Finally, Reality

Time seems to stop when one sits and think back, or contemplate life, especially going through the various strands of memories that were kept intact, exploring the moments of joys of laughter or bitter sadness. The activity that most find too troublesome to partake in during the busiest of times, yet an idea more comforting than a friend’s grace in moments of being distracted. And that time is now, the gap in between studying and working, between a student finishing his studies and a graduate starting his first day at work, between two ultimately different worlds, where all the time in the world comes rushing in at you. This is a time for reminiscing, a time for maturing.

Observing the world without, the many personas give substance and come to play in the mind as the many different outcomes of life’s decisions. Yes, decision-making is one of the taints that marks adulthood. Decisions that matter not to only the choice-maker, but to his immediate family and community, not to mention the length of the time in effect that will eventually make the breadth of the externality more pronounced.

I can only sigh at what such decisions could cost one’s life. As I, like many others, have come to face with such a choice almost six years ago. At the age of merely seventeen, we were made to consider an option that would take us on a ride for the next thirteen years of our lives. 17 years. 13 years. Yes, thinking of it this way, the scholarship programme contract would seem cruel. Can a 17 year old boy make a sound enough decision that will bind him for the next 13 years? I cannot answer that truthfully, nor can many. I am not one to say that I regret the choice made earlier but i am not also saying that i am perfectly happy with what was done. I have mixed feelings. The point is, contracts such as these are part of our lives, what is best to do is to help educate the younger generations to better make sense of the effects of such a choice.

Thus comes the role of education, formally or informally. I am fortunate enough to have bestowed with parents that are well-informed, both of whom were lecturers. It is a fact that there are many who are not as fortunate. I owe partly to the Development Economics course that i took in university to help make clear the state the world is in now. It is no different in our own country. Poverty, its trap and effects on later generations compels many to help especially to alleviate the children from the same destiny as their parents. One such initiative that i encounter in close contact is the Teach for Malaysia programme, which is part of the Teach for All global network. I hereby declare my support for your noble cause, and wish the initiative the best of success.

Good education is pivotal in shaping the destiny of schoolchildren. The support should stay on till the end. Having a population of well-informed citizens is one of the by-products of life-long learning experience. The experience abroad has taught me how age should be paired with even more knowledge, in whatever form.

Now comes the time of maturing the mind.

Read, and you will be rewarded.

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