Sunday, January 23, 2005

One final comment about James

The out-doors are to be enjoyed, not overly restricted, and certainly not to be barred of access by people or groups paranoid about allowing people to be exposed to the dangers of real life. Climbing, is probably no more dangerous than mountain biking, scuba diving, sky diving, kayaking, sailing, wake boarding, and other activities that allow us to enjoy life. James was an example of someone who enjoyed life in this manner. I share his appreciation of nature and am honored to have made his acquaintance.

Tuesday, January 18, 2005

British expat falls to death during rock-climb - I know him!

Jan 16, 2005

A BRITISH expatriate fell to his death yesterday morning while rock-climbing near the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.
Mr James Creffield, a food technologist married to an Anglo-Chinese Junior College teacher, was an avid rock-climber and would go climbing almost every weekend, The Sunday Times understands.
His wife, Mrs Geeta Creffield, 36, heads the arts department at ACJC, runs the drama and debating clubs and coaches the national pre-university debating team.
Well-loved by students and respected in the teaching circle, she won the first President's Award for teachers in 1998, when it was launched to recognise the best in the profession. The other winner that year was Mrs Lim Tai Foon of St Hilda's Primary.
Her husband was no stranger to the college. He would help behind the scenes at college events, such as funfairs and drama productions.
When contacted last night, Mrs Creffield said she was not ready to talk about her husband's death.
Her students were shocked and one of them, 17-year-old Gayle Goh, said: 'Mrs Creffield is a role model; she's an incredible woman. It's very tragic and very sad that this has happened to her. She's such a strong and calm person and we've always relied on her. Now, we'll be there for her.'
The funeral will be held tomorrow at the Mandai Crematorium. -- Tracy Quek IP Address:202.156.2.74

I only get to know James last wed when I was climbing with my friend at this gym which I usually go. We even had supper together after climbing that day and had a great talk. His friend even invited us to climb at Bukit Timah Diary farm last weekend. Due to my company retreat at Bali I was not able to join them.

My friend was there and he told me what had exactly happened . James was leading a difficult route, while my friend was on another route not far from him. James had clipped in one runner into a bolt and had advanced about a meter or so and was preparing to clip in again when he fell backwards, inverting himself and landing hard on his back and head.

As my friend was closest to James, the belayer lowered him to James, he saw James was in very bad shape. He was not breathing, had no pulse, and had a severe head injury.They got him down and began CPR while one of the other climbers went for help. After a little while James began breathing again on his own and his pulse returned. Soon, however, his breathing slowed, became very labored, and finally stopped again. They resumed CPR until the ambulance arrived and he was taken to the hospital.

Apparently in the ambulance his condition worsened. He was at the hospital for about an hour before he was finally pronounced dead.

Never did I expect that wed was the last time I spoke to him, the first and last time I had supper with him. I am very affected by his death but I hope this will not affect my interest and passion in climbing.

May you rest in peace and may your wife live strongly.

Thursday, January 13, 2005

Always late for work since 2005

Dun know why I am always late for work since the first day of year 2005. What a way to start work in 2005. Quite frustrated with myself for being late sometimes, but i just cun get up in the morning. Very tired and maybe because the weather lately is so cooling to sleep.
I got even more frustarted when i work morning shift with my this colleague (E....) haha.... cos she is always late too!!! And so both of us will be late together and it makes it so obvious. Unlike my other colleagues, they will come in early and even if I am late, there is still someone in the office right on time. I know I shouldn't complain cos it is wrong to be late. I will try to be early next time.

Monday, January 10, 2005

The Lord does not look at the things man looks at

Our house was directly across the street from the clinic entrance of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. We lived downstairs and rented the upstairs rooms to out patients at the clinic.

One summer evening as I was fixing supper, there was a knock at the door. I opened it to see a truly awful looking man. "Why, he's hardly taller than my eight-year-old," I thought as I stared at the stooped, shriveled body. But the appalling thing was his face, lopsided from swelling, red and raw. Yet his voice was pleasant as he said, "Good evening. I've come to see if you've a room for just one night. I came for a treatment this morning from the eastern shore, and there's no bus 'til morning." He told me he'd been hunting for a room since noon but with no success, no one seemed to have a room. "I guess it's my face... I know it looks terrible, but my doctor says with a few more treatments..." For a moment I hesitated, but his next words convinced me: "I could sleep in this rocking chair on the porch. My bus leaves early in the morning." I told him we would find him a bed, but to rest on the porch. I went inside and finished getting supper. When we were ready, I asked the old man if he would join us. "No thank you. I have plenty." And he held up a brown paper bag.

