70th Birthday

70th Birthday 

7th May 2024

Today is my 70th Birthday, a significant milestone in my life. I lived with no regret, and I feel very contented and blessed. If I am given a second chance, I will do it all over again.

I am blessed, and brought up by very loving parents. And I am loved by my wife and children and my siblings. 

I was born in the fringe of Chong Pang Village in Sembawang in 1954. The attap house where my mother gave birth to me was in a sparsely populated farming area, with 3 neighbours spread far apart.

Growing up, I  played with neighbours  and children at a nearby community centre. I played a lot with classmates in my Primary School. It was really a very happy childhood and my parents dotted on me. Although I never have any toys or luxury, but we children find ways to play happily. 

My parents made sure there we sufficient food on the table. Water we drank was hauled from well and boiled. Night was dark with kerosene lamps and electricity only came when I was around 6 or 7 years old. There we no stress from school. My academic results were very good and was the envy of many parents in our small Hainanese community that mainly worked for the British in Naval Base. 

I managed to earn a place in the top school Raffles Institution and spent 6 memorable years there.  It was transformative years, growing up from childhood to teenager. Many good values and important lessons were learnt here. Schooldays in RI can be stressful and challenging, it came with disappointment as well as achievement. These were part of the school life. Managing all these strengthened me mentally and built self confidence for adulthood.

National Service in the Navy was without any doubt, a passage to manhood, a ritual every male Singaporean underwent. Duty to my counyry was an unforgettable two and a half years experience that I will always cherish and be proud of. I fulfilled my ambition to be a SAF officer, receiving my commission at Istana, where my proud parents attended. As an officer, I was tasked with a lot of responsibility, even for a 20 years old. 

During my 18 months of gruelling and rigorous training I had to endure hardship and overcame mental challenges. The pain was worth the effort to earn the "chips"on my shoulders. The Navy exposed me to the power of nature and the dangers around. I understood the importance of managing risks and safety. At times, there were no room for errors and complacency.

After ROD, I was selected to be a trainee flight navigator with Singapore Airlines from amongst the thousands of applicants. The naval training had given me the edge. Flying has been my childhood ambition and passion. My house was near Sembawang Airbase and I saw helicopters hovering overhead and saw aeroplanes dropping parachutists over the airfield.

After flying as a flight navigator for 5 years, I converted to be a pilot, clocking about 25,000 flight hours over a span 40 years. I had logged in thousands of landings in over 50 airports. I flew on B707, B777, B747, A310, A320. I couldn't comment on flight training as it was not possible in a few sentences. I thoroughly enjoyed these 40 years of flying the skies over many oceans and continents. I retired from SIA in 2018 and took up a part time flight simulator job with another aviation outfit.

My aviation profession had provided my family a very comfortable life. We often had exciting and wonderful holidays in many countries. 

In 1987, I married my beautiful wife. We have 2 daughters, both are now married and successful in their own ways. Becoming a grandfather in 2019 was another milestone. It's like reaching the apex of a life journey. 

In 2020, I reluctantly made a conscious effort to retire as a Flight Simulator Instructor. I felt it was time to slow down, and enjoy the simple joy of life, and find time to do the things I had wanted to do. Looking back, I acknowledged that my life was on a fast lane the day I entered RI, becoming a Naval Officer, and becoming a pilot. There were many days I felt were very tough, stressful and overwhelming. And on two occasions, I experienced potentially fatal events.

I wanted my retirement life to be like a slow descent from a mountain peak. I can choose my own pace to reminisce and relive my awesome life journey I had travelled. I hope I can continue to travel for discovery and adventure while my brains and legs are still good. 

In my retirement,  I enjoyed forest trekking and cycling. At home I learnt to cook and has achieved a certain level of success. Gardening is my hobby and is very therapeutic. Most fulfilling retired life is looking after and playing with my granddaughter.

Life can be short. Times and tides wait for no man. There is not much time to waste during my final lap and want to make the best out of this. Everyday that I wake up should be a day of celebration.