Why is it that some people never change ? Despite telling them numerous times that they forget to do something they still continue to do so? It seems to me that either they do not hear or they are just plain dumb.We have been told that we should be tolerant but surely tolerance has its limits .We have been dealing with intelligent people , people with vision , with drive and who have a purpose in life and when we come across such dead woods it becomes something difficult to accept and tolerate.
Why is it that there are people who are so untidy , unkempt and yet expect to be given due consideration ? To me the measure of a man is the way he carries himself, his personality , his ability to communicate effectively with others and above all his manners.Why are there people who cannot even pause a second from eating when someone talks to them ?Why are there adults who need to be treated like children and sometimes even worse ?
Why do you need to told not to do certain things over and over again ? Are these kind of people suffering from mental defects or are they just plain insensitive to other people?
Under normal circumstances you will just want to avoid having anything to do with such people by staying far away from them .But under certain circumstances you dont have a choice and you cannot help but try to be patient and as tolerant as you can be .We probably have to accept the fact that there are people who cannot change , who cannot see their weaknesses even when being told over and over again and that there are people who cannot even remember simple things or chose not to remember.
Why are there people who dont know how to even say a simple "thank you " when thanks are due.? I believe that such people are lacking and are in a world of their own and they are sterling examples of the saying " they have eyes but see not. they have ears but hear not , they have brains but think not , they have mouths but speak rot ".
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Monday, October 10, 2016
Lessons in Life
Learning is a life long process and if you open your eyes and ears you will learn .If you are stubborn for no apparent reason and if you do not learn how to listen you get nowhere in life.I learned something from ( from all places , a little restaurant in a little town ) a cook.I had the opportunity to talk to him and the first thing I did was to compliment him on the great meal which he prepared for us.Then came :
1.The first lesson.
He said he did not get to where he is by chance but through hard and dedicated work.And the lesson "When you want to do anything aim to do it well and do it with a lot of passion and commitment "
2.The second lesson.
Do not place a monetary value on yourself when you do a job.Base your value on what you produce at work.He said when people come for interview inevitably the question of salary will pop out and when someone asks for a salary , he would say "I can pay you but can you deliver ? Do you have what it takes to justify the salary you ask for ?".
3.The third lesson.
In life money is important but not the most important thing .To him being filial , and appreciation for what your parents did for you are core values which take precedence over monetary gains. It is a testimony of a person's worth to see how he treat his parents.
On that score he said employees can make or break you and therefore one must always treat employees with fairness and kindness.They will then stay loyal and work for you with commitment.
Three little lessons which are not things we do not know but talking to him was a good reminder of some basic things in life which we tend to forget.
1.The first lesson.
He said he did not get to where he is by chance but through hard and dedicated work.And the lesson "When you want to do anything aim to do it well and do it with a lot of passion and commitment "
2.The second lesson.
Do not place a monetary value on yourself when you do a job.Base your value on what you produce at work.He said when people come for interview inevitably the question of salary will pop out and when someone asks for a salary , he would say "I can pay you but can you deliver ? Do you have what it takes to justify the salary you ask for ?".
3.The third lesson.
In life money is important but not the most important thing .To him being filial , and appreciation for what your parents did for you are core values which take precedence over monetary gains. It is a testimony of a person's worth to see how he treat his parents.
On that score he said employees can make or break you and therefore one must always treat employees with fairness and kindness.They will then stay loyal and work for you with commitment.
Three little lessons which are not things we do not know but talking to him was a good reminder of some basic things in life which we tend to forget.
Sunday, July 17, 2016
What your body is telling you.
We used to travel back to Ipoh our hometown on a Friday afternoon and back on Sunday .In between we eat all the food we miss and I will have a round of golf with old friends in Ipoh. There was no issue and it was always a good weekend,Today , we can usually leave on Saturday ( as early as possible ) and back on Sunday.Last week I decided that somehow I should play a round of golf with my friends whom I had not played with for a long time.
We left KL at around 7am and reached Ipoh at 9 plus. Mun quickly cleaned the house and I rested a while>By 12 I was ready for my round of golf and managed to complete the 18 holes.After that it was a bit of getting together dinner with some old friends and by 9 pm I was ready for bed.
The next day it was another mad rush with mum going to the market and then getting together with her friends and by 2 pm we were ready to leave for KL .With a bit of delay here and there we reached Kl at around 6 and got ready for dinner which was scheduled for 630 and it ended by 830 or so and off we went home. Driving home in the rain albeit only for a short distance was quite difficult as the eyes cannot see well .
There was the usual unpacking and by 9 I thought I could spend maybe an hour watching the British Open .I lasted 20 minutes for after that the body was giving me all types of signals so I thought its time to call it a day.I slept till 730 the next day , quite a few hours of sleep and even after all that sleep it was still a tired old man who plodded his way to office.
I got the signal... there are things which you cannot do when you reach a certain age and you have to adapt to it. Driving more than two hours to get back and another two hours back takes a toll on the old body.The back aches, and the neck becomes stiff.But what choice do we have ? Like it or not , suffer or not I will continue to drive to go back as mum and I never want to be dependent .Its less hassle if we just manage on our own without burdening anyone .
I cannot imagine what will happen when the day I cannot drive comes. We would probably have to take a bus or a train to get home and then depend on friends to take us around in town.It is a scary thought but one which will probably be inevitable !
We left KL at around 7am and reached Ipoh at 9 plus. Mun quickly cleaned the house and I rested a while>By 12 I was ready for my round of golf and managed to complete the 18 holes.After that it was a bit of getting together dinner with some old friends and by 9 pm I was ready for bed.
The next day it was another mad rush with mum going to the market and then getting together with her friends and by 2 pm we were ready to leave for KL .With a bit of delay here and there we reached Kl at around 6 and got ready for dinner which was scheduled for 630 and it ended by 830 or so and off we went home. Driving home in the rain albeit only for a short distance was quite difficult as the eyes cannot see well .
There was the usual unpacking and by 9 I thought I could spend maybe an hour watching the British Open .I lasted 20 minutes for after that the body was giving me all types of signals so I thought its time to call it a day.I slept till 730 the next day , quite a few hours of sleep and even after all that sleep it was still a tired old man who plodded his way to office.
I got the signal... there are things which you cannot do when you reach a certain age and you have to adapt to it. Driving more than two hours to get back and another two hours back takes a toll on the old body.The back aches, and the neck becomes stiff.But what choice do we have ? Like it or not , suffer or not I will continue to drive to go back as mum and I never want to be dependent .Its less hassle if we just manage on our own without burdening anyone .
