Every Great Nation Needs Visionaries

“We know that everyone's potential goes far beyond anything ever realized” - Peter Kline

I came from New Town Secondary School (1969- 1972) my ex-principal was Mrs. Yeo Lai Cheng and she was a woman with great aura and a spirit that was contagious.

Mrs Yeo had a vibrant personality that matched her appearance and she always wore a beautiful cheongsam. In short, she was a very beautiful woman.

I could not erase her presence off my mind until I am six feet underground. Mrs. Yeo gave us great encouragement and said that although we were not good academically, we were not to worry, because we can still cultivate the beauty in our heart that Singapore lacked and needed most to succeed.

Mrs Yeo was very proud of us, although academically we were not the best of students in the entire nation.

We were rather jealous at those times that society thought so highly of the so called “better schools” - and this made us feel as though we did not exist.

During those times in the late 60s and beginning 70s the system seemed to only have time and resources for the brightest of the nation. The system believed that 5 percent of Singaporeans were the assets for the nation and I guessed then we were the liability because that was how the system made us felt about ourselves.

So can it be that Mrs Yeo was trying to make us feel good about ourselves and to remind us that we were still worthy? We were her stars and she loved us. She said that Singapore needed people like us with a heart that CARES. So I must not fail her - as I would fail my country, family and myself.

I can never forget what Mrs. Yeo said during assembly to the whole school, “For Singapore to excel we all must be like Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, because one Lee Kuan Yew is not enough for the whole of Singapore.” Then she corrected herself immediately - that we could not be like him because there was only one Lee Kuan Yew - but we should strive to be great visionary like him.

She wanted all of us from New Town Secondary School to be great visionaries - can you beat that? (I was so happy when I heard it because it inspired me to work towards this vision to make New Town Secondary School proud because this was what Mrs. Yeo wanted. She believed bright students can come from neighbourhood schools as long as we believed in ourselves) This assembly left a very strong impression and impact in my life and on that day I had promised myself that I will aspire to realize Mrs. Yeo's aspiration to be a great visionary and if I could achieve this goal one fine day, I hope she will be proud of me.

Mrs. Yeo was such a warm and compassionate person that, if you make a mistake, instead of being strict and angry with you, she would call you aside and put her arm around you in a very motherly way.

In short, people like us had Hope. The motto of our school was to give oneself to society. I made a vow to myself that one day I would make her very proud of me by striving to be a good human being. I heard her voice and I will emulate her and followed her footsteps. Besides shining for God I will shine for her too. I was so proud of her and I thanked God for giving me this opportunity to be in her life. She really did influence me in how I think about myself, life in general and especially for Singapore's future. She was a very proud Singaporean.

Finding Faith in the Flower

I came not,
To this world on my will

I came not,
To conquer these green fields

I came not,
To control but instead to feel

But above all I came with love,
To serve and contribute

When your faith is running low,
Do think of Sunflower and you will find a glow