I Was Once Kidnapped…

I Was Once Kidnapped…

The darkness of the room was like nothing I have experienced before. It was like a blanket engulfing me s-l-o-w-l-y – and strangling me at my deepest core.

I was lying on what should have been a comfortable bed – but it felt hard to me. It was like I was being glued to it and being lowered painfully into the ground.

As I stared into pitch darkness, the eyes of my mind gradually took over. Darkness began to fade, overpowered by what I saw.

I finally understood what people experienced at the brink of death.

A movie of my life was being flashed across my spirit and mind.

I saw myself from the day I was born till that moment – reliving the ebb and flow of my life.

That night, familiar scenes took on a different meaning. Events from the past triggered to redesign my life.

It happened in 1991 and from that experience on, I felt like a totally different person.

That incident was another life changing experience, one that will be a part of my being till the end of time.

I was kidnapped.

I was abducted and locked up in what we would call in Singapore a bungalow, a well furnished house that belonged to only the rich and powerful.

That near-death experience happened in a ‘third-world country,’ a term that has become politically unacceptable today.

The people watching over me were part of a consortium, comprising of soldiers, policemen and ‘businesspersons.’

As an entrepreneur, I could tell they had put together the right ‘talents’ for their ‘profit-making venture.’

Their ‘business model’ was so good that I actually joked with them to sell a share of their ‘business’ to me.

I could recommend them much better ‘customers,’ including my favourite competitors and fb friends. Lol!

“Do you know what this is?” one of the burly-looking guards once asked me. He was clearly bored after watching over me for another uneventful day.

“Of course,” I replied, “This is an AR15 rifle – grandfather of the M16. I used it while I was serving national service as an infantry soldier.

“Hand it over to me. I can even show you how to strip it blindfolded.”

He broke into a wide grin at the audacity of my request. I was trying to put up a brave front while engaging him in a casual conversation.

I was doing what I was good at – putting smiles on faces.

Obviously, I can joke about the experience right now. Back then, you would never be able to imagine the fear that pounded relentlessly at my heart.

The tension in the air was so strong, it was almost choking. I had no clue if I would ever get out alive.

I was not sure if I would ever see my loved ones again.

I was too young to die.

There were many things that I did not do and many things that I still wanted to do with my life.

Every night, the guards would lead me to a small room. Shortly after that, I would hear the turning of the key and the lights would go off.

Darkness became my only companion for many nights.

While lying on the bed and watching scenes of the past, many questions crossed my mind.

What’s the meaning of life?

Have I made full use of it?

If my life should end, how would I evaluate myself?

What would others say about me?

How would I account for my life to our Creator?

I had to examine almost every key area of my life.

Every belief and assumption was being questioned.

It was like I was forced to put every major part of my life under a microscope.

Some of my friends have asked me if I had any regrets at that point in time.

By the way, please be assured that I am alive. I am not writing this Love Note from another world.

Contrary to what some writers like to believe, when my life was hanging by a thread, there were feelings of regret and remorse.

My regrets had little to do with what many people would pursue throughout their life.

What I thought matter did not really matter.

What counted in life could not be counted.

I have since then coined these pursuits as the 5Ps in life – namely prestige, power, position, possession and pleasure.

None of these factors took centrestage when my life was literally one breath away.

The thoughts that went through my mind were not so much about what I had gained in my life but what I had given to others.

It was not about the quantity of possessions but the quality of my contributions.

I was less concerned about losing my life than about not living my life wisely.

I regretted not making full use of my life and living it to the fullest.

I was more remorseful about omissions than about commissions.

It had to do with the things that I did not do, what I should have done and should have done more in my life.

I wished I had given more of myself to my loved ones and the people around me. I should have contributed more to my community and the environment.

When I was finally released, I was not sad about the money that I had lost

The experience was worth every cent. In fact, it was priceless.

I came out with a new heart, an aspiration to live by a new set of values.

The best way to live my life is to live my life for others.

The more I reach out to bless other lives, the richer and better my life will become.

I want to inspire others to greatness so that when it is time for them to watch their life story, they will enjoy their mental movie.

I pray that my life will count for eternity. The same prayer I am constantly making for you and all the people around me.

Go4It!

I hope this message will find a place in your heart.

By the way, I have also recorded other reflections.

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Life is FUNtastic!