I shall start keeping a record of all the amazing one-liners that come to me always after the conversation is over:
SK: I took time off to spend with my mum, because she is getting old, and I want to travel with her.
Me: Oh is she well?
SK: Yes but she has this genetic disease where she is slowly going blind.
Me: Oh that's great that you are taking time off to spend with her. It's good.
What I should have said: Oh, you are a very filial son. I can see that. It's great that you are taking time off to spend with her while she is still alive. But what is even more important, is, where she is going after she dies. Do you know much about Christianity?
At SCIC dialogue, talking to a sweet old man who is a researcher in a Centre of Excellence. We were both big fans of nature, biomimicry, and raving about the immune system and his research thesis was on enzymes vs catalysts. I wanted to tell him, it's so marvellous, isn't it evidence of a Creator? How can any of this come from chance? But before I could do that, he said "But nature had millions of years! And we humans have only had a few thousands of years." I was tongue-tied and realised he was an evolutionist. What I should have said was, "Ah, but do you know the 2nd law of thermodynamics? How can this be true, that random motion produces greater and greater order - it would violate the 2nd law of thermodynamics!" I should also point him towards pregnancy, and delivery and even abortion.
When I was having lunch with S and L, and they asked me what advice I had to give to younger officers, I should have said, "And another advice is, we must do our best at work, since it takes up so much of our waking hours, and we have been gifted differently, and should use them to better society. It also gives us fulfillment. But at the end of day, should things just not go so well at work, as they sometimes do, we have to remind ourselves that work is just work. It does not define our self-worth, and our identity should be based on something else." [teaser for them to ask - so what should it be based on? And then I can explain the Christian world view, that God created each one of us, in His image, and He loves us dearly. So that is where we get our self-worth from]
As I was having lunch with J and GW and she suddenly rushed off to a colleague's father's wake and I found myself alone with GW, the person God has been putting a burden in my heart all year. After an animated time chatting about Marvel movies, I finally screwed up the courage to ask him if he went to the All Soul's Church I had told him about. He said no (I don't know what I was thinking, most likely he wouldn't have gone, not after 1 random text from me). I started telling him about the famous preacher there (John Scott?) who was 90 plus, and went on to say my husband attended that church, and he enjoyed it very much. Then I elaborated a bit more on American preachers Vs English ones. I kept waiting for him to ask me more but he didn't. Maybe cos he didn't know what to ask. So anyway, then we started talking about E, and he asked me if I spoke to her and I said yes. And I took the chance to tell him what I told her, but I guess it sounded so sagely he just nodded. He didn't ask me any follow on questions either. So I think I need to be more pointed. To sow the seeds.
After I say "But at the end of day, should things just not go so well at work, as they sometimes do, we have to remind ourselves that work is just work. It does not define our self-worth, and our identity should be based on something else", I should go on to tell him that, and "Do you know what is that something else?"
And go on to explain my revelation in University, except I need to elaborate on it further.
- Worked very hard for monthly tests. Get A, happy for a day, at most 3 days, and then back to the grind. Asked myself is that all there is to life? Work - reward ratio seems a bit skewed.
Then bumped into a Christian guy. He explained that we are here on earth to enjoy a relationship with God, who loves us very much. If we just believe in Jesus, we will have this relationship, and experience God's leading and help in our lives now. His Bible provides the blueprint for a full life, and ultimately we will be with Him in heaven. And ultimately, every bad thing will be punished. Gave me a good framework for dealing with everything in life.
In fact, ask me something.
We are made in God's image. God is very creative and God put us here on earth to work and to enjoy a close relationship with him. But cos of sin, work is now hard, and our relationship with God is broken. But through Jesus, we can be reconciled to God, we can talk to God every day and He replies us, and
