Trials

The past couple of weeks have been emotionally trying.

Firstly, I faced the fact that my former boss and long-standing mentor was finally retiring.

It's also the time of the year to say goodbye to others whom I'd consider friends - LSD, EL, JT, DT, MML... all great people to work with.

Most recently, I learnt that our resident Superman, SW, is returning to a place similar to his original planet Krypton. I wish him all the best and hope he will fly more freely, just as I had, and put his superpowers to better use.

There are other trials, outside of work. Two of my grandparents are fighting to regain their health right now. My maternal grandma has been in intensive care for days. It's a day-to-day survival for her. Mentally she's still fine, but has difficulty with breathing and eating. She's also tried yanking out her own tubes, probably because she's so uncomfortable. She's always been a rebel. When I was a little girl, I used to tell her to stop smoking. She'd promise me she would cut it down to a stick a day. And now I'm working in HPB.

My paternal grandfather is in better condition but is getting used to a more restrictive and careful lifestyle. This was a man who was over 6 feet tall and would swim out into the sea and back. In his late 70s, he once got up from the dinner table and hit the dance floor, taking my grandmother with him. I'm less worried for him but hope that the family speaks as one, and not as many conflicting voices, in our well-meaning attempts to restore his health.

There are a few other trials as well, even closer to home. Spiritually I am leaning on God and am planning to rejoin a home group in the next few months. There are many other things I have to do soon, and my life may change quite a bit. Until then, I'm soldiering on.