Completion

Today is Saturday. I have been away for the majority of the week for FOC, and I came to learn more than I ever expected.

What was it all about? Basically it was a freshmen orientation camp organized by the NUS CSS group. I did want to sign up with them last year, however due to commitments to academics in the special semester, I had to turn them down subsequently. Consequently, I had spent my first year in NUS without participation in any of their activities, and I did at several occasions, regretted not joining. This June was my transition to second year, I was strategically ambushed by them again at my parish church, and after due consideration I decided that it would be really cool if I could join again.

After all, such opportunities doesn't usually come knocking twice unless it's planned.

The timing and duration of the camp was set on 15th to 18th of June, with 2 nights at Eusoff Hall (in NUS campus), and the last night at St Joseph's Church. I arrived at the gathering point at 9 in the morning, drenched from the rain, and lugging around a bag which could nearly pass off as my impromptu wardrobe. After the preliminary registration, ice-breakers and opening address, I was ready to unleash the onslaught of expectations I had tantamounted over the past year. I had expected quite a lot from the camp, and somehow I had came to believe that it must be God's plan for me to be able to speak my mind. I was rearing to affirm in intellect in reason, to share and to gain and carry on. On the other hand, I was slightly apprehensive of the mindless madness my orientation group might engage in, since I am not a rah-rah person. But definitely, none of these ever materialized.

The camp, in short, was a perfect synthesis of attributes from both emotional, spiritual, intellectual, social and physical domains. I was plesantly suprised by the strong underlying themes of spirituality and intellect- through the meaningful talks given by priests, religious brothers and sisters, and fellow laymen; that complimented the games, which in itself brought out the essence of higher love and family on top of the usual values of co-operation and team-spirit. The talks covered material from 'the meaning of community', 'lifestyle balance in God', 'vocation and introduction to groups' and 'the meaning of love'- all of them held exceptional meaning and congruence (since I was blessed with the opportunity to understand the concepts in Project RN). The games were about conquering the seven mortal sins, not as in individual, but united as a community.

Yet it was most interesting how I was acquainted to my group. The facilitators were definitely not psyched-out, although they were definitely funky in their own respect. Throughout the course of the camp I came to realize that they were the optimum balance of spirituality, intellect, and social excellence. We enjoyed ourselves along the way without any of the usual fanatic thrists for championship, and yet we did emerge best in games. We shared actively during sharings, and most importantly I realised that true sharing was not only in terms of displaying objective intellectual concepts, but also complimented in the sincere outplay of personal experiences and reflections.

One very important srtuck me at the end of the day through my experiences with this group of amazing people. True re-affirmation does not lie solely within the like-minded, nor it necessarily reside with those with common interests. Rather, it is the cohesion of individuals, different in their own respect, yet willing to make room in their hearts for each other. That was the Catholic's definition of balance and union- rather than the personal want to people to agree with us after we have went out of our way to agree with them. I have to admit that I was initally appalled by the difference in character from some of my groupies- the lack of realization of objectivity and the theory of life. Then it came that it's objective fact that they are still innately good people capable of love and accomodation even without the mad augmentations in character I had inflicted upon myself. They had really taught me more than I ever could reason out without even having to postulate a single theory. I really thank God for them.

Its really sweet irony that the theme of this year's FOC was 'Journey'. I guess this theme juxtaposes the innate journey of myself since that day of realization. And from the acquaintences of my group members, as well as the activities planned by the ex-co, I have grown to understand that what I had taken as my pride, is actually no more than a short prelude for the greater potential I could exhuberate in Grace. As the camp drew to a climax in reconcilation and personal reflection- it was definitely a moving experience to now not only see so much meaning for myself to finally be able to reconcile these frayed (and imbalanced) ends back to the fabric of life and love. But also to be able to see each other- people I would have usually dismissed as un-intelligent, overtly holy-moley or mundane, as spirit filled individuals with unbounded potential just as long as the orientation and direction is right. It no longer mattered whether its 'me', or 'them'; rather, it has all along been 'us', one in union with Christ. (you can take this from philosophy or straight from the bible, it speaks the same thing anyway).

This (NUS CSS FOC 10/11) has been that one learning experience I could not have experienced on my own strength and will, no matter how righteous I may have felt (but I am not downplaying it) back then. And it has in a way brought a certain completion to my current issues with re-affirmation and spirit-awareness, as well as paving new grounds in the (much much larger) domain of truly living the life in supreme goodness.  Coupled with the great people I have met along the way, as well as the sub-closure in other domains (I found great people to work in in CVE, a christian group to anchor to, and of course- L4D2 buddies), I really do thank God for allowing me to finally bring completion in this two years, and of course, pray for greater strength to carry on.

Enjoy.