My Thoughts on Two Years of My Time
It has been over two months since my ORD (Operationally Ready Date, signifying the end of full-time national service), marking the end of another chapter in my life. Although it has been a while since then, I still find myself occasionally waking up and thinking about when my next book-in will be, what time I need to report to the parade square, and when my next conduct will be. In a way, I feel a bit institutionalized, used to a regimented life that I am now finding hard to break out of. It reminds me of Brooks Hatlen, a character from one of my favourite movies, Shawshank Redemption . Brooks was an important member of Shawshank Prison, working in the library as well as being an important member of his close-knit group of friends. Brooks spends 50 years of his life in Shawshank prison, and upon leaving the prison after his sentence, finds himself lost when adjusting to his newfound civilian life. It is difficult for him to adjust from a place where he holds an important role in a...