~Aaron~

The Swimmer

If I were to be asked what is the greatest personal achievement that I have being in the UK, probably as for now it would be teaching myself how to swim. Through trials and errors, occasional near-drowning experiences in Mile-end swimming pool at a depth of just 1.8m, and a demanding life guard asking me (a super amateur!) to do a 25m non-stop swim test(trust me, that was difficult and scary for me), I somehow know how to swim. And yes how could I forget the insults of some of my friends, teasing me that my sperm can swim but I can’t. Haha.

Now, I really love swimming! I think I’m more confident now! I learn that there are some things which you can teach yourself. Some philosopher’s quotation : "There are 3 ways of learning: hands-on, which is the easiest; wisdom, which is the noblest; experience, which is the bitterest." (Thanks to Hani, here’s the improved version of the quotation: "By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is
noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and Third, by
experience, which is the bitterest"-Confucius-)

Yesterday, Aini and I went to another swimming pool, called St george’s pool. This time it really literally went into a much greater depth. Imagine,from my usual gradually-becoming-deep Mile End pool, it turns to a from-1.8m-to-suddenly-3.3meter(!) pool!!! I didn’t know that it’s a diving pool! Anyway, I did swim through the deep waters. I admit, it was rather scary at first but an exciting experience. All that went through my mind that mind were, if I screw up this, there will still life-guard (and Aini) to save me; and, to overcome the fear, befriend and respect it- and it will most likely reciprocate your actions, and save your life.

The Obese

I had a lecture today about obesity, and I now appreciate the fact that there are just some people that are just meant to be like that - it’s in their genes. Really. But the fact that obese-gene seem to have exist to this day demonstrates that it has survive the course of human evolution where only the fittest will survive.

I thought about it; if I were fated to be obese, can I accept it given the becoming-fit craze prevalent in the society? True, obesity does symbolise morbidity or some sort along the line. But somehow for some people, it also manifests a sense of accepting yourself, just being yourself. The inward beauty,so to speak

The Slowly dying friend

I’m currently watching a Japanese series called ‘1 liter of Tears’. It’s based on a true of the life of a girl with incurable disease called spinocerebellar degeneration disease (SCD), a gradual death of your brain cells consequently the loss of normal body function and ultimately death. The drama depicts how her life was from when she was still normal until her death.

I made me think, what would I do if the doctor suddenly broke the news of such disease to me? Knowing that I will slowly no longer be able to do the things that I enjoyed doing, and eventually die in few years’ time, what would I do? How would I live life with a reality and future that seem to be condemning me?

Or probabbly, the first question that will come to my mind: Why me?

Why me?

Why am I unlucky to have this?

Probabbly the best for that is: "having this disease is not unlucky, it’s just…inconvinient."

I just love the fact that how her family and friends were very supportive.

Trust me, ‘ 1 liter of tears’ is a very touching story. It constantly reminds of me of the people and things around me, that I have taken for granted.

Haven’t cried yet =P