Saturday, March 7, 2015

Eventually Everyone Makes It



Once, many years ago when I was out of luck, jobless with a wife & child to support, I overheard my parents engaged in a conversation with a distant relative.   

He said his elder son was married and was now a high court judge in Singapore.  The younger son was also married but staying at home.  His next sentence floored me.  He said, ‘the useless son is staying with me’. 

That hit me in the guts. 

My parents had little education like most parents at that time.  They did not have an answer to that.   

Perhaps they could have said, ‘We shouldn’t say any child of ours is useless.  Perhaps it’s only that their time has not come when they start to succeed in their undertakings.  Everyone has to struggle for a while.  Some find their calling only when they have lived half their life time.  We just can’t declare them ‘useless’ just because they haven’t made it. 

I think, eventually everyone makes it.

2 comments:

  1. I agree with you. We all build our lives based on the stones thrown at us. It's a very interesting post because it's not common that we call a spade, a spade. I like your courage to share this story.

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    Replies
    1. Yes. The stones thrown at me hurt a lot. But they healed. That made me tougher. And the stones became my stepping stones. Hahaha.

      There were times when I wanted to give up, but didn't, because I couldn't leave those I love behind to fend for themselves.

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