In the Blink of an Eye

Ever wondered how things can undergo massive change within a short period of time? 

The legendary Kobe Bryant

About a week ago, the world was shocked by the tragic death of NBA legend, Kobe Bryant. To be honest, I never knew who he was although students have claimed to worship him. It was only after Kobe Bryant's death that my brother gradually introduced me to this outstanding individual. We watched as he led his team to victory in the basketball court:

As you can see towards the end of the clip, the scoreboard shows 107 points, favouring the opposing team against his own team's 105 points, and there is less than a minute left on the clock. Just when you think that the Lakers are going down, Kobe Bryant scores a 3-pointer, leading his team to turn the tables around and win that match by ONE point, at the very LAST second, no less.

I thought such drama was reserved only for movies but apparently Kobe Bryant had perfected this scene many times.

Despite his outstanding achievements and legendary contributions, Kobe Bryant was gone in the blink of an eye. A helicopter crash put an abrupt end to his life. Oh, how things must have changed for his family, friends, and fans in that split second!

That got me thinking … many things and circumstances can (and have) really change(d) within a short span of time.

Take the recent Coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, for instance. Less than two weeks ago, the whole of China was experiencing mass exodus throughout the nation. Due to the longer Chinese New Year public holidays, many may have planned to go on tours or return to their hometowns to celebrate with their loved ones.

As soon as the outbreak of the virus got out of hand, though, cities were under lockdown and travel restrictions were issued on anyone who has been to or is coming from China. Needless to say, this year's Chinese New Year celebration was quite a sombre affair. Who would have imagined that the situation could change so drastically within a span of 2 weeks? 

Family reunions, business plans, study plans, and much-anticipated holidays were and still are unexpectedly thwarted by the change of events. Individuals and families are trapped in various destinations and are left to deal with the sticky situation. 

On the surface, this may seem to affect only people in/from China, but in reality, it is NOT as simple as that. 

I, for one, have been on the receiving end without even having to leave Malaysia at all. How so, you ask? 

At the start of this auspicious year, while most people were excitedly looking forward to the turn of a new decade, I was experiencing some personal twists and turns in my career. As a part-timer, I have been given the opportunity to teach at 2 new places. One involves exchange students from South Korea, while the other has many students originating from mainland China. (I bet you know where this entry is heading, haha!)

The one-month student exchange programme was scheduled to start yesterday. Unfortunately, we were suddenly informed late last Friday evening that the entire programme had to be called off due to travel restrictions on the South Korean students.

To say that I was not disappointed would be a lie. As a result of low student intake and cost cutting measures in many educational institutions, classes have reduced quite significantly in the past few months, so I was actually looking forward to these new places (and faces).

And of course, there is always an unexplained charm that awaits any new adventure, don't you agree?

With the anticipation as well as anxiety of a kid who is getting ready to go to school for the very first time, I had not only prepared for classes but also made plans for my meals and journey there. The preparation was not only on my part, but also on the part of the administrative staff. Since we were all part-timers, we had to synchronise our schedules and I admit that must have been a huge headache to the person in charge.

But I guess no one is more disappointed than the students who were supposed to arrive in Malaysia. Imagine all the months of preparation just to get ready for this trip: shopping, packing, applying for visa, purchasing flight tickets, planning itinerary of food they want to eat and places they would like to visit. And to think that all that were crushed less than 5 days they were supposed to arrive in Malaysia! I felt truly sorry for them.

Even the other institution where I am supposed to have classes have decided to postpone their semester by a week, considering that many of their students are from mainland China.

All of a sudden, I find my work schedule being thrown into a washing machine and set on a high spin mode. This was certainly unexpected two weeks ago...

Nonetheless, my more rationale side knows deep down that such arrangements are better than having to expose students (or anyone for that matter) to the dangers of contracting Coronavirus, or being stranded away from home. Plus, this whole situation was really no one's fault.

Star Wars composer, John Williams

This incident also reminds me of my brother's trip to Europe two years ago. He had heard then that the great composer, John Williams, would be conducting the London Symphony Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall, so he not only booked tickets to the concert eight months in advance, but also centered his entire three-week Europe trip around the date of the concert. Alas, while he was making his trip to Sweden just a few days before the concert, he learned that John Williams had arrived in England but had taken ill and therefore, could not make it for the much-awaited event!

No doubt my brother and his friends were highly disappointed. My brother, for one, had travelled half way around the world just to fulfill his lifelong dream of seeing John Williams live. Even so, one of his friends pointed out that the musicians for the concert would have been even more devastated considering they were looking forward to have John Williams be their conductor!

All these go to show that no matter how careful we may plan ahead, things may not always go according to our plan.

Did you think Kobe Bryant had no plans for his daughter? Yet, both of them perished in the blink of an eye. The same is true of many who are affected by the Coronavirus.

Major changes can indeed occur in the blink of an eye.

Those who are cheeky will suggest, "Then don't blink." But we cannot help it because blinking is a part of our human process to "clear away dust particles and spread lubricating fluids across the eyeball" (Mauk, 2012).

Plans may get thwarted, but that also means we should never take situations or even people for granted. Family members and friends whom we have just met during the recent CNY gathering may not necessarily be there next year. The peace and comfort that we experience today may not stay for tomorrow. The stable economy that we live in now may not remain for long. Case in point, even as I am writing this, Air Asia shares are plunging in response to a bribery scandal which was unheard of just three days ago.

As such, let us cherish what we have today and make the best of what life offers tomorrow.

Have a great midweek and always stay positive!