Celebrating Loy’s birthday
This is a special occasion, the half century mark that we cross only once in our life. The big “Five-O” as Dennis puts it! And our taiko Loy is today that age, the first Magna to cross the line; having spent 50 very illustrious years. He has experienced life to the fullest, not holding any back. Here are a just a few examples of his many exploits: On education, he holds a professional CIMA qualification, a Master degree and is now working on his PhD. On work, he has moved form one career to another, from one profession into the next and from employee to employer. These include a career in accounting and finance (too boring for him), construction and development, consulting, as ISO certifier and Health and Safety inspector, photographer to operating a studio cum boutique, trainer, etc. His hobbies and play are equally varied: golfing, scuba diving, horticulture, tea and antique collection, painting, fish collection, photography, chi-kung and swordsmanship, travelling near and far, an accomplished all-rounder.
Loy knows how to push himself to the limit. He believes that life is to be enjoyed and so, he packs a full day into the limited 24 hours. How did he do it? Well, you have to ask him. What I see is only the tip of the iceberg. He eats little but is nevertheless well built. He sleeps less than 4-5 hours each day, yet has the stamina to do his work and leave aside time for play. 
He lives a humble life, yet has tasted the rich life of the endowed; much more that the combined experiences of all Magnas put together (only marginally exaggerated). He does not take ‘no’ for an answer. Each time he faces an obstacle, he finds way to climb over. And not just climb over, he accelerates after that, conquering the summit and then moving on to the next.
This is our eldest. He sets the benchmark for the rest of us. He runs the race with enthusiasm. He meets each obstacle head-on and learned from the experience. Failure is not a setback but an episode in life, a lesson for the learning and another route less to travel. His zeal for adventure, his taste for value (albeit rather intangible), his balance in life, the many activities he packs in a day leave us all gasping for breath. His work takes him many places; some not for the faint-hearted in us to visit. In Lionism, he published a book on sign languages for the deaf and mute as part of the club’s community project. This is Loy for you. So it comes with much delight when I have the rare occasion to have a drink or two with him, and catch him with his latest exploits.
To our taiko, a Very Happy 50th birthday and May you have many more golden years of joyful celebration. As they say, age is just a number; you can be as young as your heart desires. God bless you.
3rd March 2009
