Hi,
I am still in Singapore for my "Personal Retreat" Part 2. (Part 1 was in Thailand last week)
Today I have a bad/good day!
Early in the morning, I plan to go to a book shop somewhere near my hotel. After I checked the map, I discovered that it is very near, just 2 blocks away!
So, I started my trip to the “nearby” book shop. It is so near that I even did not take my map with me.
As I remembered from the map, the book shop is somewhere on the road perpendicular to the hotel. So I turned left. After 5 minutes’ walk, I found myself in a very old shopping mall. It was just like in the 60’s. It was on the North Bridge Road, but the book shop should be in a mall called the Bras Basah Complex. So, it should be on the Bras Basah Road. I must be on the wrong way.
I went back to my hotel and turned right. I was on the Bras Basah Road. Then after another 5 minutes’ walk, I still couldn’t find that mall. I took out my compass and find myself heading west. But according to the map, the book shop is on the upper part of the map, I should go north instead of west.
Then I turned back again and went north. After another 10 minutes, I found nothing. It was not a big deal of not finding the book shop. I quitted.
I wandered around to find something interesting. I spent the morning in the Singapore Art Museum and the Church of St. Joseph and the Sculpture Square. I had no plan in visiting these great places, but I was there and had fun!
Then I saw the age-old 60’s mall again. I went in and found a lot of old book shops there and then I found the book shop I was searching early in the morning was right there in front of me!
I went outside and saw the big wordings of “Bras Basah Complex” on the wall of the building.
Lessons Learned:
1. We need a map with us, even though you think you know where you are going. Or we are wasting our time and our life. What/where is your map?
2. Don't assume. The Bras Basah Complex can be not on the Bras Basah Road!
3. When something gets wrong, doing something just opposite doesn't means you can be right! If the book shop is not on the left, it can also be not on the right.
4. Even though you have a map, check before trusting it. The upper part of the map actually is not pointing to the North. It is stupid but it can happen.
5. When things do not happen as you plan, it can be OK or even a good experience. Be flexible and enjoy.
6. Sometimes you are already right, but just you don't know!
Keith
