Dear Mandy...
So many thoughts that are running through my mind at the moment... haha.. I think every year, there're at least 5 times where I feel like this very old, cliched sentence that I use: "I feel like a pea rattling about in a great big pan with several other peas; not knowing where I fit in or belong."
Is it true? I think that it is in certain seasons of life. Be it in the eventful throes of situations, or the quiet tranquil moments of reflection, or even in the midst of company, we can feel that, and it often leads me to wonder where are we headed, what should we do, and above all... what is my purpose?
Sure enough, with God, those questions get answered... but I find myself thinking beyond myself, to the people around.. ok, specifically the people that I mentor and care for, and wonder in such situations, what can I do for them that would help them feel better. It varies from person to person, I realise... much akin to Dr. Gary Chapman's "5 Love Languages", which in all honesty is actually quite apt.
But... what else is there? I think that modern society tends to see things on the peripheral, and very few think of the intricate cognitive works. A word to people is just a word at times. And more often than not, each person takes a word for what they prime it to be. Does anyone stop to think of how a word, when used in a different context, sheds the priming that it does? Does anyone consider the possibility of semantic prosody? Or do people stubbornly hold on to their own views, and then insistently stick to it, not realising the changes and adaptability of how a word can have so many different functions, connotations and implications when the surrounding supporting words change.
Is not the world as such too? That we adapt and change according to our surroundings. You wouldn't wear a winter jacket in summer to school, would you? And more importantly.. in the face of the ever changing trends of our society, what are our views and takes on it? And... above all else... what have we got on our hands, that enables us to make a difference? Or are we simply, as for the majority of us, just simply blind followers, who for the sake of brevity, self-comfort, ease or whatever it is, we stay in our comfort zones and don't move out.
While some accommodate, some assimilate, there are some who coerce others to conform to their thought of thinking and working. It's good, because there is a diversity of people to which all these somehow mingle and work together, and form a good working team. But then there lies the cracks that people tend to overlook, and human nature forms that potential unbinding component that breaks the priming that has been done from the very start. Well, not always, but sufficient times to draw a conclusion that human nature is a strong catalyst.
So what now? That's the big question. We've seen so much, and what can we do? Hahaha.. truth is I don't know. I do feel that we can do all we want, but change and learning begins with a simple choice that each individual makes. I don't know. I'm still trying to sort that out, and hopefully come to some sort of conclusion how best to balance out this unique diversity that is actually a healthy problem. =)
So at the end of the day, we still come back to God, whether it's our direct approach, or after one big round, only God knows. And am I glad I have this wonderful Saviour to guide my path! =)
