I didn't realise it then, but something strange happened after I spoke to Mr. Tham. As I walked out of the Ogilvy building suddenly my life made sense. His advice was to go and experience art and culture, and live life. I realised then that maybe part of me wasn't mad for wanting to do something creative and artistic. It was like I was waiting for someone to say "Ian, why don't you just go ahead and be you."

Part of me is rational, scientific and deliberate, but I've got a side that is free, artistic and abstract. For a good part of my life I've always thought someone can be one or the other. And most of the time I've rejected the image of myself as an artistic person, because art doesn't always have a place in the reality of society. And such it felt like it was the rebellious, unwanted side of my personality. But I left Mr Tham's office with the realisation that both of my sides of my personality are just as important. And I have to go and explore the limits of a side that I have hidden.

It's wierd isn't it? I must have been talking to him for maybe 10 minutes. But it's changed the way I look at myself. For so long, I've always denied myself the chance to fully explore my love for art. But now I think I've come to love the duality of my personality, something I've never fully embraced before. The artistic side of me is one half of the picture, and by embracing it I think I feel like a weight is being lifted off my shoulders. I feel alot happier. I've learnt to love who I am.

I heard the remake of the song "Hey Jude" by Joe Anderson and I thought about how the song is about embracing love and making the world a better place. The female character in the song isn't really a person, but a metaphor for love. And I think we all take a big step in making a world a better place by opening our hearts and mind. To love others, and to love ourselves.

If you're reading this I would like ask you to listen to the song, and hopefully you'll think about a part of yourself you've never accepted, and to embrace it with love.


Hey Jude - Joe Anderson