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Monday, August 11, 2008

Thank you notes

Posted from an email from Ho Kum Koon:

To the organizers of this gathering: A big THANK YOU.
Seeing shahid dancing was something that was beyond my imagination. For 40 years many of us have gone out to look for that pot of gold and found it. I am not so sure if that is what life is all about. I am told that some of our cohorts were reluctant to come because they felt that they have yet to find theirs. This is terrible, to think that we would be wasting our time gathering to compare numbers!

In the final analysis of the book Forty Years On, Erny has given us some good advice on life. In my own words I think it has to do with 2 words- success vs significance. Success is to add value to yourself while significance is to add value to others through serving others. In the next 20-30 years I hope we will be significant and not be measured by the so called success in $$$.

We may not be around for the 50th anniversary but as Lee Hah Ing puts it , in the meanwhile count your blessings. Time is ticking away towards that appointment everyone must keep. The greatest blessing that one can have and which I believe Hah Ing very much desires for us is to know our Maker before we meet Him face to face.

To God be the glory.

Kum Koon

Sent 8/10/08 10:41 PM PDT = 8/11/08 7:41 AM SGT

15 comments:

  1. Amen! Well said Kum Koon

    And may I take this opportunity too not only to thank the organisers but also to wish each and everyone of you and your families God's ricest blessings in every way

    Take care
    Warm regards
    Ai lian

    Sun 8/10/08 8:07 PM PDT = Mon 8/11/08 11:07 AM SGT

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  2. Hi fellow cohorts,

    I concur with Kum Koon in thanking Mirza for playing such an important part in the 40th Anniversary get-together. Special mention to Eunice, Noor, Mike, Boon Teck and others who were also pivotal. I mustn’t forget Chiu Fong, the perfect hostess. Knowing how busy we all are, I greatly appreciate the time and efforts of these classmates in undertaking the entire program. Thanks Guys!

    Like Kum Koon, observing Shahid’s dancing, I never did imagine that it will happen. Similarly when I look around, there are surprises of how some of our classmates have achieved or turned out (physically). If only there were 100% attendance, we would be able to laugh more and exchange notes.

    After chatting with Shahid, may I encourage everyone to use his blog (whatever that means) or website to exchange notes and experiences,

    Best to health to All!

    Derrick

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  3. Hi Fellow 68 ters,

    On behalf of the org committee, Thanks for the all the acknowledgement and well wishes.

    Yes indeed like Lee Hah Ing aptly puts it, we must all hand it all to the gals who made the effort to come despite some of you may have National commitments - official,social or otherwise . After all you all had a two year run with us, yet displayed the kind of allegiance that is most endearing.

    For those who could'nt make it, we have to respect their decision -no point guessing the reason(s). Our blessings go to all who have one way or another touched our own lives 40 years turn the clock back, and trust that they are in spirit with us on the night of our reunion. Many of us still savour those wonderful moments and the rejoicing lingers on.

    God Bless.


    Mike Ong.

    Sun 8/10/08 8:26 PM PDT = Mon 8/11/08 11:26 AM SGT

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  4. Hi All,

    Well said Kum Koon,and very moving ! Something 'significant' to aspire to for the rest of our life on earth?

    A big Thank You to Mirza, Eunice,Lay Chuan;our entertainers,Irene, Andrew,Nor and all in the organising commitee for a wonderful and nostalgic, almost magical evening where we could meet (and dance)again ,some after 40 years!

    May God be with us all !

    Warmest
    Swee Kiok

    Sent 8/10/2008 10:52 PM = 8/11/2008 1:52 PM SGT

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  5. Dear All,
    May I concurr that we count our blessings for each day .
    Sincere thanks & appreciation to Mirza & the organising comittee for the super w/e especially the great sunday evening with the hostess with the mostest, Chui Fong.
    May all of have a healthy & happy life going forward with families & friends wherever.
    Warm regards,
    Vera

    Sent 8/11/2008 12:03 am PDT = 8/11/2008 15:03 PM SGT

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  6. It was a great evening with great company and a large sprinklering of nostalgic memories.
    Really nice - to catch up with those we haven't seen for many years.

