The Bargain

Them writing journals was meant to inculcate the habit of unedited writing. Meaning that they would write as freely as possible and that I would hold back all inclinations to correct their language. In so-doing, they would (hopefully) move towards being less aversive to writing since every other piece of writing they had done before would not have been spared the prosecution (persecution?) of the red ink. So I encouraged what they write, praised and affirmed their thoughts and feelings in the hope that they would be encouraged to write and write and write...inhibitions decreasing...but was that all I had bargained for when I implemented journal writing?

As I flipped the pages...
The door swung opened!
And in a flash I was in a world of teenage fantasies of
Valour and heroism
Beauty and fame
Desires and ambitions
Only to face the attacks of the realities of
Pain and suffering
Disappointment and confusion
Shattered dreams and broken hearts
A world that had once been all too familiar
A world that had once been all too familiar
Now revisited not in the flesh but in the spirit
And in my spirit I feel for the vessel from where the words pour forth from
I stood in the gap and interceded for what I saw, heard and felt
And in my heart I burned
Then I allowed the embers to pour forth
Pour forth back into the metaphorical world
Hoping that would bring warmth and light to parts of the world so dark and so cold
I realised that
as I flipped the pages of their journals
I flipped the pages of their hearts
I got more than what I had bargained for...

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

How they shine
How they twinkle
A simple children’s rhyme
Does come to my mind
“Twinkle twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky”
Children are not the only ones who wonder about stars
But all mankind...
I never stop pondering over their awesome existence
A walk beneath the stars
Always puts a comforting blanket over my troubled heart
That if there be stars
There surely be One who put them there
How I wonder who You are.

My hope is in You

Days like this are not new. Only You know what I feel, what my thoughts are and what I've gone through. I seal my lips for I do not wish to regret later what I say now. My eyes may fail to see the bigger picture but I know there is a bigger picture. Only You can move the hearts of man. Move their hearts else move mine that I might not feel this way. My eyes are on You. My hope is in You. As long as I have walked with You, You have never let me down. You will never let me down. I wait in patient surrender.

2004 Sports Day Emerald Hall of Fame

Kristine
Captain, you end your last Sports Day with SGS as an athlete that will always be remembered for your strings of victories over the years on Sports Day. Emerald salutes you.

Alice
Little Alice...fastest girl I have ever seen. An admirable number of medals she had won too. What a
a golden attitude she has - Enthusiastic, pleasant, well-liked and yet humble.

Richelyn
The one who Inspired my blog entry on Heroism.

Diyana
My Right-hand "man" for the Sports Day. So thankful to have you in Emerald. You helped us heaps in getting the athletes. Not only are you SGS' best long distance runner, you are also commited, dedicated and have a wonderful personality. You deserve the Vice-Captaincy.

Sathya
Emerald's predominant flag bearer who carried the flag under the torturesome sun during the heats. One of the few Emerald males I have my eyes on for Vice-Captaincy in 2005.

Aisha
One of my naughtier princesses but well have to admit she's pretty athletic and a really quick thinker. Champion thrower not just for Emerald but for SGS.

Lijing
The "2nd" specialist. Finished 2nd for all her events. Girl who has the "hate PE" look but with an incredible inborn stamina.

Joshua
Male version of Lijing but more comical especially with the apology he panted to me at the finishing line when he failed to come in for one of the events. You are my champion because I know you tried your best Joshua!

Renfeng
The 3rd place for high jump was almost yours. But don't be discouraged...lift your chin and look up. You came in 3rd for the 1500m. That’s certainly not an easy race to run but you did it.

Junior
Champion Javelin thrower. If only…if only *sigh* (You know why)

Ishaak
Tiny Ishaak...Pipped my knight Mark in the last 2m to claim 3rd place for the 1500m.

4 X 100m C Boys quartet of Edmund, Joshua, Susil and Hilmy.
I loved it when we were all united against the
lane judgement error. It is not often when we see teachers on the same side as students but
this is one where we were. That's spirit. Quite funny looking back at it...all of us with our hands on our heads standing in the middle of the track in disbelief. Hehehe...It was even more exciting when the re-run won us 3rd place.

Pei Pei
One of my princesses who was “forced” to take part in the High Jump and even though you didn't win, just want to let you know I did not forget your contribution and that I admire your courage in daring to "give it a shot".

TO EVERY SINGLE PARTICIPANT
Every single point mattered in the race for the championship. And without you, we would NEVER have won.

2004 Sports Day

Well well well, I'm sure many of you checked my blog yesterday to see what the Emerald Housemaster had to say about his people coming in joint-first with Amethyst at the annual Sports Day.

Hmm..looking back I was smiling ear to ear even before Daniel throtted his way to Sharon and myself announcing the freak result. And he was even more surprised to learn that we would share the trophy. Never in the history of SGS have two houses shared the top spot for Sports Day. Well..we made history.

About my smiling ear to ear you ask ? Well..to me Emerald had already "won" even before we won.
I tell you why. I saw House spirit. That's victory for me. Thinking about it still excites me.Since I took over the helm from Siva, it has been my dream first and foremost to build an Emerald strong in Unity....Emeraldites proud of the green they wear around their arms in victory and in defeat. I must admit the spirit of the Emeraldites touched me yesterday. I pray that you will continue to pledge your support for Emerald.

V.I.R.E.S.T (Virus)

The virus has struck again. I guess with the hours I have been putting in at school, it should be no wonder. On hindsight it may very well have been a blessing of some sort because with the flu I kept myself out of school. And because I kept myself out of school...I did manage to have a blissful rest..something which I have not had in a very long time. The rest was good. It felt like a recharge. While I did and still do feel rather weak...on the whole...the feeling of returning to school was interestingly..hmm..welcoming. GOING BACK TO SCHOOL WELCOMING?? Did I ever dream that I would be in a job where I would yearn to return to the moment I stepped out?

"Find a job you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life."