When I had finished the dishes, I went out on the porch to talk with him a few minutes. It didn't take a long time to see that this old man had an oversized heart crowded into that tiny body. He told me he fished for a living to support his daughter, her five children, and her husband, who was hopelessly crippled from a back injury. He didn't tell it by way of complaint; in fact, every other sentence was preface with a thanks to God for a blessing. He was grateful that no pain accompanied his disease, which was apparently a form of skin cancer. He thanked God for giving him the strength to keep going.

At bedtime, we put a camp cot in the children's room for him. When I got up in the morning, the bed linens were neatly folded and the little man was out on the porch. He refused breakfast, but just before he left for his bus, haltingly, as if asking a great favor, he said, Could I please come back and stay the next time I have a treatment? I won't put you out a bit. I can sleep fine in a chair." He paused a moment and then added, "Your children made me feel at home. Grownups are bothered by my face, but children don't seem to mind." I told him he was welcome to come again.

And on his next trip he arrived a little after seven in the morning. As a gift, he brought a big fish and quart of the largest oysters I had ever seen. He said he had shucked them that morning before he left so that they'd be nice and fresh. I knew his bus left at 4:00 a.m. and I wondered what time he had to get up in order to do this for us.

In the years he came to stay overnight with us there was never a time that he did not bring us fish or oysters or vegetables from his garden. Other times we received packages in the mail, always by special delivery; fish and oysters packed in a box of fresh young spinach or kale, every leaf carefully washed. Knowing that he must walk three miles to mail these, and knowing how little money he had made the gifts doubly precious. When I received these little remembrances, I often thought of a comment our next-door neighbor made after he left that first morning. "Did you keep that awful looking man last night? I turned him away! You can lose roomers by putting up such people!" Maybe we did lose roomers once or twice. But oh! If only they could have known him, perhaps their illness' would have been easier to bear. I know our family always will be grateful to have known him; from him we learned what it was to accept the bad without complaint and the good with gratitude to God.

Recently I was visiting a friend who has a greenhouse, As she showed me her flowers, we came to the most beautiful one of all, a golden chrysanthemum, bursting with blooms. But to my great surprise, it was growing in an old dented, rusty bucket. I thought to myself, "If this were my plant, I'd put it in the loveliest container I had!" My friend changed my mind. "I ran short of pots," she explained, and knowing how beautiful this one would be, I thought it wouldn't mind starting out in this old pail. It's just for a little while, till I can put it out in the garden." She must have wondered why I laughed so delightedly, but I was imagining just such a scene in heaven. "Here's an especially beautiful one," God might have said when he came to the soul of the sweet old fisherman. "He won't mind starting in this small body." All this happened long ago-and now, in God's garden, how tall this lovely soul must stand.

The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7b)

Sunday, January 02, 2005

Shall I pursue or let go?

I really had a wonderful time with you gals on New Year and a great talk with Bionic, Yollev and Ultraeen. After hearing the story of Ultreen's friend, I am so touched that there is someone who loves her man so much that she is willing to forgive all his wrongdoings and continue to pursue him as she tuly knows that he is the right man in her life. Maybe some will say she is stupid, some may think she is noble but she found her own happiness finally.
Ultreen asked me are you the one for me, if yes, I shall continue to pursue since I have nothing to lose and dun be afriad of getting hurt. But if I were to do nothing, will I regret one day for doing nothing. Is either hurt or regret. I have to choose either one of them, but are you really the right man I am looking for?
No doubt I still have feelings for you. No doubt I am still holding some hope. No doubt I am still waiting for you.
Eventually, I decided to sms you wishing you a happy new year and hope to hear from you soon. You replied saying you will catch up with me soon after settling some stuff. Think it is a good start but I dared not expect too much to prevent disappointment. Just hope to be friends again.
Gals, hope you all continue to give me the encouragements!