Lucky.

Ever since Sunday, everyday you flip the papers or turn on the TV, you see reports regarding the devastating tsunamis that swept across Asia and caught everyone unaware. It's so depressing to read about how families were separated by death, or beloved wives or young children had gone missing. It's even more difficult to look at the pictures that captured the merciless doings of the killer waves. And the fact that all these happened during the festive season makes it even worse. (plus to recall that on the same day last year, there was also a destructive earthquake in Iran.. it's really scary!) It is always when such calamities happen, I'll feel exceptionally lucky to be where I am now - Singapore.

Too many times, I've taken Singapore for granted. I confess that I'm also one of those Singaporeans who harbour dreams of going abroad to build up an overseas-based career and eventually settle down somewhere else in the globe. Everywhere else seems to be greener and a better place to be than here. And I drool at the opportunities that some of my friends are offered to either study or work in other countries. Now with all the happenings in the world, like the Asian tsunamis, US hurricanes, Japan earthquakes and typhoons, worldwide terrorist attacks and political unrest, I truly feel so safe and lucky to be here. None of these unfortunate events that are mentioned has ever been experienced at home, or at least during my generation. Eye-opening though, I swear I never want to experience such things (I'm assuming I have the controlling power). Being able to avoid such massive earthquakes that caused so much damages to the neighbouring countries, I must say, Sir Stamford Raffles is right in saying that Singapore is strategically positioned.

Despite all the tragic stories told by the survivors, it's consoling to note that there are in fact many Singaporeans who are more than willing to help the affected ones. Many members of the public specially made their trips down to the Red Cross to make donations, corporate organisations set up aid funds and made generous donations and volunteers emerged to call for donation-in-kinds from the public. It's such spirit that makes me feel that Singaporeans are in fact very compassionate and helpful. Though we may be lucky to have escaped such natural castastrophe, we never forget to help those less fortunates. My, what was I thinking when I dreamt of leaving this place... what more am I looking for?