After meeting up with a few friends, the comments made during the hastily-arranged meeting were somewhat similar. They were all rushing here and there and they would like to slow down a bit to enjoy life.

Work has somehow taken up a large part of their life and some even take work home. Whatever little time they have for their families is also squeezed out of a very tight schedule. I wonder if some have time even for themselves.

Another thing that I find alarming when I returned home is the huge jump in prices of our food. My favourite coffee shop which sells chicken rice has increased his price from $2.50 to $2.80 since January this year.

When asked why he had raised his price, he replied that he would not be left out when every other hawker are raising their prices.

A cab drive from my home in Tampines to my mum's place in Pasir Ris normally costs me $3.50 but now I pay $4.30 and it is only a journey of less than 10 minutes.

What a difference a few months make. I dread to think what would happen if I were away longer than a year or more.

It is no wonder then that many Singaporeans I know have started to migrate to other countries where they can have more personal time to themselves and where they can live comfortably.

Gilbert Goh Keow Wah