“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children...to leave the world a better place...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” --Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Goodbyes are hellos to new friends who have yet to be touched up close and personal.

The helpers were asked to write their farewell speeches, not that they’re leaving 9^th COY. In doing so, I hoped that we would all reflect in our participation in the company and look back at what we’ve done, are doing and hope to achieve in our time with all of you…

It’s on the blog so that u can nudge us on when we’re lagging and slowing down… and be part of that process of fulfilling what we hope to attain, as a team. Here’s mine.

Goodbye, Fare Well.

My greatest fear in life, is not living it out to the fullest and being crippled by fear. There were many unknowns, many fears and much unwillingness when I first committed to joining GB fully. Many times, I’ve been asked to commit to it but have managed to shield it until a time came when the beckon of responsibility was simply unavoidable.

When I first joined, it was a journey to the unknown. Not the kind of discovery that you’d look forward when you travel to a new country, full of pleasant expectations. It was full of trepidation of unwelcome uncertainties; full of the realization that I am doing something I am not good in.

I love freedom to do whatever I like only. I hate being bound by rules and hate even more, bounding others by rules. GB to me is everything opposite of the freedom I enjoyed so much.

In my years in GB, I learned much that have benefited me in my course of work and life. The discipline taught me to pause, plan ahead and delve into the details. At this point when I wrote this, I am still far from being good in it but I have met people younger than me who are so efficient and enjoying the process of all of it. And I love learning from them and being somewhat more like them in time.

One of my greatest joy in GB, is seeing how the girls evolve through the years through the awkward first year to being confident in their senior years. I love the admiring looks that the younger ones have for their seniors as the latter lead them in the activities. I love how the older girls command respect when they impart drills and share their valuable hindsight with the newbies.

CCA fair is something I look most forward to when I see our girls moving amongst the crowd of new Sec 1s to convince them to join GB. I love the excitement that radiates from their faces. And this excitement continues to flow to the welcome party when we see the layers of the Sec 1s peel and learn more about them.

Personally, I prefer to spend one-on-one time with individual girls but being a leader brought along priorities. I needed to learn to hone my organizational management skills and train ladies and girls to lead while I look at the larger picture. I needed to learn to motivate ladies and girls to touch lives while I attempt to touch them first. Thankfully, God provided me with role models to learn from in my workplace. He also provided for management lessons in the workplace that I made some attempts to practice with 9^th COY.

The most important assets I had in 9^th COY were the fellow helpers who pressed on with me through my weaknesses and filled up my gaps. They are the backbone of the company and make us more complete even with my numerous failures.

At the end of my service at 9^th COY, I hope I am not saying goodbye here to build my personal kingdom. But I hope that, I am leaving because there is a strong foundation in 9^th COY and I could live my passions in another place and impact others who would impact others too,

God is my main motivation for serving in 9^th COY and I hope that my presence there would have shown a glimpse of my first love, however faint it might have been. The other objective I have, is that I would touched at least a couple of lives who would be inspired to serve others as well. I hope that through my sharing and experiences, at least one person have seen the needs of the less privileged in their midst and felt compelled to do something to alleviate their pains.

I hope I am leaving 9^th COY a better place than when I have first started and hope that everyone would strive to make it even better. Imagine the power combined if everyone does their part to make 9^th COY a better family.

(This day being Vesak Day 2011), I leave a quote by Buddha, “What you are is what you have been. What you’ll be is what you do now.”

Remember always, that what you do today, would determine who you are tomorrow.

No great woman starts by being great, they all start by little acts that make where they are a better place first.