Inspired by the bus conductor

The conductor on the SBS bus no. 170 not only brightened my day as I stepped up the bus at 8 a.m. this morning, but also taught me an important lesson. As I walked up and prepared to scan my EZ Link card, he gave me a warm and cheerful greeting that certainly surprised me. I noticed that he did the same for all the subsequent passengers that came up the bus with the same fervour and sincerity, and yet customising each greeting to the particular individual that stepped up. This simple deed clearly indicated how one could inject so much fun and meaning into a mundane job. Psychologists have studied how altruism manifested through small acts of kindness not only make the receiver happy but also enables the giver to feel a sense of fulfillment. They have also shown how doing good at work (what they term performing organisational citizenship behaviours) can raise job satisfaction. Evidently, the conductor had not only made my day (and others' of course), but also exemplified the powerful principle of how we can help others and at the same time help ourselves feel better.

The Discipline of Study...

He that studies only men, will get the body of knowledge without the soul; and he that studies only books, the soul without the body. He that to what he sees, adds observation, and to what he reads, reflection, is in the right road to knowledge, provided that in scrutinising the hearts of others, he neglects not his own.

~Caleb Colton

What you invest your time in must have eternal value...

This line was shared by Pastor today during his sermon. Something really for us to think about.

As I got stuck behind a truck on the 1st lane of the PIE today, my life just flashed by. The cars in the second lane were so fast I couldn't change lane. I had no choice but to stay put there and wait for the opportunity. In my mind was just "How am I ever going to make it? Would I get into an accident?" It reminded me of the Virginia Tech incident, the PCG incident that happened last week, etc...of how life can be so fragile and vulnerable. We are just flesh and blood that can perish so easily. That brings me to the question of "How am I choosing right now to live my life?" There are so many people around us whom we can touch and shine a light in their lives.

As I entered the worship today and we sang that song:

"Lord I give You my heart
I give You my soul
I live for You alone

Every breath that I take
Every moment I'm awake
Lord, have Your way in me"

I just knelt down and ask God to help me care for those around me, to pray for the masses and to make full use of every breath and moment in my live to contribute to the kingdom of God and to show some love to everyone around me just as Jesus did. The commandmant to "love thy neighbour as thyself" just stirred in my heart as I prayed for God to use me in that way. There is so much to do yet so little time. I just prayed that He'll give me the wisdom and show me how I should run the race according to His rules and towards His destination for me.

"What you invest your time in must have eternal value". What a lovely line! Reminded me of how much time we can give to God if we spent less time gaming online, complaining and wallowing in self-pity, feeding our vanity streaks, etc. Let's learn to invest our time and energy in those we love and the world we live in. And also take some time to marvel at His awe and to slow down and smell the roses cos' we need to refill our cup each time after we serve.

Three letters I wrote to ST Forum:

Published online, April 13, 2007

Increase job satisfaction among our civil servants

'ONLY in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honour'. This verse from the Bible struck me when I read the article on 'S'pore workers in big demand for key jobs abroad' (ST, April 9). No prizes for guessing why the report surfaced amid the buzz on ministerial pay increments. It undoubtedly highlighted the urgency to implement measures to retain public-sector talent. Still, the focus on finding the best benchmarking formula has diverted attention away from the intangibles that make the work attractive.

I do agree to some extent that the emphasis on money is important. Being a politician is not easy and all the more so in Singapore given the high expectations of the Government. Burn-out is common and that is when people begin to ponder whether their remuneration commensurate with their sweat and tears shed. However, I concur with what MP Denise Phua mentioned in her speech on how we also need to 'cultivate more lasting and non-monetary motivators to usher in and retain good people in the public sector' (ST, April 11). We need to adopt this approach for the entire civil service, not only those on the higher rungs.

