Last year marked my milestone birthday. Although I did not get to celebrate it with a bang and create unforgettable memories with my family and close friends as I was called away in short notice for a month-long stressful work assignment in London, I was more than excited to see what life had in store for me in my personal “Year of Jubilee”.

Life sure is full of surprises! Little did I know the journey ahead in the following 365 days was not only bumpy, there were peaks and valleys in the midst of rough and at times almost treacherous terrain and wilderness.

In less than a week after my birthday in London and two days shy of my departure to come back to Malaysia, I tendered my resignation and left a job that most people thought was amazing with the prospect of being the Group General Manager of 3 properties stretching from the Far East to Europe. It was time to make my exit and I made the decision without looking back, and came back to Malaysia without a new job lined up.

Before 2017 drew to a close, our mum had a major health scare and that really shook our family to the core. Our perspectives on life which we took for granted and our emotional strength were challenged.

When mum was healing from her major surgery and was about to receive further treatments, I was offered a job in Kuala Lumpur. Accepting it would mean a new life in a new city for me, and away from home. Our decision was to accept it and go for the new adventure.

I was excited to turn over a new leaf and all ready to embrace change in a big way but the team at my new job was not as ready as I was. It took me almost all of the first month to slowly gain their trust, including that of my new boss. I will be crossing my half-year mark at the end of August and now, I can think back fondly of the path I have travelled together with the team in the last few months.

Over the course of this one year, my parents and my siblings adjusted to the challenges life threw on us and our bond strengthened. We also embraced the changes brought about by my moving away. My faith grew seeing God’s grace and mercy upon us, and how He brought me up all the peaks and pulled me out of the valleys, and I have never stopped counting my blessings.

A good friend of mine quoted “Tough times never last, but tough people do” recently looking at the journey I have travelled so far. I dare not boast to be one tough cookie and all I can say is one must never lose infinite hope and know where the source of one’s strength is. Keep good friends close as during the tough times their presence, love and care, and prayers are truly invaluable.

As I reflect on the last leg of my life journey and what the coming year beholds, for sure all these are only a part of a bigger plan God is mapping out for me. It is like what I have experienced is just a small patch of a huge tapestry of life that the Master Weaver is working on. On this piece of work-in-progress, there are bright and colourful threads woven and intertwined with some soft pastels and the occasional sombre dark shades to eventually reveal a magnificent design. (And only now I realised the name of my blog could never be more apt!)

This year I had a lovely birthday with a small surprise breakfast party thrown by the team at work, received a few gifts and flowers and ended with a beautiful dinner with two of my very good girlfriends. Simple, nice and I was contended, and happy.

Oh, there is one more thing, I cut my hair short. First time in more than 30 years and I got it cut gradually and surely, from waist length to eventually above the shoulders. I love it, and I think I rock my short hair!

Change really is good!

Isaiah 43:18-19
¹⁸ “Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
¹⁹ See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.

以 賽 亞 書 43:18-19
¹⁸ 耶 和 華 如 此 說 ： 你 們 不 要 記 念 從 前 的 事 ， 也 不 要 思 想 古 時 的 事 。
¹⁹ 看 哪 ， 我 要 做 一 件 新 事 ； 如 今 要 發 現 ， 你 們 豈 不 知 道 麼 ？ 我 必 在 曠 野 開 道 路 ， 在 沙 漠 開 江 河 。