Make sure each moment and each day counts

The Star has lost an experienced, inspiring and respected journalist with the passing away of Soo Ewe Jin. And I have lost a good friend.

I offer my heartfelt condolences to his wife and sons. My thoughts are with them.

I never fail to read Ewe Jin’s “Sunday Starters” column in Sunday Star and shared much about his reflections on life. I would read his column first before reading the other pages. I wonder how The Star will fill the void.

His compassionate take on many aspects of life was very educational and inspired me in many ways to contribute to the betterment of society. I have tried to adopt and put into practice the values he shared and promoted through his columns for the benefit of the community and nation.

Our life’s story should not be about how much we hoard for ourselves but how much we can help others, not how we dissipate our efforts and energies on slandering and condemning others but through the compassion we show them, and not how egoistic we make ourselves to be but how much people can trust and depend on us.

Our life’s story must be one of appreciation. The smallest, simplest of what we have is something we own and must value.

Reflecting on Ewe Jin’s many positive thoughts about life, I am inclined to believe that we are writing our life’s story each day whether we realise it or not. Each day, we live out a part of our story and it is etched on the tablet of our life’s narrative forever. It cannot be changed or rewritten.

We have in fact written our life’s story up to the present. We will never know how many more chapters remain so let us not conclude it wastefully. Let us make sure each moment and each day counts.

TAN SRI LEE LAM THYE

Kuala Lumpur