Time to catch up
Hey all! By popular demand, I'm back after an absence due to the Mid year's, along with other things. I'd like to talk about a few things and I believe it's time to get things off my chest once again.
1) Firstly, what's up with trying to be "in" all the time? I realise being popular is cool, but to what extent? I've never been popular, so call me biased, but I don't think it's all that important. I don't think I have a case of sour grapes. If I did, I wouldnt be talking about it in a civil manner. But I realise that some of the people around me are going to great lengths to be popular and stay popular. I've always believed that seeking acceptance of the majority must not come at the price of sacrificing one's own personal beliefs or interests. If being accepted means having to compromise my beliefs, I'd rather be the most unpopular guy on earth. Also, in a sense, the more people seek acceptance by the crowd, the more insecure they really are deep down. This is the rationale. Cos if you know who you are, you'd be able to have the confidence and the security that you are who you are. Nothing will then be able to budge you or affect your confidence in a way that really alters your thinking of who you are. With that knowledge, you wouldnt wanna change YOURSELF for others. Of course you wouldnt demand others to change to suit your style, but being comfortable in your own skin, and the knowledge of who you really are, would result in the belief that I am who I am. I aint gonna change just cos the world don't like me. So long as I know myself and am secure in my own identity, I will find good friends, without having to compromise anything I believe in. It's like this. Apples are apples, oranges are oranges. There will be people who like apples and others who like oranges. I'd rather be the best orange that I can be, so that those who already like me, can continue liking me for who I am, as compared to trying to be an apple, at the risk of alienating those who really care.
2) Next, I wanna talk about something personal. Friends are meant to be the people who are there in times of trouble and heartache. Treating them like dirt, equates to you alienating a possible source of help in the future. This didnt happen to me, but I played a major role in it. A friendship nearly came to bits at a flagrant suggestion. I think the parties involved don't even fully know of my involvement. So, I'd just like to give an apology to that person, even though you might not know why. For those who do, I'd appreciate it if you didnt mention any names. A word to the wise for the rest. Don't treat your friends like dirt and expect them to always lay down and give in. There will come a day when the person can take no more. Everyone has a limit, even the most patient of individuals. If the day comes where even real friends can take no more, the friendship will come to an end. And that will be a truly sad day for all parties involved. Always remember, we reap what we sow. The seeds of friendship are blown all over by winds of change. If the seed falls on an uneven surface, no growth of note will be seen. So let the seeds fall on the most fertile of land, so that there will come a day when the seeds bear fruit.
3) One more thing. I wanna talk about the NPCC postings for the Sec 3s. I have to say that while I personally didnt agree with some postings, I still hope for all of them to work cohesively. If those who are reading remember the few talks we had in the closing parades of our tenure with the Sec 3s, I said that the challenge has been set, and it was time for them to step up, and overcome it. What I didnt say was that I'd wish for the next batch to do this as a team, not as individuals. That is the only recipe for success. Also, treat each other with respect. If you first don't respect your own squadmates, how then do you expect your juniors to respect them? You cant ask one thing and do another. An example. I know that since they came into NP, they didnt really like Yong Kiong. I see that they don't really treat him with respect, the basic respect needed from person to person. Never was it "You can't do this cos...", but rather it was always "CANNOT!". My point is that if they dont respect him enough to explain why things cant be done a certain way, how then do they expect the juniors to accord him respect? Especially now that he's the Head of the NPCC Education Team. If they don't first help him and treat him nicely, how then will the juniors treat him if he was to give lectures? Treat each other with respect, and leave your personal feelings at the door when it comes to NP. Be "professional" and go about your tasks with cooperation and teamwork. We mentioned this before. All we (the Sec 4s) wish, is for the next batch to outshine us, and accomplish the feat which we came so close to accomplishing. Get UOPA Gold, and go down in NCHS history as the first NPCC NCO batch to lead the unit to the prestigious award. The potential is there for them to succeed, but whether or not they wanna live up to their potential, is another story altogether. I now give an open invitation for those Sec 3s who wanna talk more about this, to approach me either by SMS or MSN.
That's all I have to say for now. I hope my blog'll start to be revived. If anyone has any comments, feel free to approach me. For now, this is Dan, signing off.
