To be great,

Started the first day of Term 2 on a serious, somber note this morning. As a school, we watched the live telecast of Lee Hsien Loong as he addressed the nation on the demise of the late PM Lee. He talked about his father three times, in Malay, Chinese and English. And each time, his eyes grew redder and more teary. It was a heartbreaking sight to watch, really.

As I scroll through social media and everybody is posting RIP tributes and recounts and memories and condolences, I will also take a moment out of my schedule to reflect too. It wasn't so long ago that I read an article online on all the mistakes that the government has made, how we as a nation have failed in searching for progress. I could tolerate the article, there was at least some practical sense to it, constructive criticism? What I could not tolerate were the comments that followed. Made by hundreds of people and seen by hundreds of thousands around the world. Comments made by ordinary people whose raw intentions were to hurt and fan flames to ignite an even bigger fire. It is so, so easy to just type something and share it with others at the press of a button. but maybe it is too easy. It has made people type before thinking, and what results is irrational and totally insensitive comments. Why? Why do we set out to hurt the people around us, and even more so, those we don't even know?

Being a history student for more than a decade, I have sat through class after class of Singapore's history, Singapore's founding figures, Singapore's achievements, Singapore's road to success, Singapore's struggle and hardships. I have also been exposed to classes that look at a Singapore history that can be counted an alternative to the mainstream version; How leaders fail, how leaders may be greedy and make unwise decisions, how leaders have lost crucial support from the masses, how leaders are not altruistic. And more than once, I have been swayed towards these various perspectives, being quick to point fingers and criticize and complain. So much so that I fail to realize that we as a nation have been so fortunate and are so well-off. Yes, leaders have the responsibility of making a good first impression, so they have an added burden to carry themselves well. But when is the line between 'well' and 'perfect' drawn? Leaders, at the end of the day, no matter how great and influential, are still humans. And like all humans, leaders have feelings, leaders have emotions.
When have we gone too far with the name-calling and curses and complaints? Nobody is perfect, but that does not give us any right to discredit peoples' efforts to build up a country. Something that PM Lee Kuan Yew has done throughout most of his life.

For having faith to step out of his comfort zone even though his successful future was guaranteed, for fighting hard when others would rather not be involved, for sticking with unpopular but necessary decisions not caring about what nasty things people said behind his back, for not being perfect but still willing to try till the very end, thank you. Singapore is really a better nation because of your hard work.