At the stroke of midnight last night, I felt a certain sense of relief and release on leaving 2009 behind. Some people call it annus horribilis, but I won't go that far. After all, even if many bad things do happen in a certain year, it can't be all bad. We just need to look beyond the dark clouds for that silver lining, to look beyond the challenges, sufferings, and catastrophes to discern God's blessings in our lives and in the world.
So 2009 wasn’t all that bad. The year began with the world economy in shambles, but things did pick up towards the end. The UN climate conference in Copenhagen may not have been great but at least it didn't collapse. And what’s there to complain when four new shopping malls opened along Orchard Road in the second half of the year? On the personal front, though I was yearning for a change of work environment, there were some blessings along the way, among which was my form class.
Still, I can’t deny that I’m experiencing a sort of freedom now that 2010 is (finally) here. This is a new beginning for me in two ways: I’m moving on to teach in a new school and I’m starting to be involved in the choir ministry in Church again, after a very long hiatus. Of course, only time will tell how things work out for me in these two areas, but I’ve entrusted them to God and I’ve positive that he will empower me to bring out the best in myself in every situation. For now, it’s just exciting to be on the threshold of a new beginning.
