Thoughts from Find me a Singaporean

It's a day off after a week of work and I decided to spend it at home. While aimlessly scrolling through the posts in my Facebook, I stopped at one about a local programme Find Me A Singaporean. I haven't watch this show before so I have no idea why today, I stopped at that post and went on to check out their Facebook page. In this travelogue, the host Belinda Lee travels to visit Singaporeans at different corners of the world. These SIngaporeans share about their life away from home as they pursue their dreams and do amazing things abroad. Here are summaries of two of the episodes which I took from their Facebook page:

"Singaporean couple Jason Goh and Wong Poh Lai who moved to Thailand in 1999. In early 2005, they moved to Baan Namkem, a village that was hardest hit by the tsunami in 2004. What started as a short term tsunami relief effort has since evolved into a long term community development project which provide free meals for the children of poor families, a full day school to allow the underprivileged children in the area an access to education and other skill development related courses to the impoverished villagers."

"Following the path of love, Doreen landed in Stockholm 20 years ago. 20 years later, she has not only built herself a home, and also carved out a successful career in Sweden’s leading clothing label company. Belinda spends midsummer, the most magical time of the Swedish year, with Doreen and her family. Together, they participate in the Swedish Midsummer Festival. Amidst all the songs, dance and fun in summer, Belinda discovers some bonds do not break, no matter where you are."

I'm really not envious that they can live abroad or of what they are doing. What strikes a chord in me here is their courage to choose the meaningful life they want to live. Meaningful in my opinion isn't solely about changing the world or helping the poor, sick etc. It's about loving what we are doing, feeling driven and inspired in the day, feeling happy and accomplished at the end of the day and waking up the next wanting to do everything better. No matter what we do - a teacher, a pastor, a banker, a waiter, an engineer, a stay home mum - we can all live a meaningful life. These amazing people not only found but also chose to live a life which truly matters to them.

Last Sunday, I went on to catch one of their episodes. It is about this 23 year old Raymond who moved to Poland to pursue his interest in Equine therapy (using horses to facilitate therapy and growth) and also to further his music studies at the Warsaw University Chopin Institute of Music. At the same age, I never thought about my life being more than graduating with a good degree and finding a good job. Yet, this young chap has dreamt bigger and is not afraid to seek his dream lifestyle, even if it means relocating to half a globe away alone. His story showed me that there are endless permutations of how we can live our life and that there is no boundary (geographically or mentally) as to how far we can go to pursue what we want.

Friends have been telling me about how lucky I am to be doing what I love now. Don't be mistaken, you are right! I love what I am doing now, I am happy everyday dolling up ladies and for that, I'm truly thankful. I just believe that being a makeup artist is more than putting on beautiful makeup for people. Am I setting a boundary for myself? Is there a bigger purpose in what I am doing? Is there more to life than what I am seeing and doing now?

People who know what their calling in life is are truly blessed and they never stop inspiring me to find mine one day. When I do, I want to have the courage to follow my dream. I hope you will too. And don't stop seeking.