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.

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.