National Young Leaders Day 08

I attended the National Young Leaders Day 2008, organised by Halogen Foundation, Singapore, held at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

It was a really sucessful event. The guest of honor was the minister of defence. All the speakers gave really really wonderful and inspirational talks. All the speakers knew what they wanted in their life, what they have found, and how they managed it. From waste management to helping people in the Phillipines. It was different, to actually hear from these people themselves, instead of just watching some charity on television. One could easily see, the PASSION, they have for what they do, and even though they're not the wealthiest, i still envy them, somehow...someway. They claim the joy they get from just helping the poor, or making change to the environment, outweighs everything else, luxury doesn't matter anymore.

Among those speakers, there was Nick. He had no arms, or legs. When they turned on the lights after a short movie clip, there he was, sitting, or standing, on the table on stage. His speech was the one that struck the whole audience. He was without arms and legs, and he could joke about how he uses they to scare people. Like his friends putting him in the luggage compartment area on a plane, and how he scares people when people opens them. And like how he freaks little kids out. Yet, he could speak so confidently, as though as his disability did not matter. It was really motivating, looking at someone like him, crippled, and yet, happiness was earned by him, based on his own merit. It made me feel as if I was in no position to complain about what I am unhappy with. Its also from him, that i had this blog title. Purpose - Meaning - Hope. With a purpose, your life has meaning, and with meaning, hope shines. Lack purpose in your life and lose the other 2 attributes.

I have brought away things with this conference. It made me reflect again, what am I really doing with my life now, when I'm young and capable of so much more. How i could be the one, making a difference to another, for the better. Or even simply improving myself this holiday. Do i want to just play a computer game and waste it all, and when i look back on what i have done for the 6 weeks, there really isn't anything to look back on.

I thought of possibilities this conference. Is there an alternative to my ambition( becoming a lecturer)? I saw videos on how people made differences to people's life. It just seemed like the only thing that you could do for yourself, is to do something good for someone else. Wouldn't it be great, if you could be that change in someone else's life? Or be that inspiration, and hope, for another?