In Reminiscence...

Received a reply text from TS on Christmas that reads:

" ... Christmas also reminds our Choir will never be the same b4 so I always have mixed feelings of joy n sadness...."

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There was a time when all would sing with a zing. Then one day, everyone "grew up" at a cue, and the spirit was all killed.... no wonder Ecclesiastes 12 says to remember our Creator before the "evil" days come, when we find no more pleasure in the best of things that God has given...

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-1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,

4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;

5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:

6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
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A Tiring Christmas...

This christmas is more tiring than usual. Maybe cos' I've started the shopping real late this year... You see, Christmas shoppings are a ted more tiring from normal shoppings and here's why:-

Unlike most shopping experiences where you'd get to enjoy the "fruits" of the laborious ply down Wheelock place to Plaza Sing, and from City Hall, Marina Square, down to Millenia Walk, Christmas shoppings are done with the pleasure of others in mind. On normal shopping trips, you can do without any "harvest"s. However, Christmas shopping gets more stressful by the day when the cart remains barren.

While the gifts chosen may not always be the best, it is a chance to tell the receivers that they are remembered in thanksgiving of the year's happenings. Each of the to-be receiver of the gift had to be jotted down, and each gift chosen with thought: it has to be of use to the receiver or at very least, to consider and avoid the taboos (no cups, mugs, plates, knives, clocks or anything that spells or sound wrong)... Even what seemed the most thoughtless - chocolates - were chosen after much effort expensed to find the better gifts came to naught.

I'd also choose the "right" time to present the gifts, and imagine the smile of the receiver when he/she sees the gift of thought left for them. It must sure feel great to be remembered...

That, I must say, was all on my own accord, and with no strings attached for reciprocates. Although a present received at this season may tell me that I am in your thoughts, please do not do so with the gifts that your other friend has sent you. Yea, I know that we are used to forwarding emails with a whole load of names and seeing if the return mails are what had been previously sent out, but rest assured, that gift that was just "forwarded" from your other friend (whose name is signed on the momento) will stop at my end.

Oh yes, please also spare me from the free gifts received from buying ten tubes of Darlie toothpastes or three tins of Nestles. If that is what I may be remembered by, I'd like to be excused of the insult. For, ahem, I can still afford to buy a mug if I'd need one (erm... actually, I've got tons of them chunked in my kitchen cupboard), or if anything, I can buy my own ten tubes of Darlie toothpastes. By the way, I don't really fancy the "thoughts" of the commerce... Thank you very much.

Now, I'd still had to think where to place ta' boo-ed gifts.... boy.... ain't this a tiring Christmas? Let's go have a cuppa Nestle...
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