When I was 17 …

Have you even heard the song “It was a very good year”? I am not sure who the original was. The famous version is by one of my favourite singers of all time, ‘ole blue eyes’ Frank Sinatra. More recently, it was done by Robbie Williams who I actually like a lot as well. Didn’t think I would but he does have many great songs. Also a great attitude, if you know what I mean.

Anyway, the song is basically centred around the different stages of one’s life which starts at 17 as the first point of reference and ends at 65 as the last milestone.  Well today is the day when I really should be reflecting more on my own life as I touch another milestone. But I was so busy in school today that I hardly had time to do any of that. I am too tired now and so will just keep to using the framework of the song to think through the different stages of my life so far.

“When I was 17, that was a very good year.”

Yep, I was in JC 1 at that time. I had unexpectedly done really well in my ‘O’ levels and chose to go to a JC which was not a top JC. So I was one of the top students and I was given many opportunities. I was president of the students’ council, was in the ‘cool’ Arts class. I was dating a ‘hot’ girl and had good buddies with me who were in the same secondary school. I loved school and school loved me. I felt top of the world. What more could a 17 year old ask for? The world was waiting for me to conquer. I was invincible. Or so I thought.

I found out later from people were not part of my circle of friends that I was an arrogant pain up the behind. A lot of what viewed as important was supercial. I was not as smart/talented/popular as I thought I was. But to a 17 year old teenager, of course I saw nothing of this. I loved me and expected all to love me too! Ironically, looking back, I would have so hated someone like me.

“When I was 21, that was a very good year.”

I had just completed National Service and was in University. I had been given a scholarship by the Ministry of Education to read English. I guess I took it up because I enjoyed my relief teaching stint mentored by a former teacher (who oddly enough I first met when I was 17). It was in a tough neighbourhood school, but I connected with some of the students. I also knew my parents were not well off and would struggle to put me throuh University. I enjoyed Uni life. Made new friends. There were some ‘hot babes’ in Uni I had fun with. Studies was ok. I like English. I was good at it and so didn’t need to bust my behind to do well. It was good. Uni student life is good. I had a lot of independence and could have fun without too much care.

“When I was 35, that was a very good year.”

Life was very much in progress by that time. I was happily married for almost 10 years by then. I was working for over 10 years. I had been a young Head of English in the JC where I had taught for a while. Since then, I had become a lot less ambitious and my priorities in life had changed. I had decided that personal happiness was more important than career achievement. I had gone to the UK again to do my second Masters since the Ministry offered me a scholarship to do so. I spent a wonderful year there with my wife and travelled a lot. At 35 I was a senior curriculum specialist in the Ministry creating the subject Knowledge & Inquiry with a great team, a few remaining good friends up to today. In my personal life, my wife and I had delayed having children to the point we couldn’t see how we could accept having our lives change with children. I didn’t come from a well-to-do family. I was now comfortable financially and could get most of what I wanted materially. I was happy with my life on the whole.

I am not 65 yet. Long way yet. Don’t know what that would be like. I am on the whole happy today although I do have my ‘forlorn’ moments. I pray that I will remain happy and at peace with myself always .