I cannot imagine what will happen when the day I cannot drive comes. We would probably have to take a bus or a train to get home and then depend on friends to take us around in town.It is a scary thought but one which will probably be inevitable !
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
When grandparents take care of grandchildren.
It is quite the norm for grand parents to be given the responsibility to look after the grandchildren .The young people are so busy with their lives that they have no time for looking after their kids.Rather than to send them to day care centers or leave them in the care of babysitters they have to ask for help from their parents who happily offer their services out of nothing but love for their children and grandchildren.
Most grandparents have already gone through the tasks of bring up their children and its ironical that in their twilight years they have to go through the process once again.They actually have no choice because as parents they have always put the welfare and well being of their children above anything else.Looking after their children and making things easier for them is but one of their many expressions of love for the children.
Looking after the little ones is tiring and energy sapping but seeing them grow up and enjoying their development as children compensates.But one must never forget that old bodies get weary , tiredness sets in and unlike in some cases rest is not possible.Children are even more fortunate to have a mother who can take care of all the household chores giving them the space and energy to concentrate on their careers .
Bringing up a child is never easy and topping this with all the household chores beyond a doubt makes the task ever so difficult but parents would rarely complain and even though at times they feel hurt by the children's or the in- laws attitude they kept silent and can only weep silent tears .Children must never forget that old people are sensitive and if at all differences in opinions arise they should hold back in deference to the old people who have done so much for them.It must never be forgotten that the grand parents have a choice and there is nothing they wish more than to be in their own home with their own friends and really enjoy their twilight years .Parents accept the fact that they have to set aside their own preferences and inclinations out of consideration and love for the children>. These are sacrifices which parents will gladly make .It is an accepted fact that parents would do anything for their children but if at any one time the children feel that they are interfering or in their way then they must take a step back and realize that at the end of the day parents too have a choice.
Most grandparents have already gone through the tasks of bring up their children and its ironical that in their twilight years they have to go through the process once again.They actually have no choice because as parents they have always put the welfare and well being of their children above anything else.Looking after their children and making things easier for them is but one of their many expressions of love for the children.
Looking after the little ones is tiring and energy sapping but seeing them grow up and enjoying their development as children compensates.But one must never forget that old bodies get weary , tiredness sets in and unlike in some cases rest is not possible.Children are even more fortunate to have a mother who can take care of all the household chores giving them the space and energy to concentrate on their careers .
Bringing up a child is never easy and topping this with all the household chores beyond a doubt makes the task ever so difficult but parents would rarely complain and even though at times they feel hurt by the children's or the in- laws attitude they kept silent and can only weep silent tears .Children must never forget that old people are sensitive and if at all differences in opinions arise they should hold back in deference to the old people who have done so much for them.It must never be forgotten that the grand parents have a choice and there is nothing they wish more than to be in their own home with their own friends and really enjoy their twilight years .Parents accept the fact that they have to set aside their own preferences and inclinations out of consideration and love for the children>. These are sacrifices which parents will gladly make .It is an accepted fact that parents would do anything for their children but if at any one time the children feel that they are interfering or in their way then they must take a step back and realize that at the end of the day parents too have a choice.
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Life's blessings
We have heard so much about people in the 60s and 70s suffering from all types of misfortunes that we start to wonder what life is all about.We have friends with kidney problems, heart problems , joint problems etc.These are physical ailments which I suppose will affect most people as they age.This is the inevitable cycle of nature which everyone has to go through.We can accept this .
Apart from this we also hear of parents having problems with their children , the in laws to the extent that that they find it difficult to even look at each other any more.This is sad and it reflects on the deterioration of our age old values where people will go to great lengths to protect and preserve family values .
We are indeed fortunate that at this point of time things are going on well for us.We are all in good health, the children and SIL are doing well in their careers and the grandchildren are growing up well.What more can we ask for ? Mum and I have always realized that we are fortunate to be blessed with all this and I sometimes wonder what will happen if one of us is not around.There will definitely be a big vacuum which will be impossible to fill and we have to be prepared to cope with it..Even thinking about it is scary so its best to appreciate and value what we have while we can.
We should live what's left of our life to the fullest and enjoy and be thankful for what we have and mots important that we have come this far in life with very few scars.
Apart from this we also hear of parents having problems with their children , the in laws to the extent that that they find it difficult to even look at each other any more.This is sad and it reflects on the deterioration of our age old values where people will go to great lengths to protect and preserve family values .
We are indeed fortunate that at this point of time things are going on well for us.We are all in good health, the children and SIL are doing well in their careers and the grandchildren are growing up well.What more can we ask for ? Mum and I have always realized that we are fortunate to be blessed with all this and I sometimes wonder what will happen if one of us is not around.There will definitely be a big vacuum which will be impossible to fill and we have to be prepared to cope with it..Even thinking about it is scary so its best to appreciate and value what we have while we can.
We should live what's left of our life to the fullest and enjoy and be thankful for what we have and mots important that we have come this far in life with very few scars.
Sunday, June 26, 2016
Life's Choices
When I graduated from the university in the 60s I told myself that I would want to work anywhere except KL as even during that time KL was well known for its traffic jams and all the problems associated with city life. I chose to work as a teacher in Teluk Intan partly because I felt that I should repay the La Salle Brothers who gave me a kick start in life and also having experienced teaching before I felt it was the right profession.Having made this choice I settled down in the little town and enjoyed a good many years as a teacher.
We had only to teach for half a day and we had the rest of the day off to do what we liked;Granted we did not earn big bucks but it was enough .We lived within our means and it was good enough .We had time on our hands and life was not hectic or stressful.On reflection I realized that I could have put all the free time which I had to better use but I chose how to live my life and it was satisfying..I enjoyed a leisurely pace of life as was the norm in a small town .
Looking at the life style of the younger people today it seems that society has become so much more materialistic and everyone is out to make money and succeed in their chosen fields. Life is a mad rush so much so that they have " no time to stand and stare ".High blood pressure , stress , frustration and even mental breakdowns are not uncommon..There is so much that the human body and mind can take and if you push it to the limits it will break down.Someone said " We spend a lifetime accumulating wealth only to spend it all to get back our health ".Even among the Emperors of all you often hear them say "I wish I could live in the countryside , in a simple house and be free from this hectic life ".
Too many people today are wrapped up in the mad rush for materialistic success that they forget that there is a life to be lived and we should not subject ourselves to being slaves to time and success leaving aside all the joys which living can bring.
