Life has always been a rollercoaster ride for me. Exams, projects, relationships and even deaths punctuate this short but eventful life thus far. Stability seemed like such an alien concept. However the fates seem to surprise me all the time. Just as I thought the ship would crack in the storm, it gave me calm waters to navigate. These past months have been... may I dare say, peaceful?
While many find daily life and working a chore, I find welcome solace in the mundane everyday. I am free to enjoy my weekends with friends and family, I sleep peacefully at night without worrying about the tasks that await me when I wake. I welcome these times to mend the cracks, to chart my course through this sea of Life. I have known for some time now, that a key weakness in my life is the lack of long term goals and the short term goals to bring me there but I challenge anyone, to chart a map during a storm where the ship is never steady and survival is a question.
My goals in Life? I have long held that there were 3 things I need to accomplish before I accept my end. First, I want to do a PhD. Not because it opens doors or advances my career, nor for the prestige of being a Doctor. Maybe it is partially due to my passion for pure knowledge. I find fun in learning new things, regardless of when or whether that knowledge would be useful later on. Far more likely though, is for my little sense of pride, a little dream I held since young, to be a scientist. That even though time and fates may delay it, they will never kill that dream. I want to show that I can do it if I wanted it bad enough. A wilful dream, a tad naive but what is a dream if it did not contain those two elements?
Next, I want to own a cafe or a coffeeshop. For those who know me, this comes naturally. I love my coffees, be it the common coffeeshop blend from robusta beans or the blue mountains blend served in high class cafes. Though I have met some who share my need for coffee, few share that same desire. Thus I want a place for coffee lovers by coffee lovers, a place where aficionados can gather to sample and discuss about coffee. A place where I hope to learn to make the best coffee for coffee lovers like me.
Last but definitely not the least, I have a weird dream, to be a taxi driver. This combines two of my favourite things in life, exploring places and meeting people. People may ask, what is there to explore in Singapore? I beg strongly to differ. Have you been to every part of Singapore? Sat at the small coffeeshop at the corner of every street? What is the difference you will naturally ask. After all we are still in Singapore, we speak the same languages, share the same lifestyle and have similar experiences. However, every neighbourhood has its peculiarities and little stories. The early morning queue for coffee and you tiao in Bedok, the beautiful sunset of Punggol End, the deserted estate in Lim Chu Kang, not to mention the countless hidden treasure troves of good food. You only learn of these when you live there and talk to the locals. Life in Singapore is not as boring as what most may think if you note and appreciate the little things in life. Maybe if there is demand, I will write a book but for now, I am contented to explore and enjoy.
Royston Tan
The Beauty of Everyday Life
