The Meaninglessness of Modern Dilemmas

I met Kenrick's parents in the lift yesterday. Talked for about 20 seconds in the lift. I was terribly uncomfortable, with each question I was asked. I did not know what to say to them. It's the kind of situation where you know that people appear alright but deep down there is much grieving and hurt suppressed. It always happen; happened to me as well. Pretending to appear strong when deep down we are mourning and still partly refusing to accept fate. The more a person seemed to have acknowledged something contrary to what we can humanly perceive of an All-Benevolent Giver, the more I feel uneasy.

Parents: Where are you working now?
Me: Oh, as a relief teacher.
Parents: Where?
Me: Pasir Ris Sec.
Parents: Oh, going full time ah?
Me: Nono, still need to go study first.
Parents: He got university.
Me: Ya, need to go university first.
Parents: So next time can be teacher lah...
Me: Haha, still thinking about it..

And the lift opened, and we parted our ways. What struck me was the meaninglessness of such modern dilemmas.

People like us always want to look troubled, always want to be pitied because we are in some kind of a 'big' dilemma. JC or Poly? Study or work? Teacher or Engineer? Science or Arts? Degree or Honours? C6 or A1? 16 points or 8 points? Nokia or Eriksson? Nike or Adidas?

I felt so ashamed speaking about these things to Kenrick's parents. They have just lost their only son, and here I was talking about my bloody dilemmas. Here am I talking about what to do in the next few years of my future, when someone already had his future taken away.

I was telling myself, "Stop wasting your life away, you idiot!" right after our conversation.

God gave some people dilemmas, and by these dilemmas He had shown much grace to us, especially bestowing such 'good problems' like those the majority of us have. We ought not to appear sad, but rather thankful. Some people do not even have such an opportunity.

God simply took them away.

Stop wasting your life away.