We had only to teach for half a day and we had the rest of the day off to do what we liked;Granted we did not earn big bucks but it was enough .We lived within our means and it was good enough .We had time on our hands and life was not hectic or stressful.On reflection I realized that I could have put all the free time which I had to better use but I chose how to live my life and it was satisfying..I enjoyed a leisurely pace of life as was the norm in a small town .
Looking at the life style of the younger people today it seems that society has become so much more materialistic and everyone is out to make money and succeed in their chosen fields. Life is a mad rush so much so that they have " no time to stand and stare ".High blood pressure , stress , frustration and even mental breakdowns are not uncommon..There is so much that the human body and mind can take and if you push it to the limits it will break down.Someone said " We spend a lifetime accumulating wealth only to spend it all to get back our health ".Even among the Emperors of all you often hear them say "I wish I could live in the countryside , in a simple house and be free from this hectic life ".
Too many people today are wrapped up in the mad rush for materialistic success that they forget that there is a life to be lived and we should not subject ourselves to being slaves to time and success leaving aside all the joys which living can bring.
Monday, May 16, 2016
Compatibility
A couple has to be compatible in order to enjoy any meaningful or lasting relationship.In the olden days this was a simple matter as the Man who was the indisputable head of the family called the shots and the woman would obediently follow .Today , the scenario is different .Women are as good as the men or even better and are emancipated .They go through university , hold high positions and even earn more than the men so the days of the man dominating are over ..
This being the case a modern couple must complement each other and face each other on equal terms .I know of couples who wash and iron their own clothes and where the household chores are equally divided.t;But if one party cannot carry out his responsibilities then conflict arises and the question of compatibility arises too. In short mentally , physically , intellectually and emotionally the couple must be compatible. There is a a lot to be learned from the ancients who believed that the man must not be inferior to the woman in status as without this he will not get the respect which makes the woman look up to him.He is the man of the house and the running of the house basically depends on him .It is his responsibility to ensure that the family is taken care of and the wife's job is to support him.He is the leader in the house and is fondly referred to as " Loh Yea " .He has the personality and the qualities which qualify him to be the head of the house.
Today, sadly enough we see men falling short of thisThey do not have what it take to command the esteem and respect which rightly should be given to the head of the house;If you cannot even manage yourself how can you manage the house ?
Being head of the family brings about it responsibilities .Things like taking care of the financial needs of the family , supporting the wife and children , ensuring that the house is in good order are all responsibilities which any self respectable man should be able to carry out .He should be a source of strength and support for the family .He should never be a liability and a source of problems for the family.
Man has his weaknesses .But any man worthy of his salt will always seek to improve and ensure that the mistakes are not repeated. Ego , stubbornness and a continued repititon of the same bad habits will not lead to any improvement and will make compatibility difficult.When bad and annoying habits keep happening over and over again it will be difficult even for the most patient person to be tolerant.
Relationships are not made in Heaven .A sound and lasting relationship needs the involvement of both parties ;If one is gung ho and the other a deadwood then compatibility becomes an issue.and a problem.
Being considerate and sensitive to the living environment will make for better relationship..In a lasting relationship communicating and sharing ideas and opinions make for good positive vibes but if one party is not up to the level of the other and does not even know how to listen or pretend to listen then there is a breakdown in communication which will eventually affect the relationship.
Marriage and choosing a life partner is an important choice for anyone and if you choose the wrong partner it can make life's journey so much more difficult.
This being the case a modern couple must complement each other and face each other on equal terms .I know of couples who wash and iron their own clothes and where the household chores are equally divided.t;But if one party cannot carry out his responsibilities then conflict arises and the question of compatibility arises too. In short mentally , physically , intellectually and emotionally the couple must be compatible. There is a a lot to be learned from the ancients who believed that the man must not be inferior to the woman in status as without this he will not get the respect which makes the woman look up to him.He is the man of the house and the running of the house basically depends on him .It is his responsibility to ensure that the family is taken care of and the wife's job is to support him.He is the leader in the house and is fondly referred to as " Loh Yea " .He has the personality and the qualities which qualify him to be the head of the house.
Today, sadly enough we see men falling short of thisThey do not have what it take to command the esteem and respect which rightly should be given to the head of the house;If you cannot even manage yourself how can you manage the house ?
Being head of the family brings about it responsibilities .Things like taking care of the financial needs of the family , supporting the wife and children , ensuring that the house is in good order are all responsibilities which any self respectable man should be able to carry out .He should be a source of strength and support for the family .He should never be a liability and a source of problems for the family.
Man has his weaknesses .But any man worthy of his salt will always seek to improve and ensure that the mistakes are not repeated. Ego , stubbornness and a continued repititon of the same bad habits will not lead to any improvement and will make compatibility difficult.When bad and annoying habits keep happening over and over again it will be difficult even for the most patient person to be tolerant.
Relationships are not made in Heaven .A sound and lasting relationship needs the involvement of both parties ;If one is gung ho and the other a deadwood then compatibility becomes an issue.and a problem.
Being considerate and sensitive to the living environment will make for better relationship..In a lasting relationship communicating and sharing ideas and opinions make for good positive vibes but if one party is not up to the level of the other and does not even know how to listen or pretend to listen then there is a breakdown in communication which will eventually affect the relationship.
Marriage and choosing a life partner is an important choice for anyone and if you choose the wrong partner it can make life's journey so much more difficult.
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Babysitting
This week mom is in China , daughter and son in law in Melbourne leaving Aaron all to me. Looking after him is an excellent opportunity to bond with him but it is also stressful.His weekened routine is golf, tae kwon do , swimming and badminton.Whilst he is at it you cant do anything and your time is blocked for him.
Seeing to his breakfast, lunch and dinner are tough jobs so I take the easy way out by letting him choose.His choice has ranged from noodles , nasi lemak to Japanese.Controlling his time is another challenging task. To be able to get him to take his shower , control his TV and I pad time are daunting tasks but somehow with the proper carrot dangling I managed to get him to follow instructions.On the whole I would say he is obedient and talking sense to him makes the tasks easier.
It so happened that he had to fall sick during my shift>I was a bit panicky when he complained of chest pains ,coughing and loss of appetite.And it had to happen on Labour Day which is a public holiday .There were no clinics open in our area so I had to take him to Subang Baru where it so happened our regular doctor was working.It was a relief when the doctor said there was nothing serious about his condition.I must say the little fella is an angel when it comes to taking his medicine .Probably he also wants to get well .
