rush hour
Do you ever notice the person siiting next to you in the train or bus? Do you stop to people watch? Have you ever wondered what goes on behind that facade?
A friend of mine recently shared with me about her quest to make people aware of the other homosapiens present in their lives and to pay a little more attention to them, especially our family members. And it dawned onto me how i am often buzzing around so much so I rarely meet my grandparents and yes my exteneded family.
I expanded the thought a little and saw a new perspective to our lives, ok, maybe it's just mine for now.
I come from a very traditional chinese family and thus it is not uncommon for comparisons to be made between siblings, cousins or any branch of the family for that matter. So I grew up being inferior to my cousins and felt that there was no way i could be better than them as they had out run me in everything; or rather what everything seemed to me then, which would be none other than academics. They had much better grades than me, they excelled in their CCA and I was just a regular member, they made it to med school and it was something I could probably only dream of doing.
I was often the end of comments that were almost always negative and they always seem to paint a picture depicting my parents doing a bad job. Least to say, I was often fuming mad and had spent most of my 21 years trying to prove those people wrong.
I'm over that now, and just to set the record straight: my relatives are nice people with big hearts, however, they belong to an era of the past and thus their thoughts are such. I am just thankful I am born in this time and age where we are capable of broader perspectives.
The sad thing is however, although we are capable of broader perspectives, we don't seem to be taking full potential of that. Why? Well, how many of us are working towards that degree because we have to in order to get a 'good' job? How many of us are in a field because it is the 'in' thing and gives a stable income? How many of us dare to defy what society thinks and take a different route?
To bluntly put it, how many of us look at the toilet cleaners and respect them for cleaning up after total strangers? How many of us snigger and past snide remarks when we see a young person doing a low paying job? How many of us think that these blue collared wrokers are in their place because they can't excel academically or just simply refuse to work hard to do something better?
My point is this, if we take the time and effort to talk to people who walk in and out of our lives, maybe we can widen the narrow paths built in our minds. This includes our family and friends of course.
We all lead busy lives, but maybe we should slow down once in a while and get to know the people around us better. When we understand the lives of others only then can we break away for stereotyping others. We would also start to respect each other as fellow homosapiens who are equal irregardless of job, intelect, gender, culture, etc.
Are we taking the paths we are taking because we do not want to be judged as useless, stupid or someone who just can't make it.
I once overheard someone saying that actors and acttress are taking the easy route out because the require no brain work for thier job and get all the cash. I was and still am terribly digusted at that comment as it takes a lot to act. You need to think as the character and figure how to best bring across the emotion the character is thinking - now who says it is a brainless job?
That is just one example, but the point I am making is this, if we take the effort to find out about all aspects of a particular job, we won't pass such judgemental comments but rather we would see these people differently from what we do now. Of course there are the few who tarnish the image of the job but shouldn't we give everyone the benefit of the doubt?
In having wider perspectives, we too would dare to take the plunge and defy society. Who says you have to get an 'O' level then 'A' level/diploma, followed by a degree? Why can't you stop at a diploma, get a job and only get a degree a few years later? Or why can't we work after 'O' levels and continue the academic journey as we work?
Away from academics, why can't we get married at a young age without people thinking it's a shot gun marriage? Why can't we walk in the rain without people thinking we are crazy or that we don't have an umbrella? Why do we not speak up when we disagree with the majority?
I know of some who have broken away from the constraints of society, but there isn't enough of these people to crush the 'rules' built by society.
It is amazing what a little respect and time can do:
The next time you are rushing: SLOW DOWN
The next time you meet someone: SMILE and you'll GAIN a friend.
And hopefully one day, we would be dare to be different!
*This includes me for I am guilty of those charges*
A friend of mine recently shared with me about her quest to make people aware of the other homosapiens present in their lives and to pay a little more attention to them, especially our family members. And it dawned onto me how i am often buzzing around so much so I rarely meet my grandparents and yes my exteneded family.
I expanded the thought a little and saw a new perspective to our lives, ok, maybe it's just mine for now.
