Savour The Moment ...

Three years ago we, the sisters, Kak Haj, Wah and I, made a pact that every December we would try to get together for a food trail or just taking time out from our families and bonded together. I would be the driver as I was the only one who could drive and possess a car. We managed to do this for two consecutive years. The first year, we started from north and trailed through Penang, Perak, Kuala Lumpur and Melaka. We started it as kak Haj was not feeling well and could hardly eat. She was down to only 35kg. Being petite and thin, this made her skinny. She just lost her appetite. She tried to eat as much as she could although she would just vomit everything later. Yet, the mission was accomplished as she managed to eat most of the food.

2013 - we did not venture far although we had planned for the east coast. However, the weather was against us and we were afraid of floods. Besides, Abang was hopitalised. Thus, we decided our "jalan-jalan cari makan" would centre around KL and PJ area. You could read all about it in my former postings. Anyway, being in KL made it possible to visit Abang a few times especially at HKL, IJN and Gleneagles. Abang passed away the next year i.e. 2014.

In 2014, we did not proceed with the annual gallivanting as I had to supervise the shop in lieu of Noor's three months posting to Ivory Coast as a trainer. So, we deferred it to next year.

This year, we did not have our food trail as so many things were against us. I did go back to KL with Kak Haj as planned. However, I was down with food poisoning and ear infection which took up the first week. Wah did not get any leave as her company had just secured a new project which needed to be finalised as kicked-off would be in January next year. Kak Ti and Kak Leha were busy with taking care of their grandchildren. Kak Haj could only make it for a week as she had to return to Camerons to help out with Shaun's community project for his university students. Thus, this year we just spent whatever time we had together. So, we shall wait for next year. In shaa Allah (God willing).

Every day spent with my siblings is a blessing. To be able to meet up and just hang around with them is a bonus. Just us without any brothers in-law. We managed to catch up with Hamid and Baba. Adik spent dinner and supper. Zin managed to join us on one of those nights. I was not feeling well but still managed to join in.

It was a blessing with Allah's grace and will. We were still grateful ad thankful for our gathering. In shaa Allah, next year our food trail will be to the east coast and it need not be in December as I have already retired thus with time in my hands ...

Staying In Touch ....

Quote taken from Soo Ewe Jin's column "Beauty of staying in touch" (Sunday Star, 8 November 2015)

"At the same time, I have learned that in communicating, we must not expect to always get a response.
       I believe that not getting a response does not mean that one's sharing is not appreciated.
      We are just different and express ourselves differently, that's all.
       If what I share in a private note, or even in a public column such as this has the effect of   bringing joy to the person reading it, then that is all that matters."

How apt. I have always enjoyed writing e-mails and sent sms or mms but more often than not, I seldom get immediate response or replies. Noor was commenting why it was that we were the ones who always looked up our friends. I told him that he should not have any expectations. If we were free and it was along our way, why not? More often than not, these friends were always happy to welcome us. We lived far in the north and most times, we travelled south to visit our families. Sometimes, we just took the old route and certain friends would come to mind. Thus, we called up and met up. It made us happy. What more of that person .... besides, most of them hardly leave their comfort zone. Our place was not exactly a chosen holiday destination .....

Yet at times I feel like I am intruding and upsetting the other party already busy lives and I will just keep away for a while. I know that this is how relationships and friendships peter out and slowly but surely we will lose touch. Keeping in touch takes a lot of effort especially when we have so many shared memories together. But, all good things come to an end. We leave the old ones due to hardly any communication and build new ones where the eagerness to keep in touch and share are still new and splendid. It does not mean that we have forgotten about them, but somehow it is just not worth the effort. Yet, they are never out of our mind even though its years later.

That is why we have categories of friends - colleagues, staff, co-workers, acquaintance, associate, just friends, best friends, good friends, old friends ..... soul mates. Nevertheless, I always live up to this expectation of myself - if I can make someone happy just by giving my time through e-mail, sms, mms or a call .... why not? If I make someone happy, I will end up happy too.

Friends are forever ...  it is just the frequency of staying in touch that defines which category of friend a person is ...... friends are our roots to who we were before we are consumed with the struggle with our careers, family and other commitments. They are the pillar which uphold tradition, support, love, encouragement, persistence, tolerance, patience .... and most of all, just being there with us. The symbol of bonding, innocence, faith and believe in oneself. So, what are you all waiting for? Stay in touch with friends who have crossed your mind .... DO NOT PROCRASTINATE !!! Life is too short for regrets . ;-} 

How Far Does A Teacher Influence You ???

"Carpe Diem"

(origin  - Latin : Noun)

Meaning in English  -  Seize the day.

In the movie "Dead Poets Society"  -  one of the students of Mr. John Keating's class found this old copy and asked him what the word meant. One teacher's principle in life affected the impressionable seventeen year old group of teenagers of the very conservative and aristocratic school where following the rule and not questioning authority are the norm.

Dead Poets Society was an unsanctioned society by the same school. It was a way for Keating and his friends to express their love for poetry their own way and life in general. Thus, to this group of students it was a way to challenge authority and an outlet for their love of poetry. Mr. Keating unorthodox ways of teaching in class and out of it left a huge imprint in the minds of these impressionable youths who were already controlled by authoritarian parents and school. 

They got "out of the box" as the term was referred to now. They seized the day and opportunity. They reached out far greater heights and in the process tried to push the boundaries of the rules and regulations. One of them pursued and persevered persistently in going after the girl of his dreams even though he was threatened and beaten up. Another managed to get out of his low self-esteem and low confidence by finally creating poetry off hand and presenting it in his class. Yet another pursued his love for acting. Another created trouble by publishing a letter to the school under the society's name. Even though he was meted out the capital punishment, he refused to reveal the members of the society.

Yet, the question goes - how far does a teacher's influence go? When the young lads realised that they had the potential to go their own way on their own terms, they went a tad too far. One of the young men, Neil, did not tell the truth to his father. After his first show as an actor and although he was great and superb in it, his father took him home and decided to transfer him out of the school. That night out of desperation and a sense of hopelessness as he had no choice but to follow his father's orders, he committed suicide. Neil's father blamed the school. The school had to find a scapegoat. It was in the form of Mr. Keating. Though it was not fair but the students could not go against the norm or the rule. On the day Mr. Keating went to collect his things from the classroom, the Principal was teaching as the replacement teacher. One by one his students stood on their table and gave him a resounding applause while calling "Captain! My Captain!" Mr. Keating thanked them while a fuming mad Principal was trying to control the class ..... how far does a teacher touch a young life?

Thus, in life, should we seize the day i.e. grab the opportunity? Yet, there are always consequences we have to consider. There are rules, terms, obligations and other commitments we have to comply with. There is just so much of the system that we can fight ....  at the end of the day ... the choice is yours - seize it and live with the satisfaction that you have at least tried. Or ...  let it go and live with the "What if ... ???"

A fitting end to my last week in school as a teacher. I watched this movie "Dead Poets Society" ... I hope I have touched and influenced the lives of thousands of my students ..... yes, I would do the same thing and told them to seize the day .... ;-))