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As 2008 draws to a close, I am drawn again to this famous passage by Charles Dickens (1812-1870) from A Tale of Two Cities:
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
In short, 2008 has been a very trying year for me—more downs than ups. But as my tag line says, I can’t, and I won’t sweat the small stuff. Life is such that everyday can’t be a bowl of cherries; disappointments will occur from time to time. The big highlight for me was of course, the launching of my own website, http://philipyeoh.com. This was primarily to promote my first ebook, Learn to Play the Piano in 12 Lessons. April 2008 also saw me venturing into the blogosphere with my own WordPress blog—that’s the one you’re reading now. Maintaining these two sites has kept me occupied, besides my own piano teaching, etc. “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop,” so I’m not going to let my mind (or my hands) remain idle.
Be that as it may, although I can’t wait for 2008 to finish, it is with some trepidation that I await the arrival of 2009. The world outlook doesn’t seem too promising for next year, but we’ll see. Live for the moment, one day at a time. I’ll enjoy the daily blessings that I have, and not lust for more. Again, to quote Charles Dickens:
Reflect on your present blessings, of which every man has many; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.
Wishing all of you a very Happy New Year, and may your lives be filled with love, joy, and peace.
