"Do not regret the past. Do not be afraid of the future. As there are always hope, opportunities and endless possibilities for a brand new start." Translation from the above quote. How true isn't it? What's past is past. What's done cannot be undone. What we can do is learn from it. Do not forget but accept that some things are meant to be. What's meant to be will find its way to be. It is Allah's decree and fate upon us.
2015. A year of trials, upsets, surprises, happiness, sadness, opportunities, wishes being granted and hopes fulfilled. It started with my decision to opt out for early retirement. Going all out for the best results that I could give. Changing tradition by asking for no formal function to say my goodbye. I did all the things that I had not done for years - accompanying students on a school trip, volunteering to conduct a cooking session as a post-PT3 activity. Planned and executed my class farewell party at a KFC outlet. Carried out all my duties in and out of school to my best ability. Made so many new friends. Being offered other teaching positions even before retiring ..... career wise, it was a good year because I knew I was leaving. For good.
Home wise - Alhamdulillah. A few upheavals but managed to be resolved through communication, patience and tolerance. Akmal and his turbulent relationship with the present girlfriend. Syafiq with his internship this coming March. Ikram with his FYP (Final year project) and trying to secure another Dean List's award for this semester. My sisters' annual gallivanting was put on hold due to so many minor hiccups and unexpected matters arising. The cats who seemed to have made our house their home. The birds who seemed to increase in numbers. Besides pigeons, we also had the small pipit, merbuk, tekukur and tiong.
What a surprise and unexpected inheritance from the grave. Bapak had left a couple plots of land right in the heart of town which none of us knew. The government wanted to reclaim this land for road expansion purposes thus hunted for the owners where one of them was Bapak's name. SubhanAllah. Alhamdulillah. Who would have thought .... it never crossed our minds. And the beauty of it was the ease with the division and dividing it among the siblings without any hassle or protests. Everything was done with ease and smoothly executed. We even included Baba, our adopted brother as one of the inheritors. That was a grand closure to 2015.
The meeting up with some friends whom I had not met for so many years. The comfortable and smooth meeting with my old friend. Meeting up with my group of examiners and coordinators plus saying goodbye to them with small gifts and of course, cookies. Giving a hug and saying goodbye to each and every one of my staff and colleagues. A good year for relationships and friendships.
2016. What does it has in store for me? I do not know. All I know I have no plans. I take everyday as it comes. I have been busy since my return from KL during the holidays. There was always an
appointment to fulfill from friends and family. I even managed to catch "Star Wars - The Force Awakens" .... there is a visit to a poor home centre tomorrow to send supplies and donations of books and clothes collected. There is a planned lunch appointment on Sunday with another retiree friend to catch up. Another trip to Penang to accompany another friend. In fact, little things have been arranged for me by Allah to busy my days.
I managed to catch up with my reading. I am on the 5th series of "The Clifton Chronicles" by Jeffrey Archer. Reading with such intensity book after book just to keep up with what happened next was so exhausting to the mind and body. It was a thriller of families with greed, hate, revenge, love, murder, politics, ..... that at times I went for my walk twice a day just to get the story out of my head. The problem when I started reading was I just could not stop. Since this was a series of books which spanned a century (100 years), I was totally engrossed and involved in it. I sympathised with my poor partner, Noor ... he could just tolerate and indulge me by leaving me alone with my hobby. At least he knew that I was home most of the time i.e. when I was not out with my friends or involved with something else.
Thus, 2016 ... I embrace you with open arms and mind. Ya Allah, if what You have planned for me is a test, give me the patience and strength to face it. If what You are giving me is a bounty, then give me the grace to be grateful and appreciative. Lighten these hands and heart to share with others. Guide me. Give me friends who will lead me to You. Please make this year a beneficial, prosperous, meaningful and blessed year. Guide me to take care of my health - physical, mental and emotional. Let me also take care of others too so I shall be very grateful and humbled. In shaa Allah (Allah willing). Aamiin.
To all page reviewers .... Have a good year ....
No comments:
Post a Comment