Viva la vida!

I will remember tonight as the night when I fell in love with Coldplay all over again. I turned up at Acer Arena half dead from back to back meetings and the usual Wednesday beating at work. The opening acts weren't exactly uplifting either and standing on our feet for two hours just added to the turmoil. All of this was about to change and as soon as Coldplay went on stage, my energy levels shot up with the thousands of people at Acer Arena. What an amazing concert experience! I was mesmerised by the passion and creativity that brought the band, the music and the crowd together. Their profound words and melodies were matched by the bands movements across various parts of the stadium, powerful images being splashed on different forms of screens, massive yellow balls making their way amongst the crowd and even a confetti of butterflies. There was no moment of disconnect and true to the essence of their song Viva La Vida, the evening was indeed a celebration of life. And it was definitely a celebration that was out of the ordinary.

The song Viva La Vida takes the celebration of life a notch higher as it gives emphasis on overcoming structures and barriers that hinder us from going for what really matters to us. It speaks of a king who has lost his kingdom... and that was when he really became king. It's no easy feat to figure out what's really important to us. There are too many things to factor in and often times, too many opinions to take into consideration. It then becomes a challenge to listen to ourselves because we end up with too much noise around us. I often fall into this trap of letting what other people think get to me and I have to remind myself to not get too affected. It takes a certain amount of boldness to go against the norm in order to focus on what really matters to us. We live in a world where parameters of what's right and wrong are so strictly defined and it is too easy to get judged when we decide to rock the boat and challenge the system. I do believe it's worth it to muster up the courage and dare to be different. You may go through some tough obstacles but at the end of the day, every experience adds value to our life when it comes full circle.

It's been almost a year since you dropped everything and dared to go on your journey of self-discovery. I wouldn't say it's the norm as you have taken huge risks which I believe have paid off through the vastness of rich experiences, friendships and stories that you have accumulated. I have been living vicariously through your journey and every part of it that you have shared with me. And with respect, pride and admiration, I can say that it has been a wonderful ride. I feel like it's all coming full circle now and that you are ready to come home. You are almost home. And we shall continue celebrating. :)

One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain
Once you go there was never
Never an honest word
And that was when I ruled the world

It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let me in
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People couldn't believe what I'd become