It's time we bid farewell to 2014 and usher in the new year. At the dawn of a new year, most of us would surely reminisce briefly on 2014.
What have I done for the whole year?
What have I achieved so far?
The best and the worst of 2014?
Facebook has taken the initiative to do that if you noticed. Facebook-shy myself, this is where I best pen down my thoughts on 2014.
2014 is a year without much fanfare for me. Looking back, it started out bleakly. Our family was still recovering from our loss, hence Chinese New Year celebration was a quiet one at home. That short one week, I did enjoy quality time with my family though. It' also the year my grandpa passed away suddenly, which is very devastating to my grandma who lose two of her loved ones in such short period. It's the year I learn that at the end of the day, what matters is how much time you get to spend with the people you truly care. Sometime I feel that I got so caught up with work and my own life, as if I'm working on something big, setting the stage for an eventual day when I find my happy ending. But when that day come, my family, my closest friends, those people that I truly cared about might not be around any more, and I have no one to go back to share and celebrate this happiness. In my attempt to pursue this happiness, I would have miss out moments of my life where I should be together with the people I love. My mom was an example, and I shall not repeat it any more.
2014 is also the starting year of my career where I'm working in a new environment, learning the ropes, meeting new people, facing challenges that have never been before thrown at me as opposed to the idyllic life I had in my university days. It's also when I realised how our education system failed us because we were never equipped with life skills to help us face the real world out there. Moving out from your parents house and living on your own salary, those are indeed an unforgettable phase in anyone's life I guess. How to buy a house? How to apply a loan? How to renovate a house? How to file a tax? And many more.
At the end of year, things start getting better. My final year review was quite surprisingly satisfactory, considering my mediocre performance and the many past stories I've heard on how the most junior engineer get the brunt of low performance appraisal. My Australia trip was a memorable one, where we attended my sister's convocation ceremony. Congratz to her!
In general, 2014 was such a roller coaster ride. It's the year when I'm finally breaking out my comfort zone, casted away my cocooned student-life self, and away from the warm nest of home, to a great big world so full of things to see. It's the year I learn the most. Albeit still grappling in the dark and on unsteady feet, I have a great feeling that 2015 is gonna be a great year. I'm so looking forward to it!