School days are a torture.The poor fella has to wake up at 545am and gets ready for school .The car comes to pick him at 630 so for 45 minutes I have to ensure that he has his shower , all his school things are there , breakfast .So far we have followed the schedule well and he is always ready when the car comes. On school days he will be back by around 6 so I give him an hour of relaxation either playing with the I pad or watching his favorite TV show.then its shower and dinner .If he has home work then he spends an hour doing it and if not I just let him do what he wants.Its bed time before 9pm and he is knocked out within minutes when his head hits the pillow.
Its quite fun being with the little fella and I have to say that in all he is not a problem .Being with him for a week day and night has made me understand him more and what a schedule he has at this age .I feel sorry for him in a way that at such an early age he has to go through so many things .I just wonder how he is going to enjoy his childhood and whether we adults should take a moment to reflect on what we putting our kids through .Very soon their childhood will be gone and sadly they may not be able to enjoy the childhood which we had when we were kids.
Seeing to his breakfast, lunch and dinner are tough jobs so I take the easy way out by letting him choose.His choice has ranged from noodles , nasi lemak to Japanese.Controlling his time is another challenging task. To be able to get him to take his shower , control his TV and I pad time are daunting tasks but somehow with the proper carrot dangling I managed to get him to follow instructions.On the whole I would say he is obedient and talking sense to him makes the tasks easier.
It so happened that he had to fall sick during my shift>I was a bit panicky when he complained of chest pains ,coughing and loss of appetite.And it had to happen on Labour Day which is a public holiday .There were no clinics open in our area so I had to take him to Subang Baru where it so happened our regular doctor was working.It was a relief when the doctor said there was nothing serious about his condition.I must say the little fella is an angel when it comes to taking his medicine .Probably he also wants to get well .
School days are a torture.The poor fella has to wake up at 545am and gets ready for school .The car comes to pick him at 630 so for 45 minutes I have to ensure that he has his shower , all his school things are there , breakfast .So far we have followed the schedule well and he is always ready when the car comes. On school days he will be back by around 6 so I give him an hour of relaxation either playing with the I pad or watching his favorite TV show.then its shower and dinner .If he has home work then he spends an hour doing it and if not I just let him do what he wants.Its bed time before 9pm and he is knocked out within minutes when his head hits the pillow.
Its quite fun being with the little fella and I have to say that in all he is not a problem .Being with him for a week day and night has made me understand him more and what a schedule he has at this age .I feel sorry for him in a way that at such an early age he has to go through so many things .I just wonder how he is going to enjoy his childhood and whether we adults should take a moment to reflect on what we putting our kids through .Very soon their childhood will be gone and sadly they may not be able to enjoy the childhood which we had when we were kids.
Monday, April 25, 2016
Challenging the norms
When you hit the seventies you should be taking things easy , relaxing with your other half . children and grandchildren.Last week on Friday afternoon I drove down to Teluk Intan , attended a dinner .The next morning we woke up early , went to the market and after that visited a friend .Then it was off to Ipoh where I met up with some buddies at the golf club.The next day it was a long drive back to KL and the following Monday it was work as usual.
For someone in the seventies to go through such a schedule is to say the least " unusual ".I enjoy driving on the highway and at this age I seldom stop for what they call "rest and refresh ".It is too much of a hassle to stop halfway as it spoils your rhythm so I would rather just drive until we reach home.But mum will always insist that we stop at least for a toilet break.
Driving home ourselves is a norm as the children have no time nor inclination to go along with us.So we learn to be independent and depend only on ourselves.Besides this I work almost every day. Most of my friends raise their eyebrows when I say I am still working. I suppose in their minds they must be thinking " Do you need to work at this age?".The answer is "Yes " but its not so much for the money but rather to keep going , be active and not feel hopeless.I love challenges and at this age everything you do is a challenge.
Golf is my passion and i make it a point at least to spend two days a week in the driving range and believe it or not this has actually improved my game and fitness level.Who says you cant improve at a senior age ? Besides golf there are other challenges .Work is a challenge when you have to deal with turkeys and handling students requires a lot of skill and human relationship skills. I make it a point that any student who sees me has his problem resolved and he leaves the room satisfied,That is the challenge of managing people which I relish.
If you do not face challenges and resolve issues then your life becomes mundane and you are just waiting for your time .I believe that instead of waiting for that to happen make good use of the time that you have so that life is meaningful.
I leave office early so that I can spend a couple of hours with the grandchildren.I enjoy seeing them grow up and more so enjoy their acts of mischief which never fail to amaze and humor me. Watching the little ones grow up is one of the most precious gifts a person can have and enjoying it makes it so much more meaningful.
Life is a challenge and will continue to be so as long as we have the right attitude and inclination .I believe that at this age there are many things which the younger people do which we also can do.The thing is to tell yourself "Why not ?'
For someone in the seventies to go through such a schedule is to say the least " unusual ".I enjoy driving on the highway and at this age I seldom stop for what they call "rest and refresh ".It is too much of a hassle to stop halfway as it spoils your rhythm so I would rather just drive until we reach home.But mum will always insist that we stop at least for a toilet break.
Driving home ourselves is a norm as the children have no time nor inclination to go along with us.So we learn to be independent and depend only on ourselves.Besides this I work almost every day. Most of my friends raise their eyebrows when I say I am still working. I suppose in their minds they must be thinking " Do you need to work at this age?".The answer is "Yes " but its not so much for the money but rather to keep going , be active and not feel hopeless.I love challenges and at this age everything you do is a challenge.
Golf is my passion and i make it a point at least to spend two days a week in the driving range and believe it or not this has actually improved my game and fitness level.Who says you cant improve at a senior age ? Besides golf there are other challenges .Work is a challenge when you have to deal with turkeys and handling students requires a lot of skill and human relationship skills. I make it a point that any student who sees me has his problem resolved and he leaves the room satisfied,That is the challenge of managing people which I relish.
If you do not face challenges and resolve issues then your life becomes mundane and you are just waiting for your time .I believe that instead of waiting for that to happen make good use of the time that you have so that life is meaningful.
I leave office early so that I can spend a couple of hours with the grandchildren.I enjoy seeing them grow up and more so enjoy their acts of mischief which never fail to amaze and humor me. Watching the little ones grow up is one of the most precious gifts a person can have and enjoying it makes it so much more meaningful.
Life is a challenge and will continue to be so as long as we have the right attitude and inclination .I believe that at this age there are many things which the younger people do which we also can do.The thing is to tell yourself "Why not ?'
