Goodbye 2019: looking for a brighter 2020

If I am honest with myself, 2019 was not a great year.  As I look back, there were highlights but most of the time it has been a lot of hard work without much time spent on personal growth and pursuit of individual interests and passions.  It’s no wonder that right now, I’m feeling like this:

But for the record’s sake, let me just list some of the key events this year:

• My dad’s Sister, my dear aunt, passed away in end February.  We miss her at our family events.  We missed her at Christmas and next CNY will be our first without her.  But we came together as a family during this time. Really sad also trying to pack up her belongings... ... only partially completed thus far.  

• A strong positive highlight of the year was going for a Papal mass and shaking Pope Francis’ hand.  He is my hero!  Going to St Peter’s Square at night was also a magical moment for me.  It’s beauty and serenity was soothing to the soul.  Coming back to Singapore, I was in time for the major event which my charity was organising. It was a very successful event, which made the hard work of the previous six months worth while.

• I also managed to tick “Three Gorges” off my Bucket List.  Haven’t had time to write it up, but sailing down the magnificent, mighty Yangtze River, the river running through Chinese history and culture, was indeed a wonderful experience.  

• As for the cats, it was a sad moment when Winky passed away so swiftly and subddenly.  I worry about them now that they are growing older.  Even Ariel has been with us for 7 years now!  

• Work wise, it has been intense.  I covered a colleague for the last six months of the year and (as mentioned) spent a considerable amount of time in the first six organising the major event for my charity.  I feel a sense of pride and satisfaction that I managed to get through the period reasonably well, but there is still so much work left undone.  

•  Baking wise, the oven function of my microwave cum convection oven broke down, just as I was trying to bake my mother’s birthday cake!  So I had to borrow the neighbour’s oven but the delay, I am convinced, affected the final quality of the cake :-(. One the plus side, I decided to take the plunge and bought a brand new oven.  

• Well it sort of goes without saying that with all this going on I didn’t have much time for thoughtful, reflective reading.  I hope that I can make a start on the book pile beside my bed, over the coming year.

So roll on 2020!  Looking forward to a brighter, more productive and fulfilling year ahead.