My Biggest Mistakes – Story 1
This happened 3 years ago at the Tan Tock Seng hospital...
My mother had just gone though a heart operation to clear a blockage in her heart. I could see the nurses in the hospital working very hard to attend to the patients. It is not an easy job to care for the sick and old. You need to have a big heart to last in this type of job.
There was a particular nurse who took special care of my mother's ward. She was polite, kind and caring to the patients. I took down her name and ward number so I could write her a nice note of thanks and appreciate her for her service. I kept the piece of paper with her name and ward number in my wallet. Every now and then, I'd see the piece of paper and was reminded to write, but I procrastinated and put it off.
Then one day, I looked into my wallet and realised I had lost the note...
My Biggest Mistakes – Story 2
This happened 1 year ago...
I was rushing to deliver my son’s wedding invitation card. I knew I must invite Aunty Alice. She is one of those close friends who would be most upset if I did not personally invite her. I had been busy working the whole day and the only time I was free was in the evening. She stayed in Perry Crescent. I roughly knew where she lived but was not very sure of the exact directions to get there. It was about 11 pm.
I drove to Serangoon Gardens and decided to ask someone for directions. There was man washing his cab and parked inside a Shell petrol station. He was probably finishing his shift and was ready to go home. He was an elderly Indian cab driver. I stopped, got out of my car, walked to him and asked him for directions to Perry Crescent. He got into his cab and said, “Oh, Perry Crescent, just follow behind me.”
He started his cab engine and waved me to follow him. I took down on a piece of paper, the cab company and his cab license plate number. I followed him for about 5 minutes and arrived at Perry Crescent. At the corner, he just waved to me and then he disappeared. He did not give me his name or ask for any money. He was a kind man. I wanted to write to his cab company and mention his kind deed to the management - perhaps even put a $50 note inside to show my appreciation.
I had the note in my pocket the next day in the office. It was another mad rush at the office so I did not send the "thank you" note or the money.
1 week later, when I recalled the event again and started to look for the note, I was told that my maid threw the note away by accident...
Do not take things for granted. Grab every chance to show your appreciation and gratitude to the people who have made a positive difference in your life.
My Biggest Mistakes - Story 3
“You have to come back now. Mother is in hospital and the doctor said she will not last long."
It was Veronica. Her voice was shaky and worried.
2 days before that, my mother was warded. At that time, Veronica mentioned that my mother had some internal bleeding. The walls of her blood vessels had thinned. Her kidney was failing too. I rushed back immediately from Bangkok on the first available flight.
When I reached the hospital, I rushed to see her. Veronica, Lily (my sister) and the children were there. Even though there were tubes all over my mother, she was smiling when she saw me. I sat with her for a while. Then I saw a text message from a customer wanting to see me for a business opportunity. I replied to him that I was in the hospital visiting my mother and that he could meet me at the Starbuck's nearby and to text me when he arrived. He arrived in an hour and I left my mother’s bedside for the appointment at Starbuck's.
I was halfway through the meeting when Veronica appeared, with tears in her eyes...
“Mother has left us and you are here …."
My mind went blank.
I was not at my mother's bedside when I could have been there at her last moment.
There are times for everything. Be present for your loved ones because you never know when your last chance to love them is.
