......
Somehow I felt myself not feeling young and energetic as before. Came to realise this after attending my church's youth camp in Changi the past 2 days (that's why the blog silence).
As a teenager, I always enjoyed the outdoors and attending camps as I enjoy the company and interaction with my peers. From the time I joined the Boys' Brigade when I was 13 till now, I have always enjoyed the comradeship and brotherhood shared between the few of us: Peter, Meng Wei, Winston, John and myself - the last surviving members of my batch of 19th Coy boys who joined in 1992. Of coz for Peter, who was our super senior, the rest of us are pretty much the same age.
The years went past and alas, we drifted apart even though we still keep in contact once in a while. As for me, after my poly days, I have totally drifted apart from the activities of the BB and thus, lost touch with the people I have worked closely for the past 4 -5 years.
Many things have developed their own course during this period - like Winston is still with the BB and has became a business partner with Peter while Peter himself is heading the BB as an area president as well as some higher level position in the BB HQ. Meng Wei is now studying for his degree and working as a business partner in terms of food catering with Peter while John.... since his return from Australia, haven't seen him aound. I... well, became more committed into music min and settling some transitions in my own life.
Well, back to the youth camp. Attending this year's camp was a totally different experience for me - it's a feeling of strangeness, nostagic at certain times and at many times, a feeling of lostness. Somehow, I now see myself as an adult amongst the youths - an "uncle Ron" to them. Not "Ron" anymore. The passage of time really spares no one as I see Peter/ Winston/ Meng Wei all grew into mature people. No long we chat about nonsensical stuff or just doing all the crazy things we did when we were much younger. Now it's really a sense of job/ assignment/ passion/ responsibility to be there to organise (Peter/ Winston), deliver (Meng Wei) and take photos (me)... I really admire those who served in the Youth Ministry like Dennis and NanieCheng who has the passion to groom our next generation into the new century. Values are weakening among the younger generations and yet, the people dedicated to enforce the Christian values we all hold so dear as a guiding lighthouse in the storm, are determined to take up the responsibility on this uphill task.
In the camp, I saw many facets of my youth in some of the youths participating there. One of them is Royston. He's really so much like me when I was a young boy - quick to comment and loud to boost. Someone who would like to be in the front row and best, the center of attention. When I saw him conducted an afternoon activity for the youth, it reminded me of my time when I was conducting for the BB boys. I made the same mistakes, the same air of importance when I was briefing them... the same air of pride with a evil smirk of knowing what they don't... ha! He is so much like me... so I went to tell Peter to groom him despite what he is now coz beneath all that youth, he can be a potential for God's growing kingdom.
I guess I really miss those days when I was a youth just having fun at no cost at all. It takes so little to smile and play along with your peers but when we all grow up, we lose that feeling of having fun and thus we "mature" into adults. Our notion of fun now is probably a trip to somewhere overseas with our loved ones or a simple dinner gathering... I guess, like what lil' ms snooze said over MSN, it's part and parcel of life - growing up to lose the close relationships you may have built when you are younger.
Another perspective about this - when you have come to realise this nostagic feeling, it really means that we hve all grown up. It's really funny that when we were kids, we always wanted to grow up faster to do the things adults do but when we are adults, we just want to be able to do what the kids are doing now.
So here I am, writing about it instead of just shagging it off to go play my video games or to meet a friend out for fun as there's always another tomorrow... guess it's how you treasure certain things that made the things you treasure precious. Ms Clover would have a grand time reading this as she always find me too kiddish : p
Till then folks!
As a teenager, I always enjoyed the outdoors and attending camps as I enjoy the company and interaction with my peers. From the time I joined the Boys' Brigade when I was 13 till now, I have always enjoyed the comradeship and brotherhood shared between the few of us: Peter, Meng Wei, Winston, John and myself - the last surviving members of my batch of 19th Coy boys who joined in 1992. Of coz for Peter, who was our super senior, the rest of us are pretty much the same age.
The years went past and alas, we drifted apart even though we still keep in contact once in a while. As for me, after my poly days, I have totally drifted apart from the activities of the BB and thus, lost touch with the people I have worked closely for the past 4 -5 years.
Many things have developed their own course during this period - like Winston is still with the BB and has became a business partner with Peter while Peter himself is heading the BB as an area president as well as some higher level position in the BB HQ. Meng Wei is now studying for his degree and working as a business partner in terms of food catering with Peter while John.... since his return from Australia, haven't seen him aound. I... well, became more committed into music min and settling some transitions in my own life.
Well, back to the youth camp. Attending this year's camp was a totally different experience for me - it's a feeling of strangeness, nostagic at certain times and at many times, a feeling of lostness. Somehow, I now see myself as an adult amongst the youths - an "uncle Ron" to them. Not "Ron" anymore. The passage of time really spares no one as I see Peter/ Winston/ Meng Wei all grew into mature people. No long we chat about nonsensical stuff or just doing all the crazy things we did when we were much younger. Now it's really a sense of job/ assignment/ passion/ responsibility to be there to organise (Peter/ Winston), deliver (Meng Wei) and take photos (me)... I really admire those who served in the Youth Ministry like Dennis and NanieCheng who has the passion to groom our next generation into the new century. Values are weakening among the younger generations and yet, the people dedicated to enforce the Christian values we all hold so dear as a guiding lighthouse in the storm, are determined to take up the responsibility on this uphill task.
In the camp, I saw many facets of my youth in some of the youths participating there. One of them is Royston. He's really so much like me when I was a young boy - quick to comment and loud to boost. Someone who would like to be in the front row and best, the center of attention. When I saw him conducted an afternoon activity for the youth, it reminded me of my time when I was conducting for the BB boys. I made the same mistakes, the same air of importance when I was briefing them... the same air of pride with a evil smirk of knowing what they don't... ha! He is so much like me... so I went to tell Peter to groom him despite what he is now coz beneath all that youth, he can be a potential for God's growing kingdom.
I guess I really miss those days when I was a youth just having fun at no cost at all. It takes so little to smile and play along with your peers but when we all grow up, we lose that feeling of having fun and thus we "mature" into adults. Our notion of fun now is probably a trip to somewhere overseas with our loved ones or a simple dinner gathering... I guess, like what lil' ms snooze said over MSN, it's part and parcel of life - growing up to lose the close relationships you may have built when you are younger.
Another perspective about this - when you have come to realise this nostagic feeling, it really means that we hve all grown up. It's really funny that when we were kids, we always wanted to grow up faster to do the things adults do but when we are adults, we just want to be able to do what the kids are doing now.
So here I am, writing about it instead of just shagging it off to go play my video games or to meet a friend out for fun as there's always another tomorrow... guess it's how you treasure certain things that made the things you treasure precious. Ms Clover would have a grand time reading this as she always find me too kiddish : p
Till then folks!
