Humble Beginnings

Oh wow... It's been that long since I last entered a post. I write only when I feel like it now, there's no obligation.. I guess... But I felt that today's post ought to be archived as part of my life's major history events.

The year of the dog has arrived. And usually, I'll be having a reunion dinner with my dad's side of the family. I see them all the time, but each year, the reunion dinner's a special occasion to mark a new year in spending time together. It's just like any extended family dinner, except that during this particular day the food's always extra delicious. All my faves - prawns, steamed grouper, braised dried oyster mushrooms, century eggs with pickled ginger slices, and of course, my dad's famous dish, the braised duck seasoned with everything so good.

However, the reunion dinner was celebrated differently this year. One of my dad's cousin (a rather rich relative) invited us (my dad's side of the family) to their house to mark the celebratory occasion. We usually see them once a year (during CNY), and I guess that since all the elders have passed away, there's an option for extended families not to visit each other anymore. But I guess family pride's just as important for them, as for us. Which is a very good thing, because my extended uncle's speech this evening was pretty special in a way that he wants to keep the visiting tradition and blood ties going on.

As I said, we hardly meet up with any extended family members. My recollection of them involves me being shy when they're at my aunt's place for visiting. I didn't get to talk to any of my extended cousins, and I suppose that contributed to the awkwardness tonight (which I'll most prob explain later). Visiting the gigantic mansion located in one of the most expensive districts in Singapore was really a spectacle for me. From the moment my family and I entered the porch, I felt so small and overwhelmed. The house has it's own tennis court (which dinner tents were perched on), and a really long swimming (lap) pool. Adding to my amazement, the kitchen was open-doored and so gorgeous.

The title of this blog marks my humble beginning. I'm still living very humbly with my family in a 5-room HDB flat. And after tonight's event, I really thank God for placing me where I am. It's not that I harbor the desire to be rich (which I'm sure that in some point in time, everyone does), but being brought up in a simple, but extremely loving family shows me the extremeties in what I have. You can't judge anything without having another opposite to rely on. If you get my drift... Jesus was a very simple man, who was brought up very simply. He wasn't born in a castle, but He was born with farm animals around Him. But that made Him the Man that many of us trust and abide in. And I'm very glad that He's my perfect life example.

I met some of my distant cousins this evening. They have been brought up in well-to-do families, and from the first moment I communicated with them, I felt tension because of our different lives. They were born with silver spoons in their mouths, and although they're people that I would never imagine myself hanging around with, I do admire their fire, passion and love for life. But if it's something that I could never agree with, would be their myopic vision of the common life that most of us lead by. From the conversation, I deduce that they're the sort of people who party wild, and aren't afraid to criticize people who do not live like them. It was definitely fun talking to them, but I could never place myself in the shoes of a party-goer who sees life as a catwalk. That's where my humility comes in, I'm really thankful for God who made me that way.

It's nice to meet and converse with them afterall all these years of hostility. But I do pray that God will touch their lives one day, as He has touched mine. Even the richest and most evil human deserve to know the Lord better. And I pray for that day to come to all.