My students
Friday 22nd April ..students whom I taught in 1973 had a gathering in Teluk Intan.I was invited and of course I went as it would be nice to see them all again again after so many years.It was a dinner at one of the local restaurants and it was a nostalgic night with the boys ( now men ) sharing stories about their younger days and of course they talked about their teachers.I am glad they had good things to say about me , how I taught and guided them .It is a good feeling to know that the students whom you taught have good memories of you.What really touched me was that many of them mentioned that if not for the teachers they would not be what they are today and most of them acknowledged that we were strict with them for good reasons.They might have not seen this before but now they realize it .
The night was fun filled and many of them got drunk.One guy was so pissed that they got an ambulance to send him to the hotel and they attendants had to carry him up to his room in a stretcher .This is probably the first time that an ambulance had to be called to send a drunken guy back to his hotel.It could happen only in Teluk Intan and where an old boy was in charge of the St.John Ambulance .We all had a good laugh and the night was really fun.
To us teachers it was a good thing to meet up with our students and to see that they have matured and become useful people in society and what really amazed me that they were able to keep their ties all this while.Their bond is so great that they came from all over the world to meet up with each other.I complimented them on this and told them they should continue to see each other in future and have more of this type of gatherings.
The night was fun filled and many of them got drunk.One guy was so pissed that they got an ambulance to send him to the hotel and they attendants had to carry him up to his room in a stretcher .This is probably the first time that an ambulance had to be called to send a drunken guy back to his hotel.It could happen only in Teluk Intan and where an old boy was in charge of the St.John Ambulance .We all had a good laugh and the night was really fun.
To us teachers it was a good thing to meet up with our students and to see that they have matured and become useful people in society and what really amazed me that they were able to keep their ties all this while.Their bond is so great that they came from all over the world to meet up with each other.I complimented them on this and told them they should continue to see each other in future and have more of this type of gatherings.
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Bringing up children.
This morning while I was showering my little hero pushed open the bathroom room and laughed merrily seeing me in that state.I was just as amused at his little prank and laughed inwardly.A few minutes later after I told him to wait for me in the room . I saw my carefully folded blanket strewn all over the place and then he took my water bottle and threw it down the stairs>If I were STUPID and uncontrolled I would have screamed and yelled at him but I think I am a bit more dignified and more sensible to do such a ridiculous thing especially understanding children and their mischievous acts.
We have to understand that children are not ROBOTS who can think and do things like adults and we have to understand them.You cannot expect a child to think like you ( if at all you can think ) and judge him according to your norms.Children will always be children and we adults have to to a certain extent put up with their pranks.Whilst disciplining the kid may be necessary a sensible person will know that there are many ways of doing so without having to behave like an idiot yelling and shouting at the poor kid.By so doing , you are merely belittling yourself and you prove nothing.To me when I see such things my opinion of the person takes a nose dive and I find it difficult to have any bit of respect for him .
We have to think that bringing up a child in a culture of shouting and yelling is definitely not the way>only people who are unable to control a situation resort to this .People with some knowledge and understanding and maybe of some standing will figure out and accept the fact that shouting gets us nowhere.There are always alternatives to getting a message across.What makes it more annoying is that despite being told that shouting is not the way they continue to do so.I have taught many students before and never did I have to shout and yell at them.A little look , a little raised voice are enough for them to listen to what I had to say.
I fail to understand how an old lady who has to spend practically the whole day with a kid never lost her cool despite the mischievous pranks of the little fella.She has to take care of him besides doing all the household chores .Try it and see how much strength and energy you need to handle all this .I cannot imagine how a person having come home barely 10 minutes can start yelling and shouting at a little kid.The only conclusion I can make is that this person simply has not got what it takes to be somebody. Probably he is letting out his frustrations and covering his own inadequacies by taking it out on the poor child who may be startled and frightened with serious long term effects on his personality and psychological well being.All said and done we cannot expect people with little substance to think this far.
We have to understand that children are not ROBOTS who can think and do things like adults and we have to understand them.You cannot expect a child to think like you ( if at all you can think ) and judge him according to your norms.Children will always be children and we adults have to to a certain extent put up with their pranks.Whilst disciplining the kid may be necessary a sensible person will know that there are many ways of doing so without having to behave like an idiot yelling and shouting at the poor kid.By so doing , you are merely belittling yourself and you prove nothing.To me when I see such things my opinion of the person takes a nose dive and I find it difficult to have any bit of respect for him .
We have to think that bringing up a child in a culture of shouting and yelling is definitely not the way>only people who are unable to control a situation resort to this .People with some knowledge and understanding and maybe of some standing will figure out and accept the fact that shouting gets us nowhere.There are always alternatives to getting a message across.What makes it more annoying is that despite being told that shouting is not the way they continue to do so.I have taught many students before and never did I have to shout and yell at them.A little look , a little raised voice are enough for them to listen to what I had to say.
I fail to understand how an old lady who has to spend practically the whole day with a kid never lost her cool despite the mischievous pranks of the little fella.She has to take care of him besides doing all the household chores .Try it and see how much strength and energy you need to handle all this .I cannot imagine how a person having come home barely 10 minutes can start yelling and shouting at a little kid.The only conclusion I can make is that this person simply has not got what it takes to be somebody. Probably he is letting out his frustrations and covering his own inadequacies by taking it out on the poor child who may be startled and frightened with serious long term effects on his personality and psychological well being.All said and done we cannot expect people with little substance to think this far.
Sunday, April 17, 2016
Mothers
They say there is no person in the world more special than your mother .I could not agree more as we have right in our midst that very special person.She is the mother of all mothers .her family always comes first and there is nothing in the world that she would not do for her family.
At an age when most people should be taking it easy , she cooks , cleans , washes , baby sit and makes sure that all the other housework are done.It takes superhuman efforts to carry out all these tasks which are done without a whimper of dissent or grumble. She endures all the difficulties without any complain ( you have to try doing all these chores to know what its like ).All these are done willingly and happily without expecting anything in return. Yet, sometimes we fail to realize that the human body has its limitations.Hands grow weary . shoulders ache and legs become tired. It would be nice that we know this and do the necessary to help. I make sure that each week she has her regular massage as it helps rejuvenate the tired bones and gives her two hours of complete relaxation which is what she so much deserves.
People around her need to be supportive and understanding knowing that she has to go through all these .Sometimes if you cant be of help , at least you should be a liability.She has often said that people should try to lead a normal life , like go to work on time, help out a little bit by not getting in the way and coming to help when she needs help.She has always mentioned that she has two families to look after and the least we can do is to ensure that she is given the time to do it.Coming home a bit early so she has time to go out is surely not asking for too much .A little consideration goes a long way .
