Life after 70

 I've never thought I could reach this far,

And still feel the same person that I was, 

Ten, twenty years down the road - 

Feels like yesterday  had just gone by...

I've stood up for what I believe to be true,

Enjoyed all those beautiful sights and sounds, 

I've made new friends and treasured old ones,

Said my welcomes and bade my goodbyes,

Knowing that one day it will all come to be, 

And that it'll be my turn - 

For my loved ones to bade their goodbyes,

For them to read out their teary eulogies... 

For me to bid farewell with a last smile, 

At the world and all those faces I love so well... 

Life is beautiful...

Life truly is beautiful -
Standing here on the beach,
With the sun warm on my cheeks,
Soothed by the sound of endless waves...

Life surely is beautiful -
When there's none to nag or frown,
When life is but the here and the now -
When one can leave all cares behind...

On a beautiful beach,
on a lovely sunshiney morn,
Far, far "away from the maddening crowd,"
Life, i feel, is truly beautiful...

And i thank God -
For all these, and more...

Life Need Not Be Perfect...

Through the years i've always wished for things that are not -
Like others of the human race, i thought that would be happiness...
But now i know and i believe that life need not be perfect to be happy -
That we are ourselves flexible, moundable and easily adaptable,
Hence we are the sculptors who can turn imperfection into perfection -
And create a bed of roses out of straw, happiness out of simplicity...
So, if dreams can be spun and happiness can be found in simple things -
Who needs a life of perfection?

Sad brown eyes

I look into the mirror -
And this is what I see:
A pair of sad brown eyes,
That look forlornly back at me...
 It's still the same pair of eyes -
That I used to see:
But gone is the glow, the starry look,
Gone the twinkle, in those sad brown eyes... 

 And my heart bleeds as I look at those sad brown eyes -
Sad brown eyes that speak of the troubles of the world...

Last night

Last night my heart was heavy -
I was very, very sad:
Yet another classmate had silently left us - Sweet, demure Dahlia Harun from TBSS days...
 Suat Ngoh, Seok Young, Lian Lee, 
We'll never again get to see...
It was goodbye, at our 1st Gathering, to Soon Yew -
For he did not make it to the next, on his birthday...
 So, though life is fragile, and friends are getting fewer -
We'll treasure each other, for as long as we can, me and you...

When life is an uphill trudge

I've always believed in Fate and Destiny - And thanked God for all my blessings...
I've never doubted that we reap what we sow -
Hence I've always tried to touch a heart, help a soul...
 But sometimes, I do feel sad, and disheartened -
When others fret, and things don't work out well...
Sometimes I do feel it's not even my fault - That others hold a different yardstick, judging differently...
 But I'll take heed that one Man's meat is another's poison -
And remember to cover every teardrop with a brave smile...

Just taking a good look at life

Life has its ups and downs -
Its summer days and its fall...
For with every ride on Cloud 9 -
There's bound to be a tumble and a fall... For each time I find my life a bed of roses - 

Then trouble is lurking just a few steps behind...
Each time I am placed on the pedestal -
I'm also prepared for the great fall...
So I'll take everything that comes along - Life's sunny days and rainy days, too...

Life has its hiccups

Life has its ups and downs -
So we have to know when to laugh and clown...
Life has its sunshine days and days of murky clouds -
So we have to accept those lashings and those frowns...
 I've been looking at life from the bright side -
Willing myself never to despair...
Though sunny days have dark clouds hovering nearby -
I'll just take each in my stride, as they come by...
So I'll not be daunted, nor be persuaded to let go -
For the shattered dream would cut deep into his heart, not just mine...

"No one can go back and start a new beginning but anyone can start today to make a new ending"

No, it's true that we can never go back in time -
To start a new page, a new beginning...
But we can decide to stop, and think, today - 

And start to make a new ending...
For whatever happens in the past, is irreversible  -
As it has already passed, and become history...
Whatever will happen in the future, is not ours to worry -
Till we've learnt to look into the future, or stepped into that mystery...
So I'll just live for the present, so I'll have no regrets -
When it becomes the past; and welcome the future, for come it must...

God sets the plan

Yes, that's what I feel:
That God plans everything,
Big and small - 
And sends Destiny to make all happen...
For I feel that He watches over us all -

With the love of a parent for his children... 

And He plans for our past, present and future -
And sets Destiny to carry out those plans... 

So I believe that whatever happens to us, Has His knowledge, His consent, and His blessings...