We need to consider how we can increase job satisfaction among our civil servants. For instance, job aspects can be improved so that people do not feel that they are literally 'servants' to the public but take pride in their service towards nation-building. Often, individuals fail to see how seemingly trivial tasks contribute to a larger picture with a significant outcome (for example. how the mundane job of a checkpoints officer contributes to national security). The entire debate on pay is shifting the focus towards self-interest and away from the intrinsic motivation that keeps people where they are.

Perhaps the aforementioned Bible verse holds some truth here. While we do acknowledge our good Government, we sometimes fail to recognise the good workers (from the highest to the lowest rank) in the government sector. It is not easy for police officers, for instance, to serve the public and yet get yelled at during the course of duty. Being appreciated by the public is important. I hope that through this recent spate of debates, more will come to realise the critical role civil servants play. Pay increments are good but other factors are crucial too.

Charlene Chen Yijun (Ms)

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Published online, April 13, 2007

An under-rated education system in Singapore?

THE UWC win over the local schools in the recent debates on 'The Arena' has been the talk of the town for a couple of weeks now and some have pointed their fingers at the local education system as being the cause behind the overwhelming defeat. According to the article in the Sunday Times (April 8), several are under the opinion that our local students, as compared to their foreign counterparts, were not as proficient in thinking on their feet and were capable only of acing exams. Prior to this, it was not uncommon to hear similar criticism of our education system.

The interesting thing was that in the same paper, there was an Insight special on 'Behind the Education Scene' which touched on how our education system has progressed and evolved over the years. In fact, other nations want to model their system on ours. This is indeed laudable and I believe it is the success story of the leaders and workers in the education scene who have contributed their heart and soul to this calling of theirs. I'm especially proud that Singapore does not succumb to the international trends in education policy but we fashion our own system and have become a trend-setter in this aspect within the region.

Unfortunately, there are many of us who still fail to appreciate the greater flexibility introduced into the system over the years, and stick to the belief that the system is still as rigid as before. I applaud The Straits Times for doing this segment to raise awareness of the initiatives being carried out to make the system a more flexible one. Our polytechnics and ITEs are grooming a rising number of talents and there is a growing variety of courses for students to choose from. Importantly, the point on having good leaders to drive the system was duly emphasised. We definitely need brilliant people to help us plan and execute education policies which have such great impact on the economy.

Charlene Chen Yijun (Ms)

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Unplublished

Unhappiness looms because......

There have been some grouses following the revelation of the revised pay package for civil servants on Monday (9 April). Perhaps, the manner in which the matter is communicated can be done better. Recurring themes in messages of how the government has been responsible for our world class status and how the government is held in high regard by foreign governments have become ineffective to the extent of sounding a little annoying. Also, the whole talk about retaining people has made it seem as though we are just paying people for their brains. Help the public understand the nature of the job that makes it justifiable for them to command higher pay, apart from constantly repeating that they could have earned more elsewhere or that they could be poached by the private sector. These are not convincing because it can be argued that money should not be the main motivation for joining politics. Does that mean that many of them will quit if there is no pay rise? People need to know exactly why top officials deserve the higher pay.

In addition, the news of higher pay for entrants into the service has not been going down well with existing civil servants who will not get a monthly pay revision. Although it was stated clearly how annual pay will increase with the performance-based lump sum accorded, it just seems puzzling why monthly pay has stayed put for the lower ranking civil servants but has increased for the higher officials. Undoubtedly, the more competitive pay for new entrants will be a good incentive to "lure" people to join the civil service and alleviates the problem of manpower shortages. However, the problem of attrition is not resolved because existing workers will move out after they receive their bonuses. Many may come in but at the same time many may exit after a while. People need to see the long term benefits of the new pay package, not just the short-term gain. Moreover, job satisfaction must increase to help retain people. Pay in the private sector is more volatile compared to the government. When the economy is good, private sector employees earn more. Government pay on the other hand does not adjust so flexibly. Hence, we need to use other measures to keep workers. Many underlying concerns and questions need to be addressed.

Good Friday? I say GREAT Friday!