We all know that she has to prepare dinner for the family .The ingredients are all bought be her in her weekly trips to the market.I have accompanied her on several occasions and know what marketing involves.Its not just a matter of buying the things for the week , its knowing what you want to buy in advance so that you need not waste any time..We fail to realize how expensive marketing can be unless we are there.I know that it will require at least RM 300 to RM 400 a week to get the foodstuffs for the week.Not only this you have to carry the things that you buy .I just wonder why some of the younger people never bother to help out.Sure its tough but is the toughness only for you ? Somebody has to do it and why only one person ?
There is no denying the lengths a mother will go for the sake of her children .No sacrifice is too great , no chore is too difficult and you may also say no mountain is high enough for her to climb. It is important to realize that whilst the mother does not ask for anything in return we should at least make things easier for her by being appreciative and just as considerate.
At an age when most people should be taking it easy , she cooks , cleans , washes , baby sit and makes sure that all the other housework are done.It takes superhuman efforts to carry out all these tasks which are done without a whimper of dissent or grumble. She endures all the difficulties without any complain ( you have to try doing all these chores to know what its like ).All these are done willingly and happily without expecting anything in return. Yet, sometimes we fail to realize that the human body has its limitations.Hands grow weary . shoulders ache and legs become tired. It would be nice that we know this and do the necessary to help. I make sure that each week she has her regular massage as it helps rejuvenate the tired bones and gives her two hours of complete relaxation which is what she so much deserves.
People around her need to be supportive and understanding knowing that she has to go through all these .Sometimes if you cant be of help , at least you should be a liability.She has often said that people should try to lead a normal life , like go to work on time, help out a little bit by not getting in the way and coming to help when she needs help.She has always mentioned that she has two families to look after and the least we can do is to ensure that she is given the time to do it.Coming home a bit early so she has time to go out is surely not asking for too much .A little consideration goes a long way .
We all know that she has to prepare dinner for the family .The ingredients are all bought be her in her weekly trips to the market.I have accompanied her on several occasions and know what marketing involves.Its not just a matter of buying the things for the week , its knowing what you want to buy in advance so that you need not waste any time..We fail to realize how expensive marketing can be unless we are there.I know that it will require at least RM 300 to RM 400 a week to get the foodstuffs for the week.Not only this you have to carry the things that you buy .I just wonder why some of the younger people never bother to help out.Sure its tough but is the toughness only for you ? Somebody has to do it and why only one person ?
There is no denying the lengths a mother will go for the sake of her children .No sacrifice is too great , no chore is too difficult and you may also say no mountain is high enough for her to climb. It is important to realize that whilst the mother does not ask for anything in return we should at least make things easier for her by being appreciative and just as considerate.
Thursday, March 24, 2016
A freak accident
Sometimes things seem to happen for no apparent reason.I was back home early one day and spent some quality time with my grandson in the back room.We had planned to have dinner outside that evening and since that was the plan I decided to leave the office early .Mum was free and had nothing to do since the little fella was under my care.
Suddenly I heard her calling me from outside and on coming out I saw her sitting on the chair somewhat dazed and it was only when she spoke that I realized what had happened.She told me " I crashed my car, whacked the gate and damaged your car ".Then I took a look and lo and behold her car was damaged , the auto gate was open and my car had a huge dent on it .I was speechless and my first thought was to see if anything happened to her.Thank God she was ok and then slowly when she calmed down I asked her what happened .
She said she wanted to reverse her car which was parked in the porch a little bit and suddenly she could not stop it and the car just crashed through the gate and that was what happened .probably she stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake and the car just kept on reversing and the more she panicked the more she accelerated .This is not uncommon as there were many cases of people stepping on the accelerator instead of the brakes in times of panic.Fortunately she was not hurt.
A human being can only do so much .On reflection one cannot help but wonder if she is doing too much and the stress and tiredness is taking its toll.To wash, cook , iron , clean and babysit is really beyond the means of any normal human being but she does all these without a murmur as to her there is nothing she would not do for her family.But there should be some kind of limits .That being so we sometimes fail to realize that the human body has its limits and things are taken for granted.
So much sacrifices have to be made and so much tiring chores have to be done all all for the sake of the family.Nothing is asked for in return as to a mother no sacrifice is too great .She has often mentioned that doing all the things she does is not a big deal and the only thing she asks for is a bit of consideration now and then like making efforts to come home one day in the week so that she can go out early instead of having to drive in the dark and ensuring that the others who depend on her too are taken care of.
There are times when young people have to focus on their careers .We understand that but surely if your work is flexible some kind of arrangement can be made on certain days ( not everyday ) of the week .It is nor right when one member of the family stresses herself out when the other one is happily ignorant or uncaring about his responsibilities.Coming home early and eating together saves a lot of trouble as she need not wait for the latecomer to finish his dinner ( at his own pace ) before she can wash the dishes .This is consideration >If I have to come home late everyday because of exigencies of service I would rather eat out than be a burden to everyone else.That is the difference between the caring and non caring person who only thinks of his own well being and seems to be in a world of his own without realizing there are others around him..
She felt bad about the damage to my car and even offered to pay for the repairs.I told her not to worry about that and I would never let her do that.To me , the fact that nothing happened to her is worth all the money in the world.The incident is an eye opener to everyone that we should not impose too much on any one person>Little things which we can do to help must be done.Whilst we all have our job the person who has a brighter career path must be given the opportunity to pursue her career whilst the other party should help out in the household chores.To see one party going out of the way to help whilst the other does nothing is quite annoying to say the least.As adults we need no be told to take our shower or to carry out the little tasks assigned to us .If you cannot be of help at least do not be a liability.After all it takes every member of the family to build a home.
Suddenly I heard her calling me from outside and on coming out I saw her sitting on the chair somewhat dazed and it was only when she spoke that I realized what had happened.She told me " I crashed my car, whacked the gate and damaged your car ".Then I took a look and lo and behold her car was damaged , the auto gate was open and my car had a huge dent on it .I was speechless and my first thought was to see if anything happened to her.Thank God she was ok and then slowly when she calmed down I asked her what happened .
She said she wanted to reverse her car which was parked in the porch a little bit and suddenly she could not stop it and the car just crashed through the gate and that was what happened .probably she stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake and the car just kept on reversing and the more she panicked the more she accelerated .This is not uncommon as there were many cases of people stepping on the accelerator instead of the brakes in times of panic.Fortunately she was not hurt.
