Inspired by Other People’s Choices & Courage

'Courage is an inner resolution to go forward in spite of obstacles and frightening situations: cowardice is a submissive surrender to circumstance.' ~ Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King

I could have stayed in bed this morning, however chose instead to crawl from my somnambulistic state to make it to the start line at 7.30am. By 7.00am, the traffic on Coastal Road was already marked by dedicated cyclists training for their next triathlon. I urged my taxi-driver to slow down and give way to my fellow cyclists. I know how it feels to do this lonely ride before sunrise (which is a totally different take of riding into the sunset).

We are the choices we make.

This morning, I spent it running 10km at the Yellow Ribbon Run. 20-year-old Mok Yin Ren, our top national triathlete (who won a gold medal at the 2007 Sea Games) won the Men’s section in 32 minutes. I also met with fellow runners of Crazy2Tri, Loganathan and Reese Kwek and we stayed on to enjoy the events held, thereafter.

Overall, it was a well-organised program that was strongly supported by volunteers, staff and sponsors. The stage entertainment was provided by local deejays from MediaCorp Radio; music and songs by ex-offenders; dance performances by students; magic and balloon sculpting; and testimonials from ex-offenders. There were offstage activities like archery (which I encouraged my friends to do), carnival games, and charity and sponsors booths.

I was, particularly, inspired by the testimonials of former-inmates. Hanniel, a 48-year-old reformed ex-offender broke his 48 minutes record for the 10km. In April this year, he showed that ex-offenders could become contributing member in the community by being part of the 70.3 Singapore Ironman triathlon team to raise funds for the Yellow Ribbon Fund. The poster-boy of this inaugural sporting event also contributed his sporting talent to the Yellow Ribbon Fund and another designated charity.

How much courage and boldness did the ex-offenders demonstrate? I think that they chose to brought it with them in buckets - so that we can learn from their choices. It is not easy to address strangers and express your life lessons that you have learnt from incarceration. Too many would shy away because of the stigma associated with imprisonment. We can choose to accept them, or not. Some of us have limited choices; some feel as if they have no choice at all.

With these abstract lessons and reminders, I am glad I ran* alongside many others in a shared purpose.

*[I had another personal best in my run; unofficially, I would have placed seventh in the Women’s Open category. Thank you Executive Coach, Tony Mayo for the Dr King quotation.]