The Tiger Roars Again...

For me the Chinese New Year usually brings my Mother in Law from Australia, my wife’s family to our home, a barrage of Cantonese talk at the re-union dinner and some expenses for dinner and angpows. I take it all in my stride and actually enjoy the occasion as it is rare that our’s and my wife’s family gets together.

But I used to be scared of the Year of the Tiger.

24 (lunar) years ago, on Chinese New Year eve, I was returning to my home in Bangkok after dinner, driving a new brand Toyota Corolla which my company had bought for my use just 20 days ago. It was the start of the Year of the Tiger. I had stopped at a traffic signal. The light turned green and I had just started shifting into the first gear when another car came from the opposite side, at a speed which must be a hundred kms an hour, lost control and banged into my car.

It took me a while to understand what had happened. I tried to open my door but couldn’t. So I moved to the other door (passenger side) and got out of the car. Police was at the spot in minutes and took me to a hospital as I was bleeding profusely. A few stitches on my chin which was badly bust (and left a permanent scar), some very painful internal bleeding in my neck and two cracked ribs resulted from the accident. The car that I was driving was a near writeoff.

I later heard from the police that I was lucky. In the other car were 5 drunk teenagers. The driver had both of his legs crushed on impact, the front passenger did not use seat belt (in those days it was not mandatory to wear seatbelts as only few new models had them), so he went head first through the wind screen and had brain haemorrhage and was in coma when I last enquired, the passenger sitting behind the driver died on the spot and the other two passengers had broken bones.

While I was cleared of any mistake/fault of mine or traffic violation, I lived in physical and mental pain for days. The shock of the accident and resulting deaths, not to mention the necessary trips to the police station every other day wore heavy on me.

For years I was afraid of Chinese New Year eves and especially the Year of the Tiger.

Rationality has prevailed since then. The fact that I survived relatively unhurt as compared to those other unfortunate people who were involved in the accident forces me to think that I got a lucky break, even if I broke a rib or two.

I think life is what you make of it. This episode can either be considered a lucky escape by me or I can say that I was unlucky to be involved. The cup is either half full or half empty. We can decipher issues either way. It is our choice.

I now choose to consider myself lucky. I am still happily around, enjoying Chinese New Year goodies, with family and friends. I hope that my colleagues, friends and family also count their blessings and look at the positives of life rather than the negatives.

Another Chinese New Year of the Tiger has started on 14th Feb 2010. I am not scared anymore.

I wish you all have a wonderful Year of the Tiger. May you and yours be blessed with Health, Happiness and Peace. May you have roaring Prosperity this year and many more to come. Cong Xi Fatt Chai.

Please also pray for this magnificient animal, the Tiger. We have precious few left in the world. Please do all that you can to sustain this and all other wonders that God gave us. Blessings on those who act...Love to all.