A human being can only do so much .On reflection one cannot help but wonder if she is doing too much and the stress and tiredness is taking its toll.To wash, cook , iron , clean and babysit is really beyond the means of any normal human being but she does all these without a murmur as to her there is nothing she would not do for her family.But there should be some kind of limits .That being so we sometimes fail to realize that the human body has its limits and things are taken for granted.
So much sacrifices have to be made and so much tiring chores have to be done all all for the sake of the family.Nothing is asked for in return as to a mother no sacrifice is too great .She has often mentioned that doing all the things she does is not a big deal and the only thing she asks for is a bit of consideration now and then like making efforts to come home one day in the week so that she can go out early instead of having to drive in the dark and ensuring that the others who depend on her too are taken care of.
There are times when young people have to focus on their careers .We understand that but surely if your work is flexible some kind of arrangement can be made on certain days ( not everyday ) of the week .It is nor right when one member of the family stresses herself out when the other one is happily ignorant or uncaring about his responsibilities.Coming home early and eating together saves a lot of trouble as she need not wait for the latecomer to finish his dinner ( at his own pace ) before she can wash the dishes .This is consideration >If I have to come home late everyday because of exigencies of service I would rather eat out than be a burden to everyone else.That is the difference between the caring and non caring person who only thinks of his own well being and seems to be in a world of his own without realizing there are others around him..
She felt bad about the damage to my car and even offered to pay for the repairs.I told her not to worry about that and I would never let her do that.To me , the fact that nothing happened to her is worth all the money in the world.The incident is an eye opener to everyone that we should not impose too much on any one person>Little things which we can do to help must be done.Whilst we all have our job the person who has a brighter career path must be given the opportunity to pursue her career whilst the other party should help out in the household chores.To see one party going out of the way to help whilst the other does nothing is quite annoying to say the least.As adults we need no be told to take our shower or to carry out the little tasks assigned to us .If you cannot be of help at least do not be a liability.After all it takes every member of the family to build a home.
Thursday, March 17, 2016
Character
The Oxford dictionary defines character as " the particular combination of qualities in a person that makes him different from others ".Looking at many people it seems difficult to find someone who can be said to have character.My perception of character can be summarized under different headings :
1. Personality .
Do you have the charismatic type of personality which will make people take notice of you ? Do you have what it takes to be outstanding in terms of people's perception of you ?
2.Grooming .
It is important that we look presentable to others at all times as you are what you look.That is why people spend a lot of money to make themselves look good . the discerning person would size you up to a certain extent just by looking at you .As one would say " first impressions are important " though later on one may find that the first impression may not necessarily be the correct impression.There are people whose philosophy is "as long as i have clothes on my body it is good enough for me ".True if you live by yourself and do not come into contact with others >Humility is good but over humility may be difficult to be accepted in a critical society.
3.Self management and self standards.
What standards to we set for ourselves ? What is our personal branding ? Are we known for our reliability ? our punctuality ? efficiency ? knowledge ? our neatness ? our consideration ? etc.
It is good to be recognised and associated with some unique qualities.I have a few friends whom I have come across whom I know and acknowledge for their concern for others, , their diligence , their willingness to help and make sacrifices and their willingness to help .
If you cant even manage your time by being punctual and organized then you are not much to spaek of.
4.Responsibility and proactive.
Do you need to be reminded of the things which you do as a matter of routine and do you look one step ahead ? If you do the same thing everyday and still cant do it well then you must be lacking in something.If you have to arrive at your office at a certain time everyday and if you cant do it something is wrong .
5. Self improvement .
We all have our share of bad habits .This is quite normal as no man is perfect but if are being told your bad habits and you make no effort to improve but keep on repeating the same bad habits then you are lacking.We do get feedback from various sources almost every day.Do we listen and do we register ? Are we sensitive to feed back? Do we analyse and work towards self improvement >
There are many things which determines one's character and its up to us to think of what are the things we need to consider for others to define us as a person with character whom others can look up to.I have only indicated a few of the character traits which are important >iam sure thare are lots of other traits which one may want to include.
1. Personality .
Do you have the charismatic type of personality which will make people take notice of you ? Do you have what it takes to be outstanding in terms of people's perception of you ?
2.Grooming .
It is important that we look presentable to others at all times as you are what you look.That is why people spend a lot of money to make themselves look good . the discerning person would size you up to a certain extent just by looking at you .As one would say " first impressions are important " though later on one may find that the first impression may not necessarily be the correct impression.There are people whose philosophy is "as long as i have clothes on my body it is good enough for me ".True if you live by yourself and do not come into contact with others >Humility is good but over humility may be difficult to be accepted in a critical society.
3.Self management and self standards.
What standards to we set for ourselves ? What is our personal branding ? Are we known for our reliability ? our punctuality ? efficiency ? knowledge ? our neatness ? our consideration ? etc.
It is good to be recognised and associated with some unique qualities.I have a few friends whom I have come across whom I know and acknowledge for their concern for others, , their diligence , their willingness to help and make sacrifices and their willingness to help .
If you cant even manage your time by being punctual and organized then you are not much to spaek of.
4.Responsibility and proactive.
Do you need to be reminded of the things which you do as a matter of routine and do you look one step ahead ? If you do the same thing everyday and still cant do it well then you must be lacking in something.If you have to arrive at your office at a certain time everyday and if you cant do it something is wrong .
5. Self improvement .
We all have our share of bad habits .This is quite normal as no man is perfect but if are being told your bad habits and you make no effort to improve but keep on repeating the same bad habits then you are lacking.We do get feedback from various sources almost every day.Do we listen and do we register ? Are we sensitive to feed back? Do we analyse and work towards self improvement >
There are many things which determines one's character and its up to us to think of what are the things we need to consider for others to define us as a person with character whom others can look up to.I have only indicated a few of the character traits which are important >iam sure thare are lots of other traits which one may want to include.
Friday, March 4, 2016
Reflections
When I look at my grandchildren I cannot help but feel they are of a different breed from us.When we were young , we learned to be independent at an early age .There were six of us in our family, brothers and sisters and our parents were struggling to bring us up.We had to fend for ourselves and no one needs to tell us when to shower , get ready for school or do our homework.If we did not do our homework the teachers would deal with us.
We were rough and tough,swimming in the river ( and getting caned for it ) , drinking water from the tap and just having three meals a day ( in the house ).We never knew what was Mac D or KFC or even what coca cola tasted like.But we grew up just like any kid our age at that time and we were street wise and knew how to be independent.Our parents need not worry about us getting lost or not making our way to school and coming home after that.We never saw doctors when we were not well .The good thing about being sick was that you had the luxury of having an apple or two as it was believed that eating apples would make you get well faster.