    Cheers
    Francis

    Sent: Mon 8/11/08 12:31 AM PDT = Mon 8/11/08 3:31 pm SGT

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  7. Hi Kum Koon
    What a well crafted and inspirational note. Another hidden surprise... just like what we had discovered about Shahid"s. If we had known, we would have volunteered you up to stage!
    Now that new talents have been uncovered, we will plan a more interesting program the next time around.

    To all those present, thanks for your support and God Bless
    Lay Chwan

    Sent: Mon 8/11/08 12:59 AM PDT = Mon 8/11/08 3:59 PM SGT

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  8. My dear classmates
    A BIG thank you for your support at our Reunion. It was lovely seeing all of you especially those that I have not seen for forty years! What a surprise that I could recognise almost everyone...suffice to say you"re all looking very well and just as young as yesteryear!

    We have the biggest turnout of the evening; 17 out of 35, almost 50%. Thanks to our most loyal silicon valley chapter of Winnie, Choon Yong and Shahid who threw us the gauntlet and we could not disappoint them. Juzar, Michael, Morgan and Mun Kien worked tirelessly to round up as many as possible. Thanks too to Hwee Miang who, by a stroke of luck got hold of Sai Choo, a feat I could not achieve despite my trying all means to reach her!

    A heartfelt thanks to Shahid for a most enlightened and entertaining evening. I know we can always rely on him to carry the touch for us and make us see stars!. I never forget how forty years ago, I was so dazed by a classmate who was talking about the third dimension while I was still struggling with the second. Forty years on, he is now dazzling us with his footwork and taking us on a nostalgia trip back to our classroom. Shahid, thanks for the memory.

    I will undertake to round up everyone for a get-together should our silicon valley classmates return to see us. Over to you, Winnie, Choon Young and Shahid...

    Warm wishes for a safe journey to back to the States and for good health and manifold blessings to all my dear classmates.
    Lay Chwan
    ps: I do not have Tay Boon Sim's and Gay Sai Choo's emails. Could someone forward this to them and copy it to me? Thanks.

    Sent Sent: Mon 8/11/08 1:58 AM PDT = 8/11/08 4:58 PM SGT

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  9. To all with fond regards,

    It's been wonderful meeting up and reading messages from everyone. This is to say, keep the emails going and stay in touch every so often? Shahid, what abt troubling you to re-send the 2 links, for easy ref for folks who had not been able to check 'em up?

    Thanks to self-appointed committee and all, we had all the laughter, songs, catching up, inspiring and fun speeches and food that we could've asked for.

    and to say, sorie about bounced messages
    Hwee Miang

    Sent: Mon 8/11/08 3:08 AM PDT = Mon 8/11/08 6:08 PM SGT

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  10. Hi friends,


    Well said Kum Koon! Many thanks to the organisers without whom many of us would never have had the chance to meet once again.
    And special thanks especially to Mirza and Chui Fong for opening up their home for us.
    May we all be blessed with good health for a long time more. God Bless.


    Warmest regards,


    Dorothy
    Sent: Mon 8/11/08 7:34 AM PDT = Mon 10:34 PM SGT

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  11. Hi Everyone,

    It was great meeting up with old friends after such a long time and a big thank you to Mirza, Noor, Eunice, Mike, Boon Teck, Juzar and all the rest who helped put this event together. The effort looks a whole lot smaller than it is actually is when every thing goes so well……… but I know what it takes to make things like this tick … thanks.

    Thank You Mirza and Chiew for the warm hospitality at your beautiful home and our thanks to our entertainers Andrew, Irene and the rest …..

    Hope to see some of you soon and God Bless.

