Be thankful this Christmas...
Enjoying our Christmas is a privilege, not a right we have. We enjoy it because of security that our country provides us - both its physical location, as well as its social, economic, political, and military strengths (putting aside the dissent that certain political 'party arguments' may arise at this point).
Even as I type this, 65000 Malaysians in Johore Bahru are homeless, and still seeking shelter in refuge centres following last week's massive floods.
Filipinos are struggling to rebuild their shattered communities after two of the worst typhoons in its history wiped out homes, communication lines and water supplies.
The people in Merlaboh are still living in wooden shacks - two years after the tsunami hit them in the wee hours of Dec 26, 2004.
And unrest all over the middle East threatens the lives of both Christians and Muslims alike.
In such a situation, don't we feel safe? Don't we feel secure?
Thank the Government of Singapore, for giving us such security? Perhaps.
I say, more than that, Thank God for His goodness that He has blessed us to date.
Because, as one of our political leaders said before, "It is not if the terrorists strike, but when".
'When' floods come, we've got our efficient drainage systems to save our lives and homes.
'When' earthquakes come, we feel only a trembling of our beds, like the gentle rocking of babys' cradles (if at all).
'When' will a train full of MRT passengers, returning home from a late night of partying and count-downs on New Year's morning, be hurled into the murky darkness by a terrorist bomb?
So far, 'when' has not arrived.
A Lebanese police officer stands guard in downtown Beirut in front of a Christmas tree and a poster of assasinated Lebanese industry minister Pierre Gemayel on 19 December 2006. In central Beirut, where Christian and Shiite opposition factions have been demonstrating against the anti-Syrian government for 24 days, Christmas trees are serving as political symbols for each side.(AFP/File/Ousama Ayoub)
Even as I type this, 65000 Malaysians in Johore Bahru are homeless, and still seeking shelter in refuge centres following last week's massive floods.
Filipinos are struggling to rebuild their shattered communities after two of the worst typhoons in its history wiped out homes, communication lines and water supplies.
The people in Merlaboh are still living in wooden shacks - two years after the tsunami hit them in the wee hours of Dec 26, 2004.
And unrest all over the middle East threatens the lives of both Christians and Muslims alike.
In such a situation, don't we feel safe? Don't we feel secure?
Thank the Government of Singapore, for giving us such security? Perhaps.
I say, more than that, Thank God for His goodness that He has blessed us to date.
Because, as one of our political leaders said before, "It is not if the terrorists strike, but when".
'When' floods come, we've got our efficient drainage systems to save our lives and homes.
'When' earthquakes come, we feel only a trembling of our beds, like the gentle rocking of babys' cradles (if at all).
'When' will a train full of MRT passengers, returning home from a late night of partying and count-downs on New Year's morning, be hurled into the murky darkness by a terrorist bomb?
So far, 'when' has not arrived.
A Lebanese police officer stands guard in downtown Beirut in front of a Christmas tree and a poster of assasinated Lebanese industry minister Pierre Gemayel on 19 December 2006. In central Beirut, where Christian and Shiite opposition factions have been demonstrating against the anti-Syrian government for 24 days, Christmas trees are serving as political symbols for each side.(AFP/File/Ousama Ayoub)
posted by Nian Long at 12/25/2006 10:25:00 PM
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