.

I have, however, found to my horror what possible acts of abuse and torture that the souls of my loved one and others could have been subject to.

I met someone during my recent visit that night prayers were often offered by hordes of people with the assistance of some medium to demand lucky numbers from the dead at new graves.

Some had even brought along the latest obituary to call up the souls with the names shown in the newspaper ( The newly-buried had no tombstone, and therefore could not be identified by name at the burial ground ).

They took particular interest in those who suffered inexplicable or violent death as the unappeased souls were believed to be more yielding and precise in giving out lucky numbers.

The medium would instruct the strangers to drive some form of ritualized sticks over certain positions of the dead bodies until the souls yielded to their demands.

All these activities could drag into the wee hours of the morning until the strangers had their fill.

P.S.   The Sunday Times April 10, 2011


Journalist Nicholas  Yong wrote:

In Bukit Brown Cementery, amateur historian Charles Goh points to an area filled with offerings such as crabs, sweets and biscuits, which were probably left behind by punters asking the spirits for 4D numbers.

In the night, it (Chua Chu Kang Chinese Cemetery) also attracts many mediums and their followers, who conduct regular seances there.

How Much To Let Go Of Your Masculinity In This Era ?

As a man, I am particularly concerned about the shift in our socio-economic paradigm which necessitates a discussion of the well-being of men; and family issues of relevance to men.

The shift has brought about a change of perspectives and expectations of both genders’ roles in any form of relationship. The resultant situation calls for greater tolerance and understanding of both genders involved in any form of relationship, be it husband/wife’s, brother/sister’s, father/mother’s, and male/female colleague’s relationship.

Many men and, where relevant, their families have suffered as a result. The societal changes have come too swift and demanding for some who could not adapt and adjust in time to their new circumstances. Men, who held on to their traditional values and beliefs, were disorientated by the progressive erosion of the values system and disregard for compliance with traditional family responsibilities which they were so accustomed to.

Globalisation and the seemingly borderless/timeless working environment have further aggravated the already fragile family and social cohesiveness. Many families fail to function and fulfil their traditional roles and responsibilities as evidenced by the exponential increase in divorce cases.

Are you beset with the problem of deciding on how much to let go of your masculinity or masculine role ?

Are you fearful of the changing roles of men and women in some circumstances ?

What more do you see in the changing landscape ?

How are we to prepare the younger and future generations in grasping and coping with the changes ?

During this transitional era, it is timely for us to relook at some of the issues, and make an impact to the society which we want to be proud of living in our twilight years !

Who Has The Universal Concept Of Love ?

Born into a fairly conservative Chinese family, it has always been a problem grappling with the concept of Love as the west and western-oriented writers/influential personalities would go at great length to enlighten us on.

The word, Love, as we casually and commonly used it in our daily lives; has been obscured or adulterated beyond recognition - either commercially, romantically, lyrically, etceteras.

In my traditional Chinese family, we seldom, if any talked about Love; let alone reflected on each and every cause and effect from the perspective of genuine love as painstakingly defined by some writers.

My father succumbed to cancer when I was barely a year-old. My lecturer was right when he remarked during his Q & A session; that, if the inevitable had to happen, it would be better for the person to lose the parent before he could realise the Love from his parent.

In my case, I never will fully appreciate what is fatherly Love. Mother had to work to support my brother and I. My uncles had volunteered to see us through our growing up, but mother felt that we had to pull through together and independently.

Indirectly, my mother had fostered in me the need to be independent at a tender age. My brother and I were left very much on our own during the daytime when my mother had to work in the factory.

I was forced by circumstance to remain strong and independent, and not by genuine love……..There was no grandparents’ Love as they were either residing in China or had already passed on. What was mother’s Love like then ?

Well, I remember more occasions of beating; especially when examinations’ results were out, then when there was showering of Love. There were instances when I cursed at her for severely beating me up when I felt strongly that I was wrongly and mistakenly dealt with.

But, those were moments of great injustice as I felt it then. I never held it to mind. My mother was overly concerned that I might go astray if I was not severely dealt with for any apparent misbehaviour.

That was the harsh environment that I had during my growing up years. My mother firmly believed that sparing the rod, and you spoiled the child. Writers might argue that this is an Asian instance of genuine love.

Stretched to its limits, one may also argue that using the rod is a means to an end - my mother loved me so much that she had to endure the pain at heart when she inflicted the physical pain on me to ensure that I take the right path in my life. Is it a case of genuine love to see me grow up to be a good son ?

