Category: Friends

Early Christmas Present

Wuan and I met up with Victor Chin at The Gardens Mall last Saturday. If anything, we are bound together by our love for photography, with Victor constantly encouraging us to work on photography projects from unusual perspectives. We are grateful for the opportunity to learn from him. At the meeting, he surprised us with an early Christmas gift, a coffee table photobook. It is a collection of work from National Geographic photographers from around the world titled “Visions of Paradise“. Many of the images are sights most of us will never have the chance to train our cameras on. Thanks Victor, for the beautiful gift.

Christmas present from Victor Chin to Wuan and me
National Geographic’s Visions of Paradise – an early Christmas present from Victor Chin.

Christmas present from Victor Chin to Wuan and me
Paradise through the lens of a National Geographic photographer.

26 Years

Twenty six years ago today, around this time, I plunged into a swimming pool. That split second, when my head made contact with the bottom of the pool, changed my life forever. Among others, this incident was said to be fate, destiny or karma. I see it as a foolish teenage bravado gone wrong.

Whatever it is, I have struggled, fell, climbed back up again many times to survive until now. This is no less the effort of my parents, especially my mother, cousin Peter Lim, my soulmate and wife Wuan, relatives and friends who have come into my life during different times to provide support and encouragement.

To all of you who have played a part in this, please accept my deepest gratitude. I would not be where I am today without you. To quote Celine Dion in her song, “I am everything I am, because you loved me.” As I write this, I am shedding tears thinking of you all and the goodness you have blessed me with. Thank you.

Meeting Eleanor

Peter Tan, Wuan, Christine Lee, Dr. Kenji Kuno and Eleanor Lisney
Peter Tan, Wuan, Christine Lee, Dr. Kenji Kuno and Eleanor Lisney.

Eleanor and I met online through our respective blogs. She is a disability consultant based in Coventry, United Kingdom. We have been talking about meeting up for the longest time. The planning to come back here took a while. The infrastructure in Malaysia simply cannot provide her the mobility and independence like those in the UK.

Anyway, we got together last Saturday with Wuan, Christine and Kenji at One World Hotel where we spent a good four hours sharing information and experiences regarding disability issues. We were enlightened on the support and services provided for disabled people in the UK. Thanks Eleanor, for your time and the lovely afternoon tea at the hotel lounge. Here is wishing you a safe journey back.