Yesterday was eventful! I was supposed to get baptised tomorrow on Good Friday at East Coast Beach with several other church members at around 8.30 a.m.

Lo and Behold, I got a call at 6.30 a.m. in the morning. Suspecting it was a morning call from a kind someone I arranged to give a lift to, I picked up my mobile phone and saw my colleague's name flashing on the screen and instantly I knew it was work beckoning. Immediately I took the call and she sounded apologetic about waking me up on a public holiday so early in the morning.

"Char, sorry to wake you up so early," she said sheepishly.

I was exceptionally calm. Maybe cos' it was wee hours if not usually I'll be excited when there are incidents--we don't get many in Singapore not that it's something to be jumping up for joy about. Gimme a break man...the job's still pretty new to me so the romantic notion of being "activated" for some big thing really sends my adrenaline pumping!

"Sure no problem, I can be there at seven," I replied after getting more details of the case.

"Okay, see you there at 7.15," she quickly responded.

"Alright then. See you then!" I said with relief at the extra grace time given cos' I was starting to doubt my ability to get there at the time I offered so rapidly without much thought. Hehe, thought of myself as some police woman being activated for some exciting case!

I put down the phone and called my friend to say that I won't be able to give him a ride and messaged my other friend that I've got to work and won't be able to make it for the Baptism. Then I changed into something (I thought was quite in line with my impression of the dreessing worn by a female CID ASP), grabbed my duffle bag with my change of clothes for the Baptism and my pre-packed activation kit.

Anyway, got there two minutes late eventually (didn't consider the parking time and I made a slight detour). Phew, thank God she suggested 7.15! I walked into the NPC and there was my colleague sitting down and talking to one officer. They ended their conversation and she reported everything she knew to me.

Next minute, another colleague of mine came and us three ladies discussed the case in a nice waiting room with comfy couches.

"Boss is coming later also," my first colleague informed. Yep, he's always so ready to respond; so passionate about his work!

There I sat on the couch as we were waiting and I got an SMS from my friend from church suggesting whether I could go for the baptism instead and hand my work over to my colleagues. I stiffened up and mulled over the options. At that moment, the dilemma struck me. How should I honour God in this situation? Work or God? Was this a test of my priorities?

So I weighed out everything:

• This is my first formal activation as a new psych
• I was on the duty roster; it's my responsibility
• It's not as if I'm going back to office to do filing or paperwork
• I'm rendering help

BUT

• It IS my Baptism day--something which I've been holding off so long cos' of my stupid pride and rationalisation (1. was baptised as a baby in Catholic church; 2. I've been in church for so long now and I'm much older than the other youths being baptised)
• It was a step of obedience to go for Baptism, was I going to back-out?
• There were three other people who could clearly manage the situation
• I already showed face anyway, not that I shrugged my duties
• Told my colleagues and they did assure me that it was alright to go

My pride got the better of me. I refused to relinquish my role there and then.

"Nah it's okay, I can don't go for Baptism," I swiftly declined after they said it was okay for me to go. My mind was still doing the permutations. I looked at my clock and decided to make a decision 10 minutes later after praying to God for wisdom on what to do.

Ten minutes passed. There was an unsual calm and peaceful feeling in my heart--the power of prayer. I called my pastor when I slipped out to get some brochures from the kit in my car.

"I was about to call you," he said when he heard my voice. I explained my situation.

"No problem, I understand. You do your work," he assured me.

"Pastor, I will try my best to some after my work. Think I might be able to make it".

"Okay, you can come before 1 p.m. We'll be here (at East Coast) till then".

At that moment, that knot in my mind disentangled. I knew I would be able to reach a win-win situation. I could even go to the hospital to visit the casualty before going for Baptism. God was gracious. He not only allowed me to do my work, but also enabled me to get baptised. Praise God! I never expected that but with a simple prayer and weighing all the options and deciding based on what I believe is right, all went well! He is awesome and amazing isn't He!