Whichever it is, it would be interesting to understand what crossed my mother’s mind when she lifted the rod and brought it down on me. Was it genuine love or an act of responsibility from a mother to see her child behaved responsibly and obediently as Confucius’ Teachings would have it. How am I to know ?

My mother had passed on in 2003. Academically, it would be great intellectual stimulation to reconcile the different approaches. But, I would rather let it rest, because I trust that my mother had my well-being at heart even though she might not be thinking along the same line as some westerners.

A western writer was right in concluding that there were probably other dimensions of Love that had yet to be uncovered as there were some who had grown up to be loving beings even though they were deprived of genuine love in their growing up years.

On reflection, I was able to transcend the negativism to become a stronger and loving character. My childhood’s loneliness transformed me into a caring and highly independent personality.

Often, I was surprised with my own spontaneity and readiness to help others in despair and in grief. I thrived on new and unfamiliar scenarios, and would be bored by routines and unchallenging ventures. What I found wanting during my growing up years, I ensured that others did not suffer likewise - be it justice, welfare, or well-being.

At times, so fervent was the drive within me that it was detrimental to my own career development and survival in the commercial wilderness.

I have no regrets for the setbacks. I am committed to the well-being and progress of those around me, be it at work or otherwise. It is not a situation of realising through others what I was deprived of.

Rather, it has to do with the fostering and inculcating of the right virtues and values within my immediate and extended families. These are virtues and values that have been widely personified by popular characters and heroes in the Chinese classics and legendary anecdotes.

For instance, my mother made much self-sacrifice for my sake; and I reciprocated by incessantly making efforts to bring her the joys and glories to vindicate her selfless determination to see me through during my growing up years.

Some might argue that this is guilt. Maybe and maybe not! As of now, my conscience is clear; and it must be that great virtue of filial piety that I uphold.

These well-entrenched virtues and values are not without their negative impact either. The risk of confronting elders and those in authority did not come easy for me. How was I to reconcile with the need to respect all elders?

To circumvent this odd-ward situation, I had to be mindful of the choice of words used in conveying my messages, instructions, and/or recommendations. It worked well for me.

Love was in the air as we celebrated yet another Valentine’s Day on 14 February 2007. Love messages and intriguing write-ups abound in the local media.

While I detest the senseless exorbitant prices and commercial extravaganza associated with the occasion, I am all in favour of some romance in one’s Love life.

Romantic Love may not be genuine love, but genuine love for a couple in Love need not necessarily be devoid of romance. I am all in favour of spicing up one’s Love life.

I am into the fourth year of my marriage, and my only regret is my inability to find more time to smell the roses with my wife. We have no children, but I strongly believe that my childhood’s experience would not preclude me from giving my Love as a loving father would to his children.

Devoid of my father’s Love need not necessarily mean that I could not give Love to my children. It may not be identical to the experience that I gained from my father, but I could always find ways to Love my children in my own way.

Love as I experienced it in my own unique ways and circumstances, is certainly more intricate and intriguing than some westerners’ mystery of Love.

Besides the misconceptions identified by some western writers, there is the complication brought about by a shift in paradigm over cultural boundaries.

Whether or not it was genuine love that saw me through my growing-up years, and my disposition of it in my grown-up years is immaterial. Why quarrel over nomenclature ? After all, I have entered a new life; and am nurturing an intimate relationship with my Lord.

I have a new role-model in Jesus Christ to look up to for guidance, grace and blessings in abundance.

In witnessing for Him, I must be naturally loving to all others; and be perceived as such by all others. It is God’s Love that prevails above all others.


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Is It Fate, Faith or Forward Planning That Governs One's Future ?

Blank! That is how I remember my childhood years. Initially, I was of the view that Erickson’s theory could be more applicable to present days of upbringing children.

How I wish my parents could sing and talk to me while I was still a foetus in the comfort zone of my mother’s womb as young parents of nowadays are convinced or led to believe that such efforts could bring wonders to their babies.

It was my other wishful thinking that if, and ONLY IF my father did not succumb to cancer when I was only 1 year of age, my life would probably be more colourful and successful.

Another, if my mother need not have to work, and could spend more time with me during my nurturing years; I would probably have developed more positive characteristics in my later years.

My parents have passed on, and so are many of my relatives who had the opportunities to witness my growing-up years. There is no way that I could clarify and have a better insight into my early childhood when my mental capacity was probably still hibernating.
How many of us could really remember our early years of 1 to 2 years old ? There was no video, digital or otherwise, for backtracking on possible incidence of “Close eyes contact between mother and son” or “Inter-manifestation of mistrust” back then.

