a friend of mine asked me recently.’why do you write about things that doesnt concern you?’
i was stumped for a while. i didnt know what to say to that.
feeling perplexed, i asked him,’what do you mean?’
‘i mean, the things that you write are about stuffs around the world and nothing about yourself?’ he said.
Õnothing about myself? i DO write about myself,’ i could imagine myself on on-guard position.
Õyes but usually you would write about politics, war, tragedy… you know what i mean?’ he explained.
i suddenly realised the angle of his argument.
Õok let me explain,’ i said. ‘are you a human being?’
he looked confused but nodded his head regardless.
Õwhere do you live?’
Õsingapore…’
‘what continent do you live in?’
‘..er… asia…’
‘which planet do you live in?’
‘earth…’
‘do you know the term ‘global village’? ‘
Õi have heard of it…’
‘why is it called a global village?’
‘because the world is becoming ’smaller’ … like a village…’
‘right… so being a singaporean means that you are an asian, and being an asian also means that not only you are a citizen of singapore but you are also a citizen of the world…’
i looked at him wondering if there’s some intelligent life form in his brain. he paused and not too long after that i could see some intelligent beings freefalling into his brain.he smiled.
Õlately i have been feeling… not too good. when i am not feeling too good, or when anyone doesnt for that matter, we tend to think in smaller circles and our visions become narrow. we get upset and ask ourselves why we dont get this or that. we live for ourselves only. hence, we tend to think that the world revolve around us.
‘i like to see the bigger picture, see the lives of others, feel concerned with what they are doing. in order for me to come out of this rut i have to see that there are other people who had it tough, others who have pulled through hardship, and perhaps who are worse off than me…’
‘i would like to feel small and insignificant. nevertheless, in some strange way, by feeling small and yet connecting with other people around the world, i would feel that i have a part in this world. seeing the bigger picture gives me hope that would have otherwise be superimposed by selfishness…’
‘everything that i write IS about me. it is how i react to my surroundings, the environment and the world at large….because whether you like it or not, when things happen on a far corner of the world, it will affect us in some way or another. take for example, the artic and the antartic region. give it a thought…’
he nodded in agreement and had the ihaveseenthelightoftheday look…i smiled at him.
he looked into the sunset pondering…it was a very beautiful afternoon.
it was a good afternoon to wonder what our loved ones were doing. and it was a good afternoon to let the pain subside into the dusk of the day…
Song of the Day: Lover, You Should’ve Come Over by Jeff Buckley
Finger Acrobatics Performed by Avloomat @ 1541Hrs
