Appreciated

 Appreciate

Well uhh nahh this post has nothing to do with me being appreciated. But more of the opposite, that I've been thinking of so many things for the past two days that I truly appreciate. And also being grateful for. But I think appreciating something is sort of more meaningful that just simply be grateful for it? It's like you recognise the things that happened to you, you feel thankful that they happened and you appreciate them for happening.

I know this sounds absurd but I've been realising that a lot of things that happened to me, or more too, of the things that I chose to do are things I'm very grateful for happening/choosing. And it's absurd because I think of them during random times of the day like when I'm egesting some undigested food out. Or when I'm walking somewhere and so on. A lot of things I'm thankful for. And I can't seriously think how my life would be if they didn't happen.

Starting from primary school - joining the Angklung & Kulintang ensemble. Being an Indonesian, and to be exact a Sundanese, the Angklung is not something foreign to me. In fact I've played it a few times before I come to Singapore. So why did I not choose another CCA or try out stuff and so on, but decided to choose this CCA instead? I don't know, perhaps back then it was more of pride, that my country's traditional music is being appreciated in my primary school. And so I joined. And I was blown away, and am blown away too for joining.

My instructor/conductor Ms Cindy Ho guided us by playing not only traditional songs but also modern and even new age songs. I mean like now that I know more of music, I can't believe at times that we played Phantom of The Opera theme song for SYF 2004 and even won a Silver award. And we played new age songs by Enya too. Perhaps I can truly say that joining this CCA was the key to the window of the music world.

That I began to appreciate different kind of music in such a young age.

Of course actually I wanted to join the band ever since I came to Singapore but PTPS has no band. So I decided to join band in secondary school and that's when my music dictionary expanded. And my music world exploded. I began to enjoy more music and also open myself to different kind of music - both by listening to them and playing and making them. So yeah it was brilliant. And of course I decided to continue the band path in polytechnic.

And in polytechnic I am glad that I had the chance to play and perform songs I've been wanting to play - or I wish I could play - or I never imagined I would play. I first heard Alfred Reed's El Camino Real and I told myself this is a hard song and I don't think I can play it. But hey, I performed it with the band for IBM XXIX in 2011.

Songs like overture 1812 was also such an amazing piece to perform and to play. It was such a perfect piece to end my band life, which I always hope can always continue. Like I once told myself that joining band was one of the best decisions I made in life, and continuing with band in poly was an even better decision. I have no regrets man, totally.

That's the music side I suppose. But yup the side of things that I appreciate which I've been thinking for days. It's really an amazing feeling how I realised that everything formed like a beautiful chain. How it all began in primary school up till now. I've always believed that things happened for a reason. And that life may not give you the reason today or tomorrow but ten years later.

And I guess this events remind me that if you keep on doing the things you love, and keep running with your passion, life will give you a reward. It's nothing else but a sense of joy and satisfaction that no one can feel but yourself. And I think this matters more than fame and money. This feeling of happiness that at the end of the day, the things you did matter a lot to you and you're happy for choosing the path you have been choosing all these years.

I loved Mark Twain's saying that in 20 years time you will regret more of the things that you didn't do than the things you did. Which is very true. Looking back, I have no regrets in doing the things that I have done, in choosing the choices I have made. Of course there are lots of regrets that I have for some of the things that I didn't do. But then again, I don't REGRET it like I hold grudges to them. It's just a funny sort of regret that I laughed off.

Because of all the things I did, and the things I didn't do - I did them because I did them. And whatever choices I made, I will bear the consequence. And because of this I didn't really regret much and stuff. Live life to the fullest because if you don't then no one else will! :)

Okay just a random blogpost but yeah, it feels good writing. Ciao, Saturday's here!

PS: I'm just a 100 posts away to my 1000th! Sweet