Reflecting on 2015

I think spending time in reflection is always a good thing, so I try to do it daily during Quiet Time.

As the year draws to an end, and we stand at the cusp of a brand new 2016, it’s also a good time to reflect upon the past year. This always brings about a soul that brims with thankfulness. For when we do not stop to think, everything seems a whirry blur. We then fail to appreciate the abundance that we should be grateful for, and we miss the opportunity to nourish our soul.

So 2015. It was the year that K entered primary school and adjusted easily, socially and academically, beyond our expectations. There was a bit of drama in the middle of the year, but it just showed us how wonderful her teachers were. I helped out when I could in the parents group, and all that I saw and learnt just made me glad that she’s in this school.

Four year old B entered her second year of Nursery this year, and seems to be thriving too. There was a challenging scenario towards the end of the year, but I guess its part of growing up, and part of our learning as parents as well.

We embarked on a 17-week Christian parenting course in the third quarter of 2015 with many other couples, most of whom are our friends. It will end next year, and I’m aiming to write a reflection on that, and share key learning points, sometime in April 2016.

This was a year when we had many opportunities to travel. In March we had a short stay at Legoland Malaysia, then went with my parents to Bali, which was a good time of inter-generational bonding. In June, we visited two resorts in Phuket, the latter with friends.  In October, we visited Penang which was really fun. In December, we went to Batam for church camp, where the kids learnt so much it was like being in Vacation Bible School.

Although the destinations were really nearby and not very exotic, the time away was still meaningful, and the kids found so much delight in each trip.

And even in Singapore, it is good to spend time with the family outdoors and close to nature. Whether it’s jogging at one of our scenic parks, or visiting the constantly-refreshed Gardens by the Bay, this year we were reminded by the prolonged haze not to take fresh air and blue skies for granted.

Apart from scrolling through this blog, I found that a good way of reflecting through the year was to scroll through the photos taken on my phone.

Doing that reminded me of how 2015 was a very significant year for Singapore too. It has died down somewhat now, but it was SG50 everything, from babies to advertising for any product you can imagine. The man who looms so large in the recent history of Singapore passed away in March, there was a mega National Day Parade celebration (that I providentally won 4 actual day tickets for, thanks to the support of my wonderful friends and family), and then the General Elections, that our family observed closely. It was also the year 7 Letters was screened, an epic anthology to me.

On a personal note, this was the year a dear aunt passed away, where there were challenges at work, and when I ponder from time to time about whether I should spend more time at home. This seems to be the right balance for now though.

Whilst I really enjoy serving in church, at times I do wonder whether I’m over-committed given my roles in the worship ministry, children’s ministry, choir and cell group. But I guess if there’s any place to be stretched, it’s work for the Kingdom, since that’s of lasting value on the final day, anyhow!

How was your 2015?