It was a dilemma. But it was one where two important priorities clash and a choice had to be made. Though I chose work initially, I knew I could do it guilt free after much rationalising but I eventually called my pastor and left it up to God to decide for me and He did. That saved me from a guilt trip and brought me to that win-win situation. God was my priority and I should honour Him, so I prayed. Isn't it great when you try your best to put Him first.

Everything ended at 10 a.m., giving me sufficient time to drive down to East Coast. Thank God it was also more convenient to go from the hospital compared to my house. Reached there and was welcomed by a warm and familiar crowd. My church members started asking why I was so late and I had to repeat my account several times. I got changed and went for the immersion into the sea after prayer after giving a short testimony in front of everyone. I shared how my prideful nature prevented me from getting Baptised earlier. It was a quick Baptism and I got out amidst the singing of my church people. People came over to congratulate me and extend some hugs despite my wet attire. I felt so touched!

Subsequently, we played games and had loads of fun just participating as a youth team. Later on, I went home and got some chores done--ironing, sweeping, etc. Really felt so productive that day! Then I got prepared for PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. Got free tickets from my uncle--very blessed!

When I went over to my cousin's place to meet them and set off for the show, both gals looked decked out so glamourously for the night. There I was dumbstrucked (but I hid it well), I was so underdressed! Apparently, these free tickets come with a pre-show cocktail and desserts during the interval. The reception was attended by some pretty rich people and there was free-flow on wine and drinks. Felt so bad about being so underdressed! Oh well, it wasn't so bad. Singaporeans are kinda casual and some of the people who attended the cocktail weren't so formally attired. Anyway, the cocktail was so cool! The food was nice and the service was top-notch. We got goodie bags with the programme booklet for free too! That was such a huge blessing for me cos' I wasn't intending to buy tickets to watch the show. My cousing actually told me that my uncle had an additional free ticket and the people who were invited to take it weren't able to make it so he thought of me!

The show was spectacular. Effects were superb, singing was excellent and inspiring. God, I wish I could sing so flawlessly. Loved the haunting tunes and the orchestra played so brilliantly! There was good company and I managed to catch up with my cousins before the show. What a wonderful blessing from the Lord. I really loved the show and am looking forward to watch it again next time (maybe in New York or London in a proper theatre--Esplanade was good (they can block all mobile phone reception!) but I had a neckache throughout the show). Few days back I was at "The Crystal Mirror" held at the Padang watching European acrobats perform and enjoying a four-course fine dining world class cuisine, and rubbing shoulders with directors and international performers (all free somemore!), and there I was back in the city watching Phantom. I'm such a pampered gal! God sure loves me (and of course He loves you the same). Guess His ways are mysterious but I sure am savouring all these little blessings!

Whew! Good Friday? I say it was GREAT Friday man!

Was impacted by yesterday's praise and worship! Had a lot of fun just praising and grooving to the music. I really liked how Andrew aptly described how we tend to NOT be there for God when He needs us (to do His work), and on the contrary how God is always there for us when we need Him. He related his own experience during the service--how he missed God and what his friend told Him, that God needed him and how God was always there. How true isn't it?

As we sang the song "Draw Me Close", this prayer (the chorus) just arose in my heart:

"You're all I want

You'll all I've ever needed

You'll all I want

Help me know You are near!"


Love the last line very much cos' we always feel so far away from God (like how I felt when I was bogged down by work and was sick) and we really need to make this line a prayer in our heart. Whenever we feel that God is so far away, we need to remind ourselves that He is indeed around.

The words of each song we sang were so lovely. Throughout the service, I began to sing every one of them like a prayer that would reach His ears. It was so fun to just be in some kind of conversation with Him. As I sang, just felt the conviction from the messages transmitted in the songs. It was a totally amazing experience. The feeling of joy was so immense and enjoyable!

Hope God would impact those around me with this feeling as well.