Everyone is back, yay!

The house is alive again
The days are longer again
The public holidays are back again
Yay!

No wonder they say anticipation is sweet.

The Storms of Life

Would my little storm be less important if I know of another big storm blowing elsewhere?

I was a little chaffed today at work. When it happened, I felt emotionally fired up, and I had to diffuse it by venting with a friend tonight.

Just as I was retiring for the night, a previous maid who used to work for us emailed me about Super Typhoon Megi wrecking havoc in the Philippines. She wrote me just as they were bracing the heavy rains and winds outside (It must be nice to be remembered during the eye of a storm). Her house was wrecked by another typhoon some years back.

I returned the email with a prayer for her and her family. As much as I made it sound like a joke about writing me in a midst of a storm, I think that the spirit of it is admirable- thinking of others while the storms in your life are still blowing through.

It made me reflect upon my earlier storm, and I hereby downgrade mine to a 'storm in a teacup'.

Older me

I turned older again! I've stopped counting some years back, and often have to do the necessary subtraction to find my age. I can't complain about time passing too soon, because I secretly hold my breath for winter to pass. Isn't it nice that I get to have my birthday during Spring? It used to be the dreaded exam week when I was growing up.

I've got a bunch of happy Geberas, a lovely dinner at Attica and a necklace for a present. Quite a number of friends send in their blessings. At this age, I think it's thoughtful enough just to send someone a message, although I have to say that I am still 'anti-facebook' due to the lower sincerity factor.

I am suffering from a bout of post-birthday blues though. I haven't figured out why yet, quite possibly post holiday-friends-supper-family blues since it's only been a few weeks since I returned.Times like birthdays remind you of sharing your joy with people who mean something to you.

Well, I'll be sharing the joy with my happy Geberas in the meantime!

Start getting curious, cut the assumptions.

Remember the first date... you wanted to know what the other party thought, and why they think the way they do.

Somewhere between familiarity and predictability, we stopped asking 'why' and 'how come'.

If one is moody, they are just playing up. Is there really a need to find out why?

Microwave answers and assumptions-easy to conjure, convenient to use and saves a lot of effort.

When did we stop getting curious? Isn't curiosity part of understanding?

Better when you didn't know...

Sha and I were having a little email banter. I first found out about the death of Mrs Lee Kuan Yew from Sha's lament on Facebook. Like many Singaporeans, she was quite touched.

There was also another email I got from another friend, who wasn't too impressed with the attention given to her. He wrote in jest that it wasn't Joan of Arc or Mother Theresa who passed away.

So there I was, typing mindlessly away to Sha. I told her that it has to be that spirit of how despite her great academic achievements, a smart lady like her gave up what she had to help her husband fulfill his nation-building dream, tirelessly sacrificing, and was quiet about it until she breathe her last. I was kind of at my last sentence here until I found an uncanny resemblance.

Thousands of years ago, there was a great man who gave up his heavenly position, came down to serve and fulfill the will of his father, tirelessly helping and healing, and was quiet till he breathe his last.

Strange how we don't need formalised religion to program us into recognising what is admirable in life. Thousands lined up to pay their last respects. Thousands more felt the grief of the husband who lost his wife of 63 years.

It is surely not Joan of Arc or Mother Theresa. It was Jesus and the father who sent him.