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Saw this short documentary-style TV program on Channel 8 last night. Actually the TV was just left on after the News program, and in fact it was not even something I’d normally follow. The TV program was about the struggles of a young Singaporean man, 30 years of age, an aspiring amateur song-writer but also full-time cobbler,  and how he finally succeeded in finding his purpose for living.

There was a few things which I found to be quite remarkable.

The young man in the program mentioned that he used to loathe the weekend family gatherings (looked like a big family) because it was very noisy and seemed utterly pointless to him at the time. Now, he treasures every moment, because like he said: you never know how much longer such times or people will last for, after all. He also made a discovery while learning the craft of cobbling from his father. His father makes the best use of his limited tools and skills, yet he is always complaining the lack of this or that. Finally the most important realisation he came to, while sitting there watching his father work as pedestrians walk past them along the busy Orchard Rd (one of the premiere shopping streets in Singapore), is that he is willing to do anything. There is nothing that is too humbling or too humiliating for him to do, if the opportunity comes up. He is both happy and comfortable with himself. I really admire his courage and conviction.

As a side note, I was a little surprised that he was very articulate (in Chinese) and expressive, which certainly taught me a lesson about myself: not to look down on people with humble beginnings. :embarrassed: We can all certainly gain much wisdom from the simple things in life.

Just came back from the movie Turn left, turn right (see the cartoon version) tonight.

This movie tells the simple the simple of a lonely man, played by Takeshi Kaneshiro and woman, played by Gigi Leung, who live in the same apartment building. One way or another, their paths do not cross, even though they are always in close proximity of each other.

Although this may sound like the old cliche that parallel paths do not meet, etc., perhaps this is also a true reflection of the modern-day life in a big city (the story is set in Taipei). People meet and then lose contact for both the right, and the wrong, reasons. In our busy schedules, people these days can be so close and yet so far sometimes…

Overall, another very enjoyable movie from this on-screen couple, and a nice soundtrack too.