Remembering 2009's lessons

The things don't make the difference. The people do. It's not what is accorded to us that matters. It's what we make out of the things we have that is important.

I would say 2009 was meaningful.

2009 was meaningful because of the ups and downs, the lessons learnt, the defeats, the victories, the moments and most importantly, the people. How often do you get to meet people whom you are sure you will never forget? Not everyday, as far as I'm concerned, but 2009 gave me meetings, or discoveries of people that would stay in my heart every day as I breathe.

Most of the year was spent in 3 places. VJ. NP. Home.

I'll write a short recollection of the year.

The first I will talk about is VJ. 

VJ means a lot to me. Of all the schools I have attended, VJ will forever stand out as nothing less than the best. I am proud of being a Victorian, despite having seen a few subtle changes in the college and its workings over the past two years. To say VJ changed me would be an understatement because rather, VJ had a big role in shaping and making me. It's as simple, yet as poignant as that.

The school spirit might not have been good enough for some. Still, it was good enough for many of us. Soaking it in at the times when it mattered, remembering it otherwise. Those were the days.

My experience in CT Council was a roller coaster. All of the ups which I enjoyed and most of the downs which I do not regret. If those downs did anything, they served a role as a teacher outside of the classroom. A teacher I am sure could not have been found elsewhere.

The good lay in the experience garnered from event planning, as well as the friendships. There is no doubt as to which one I treasure more, which is the latter.

The council is big, even for a single batch of 46. But in this big cluster of councillors I met friends that now mean a lot to me, especially after all that we've been through. For some of them, I would walk to the ends of the earth. Just so you know, the 17th CT Council is what I, together with many of us I'm sure, call a home outside of home. I'm not going to be pompous and make it sound like all 46 of us were all the best of pals because that's pretty far fetched, but I'll still proudly say that to many of us, we're not a group. Rather, we are family.

The fun made us better. The fights that didn't kill us? They made us stronger.

But it wasn't always a bed of roses.

In 2009, especially in the first half of the year, council (at least, council events) became a burden emotionally and mentally. It was a busy period, those first few months and in the rush of the new school year, I lost myself, as well as what I was supposed to stand for. I ended up standing for something that I now recoil at. Those who know me will know which events I am referring to. March camp. Exco elections. Those were difficult times, and it took its toll on many of us. In retrospect, something that can be remembered and well learned is the subjectivity of interpretation. The well-meaning we feel towards anyone or anything must be conveyed in an appropriate or at least, near-universal manner. We didn't do that and much of that fault was mine. I am really sorry for that. I apologise.

Some bridges were burned. Most were repaired.

You know how it works with relationships. It's just like building a bridge across the river to join two people. It's alright when bridges break. It's how we repair things. If we put in a whole lot of effort and resources to give recoveries a shot, then the bridge of friendship will turn out stronger, sturdier, more lasting. It's a two way  process that often sounds easier than it actually is.

To my dearest friends in Exco, I'm glad we did it. I'm glad we did it and we did it well. To the 17ths, I'm really thankful for what we've got today because it wasn't easy getting here from the start. To the council teachers and the wonderful teachers I've had the honour of working with, thank you for the words of advice, and bracing words of comfort in the face of adversity.  

I once heard that it's not easy to be an Exco member of a CCA in JC. Still, I'm not saying the above statement is right. It might be a breeze for some.

I will always call my experiences in council a beautiful journey. That collar pin? It means nothing if we don't make anything out of it. That's the first line of what was said in this post. The logo on the tag? It doesn't matter. It's the name on it that does. It's the people that make the journey alive.

Then for many of us, 2009 was the year 08A15 really got to know each other better. Maybe we were cohesive in 2008. But to me, we became bonded in 2009.

Compared to many other classes, our class was perhaps one of the classes with the most desirable class dynamics. We didn't fight (at least, only very rarely and very quickly resolved), had no exclusive cliques and generally spent much time together in school everyday.    

Time passes very quickly. We must have sat through dozens of economics lectures on the right of LT1, literature tutorials all over the place, and geography classes as well. We met in the canteen as a rallying point because of our diversified timetables. Where A15 was concerned, you always knew you would never be alone in school at any point of time.

That's what made us so comfortable with each other, I guess. I am so happy that have forged many strong friendships with my pals in the class. Words cannot concisely spell out individual friendships with 20 classmates, tutors and one civics tutor over two years.

And the essence is here. 08A15 will forever be in a special place in my heart.

Apart from being in class and council, VJ also gave other things. Those are the things I blogged about in this domain over the course of the year. One day, I will re-read those archives. I am sure they will make me smile!

So, as we liked to say in the NPCC room, 'onwards'.

Many things happened in the NPCC context in 2009.

Actually, the year was relatively smooth sailing.

That seems to contradict, but believe me, the 1 1/2 years in the unit I have come to love taught me more than I could have ever hoped to learn as a trainee in 2008. The most important lesson was "Others Before Self".

The many thoughts I have felt about NPCC and its lessons are well chronicled in my own personal diaries all over the place. So today, I guess I will share one other thought that has been reverberating in my mind as of late.

Every little thing requires a platform of sorts. Without this platform, there is little, or virtually no hope for progress. The skills that we learn, such as camp craft and foot drills only serve us best when done in a group. No man is an island. As I found myself explaining to a parent of a prospective cadet just last week, in NPCC the group effort allows us to put things together and complete a puzzle that would be far more beautiful than if done alone.

Maybe a square lash will help you with some convenience in your life. Maybe learning how to execute sharp drills will earn you a certain degree of admiration. But definitely, putting lashes together in a team to form a swing, a gateway or to pitch a tent simply smacks of teamwork. The same can be said of a squad accomplishing that one solid bang with sharpness and precision. The more we do it, the better we get because we get to know each other better with time.

The bonds only get stronger because we've been through something tangible.

Also, the attainment of something only constitutes half the journey. Maybe you can add another chevron or crest to your rank after being affirmed. But as we gradually realised (the CIs and the NCO squad together), it's not the title or accreditation that makes the clock tick. Again, it's what we make out of what we have. You get something because you've hit the bar. After a celebration, we'll all aim to raise the bar together once more.

We also learnt that we can't always have our way. Maybe something will block your way. Obscure your vision. Cripple your aspirations.

Always be patient. What is troubling us will come to pass. And our brotherhood will forever remain.    

And Home?

Home is the best place in the world, as it has always been.

My mother is the best woman in the world. My dad is the best man in the world. For want of a better word, my brother is the best young man in the world.

To me. That's all that needs to be said about home, really.

And lastly,

This is a post I wrote some time ago. Please take a look at it.  This is dedicated to my friends and family.

Love,
Greg