Letter to Addie

Dear Addie,

From what I know, it seems that you are bored with life. Maybe not to the point of death literally but you find something lacking. Or like me, you are looking for something but you don't know what that is. I know exactly how it feels. Living in a first world country, as written by Thoreau, "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them." Yet, I am convinced that searching for a solution within you will prove to be in vain and for that I write this letter.

I believe that you are looking for a solution outside of the church because you feel that within the church there are restrains to inhibit your happiness. Thus you have come to the conclusion that in removing these restrains - be it in time, freedom of expression, sexual, social choices, etc - there will be a remedy to the desperation that has crept in. If you didn't think along these lines, I did and still do. As you have known, for a time I too removed some of these restrains in an attempt to find some meaning in life. Some purpose to existing other than just to survive for the next day of work. I wanted to live life and enjoy - go around the world, meet people and feel alive. And yet today, I have not found the answers that I have desperately sought for and am still seeking.

There was a person who has done much more than we in removing the restraints - seeking pleasure, success and laughter and at the end of the day still came to the same conclusion. (Solomon in Ecclesiastes.) That conclusion was that only in a relationship with God can an answer be found and to look for an answer to boredom in success, pleasure or laughter is a chasing after the wind.

I have no quick answers for you and I feel that you have quite resolutely made up your mind on certain matters. As the father knew it in vain to stop the son from leaving (Luke 15), you too must seek out to learn your own lessons. Yet I hope in all these that you will not forget about your God who loves us more than we can imagine. And, that we can come to the same conclusion as the author in Ecclesiastes did.

With Love,
Ong

Road trip in Australia

The mighty Getz - Misty Mountains, Australia.

Before I absolutely forget about the details of the trip, let me just jot something down about my Australia road trip. My sister and I decided to take a road trip after our family members left Brisbane. We decided to drive from Brisbane to Cairns on the popular coastal highway and then return from Cairns to Sydney on the innerland highways. A journey that was about 6000 kms (at least on the little Hyundai Getz above) and we did the trip in only about 2 weeks. So the pace was a little too rush for my liking. Still I had an incredible time, other than the times I had to look for a hot shower for my little sister.

We stopped by a lot of little towns that now seem rather difficult to recall. Of course some town names are easier than others, for example the town of 1770. Oh, I think we didn't stop there. But we did sleep at some lesser known towns like Cardwell. I remembered this town because when I came down from the car to pee during the middle of the night I saw a sign warning people of saltwater crocodiles by the beach. I had to quickly finish up my business and jump back into the car for safety. I didn't want some ugly crocodile chomping off my foot while I was peeing.

Our protocol for finding a place to sleep was that it had to be dark enough to sleep but still relatively safe. Also, we didn't mind having a toilet nearby. Showers would be most welcomed. So we ended up sleeping by tourist information centers, surf clubs parking lots, 24 hour petrol stations, mall parking lots, etc. Our food initially started out on the cheap side, IGA roasted chicken with stuffing - 8+ and enough for 2. However, we realise we were spending quite a bit on groceries because we often shopped when we were hungry. At times, I was quite sure that it would have been cheaper eating at a restaurant than buying food at the local Woolies (Woolworth). At least, we constantly had premium quality fruit juices and candies which once melted on the dashboard. Thanks again to - you should have guessed by now - my sister.

(to be continued...)

A Hard Life

A hard life - Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The poor are really poor in the slums of Cambodia. What you see over here is almost the complete room that this family have. It is their living room, bed, kitchen and all.

Tanah Merah

Where is Tanah Merah? - Brisbane, Australia. It seems interesting that not so far from Brisbane is Tanah Merah. Feels almost like Malaysia.