finding grace in imperfection

Having attended 5 weddings this month (2 of them in the same hotel), I can safely say that no 2 celebrations are exactly the same... At the risk of sounding very cliched, every single one was special in its own way. While I wouldn't make some of the choices some of those couples made, I realised it was precisely the little personal touches - the flying in of the rings on a kite on National Day, the surprise song item, the long-winded Hokkien-speaking JP, the uncle who ate the food meant for the doorgames, even the loud bossy auntie taking over the dinner registration table - that made each wedding a couple's own. And I am glad to say all 5 weddings reflected the effort that they were putting in to make their marriages significant and of lasting value =)

Also, despite my constant railing about the rail system and whatnot, let me proclaim my heartfelt, if somewhat belated, attachment to the homeland. My empathy with this nation's confused identity began one day when, shortly after returning from Chicago, I was sitting on the MRT and it struck me that 1 in 4 faces really was unplaceable... and when the time came to see off a dear friend who was leaving Singapore for another, extended, stint at one of those glorified institutes of higher learning in the States. I SMS-ed him, "You leaving on the BA flight at mn rite? J and I station at T1 first, call us when you're free."

who else but fellow Singaporeans would understand that crazy little text? We have a language syntax and a culture that is uniquely ours. That's when I realised that I love this silly little city, full of its quirks and idiosyncrasies, and its hodgepodge of people. And while it may not be perfect, we can count ourselves fortunate to enjoy clean water and a clean government. It is a blessing to call it home, and it's gonna be Where I Belong for a good while to come.

Have come to realise that my irritation/unhappiness usually stems from things not working out exactly the way I want them to (i.e. perfectly), but that that stubbornness also leaves no room for grace to flow. Time to really take a step back to chill, not to relax my ever-critical eye but to stop limiting God with my own expectations...