Monday, 5 October 2026
Good morning, everyone!
Over the past few days, I asked students a question in the beginning of the first lesson, that is do you feel well-rested and recharged in the holiday? I got almost the exact same answer, which is a no, accompanied by disappointed, tired faces. The reasons are quite similar, having to deal with a lot of homework, joining extracurricular activities or training. Everyone seems enter the endless cycle of studying, working, preparing for tasks. In such a fast-paced environment, it is easy to fall into a state of “endless chasing.” We usually feel that we are lacking something, or that there is always too much left undone and too many goals out of reach. It gives us pressure and creates a blind spot in our minds, causing us to focus only on what we lack. Therefore, we develop a misunderstanding about joy and gratitude. We might think that we must wait for something great to happen, then we could feel grateful and happy.
This reminds me of a day I went out with my two nephews last week. They suddenly started laughing in the car for a long time. I was curious as they were not watching any cartoons or playing anything. I realized it was simply the sunlight refracting through the car window, casting spots of light across the ceiling. To us, it is just a normal physical phenomenon, while through the eyes of these two-year-old boys, it is a source of pure joy and delight. Happiness needs no grand accomplishment or creature comforts. It is often hidden in the details of life, like arriving at the light rail station just as the train arrives so you don’t have to wait in the heat or simply exchanging a joke and laugh with a schoolmate in the corridor.
Gratitude is not a passive wait, but an active choice and a mindset. As Saint Paul reminds us “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” “Give thanks in all circumstances” doesn’t mean we force ourselves to feel happy even when we are encountering some setbacks. Instead, it teaches us that in any situation, we are still able to discover the goodness and grace that remain.
It is not happiness that makes us grateful, but once we learned gratitude, it makes us find contentment and joy in ordinary lives. Sometimes it is good to slow down and remind ourselves to notice the grace around us. Now, let us start our day with a peaceful moment with God.
Ms Chan CYJ