The older we get, the more we realise a difficult truth: The people who annoy us the most are often the people who love us the hardest. Our parents know exactly which buttons to press because, in many ways, they helped build those buttons. They were there when we were…
Tag: Random Thoughts
Brunei Darussalam
The Cause of Death is Life
I was watching an interview recently when Karim Khan, the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, made a simple yet profound observation: “The cause of death is life.” It is one of those statements that stops you in your tracks. At first glance, it sounds almost absurd. Surely death…
Personal & Family
As I get older…
As I get older, I realise how much of life is really about restraint. What I say. What I react to. What I allow to take up space in my head. I no longer feel the need to explain myself to everyone, or to correct every misunderstanding. Peace is not…
Brunei Darussalam
Dignity Should Not Be Optional
It wasn’t dramatic. No shouting match. No crowd. No one pulling out a phone. Just an old man in a wheelchair. An Indonesian helper beside him. And a stream of words that didn’t feel right. You don’t stop because you want to stare. You stop because something inside you tightens…
Brunei & Governance
Thoughts While Watching a Distant War…
The news over the past few days has felt surreal. On 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel launched a massive coordinated strike on Iran. Within hours, airstrikes were reported across Tehran and ballistic missiles were flying across the Gulf. Just like that, the Middle East tipped into a…
Brunei & Governance
When the Tap Goes Silent
Last week’s water disruption was uncomfortable. Buckets replaced showers. Routines became workarounds. It was inconvenient, but also humbling. For a brief moment, we were reminded how dependent we are on something we usually take for granted. How quickly comfort slips when a basic need falters. This was not a crisis….