We had no TV or hand phones or even toys.Our toys were made from what we got from the surroundings and we had fun with them.There were no cinemas and it was only in the 50s that we were able to get our first taste of watching movies in the cinema.Yet , without all these we grew up to be knowledgeable, smart and most important of all independent knowing how to take care of our things.We only had two sets of clothes for school and there was no such thing as going anywhere during holidays.To us holidays were day off, sleep late and just loaf around.We never thought of sleeping in nice beds with air con and fans.To us our bed was the camp bed which was a piece of canvas cloth strung over a couple of wooden support.It did not take up much space and could be easily stored.
Yes life was simple those day .Our needs were basic ,the staple food was rice and those days two plates of rice going down with curry or sambal belachan was a great meal .I remember how after school we would come home and wait for the chicken to lay eggs and the moment this was done we would take the egg and break it over a plate of hot rice and then mix it up with lard and soya sauce and that would make a great meal , more so if you chew on a piece of green chillies.
Our lives in the early days were basic and we grew up mainly on our own and that perhaps is why we older generation are tougher more resilient than the young people of today .
We were rough and tough,swimming in the river ( and getting caned for it ) , drinking water from the tap and just having three meals a day ( in the house ).We never knew what was Mac D or KFC or even what coca cola tasted like.But we grew up just like any kid our age at that time and we were street wise and knew how to be independent.Our parents need not worry about us getting lost or not making our way to school and coming home after that.We never saw doctors when we were not well .The good thing about being sick was that you had the luxury of having an apple or two as it was believed that eating apples would make you get well faster.
We had no TV or hand phones or even toys.Our toys were made from what we got from the surroundings and we had fun with them.There were no cinemas and it was only in the 50s that we were able to get our first taste of watching movies in the cinema.Yet , without all these we grew up to be knowledgeable, smart and most important of all independent knowing how to take care of our things.We only had two sets of clothes for school and there was no such thing as going anywhere during holidays.To us holidays were day off, sleep late and just loaf around.We never thought of sleeping in nice beds with air con and fans.To us our bed was the camp bed which was a piece of canvas cloth strung over a couple of wooden support.It did not take up much space and could be easily stored.
Yes life was simple those day .Our needs were basic ,the staple food was rice and those days two plates of rice going down with curry or sambal belachan was a great meal .I remember how after school we would come home and wait for the chicken to lay eggs and the moment this was done we would take the egg and break it over a plate of hot rice and then mix it up with lard and soya sauce and that would make a great meal , more so if you chew on a piece of green chillies.
Our lives in the early days were basic and we grew up mainly on our own and that perhaps is why we older generation are tougher more resilient than the young people of today .
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Life is short
People of our generation are pretty fragile as we are all in the sixties or seventies.We never know what lies ahead of us in the immediate future.Old people should never be left alone as in their fragile state they can fall, slip and fall or just fade away without anyone knowing.It is not uncommon to hear of the seniors passing away in their sleep or just going off.For the seniors I guess preparations would have been made so that when they leave this world all their affairs are taken off and the descendants need not be burdened by unnecessary headache,
Sometimes , despite the best preparations things are left aside unintentionally..Take the case of a golfer who was taking shelter during heavy rain and a tree fell on him , killing him.Suddenly he is gone at a young age and I am sure all his affairs would not be in order as how would a young man expect such a thing to happen.
Life is short.Be thankful that we are up and about and can enjoy a little of what life has to offer.If we have the means and the good health enjoy food once in a while without excesses, enjoy the time we have with family , friends and relatives.No point having all the money in the world and dont know how to use it.There are people who have lots of money not realizing that it is just paper if not spent.I never forget what a relative once told me " He has so much money when he passed away and sadly he cant even take one note with him ".Saving is fine but not at the expense of depriving yourself of what life has to offer >It is not indulging but there are things which we may want to do at this ripe old age like travel, buy the things we always wanted and helping others in need.
Life is short and as we near the end of life's journey we should have the right attitude towards life and remember that we should not only leave our footprints on the sand but on the stone where they can last for a long time.
Sometimes , despite the best preparations things are left aside unintentionally..Take the case of a golfer who was taking shelter during heavy rain and a tree fell on him , killing him.Suddenly he is gone at a young age and I am sure all his affairs would not be in order as how would a young man expect such a thing to happen.
Life is short.Be thankful that we are up and about and can enjoy a little of what life has to offer.If we have the means and the good health enjoy food once in a while without excesses, enjoy the time we have with family , friends and relatives.No point having all the money in the world and dont know how to use it.There are people who have lots of money not realizing that it is just paper if not spent.I never forget what a relative once told me " He has so much money when he passed away and sadly he cant even take one note with him ".Saving is fine but not at the expense of depriving yourself of what life has to offer >It is not indulging but there are things which we may want to do at this ripe old age like travel, buy the things we always wanted and helping others in need.
Life is short and as we near the end of life's journey we should have the right attitude towards life and remember that we should not only leave our footprints on the sand but on the stone where they can last for a long time.
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
New Year , New Challenges
THE Chinese New Year is almost coming to an end and it has been a hectic and meaningful 10 days now.Hectic as we had to go back to Ipoh and meet up with friends and had a host of dinners with friends and relatives all very tiring but meaningful.The weather was hot but despite this it was great to enjoy a few rounds of golf .
The thing about the new Year is that your normal routine goes haywire .You sleep later but wake up at the same time and realize it or not this takes a toll on the old body.Today after everything , its back to work and its so tiring just sitting in the office.
Now that the old year is gone , we can look forward to the new and the important thing is to have the good health to do so. We are blessed as both of us are in relatively good health and are able to lead normal lives without too much of a hassle.The children are doing well in their careers , the in laws are fine , and the grandchildren are growing up well .To be able to see this and to enjoy the changes,physical, emotional , intellectual in the grandchildren are things which money cannot buy.Too often we forget to value the things that we have and yearn for things which we do not have.That is the normal human behavior ...to want things we do not have have whilst forgetting to appreciate the things that we have.To us at this ripe old age the most valuable thing is good health , nothing else is important.With good health you can enjoy the many things which come with it.
Its interesting and a blessing that we are able to greet another new year and sometimes a year seems a long time.But to me it is a new year to be enjoyed and treasured and also an opportunity to continue to be able to do the things we love .It is important that as we grow older to value time and the people around us and also realize that time is not on our side and whilst we have it to make the best out of it and continue to face life with hope and optimism and to enjoy what we have and be grateful for still having this opportunity.
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