A turning point in life
16 March 2022
by James Kong Shi Hao
School of Pharmacy
It has been five years since my father passed away, but this news still comes as a devastating blow up to this day. Not a single day has passed without reminiscing about the good old days with him. I was constantly mocked and ostracised in elementary school because of my rotund appearance. To my surprise, violence wasn't the way he intended, but instead, he taught me to ignore their inappropriate remarks and remain unruffled and cheerful in adversity. It was easier said than done (it's our human nature to fight back or seek revenge when horrendously treated). It took great courage to heed his advice, and I did!
However horrendous my life was, I owe a great debt of gratitude to the most powerful hero in my life: my mother! She has always been at my side, no matter rain or sunshine. I developed a serious stutter (speech difficulty) at a young age. I couldn’t complete a sentence at one sitting, even if I wanted to. I sounded like: I...am...Sh..i ..H..ao..nice...to..mee....t yo..u..
At first, I was embarrassed to talk to people, let alone hang out with them. People often regarded me as a clown or weirdo. For this reason, I was always left out during family gatherings, meet-ups and school assemblies. The constant stress of putting up with this so-called "curse" had taken its toll on my well-being. There were times when I felt excruciatingly lonely and being pulled in different directions that I did not know where to turn. Rather than grumbling about my shortcomings, my mother has always been supportive. Her exact words were: "Son, you are special, your brain is processing faster than your mouth, and it's surely a gift than a curse. Disregard what people say and unleash your true potential!"
That seemingly small gesture marked the beginning of a new era, where I started to pursue who I am rather than who I am perceived to be. I embraced myself by participating in multilingual story-telling competitions, fashion shows and singing competitions. What amazed me was I won a couple of prizes in these competitions! On top of that, I was chosen to be the volleyball team captain and made many decent friends that I had never anticipated meeting! One of the most important life lessons I have learnt: #resilience.
Until today, I am constantly reminding myself that no matter how challenging a situation is, never lose hope as there's always a way! Don't let others define who you are but embrace the true YOU!
I praise God, my mother, my father (who is in heaven), mentors, family and friends who have transformed every aspect of my life. I strive to uphold this principle, continue learning from others and grow together!