A Message For 2025
During my family’s recent year-end trip to Kyushu, we encountered two unexpected situations on the same day.
ROUTE 445
The first was our drive to Umenoki Todoroki Park (Kumamoto), which led us high into the mountains.
We knew this was the only route up, but we weren’t prepared for what lay ahead – a meandering, two-way road where 85% to 90% of the time, it was only wide enough for one car.
Most of the way, you couldn’t see oncoming vehicles until they were very close. There were just a few small pockets along the route for a car to “take cover.”
To add to the tension, we were driving along the edge of a cliff.
The second surprise came as we climbed higher—we discovered snow!
Though we had snow tyres, we hadn’t expected snow that day. So, we found ourselves navigating a snowy, narrow, winding road with limited visibility for oncoming traffic.
The drive up took an hour.
Truly a heart-in-mouth experience.
THE DELIGHT
But when we finally reached the suspension bridge leading into the park, it was all worth it.
The unexpected snow had transformed the scene into a winter wonderland. A silver bridge stretched across the deep valley, surrounded by snow-covered mountains and evergreens.
The mesmerizing beauty of this winter wonderland took our breath away.
THE LESSON
Like us on that mountain road, we often find ourselves on unfamiliar paths in life and work. The route ahead may seem daunting – narrow, slippery, with unseen challenges around each bend.
Sometimes we discover unexpected obstacles, like our snowy surprise, that test our resolve.
Yet just as we carefully navigated that precarious route and discovered the breathtaking bridge, our persistence through challenges often reveals remarkable opportunities and achievements.
As we journey through 2025, I hope you’ll remember that the most rewarding destinations sometimes lie beyond the most challenging paths.
May you find the courage to venture forward when the way seems uncertain, the wisdom to move carefully when needed, and the resilience to keep going until you reach your own stunning vistas.
Happy New Year!
P.S. Kyushu is such a beautiful place and largely devoid of crowds. Consider visiting if you haven’t done so.
WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE TODAY?
Whether you’re still figuring things out or you already know what you want to do, I’m happy to be a sounding board.
I’ve been navigating Singapore’s property market since 2010. The straightforward deals and the complicated ones. You can see the range of what I’ve handled in my transactions, and what clients say about working with me in their testimonials.
My stories from the case files say more about me than any CV could.
The most recent one: The Narrow Path. Some sales tests more than your skills. This one tested my patience in ways I didn’t expect.