According to Erickson, I must have those positive experiences during my infancy. To these days, my trust in a total stranger is forthright. It has always been my basic principle that everybody be given the benefit of doubt unless further encounter and feedback proved otherwise.

Growing up in a single-parent environment has never been easy. My brother and I had ample autonomy when mother worked in the day. We were left very much on our own even though my uncles, aunts and cousins were all living with us under one ancestral roof.

There were ample opportunities to build up our will-power to attend to our challenges, and overcome our boredom and shortcomings as mother’s meagre income could not afford us a comfortable lifestyle. Notwithstanding, mother was strict and regimental in her parental approach.

I developed an early interest in reading - all sorts, but mother was concerned that I might develop a reading habit, and neglect my school works in due course. Little did she realise that her early forbiddance would cause me great agony and shame in coping with the English Language when I entered school.

Whenever I shared my dreams of better days ahead with my mother, she was never encouraging. She was condescending and destructive in her own pessimistic and conservative ways, and I was left wondering whether or not I had the right thinking.

I tend to agree with Erickson that somewhere along the continuum of development, I must have developed the capacity for action despite the constraints and set-backs.

Mother never bought me any toy, not even on my birthday. I remember taking a fancy at somebody’s four-wheel plaything ( a jeep with peddlers ), and went on to build my own “jeep” with a wooden crate as the body, a discarded wheel as the steering wheel and my vocal as the revving engine.

When I managed to save enough money to buy the plaything, I discovered that I had already outgrown the size of the plaything (I could not get into the driver’s seat !)

I was allowed too little success during my primary education (up to lower secondary to be exact). Mother disallowed me from reading and doing anything beyond the school curriculum. Teachers were not encouraging either.

Some were rather damaging - out to make fun of us as idiots for the slightest mistakes or lack of imagination. I was partly to be blamed. I was industrious, but I did not know what studying was all about.

I read all my school books, but I did not realise the need to memorise adequately for my examinations. Naturally, I was an average pupil in class until primary four when I failed miserably.

I was devastated on seeing my report card recorded mostly in red ink. Mother was terribly upset. After giving me a horrific thrashing, she arranged with a tutor in the neighbourhood to guide me through. I had my first awakening after a few lessons.

I realised that reading and writing alone were not enough - I need to seek out and memorise the examinable stuff well enough to score during examinations. I assured my mother that she could discontinue the tuition arrangements, and I went on to become one of the top pupils in my school from then onwards.

Overnight, I became a teacher’s favourite. I was competent in all subjects - arts and sciences. I was roped in to help out on sports day and other errands; and was once appointed as a school prefect. But, I was never elated with all the attention on me in school. I probably suffered too much and too late ( or too early ? ) that I continued to be humble to these days. I never like the limelight, and I am never comfortable with any accolade.

As an adolescent, I was never confused or lost about my identity or role in my family, to my relatives and society at large. My uncles, cousins, state leaders and legendary heroes were models for my character formation. My rite of passage through the compulsory two-and-half years of national service in the Singapore Armed Forces reinforced my attributes for my adulthood.

I took an interest in the opposite sex as early as when I was undergoing my national service. Perhaps, my loneliness during my childhood days had a bearing on this yearning for some sustainable and intimate relationship of my own choosing.

My mother was against my forming a serious relationship before my tertiary education, but I was adamant about it. I was of the opinion that a desired and fruitful relationship could actually lend momentum to my other pursuits in life.

It is precisely my constant fear of stagnation that drives me to plan ahead, and make the necessary changes to remain useful and active even during the last stages of my life span.

It was also at this stage that I went through the most important rite of passage in life - my baptism. Life takes on a new direction, and along with it all the hopes and vigour of a new relationship.

With God’s grace, it would be great to be able to live till a ripe old age. We need not have to look back with regrets for lost time and opportunities if we had a clear conscience throughout the bygone stages of living life to the fullest.

It is not too difficult to realise what options there are for us if we have taken the time and opportunities to witness those who have God’s grace to live till a ripe old age, and eventually leave for the Lord’s kingdom ahead of us.

Erickson is absolutely right in cautioning us that There is little that cannot be remedied later, there is much that can be prevented from happening at all.

Let us start cracking now before it is too late, lest we crack up under the misery of lost time and opportunities.

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