    Best Regards
    Gurdip

    Sent Mon, Aug 11, 2008 at 7:08 PM PDT = Tues, Aug 12, 2008 at 10:08 AM SGT

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  13. I would like to add my thanks and appreciation for those who made this whole occasion a success and such a pleasant experience. The credit goes to the self-appointed and drafted committee members for their dedication in diligently contacting members and collecting funds.
    I was glad that I could renew my acquaintance with many of whom I have had not seen or had contact with for 40 years. I am sorry we could not sing that song for fear of re-butchering it. Remembering that "The Best is Yet to Be", I am sure this time round it would have been better. The activity itself is more fun and enjoyable than the end result, so regardless of the result, all of us would have had one more try of using our vocal cords.
    Too many times, reunions end up being occasions to show off one's great wealth, stature, trophy spouse,,, so it becomes a "who did better than who", rather than what it is should be ... to have an occasion to find out what happened to our classmates of 40 years ago, to compare notes, renew old acquaintances, share experiences, and have a generally good occasion for fellowship. I am glad ours turned out the way it did, and that classmates are genuinely interested in what we are doing - and the grass being greener on the other side of the fence - vicariously living the experience of others.
    Congratulations to all who have found their pots of gold at the ends of their rainbows. Some have found bigger pots than others, and some found smaller pots, and some are still looking for their own rainbows. However, what I detected from discussions and stories is the warm humanity in so many of us who have reached out to those less fortunate - the lessons on humanity, consideration and compassion that we all learned during our days in ACS have carried us a long way, and provides guidance in a world where selfishness and greed are increasing.
    On a personal note, I found myself having far more fun and entertainment than I anticipated, never expecting that my activities were of so much interest to my cohorts. To the ladies I had the pleasure of dancing with, a big "Thank you"; to the ladies I did not have the pleasure of dancing with this time, I hope I do have that the next reunion - at which, please reserve a spot for me on your dance card.
    Best wishes to all,
    Shahid

    Posted Wed Aug 13, 2008 12:59pm PDT = Thursday Aug 14, 2008 3:59am SGT

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  14. Dear friends,
    Since I got home from a long trip at midnight last Friday, it's been one reunion after another, starting with lunch and dinner to mark Eusoff College 50th anniversary and ending Tuesday when I gathered my sister Mary's closest pals together to celebrate her birthday.
    Every party was special in its own way, but without a doubt, the ACS Class of 68 gathering was the most fun I've had this year with clothes on.
    Thank you Mirza & Co, for all the spade work, and Chui Fong, for feeding us and letting us mess up your home. And Elvis the Pelvis Liew for insisting that I still belong to the 68ers.
    My only regret is that I could not produce the elusive Maggie Mason.
    The last time I saw MM was in the summer of 1971 when I was in Montreal. From across a busy street, I spotted her and shouted: "Maggie Mason!!!!" And she responded "Irene!!!! Is that really you!!!" (You can tell we weren't strong on originality).
    Then in the best Hindi movie tradition, we ran towards each other and embraced, on a traffic island with traffic rushing by on either side of us. Our hugfest was as intense as it was brief.
    When I Googled "Maggie Mason", I found a marathoner by that name, of the right age, from Santa Barbara. Shahid, maybe you could check out "Mason, M" in the online directories, or look for her brother Peter. Or check out the McGill University alumni website if you know any alumnus.
    The Quest goes on.

    Looking forward to the next reunion,
    Irene

    Sent Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 2:07 PM PDT = Thurs, Aug 14, 2008 at 5:07 AM GT

    (also posted on comments on "Maggie Mason")

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  15. Let me add my 2-cents before it's too late.I'm really happy Mirza and gang took time to organise the re-union.
    I went to the event with two wish. First wish: from the e-mails, it looks like Francis Ying was one of those "uncontactable". Francis and I were quite close, we even lived quite near each other, he up on Siglap Road, and I down the hill in Opera Estate. But after we went into the army we lost touch.
    Second wish: from the "out of office" replies it looks like Hwee Miang is in the loop. I haven't seen Hwee Kiang since Pre-U II. I remember her to be rather quiet and demure.
    When I walked, what a pleasant surprise it was to see Francis. It was a miracle that Michael Ong (I think) met him at a wedding and told him about the event. And he was able to make it inspite of his busy schedule.
    I met Hwee Miang too, although initially I didn't recognise her. And she is still just as demure after all these decades.
    So, my both wish came true.

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