An Ordinary Story

“Aha”, the email from a long-lost acquaintance began after he had read my LinkedIn Profile; “you are writing stories now…” he continued, before asking for an update on all the waters that had flown down the Kallang River since we last met in 2009.

By all accounts, I have had an ordinary life. Average student, no college, a long career at sea, middle to senior management roles and now a consultant &/or coach. Less than 2 lines.

Yet, the sheer number of people who helped me write those 2 lines, came from every strata of society. The Physics teacher in high school who lent R K Narayan’s novels sparking a love of fiction and reading, the bullying senior who made me (a non-swimmer) fight fear by making me paint the ship’s side with one hand while clinging to a rope with the other, the Hand Rickshaw puller in Calcutta (Kolkatta) who muscled his way through raging flood waters with the heavy steel trunk and I could join the ship which was about to sail….

Ordinary life, yes, but helped by people who I would never see or hear of from again. 

That is just the beginning……what about the future….

It is the little whisper saying “the best years are well and truly behind…” growing louder each year…which lead to my passion…”how to help people write their story…” take root.

“....By the way, your stories are interesting” the email from my friend ended; Thank you, my friend.

Hope you feel that way too. Let us stay in touch.