Parable of the Prodigal Son

I have been feeling like the resentful, angry elder son from the parable of the Prodigal Son.  Re-reading Henri Nouwen's chapter on the resentful, angry elder son and it really resonates with me.  Like the elder son, I have done the dutiful thing all my life, do all the right things at the right time to everyone around me (or at least I attempted).  All I have gotten in return is betrayal, disloyalty, people who use you, people who use you, take you for granted and finally spit on you.  Must everyone else in the world be the younger son (from the parable)?  And the people who are the fathers, can't you do more than just look benignly on?

I feel totally used & abused. Yet, I can't be the younger son, I just can't. I am doomed to be abused.  Call me masochistic.  The remedy is the new home - to be my getaway from the world.  I have thus named it, Operation Regain Sanity.

Progress report on Operation Regain Sanity, shortlisted 2 homes that were "livable" (not quite "buy me!").  I deployed extra judges Ian/Michy/Matty to help me look at those 2 apartments last Sunday.  They preferred the second one, adjacent from the new 112 Katong mall.  But for 2 things : ask price at $1.125million & no carpark for visitors. Ian asked me, where do you expect your guests to park?  Er..  I don't intend to have guests.  Close friends/family, yes.  But no guests.  Alas, the seller stood firm on the ask price, so Operation Regain Sanity (or ORS) continues this Saturday.

Here's a happy thought for a Friday : my sayang watching Sesame Street on Youtube on his iPad.  The media is different, but the content the same!  And don't you just love the tshirt I bought him from Old Navy?