Another Year Older and Perhaps Wiser ...

Am I? Wiser, I mean. Half a century gone ... a new phase of life will begin soon with my impending retirement .. am I wiser? Patient? Tolerant? Forgiving? What is another year to me?

 No, and neither do I wish to be younger. I think one grows confident with age. One mellows down. Where I was once an impatient person and gets upset so easily when things do not go as I want them ... I learn to just go with the flow, take a deep breath, smile and accept. I am open to see things as they are and not as I want them to. I accept weaknesses and errors. I accept the small things that may mean big to another. In fact, I would say I enjoy and appreciate life more - time spent with families especially my sons. The cats and birds who come over for their feed. The stormy weather and lashing rain. The blazing, scorching sun. The squirrels jumping from one electrical line to another. The monkeys swinging down the branches. In fact, I appreciate everything around me. Alhamdulillah.

Thus, this birthday sees me spending it with my family. A rendezvous with another friend whose birthday falls on the same date (albeit 22 years younger) has to be cancelled as she is not well. This birthday also marks the milestone I am making in my life - leaving my career. I will be a full time housewife .... :-))

Thus, I wish myself a quiet birthday. Happy in being alone. Grateful for everybody who remembers to send me wishes. Appreciate for the grace to make others happy by just being me. Alhamdulillah.
I wished myself good health, a blessed life, a great and marvellous day  ..... In shaa Allah.

Unwelcomed Resident ...

Over the years in this house, I have had so many residents which come and go. Neighbours' cats who tended to think that I owed them food and affection. Birds which perched themselves at my gate and fence and had the time of the day to prune and clean themselves leaving all sorts of droppings ... they were also waiting for their ration of bird feed. Snakes which came and went slithering off, I assumed. The fox (musang pandan) which felt that the ceiling above was their residency. I kept hearing steps, clawing and I suppose having a ball up there when you could hear them rolling and jumping .... Not to mention the occasional monkeys who peered through the door and screen door .... not forgetting the rare monitor lizard (biawak) passing by.... and finally, the guest I was referring to was the ... rat.

This rodent and its family had come and go all the years we were here. Sometimes we noticed only one - as if we could distinguish their differences in looks ... ;-)) .... and usually Noor would set a trap to catch them. More often than not, we always did catch them. Yesterday we caught one and the neighbours' cats (a family of a mother cat and her two kittens) as usual came whenever the door was opened and demanded their ration of friskies. They saw the poor rat and this was their reaction ....

The poor rat miscalculated and got trapped ...

Waiting patiently for their friskies while watching the rat in the cage until curiosity got the better of them  

Finally when they saw their food, all about the rat was forgotten ...

So, what are we going to do about this poor rodent? That will be Noor's problem ... if it is up to me, I will let it go ...

It Is Worth It ... ;=))

Nothing was more touching than being given something so memorable and valuable that even words just could not describe the feeling. All I could do was just hugged it close to me and looked at the givers with love and affection. I felt so valued, so appreciated and so loved by these ex-students of mine. What had they given me? A collection of our photos together with scribbles from them pouring out their heartfelt thanks and love ... Did I really mean that much to them??? I might have taught thousands of students spanning 4 states for 31 years .... but this batch of 2013 really outdone themselves. Why?

 It was a week before their SPM exam and they took the trouble to get together, printed out the photos, decorated the album with touching words and got their ex-classmates from other classes now (in Form Four they went to separate classes according to their PMR results) ... and gave me in person on the day before the SPM. All I could say was a big, teary-eyed thank you ...

From my class of 2015 ...

They gave me flowers because they knew I would love it. Ros baked a cake for us. The most touching part was when Shiqin told me that her grandmother sponsored the cupcakes which 5 of them made themselves because I used to teach her mother and now her ... hahahaha ...two generations of her family ... oh dear ... anyway, I felt so honoured. Husna gave me a burger piggy bank because she said I should learn to save money now ... huhuhu ... and a few gave notes and self-made cards ... 

It made my whole life worth it .... teaching them, educating them, opening their hearts and minds, touching their lives and letting them touched mine too ... for better or for worse ... all of us had made a difference in each of our lives. Not only had they gained from me ... but I became much richer in everything because of them ... 

Hello November .... Goodbye October .... ;-}}

This year I bade November welcome with much anticipation and hope. I am going to start a new phase of my life cycle. Count down to my pre-retirement stage. Professionally, I will be out of my career on 19th November.

Welcome November. Be kind and gentle with my tired body, heart and soul. May Allah graces me with his love and blessings. Whatever comes my way .... I have learned to accept them with grace, gratitude, strength, patience and tolerance. I have learned to hold my head up, take a deep breath and smile. I have learned to be happy with whatever it is and make the best of the situation.

Thus, November .... take me into your month ...... gently, tenderly and compassionately. ;-))

Hazy Days ..

Last I posted in my blog about the haze was four days ago. I assumed the situation was getting better but as of yesterday and today (Thursday and Friday) another schools closure day was announced. It was getting worse and moving northwards, Kedah recorded a new high in API level surpassing 230. We had never reached beyond a reading of 170 which caused the schools to be closed. Well, another free holiday but it was really hazy. Yet, I still went for my walk to the park as I was cooped up in the house for the past two days due to a bad back. Very few people were around.There were the usual hardcore walkers and joggers and some were wearing masks. I knew it was better to be safe than sorry but I just could not breathe with the mask on !!!! So, with my back complaining and groaning, I walked my usual three rounds albeit much slower. As hazy as it was, I still felt refreshed and emotionally happier just to get out.

On the way to the park at 7:00am. Hazy and foggy ... a bit thicker and it is entering the twilight zone

5:00pm - the sun trying to shine through the haze. At 6:00pm before I left the park, the sun had turned reddish in colour

I went for my walk twice. Once in the morning and in the evening. There were fewer people and the situation was still hazy with an API reading of 243 by 5:00pm.

Friday. It rained very heavily about 4:00am. I was grateful because it would help to reduce the haze situation. I went for my morning walk happily because the air after the rain was so cooling and refreshing. I have always loved after the rain day. Still hazy ...yes but the cool effect was worth it. A respite from the burning smell and heat of the past week. The park was quite empty although it's a weekend. The tai-chi group, aerobics and most senior citizens were not here today. Thank you, Allah. Alhamdulillah. Despite the haze, I could still go on with my life. I learn to be more appreciative and not to take simple pleasures in life for granted. Fresh air. Clean water. Lush, green trees. Lovely, colourful flowers. Peace. Safety. Birds and squirrels all over the park. Clean environment. Alhamdulillah.