Life is too good to be sad

Yes, life is too good to feel sad -
Or to even fret,
For after all the sunshine there's bound to be some rain -
Or stormy weather...
So just let the rains come -
And even the stormy weather,
For I'll not feel sad, or even fret -
Coz life is too good, and too short, to fret... 

 So I'll thank God for His love and kind thoughts -
And take the sunshine together with the rain...

Just give me a day of your life...

Just give me a day of your life -
That's all I will ask for: just one day...
For I feel a great deal can be achieved -
If I could have just one day like today...
For when one is given just one day -
One will surely treasure every moment... One will make every passing minute count - 

And savour every moment of the 24 hours... 

 So I'll just ask to be given one precious day, today -
And then ask to be given the same - one day - tomorrow...

Just let me be me...

You can be you - or anyone else you fancy - 

But i implore you to just let me be me...
For to tie me down and mould me into someone like you -
Would just be like keeping a caged bird to slowly die...
For I would love to be able to run free -
Do the things I love and see the beauty around me...
I would love to be able to rise with the morning sun -
And to go to bed  when the owl hoots, and the crickets sing...
So just let me be me - not your double, or someone else's twin -
For I would not want to be anyone else but simple old me...

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever..."

Yes, a thing of beauty brings joy to the world -
And we would not be tired of looking at it forever...
For even when the beauty is gone from sight -
We would have it stashed away in our memory forever...
A sunrise or sunset brings joy to my heart - 

So do blue skies and fluffy white clouds, and birds in the trees...
I love to study the gray clouds as they churn up a storm -
And love to see colourful umbrellas come up as the raindrops fall...
Yes, we will find joy in our heart everyday of our life -
If we would only pause, and take a look at the beauty around us...

"A friend in need, is a friend indeed"

Yes, i do feel it's true:
That one will know who is one's true friend - 
Only when one is in trouble,
And he or she is put to the test - 
Of choosing between staying on to help
And absconding far and wide...

And I thank God for the gift of judgement -

And the ability to discern a friend from a foe, 

Something that one fails to acquire with youthful innocence -

But a skill that's stark and daylight clear as the hair grays... 

"If you go away..."

If you go away - as I know you will have to - 
You will not have to see me shed a single tear...
For i know you care - to see tear drops you can't bear -
And i know your love will bring you back to me...

"But if you stay - I'll make you a day -"
Like those days have been...
For whenever we are together -
Life seems to have heavenly wings...

Everything one does seems to be so lovely -
And life does seem to be so, so wonderful...

No snowdrops nor daffodils

No, there were no snow drops anywhere - 
Nor were there any daffodils where we went...
But we love the sunshine, the clear blue skies -
The rolling waves, and sandy beaches to run free...

And there is this beautiful place, up on a hill -
Where the view is beautiful, where green trees abound, still...
Pure white buildings, with balconies for a Jack to meet a Jill -
And a winding hedge that snakes its way below the window sill...

A hot bath with water from a hot spring, a mountain trek -
And an impressive show of lights add up to our memories...

And I've always pictured how like young lovers we look -

Walking hand in hand along the beach or a busy street... 

The sea... The sand... And the memories

I could feel my heart swell with immense love -
At sight of these: the sea... The sand... 
The sky... The land... 

My camera at hand - making memories to last our lifetime...

I remember beauty in everything I see:
The clouds, the trees... The birds, the bees...
I remember the smiles... And the laughter-
And the twinkle in a pair of sad brown eyes...

And memories of the sea... The sand... The sky... The land -
All bring inexpressible contentment to me...

A joy no man can rob, and memories that'll last -

As long as there's a hearttherobe... 

On a hot day like this

It's scorching hot, no doubts about that -
But my heart is still light and my spirits undaunted...
For knowing that I am loved and someone cares - 
Takes all the frets away and makes all the difference...

Sitting here all alone, in the scorching heat -
I watch the world at it's busiest peak...
Sitting here in my own little corner -
Listening to the whirring of the fan...

It's good to have time on your hands, sometimes -
Just to think things over, just to play back memorable events...

Hope for the day

I will not give up hoping to see the sun - 
Even if dark clouds threaten, like today...
I will wait, patiently, for him to show up -
Coz I know he would, by and by, be here...

And I was right in not giving up -
Nor in letting moody thoughts take over...
For deep down I know that God cares -
And He would not let me wait in vain...

So I am happy as a lark again today - singing, free:
Saw the sun when he awakes, and see him off to bed...