I come from a very traditional chinese family and thus it is not uncommon for comparisons to be made between siblings, cousins or any branch of the family for that matter. So I grew up being inferior to my cousins and felt that there was no way i could be better than them as they had out run me in everything; or rather what everything seemed to me then, which would be none other than academics. They had much better grades than me, they excelled in their CCA and I was just a regular member, they made it to med school and it was something I could probably only dream of doing.
I was often the end of comments that were almost always negative and they always seem to paint a picture depicting my parents doing a bad job. Least to say, I was often fuming mad and had spent most of my 21 years trying to prove those people wrong.
I'm over that now, and just to set the record straight: my relatives are nice people with big hearts, however, they belong to an era of the past and thus their thoughts are such. I am just thankful I am born in this time and age where we are capable of broader perspectives.
The sad thing is however, although we are capable of broader perspectives, we don't seem to be taking full potential of that. Why? Well, how many of us are working towards that degree because we have to in order to get a 'good' job? How many of us are in a field because it is the 'in' thing and gives a stable income? How many of us dare to defy what society thinks and take a different route?
To bluntly put it, how many of us look at the toilet cleaners and respect them for cleaning up after total strangers? How many of us snigger and past snide remarks when we see a young person doing a low paying job? How many of us think that these blue collared wrokers are in their place because they can't excel academically or just simply refuse to work hard to do something better?
My point is this, if we take the time and effort to talk to people who walk in and out of our lives, maybe we can widen the narrow paths built in our minds. This includes our family and friends of course.
We all lead busy lives, but maybe we should slow down once in a while and get to know the people around us better. When we understand the lives of others only then can we break away for stereotyping others. We would also start to respect each other as fellow homosapiens who are equal irregardless of job, intelect, gender, culture, etc.
Are we taking the paths we are taking because we do not want to be judged as useless, stupid or someone who just can't make it.
I once overheard someone saying that actors and acttress are taking the easy route out because the require no brain work for thier job and get all the cash. I was and still am terribly digusted at that comment as it takes a lot to act. You need to think as the character and figure how to best bring across the emotion the character is thinking - now who says it is a brainless job?
That is just one example, but the point I am making is this, if we take the effort to find out about all aspects of a particular job, we won't pass such judgemental comments but rather we would see these people differently from what we do now. Of course there are the few who tarnish the image of the job but shouldn't we give everyone the benefit of the doubt?
In having wider perspectives, we too would dare to take the plunge and defy society. Who says you have to get an 'O' level then 'A' level/diploma, followed by a degree? Why can't you stop at a diploma, get a job and only get a degree a few years later? Or why can't we work after 'O' levels and continue the academic journey as we work?
Away from academics, why can't we get married at a young age without people thinking it's a shot gun marriage? Why can't we walk in the rain without people thinking we are crazy or that we don't have an umbrella? Why do we not speak up when we disagree with the majority?
I know of some who have broken away from the constraints of society, but there isn't enough of these people to crush the 'rules' built by society.
It is amazing what a little respect and time can do:
The next time you are rushing: SLOW DOWN
The next time you meet someone: SMILE and you'll GAIN a friend.
And hopefully one day, we would be dare to be different!
*This includes me for I am guilty of those charges*
6 Comments:
Well Said girl.=)
i so agree with the above comment. There's always a general negative outlook about marrying young. The common idea of it is typing a dead knot and unable to enjoy life to it fullest. But society is so wrong. Its in marriage where life actually begins. Learning to live and love someone is something so profound yet beautiful. And God's grace and love are manifested though the ups and downs of a married life.
hey ada. you have just gotten tagged by me. go check out my blog for details.
http://aboutpheebs.blogspot.com
yo!! finally my comp is working!!
so deep thoughts and seriousness... =) dun seem like ada.. =)
one word to describe...
MARVELLOUS!!!
sry if i spelt wrongly..hahaha
Heya..Well said!!I feel that it is impt to maintain close ties with our families and friends!!Or else, who would be there to support us when we fall?Anyway,Phoebe & I have returned from Adelaide for our summer hols..
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