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Raison d’etre

Turning the pages of my diary, I suddenly realised that year 2007 is coming to an end suddenly. January is just like yesterday and here we are welcoming Christmas and then the Chinese New Year very very soon.

People like to make New Year resolution and with the coming close of the year, many people will tend to reflect on the new year resolutions that they had made for themselves at the beginning of the year, and whether they have been fulfilled. Unfulfilled goals will most probably become new resolutions for the New Year for them.

What have you achieved for this year so far? I believe achievements cannot be defined solely in material terms and tangible terms alone.

Achievements to many will be to earn money, get the next promotion, get a better paying job, buy a bigger car or house, there is indeed a continuum of wishes …….these achievements are definitely some achievements for the individuals and the wishes to fulfil these achievements are understandable and inevitable in modern and affluent Singapore.

The crux of the problem arrives when Singaporeans view achievements on a wholly material dimension. Looking at Singapore society currently, the spiritual quotient of Singaporeans is lacking and youths seem to gravitate towards a materialistic lifestyle, judging by the common behaviour of youths in the public.

Looking at today news, Singaporeans are ranked the lowest in the region for ‘life satisfaction’. This is not surprising to me. As outlined above, Singaporean mainly view life satisfaction in practical and material terms. If Singaporean are to pursue spiritual satisfaction, we will go up in the index.

I believe in spiritual satisfaction of life, it is an important component of life. It will make one strong and ready to take on the vagaries of life and encompasses many more. It is the overarching bedrock of life.

To achieve spiritual satisfaction, one needs to set spiritual goals and align daily activities in tandem with the goals.

Learning, learning how to overcome problems. self improvement, making a difference to others, cultivating good moral relationships with others, learning to be happy, are just some examples of such actions.

Keeping fit is another way to maintain fitness, maintain an alert mind which in turn promotes spiritual satisfaction.

There is no denying the fact that one needs to excel in career but this should not be the sole raison d’etre.
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