With Gratitude And Hope

What better way to end the year than to count our blessings and look forward to the future? Lionnel Lim gathers the most intimate thoughts from our society friends.

- Lionnel Lim

ADRIAN MA

Chief Marketing Officer of Artisan Food Selections “I think we can all agree 2020 has been pretty crazy. I’m grateful that my friends and family have come through unscathed. And that Singapore as a whole seems to be on top of the pandemic and is working towards handling the fallout as best it can. The lockdown forced everyone to stop business as usual and figure out new ways to live their lives.

For myself, having to hit pause has been a blessing. Being able to just slow down and be present in the moment, watching our son, Zachary, look at the world with new eyes really puts a fresh perspective on things. He just turned one and parenthood is a real trip. I guess you could say it has made me a better person by default. Some of the feelings you experience may include awe, paranoia, joy, exhaustion, gratitude, self-doubt, discovery and pride, among others. And sometimes all at once. But every day it also makes you want to be a better person for your little one. Getting to spend more time with my wife Cherilyn also never gets old!

There’s a Neil Gaiman quote: ‘It has been said that civilisation is twenty-four hours and two meals away from barbarism.’ Perhaps I’ve come to the realisation that we can’t take things for granted. All our basic assumptions of the world can get turned upside down almost in an instant. So I’m making sure I don’t put off spending quality time with those important to me.”

ALICE OEI