Reflection on an event that has shaped your life and the person you have become

My grandfather was diagnosed with cancer several year ago, yet he was strong and put on a tough fight against it initially. However, when he had a relapse again, this time round, his body was too weak and he succumbed to this illness in the end. This news hit me hard and I regretted. I was one of the grandchildren that he doted on the most, yet during his toughest period of time, I was not with him. I was blinded by my academic work and focused much on practicing for my Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) competition to the extent that I skipped a lot of family gatherings and most importantly I gave up my chance to accompany him. Now, I no longer have a chance to stay by his side anymore.

This triggered me to think hard on what is the most important thing to me, what kind of person I want to be and what kind of life I want to have. I reflected much and came to realise that family is also another important aspect of my life, I do not wish to have any of such regrets anymore. I try my best to be there for all family gatherings and make an effort to visit my grandmother every week. There is a quote from Albert Einstein, “only a life lived for others is worth living”. After my grandfather’s passing, I also learnt that academic results is not everything, leaving an indelible mark on people is much more meaningful than my own personal gains, which makes me a regular volunteer now.