Ahh ... if only life is not as simple as what I had noted on 12th Oct '03. The tables seem to have flipped. Someone up there must have decided that I'm too "relaxed" and decided to flip the tables for a while, and took my sats away.

The more work demands of me, the more I relish my free time and the more I look forward to doing as much as I can so I could at least have my Sundays off. Though it one less day than what I wished since I need Sat to clear those nonsense work piling up, but I'm not bitter. I'm even more motivated to work on Sats so I can enjoy my Sundays guilt-free. All the more I want to have my Sundays available to ponder on the question that has been bothering me pretty often in recent times - What is life? What should I do with my life? What matters in life?

I read a fable today:-
3 men were laying bricks when they were asked what they are doing.
One man answered "I'm earning money".
Another said "I'm helping support my family".
And the last man replied "I'm helping to build a cathedral".

I was dumbstrucked when I read this fable. How easy it is for us to lose sight of what matters to us in life. How easy it is for us to be caught up in the details of life and miss out on the big picture.

What am I placed on earth to do? What matters to me in my life so that I have no regrets should I die tomorrow? What sort of experiences do I want from life?

Certainly, a successful career will be a bonus. But at what extent should other aspects of my life give way to achieve a good career? At the end of the day, does the career really matter that much even?

Is money important? I guess, up to a certain extent. But to what extent? Is this extent personal to everyone? Do I need money to make myself happy or people around me happy?

Am I doing something for the good of myself and the society right now? Or am I just earning money to survive?