Saturday, March 29, 2008

Earth is Dearer than Gold


Tonight is the night where cities around the world will shut off their lights for an hour, starting from 8 pm, to deliver a powerful message about the need for action on global warming. Promoted by the World Wide Fund for Nature Australia (WWF), Earth Hour is the highlight of a major campaign to encourage businesses, communities and individuals to take the simple steps needed to cut their emissions on an ongoing basis. It is about simple changes that will collectively make a difference – from businesses turning off their lights when their offices are empty, to households turning off appliances rather than leaving them on standby.

It will be just a mere hour to be in the dark. It is our choice to make changes. It is not like we are forced to be in the dark without electricity. Trust me, it would be scary.

Back in September 1999, when central Taiwan was hit with a destructive earthquake, we were in Kaoshiung, a city down south of the island. Had rushed to Taipei to get the next flight back to Malaysia but the airport was closed as the electricity was cut off. That night was the longest night of my life! We had to climb 12 storeys of stairs in order to get to our friend's apartment in the dark, with a baby, a toddler and luggages clinging to us. The aftershock tremors felt throughout the night made it impossible to sleep. As they say, the earth was really 'angry'.

Since young, we were taught to do our bit to help Mother Nature. I still remember my Dad used to give his I-don’t-like-that look, each time we absent-mindedly walked out a room without switching off the lights or fans. In school, my teachers would go on and on about recycling, reducing and reusing; which eventually became my favourite hobby. (There was once, I don’t mind looking like an idiot, trying to ‘fish’ an empty can out of the drain in front of my house, back in Malaysia!) At home, my youngest kid gets very annoyed each time he is to wear his elder brother’s hand-me-down clothes. Over here in Indonesia, I tend to be thrifty and save money from buying unnecessary containers when I can just make do with a nicely cut out plastic bottles.

The next generation should be taught to be aware, uphold and practise these values. It is no longer an awareness of any campaign but it is a good value to live life. Not only it will help them to be a better person by being sensitive to the environment, they will also learn to save and get creative.

So, let’s just have an hour of romantic evening under the moonlight and the stars tonight!


Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Wealth is Not His that has It, but His that Enjoys It

I received a forwarded e-mail from a friend yesterday. After reading it, I felt that it would be good to share it rather than to just waste it in the recycle bin. (Moreover, it kept repeating in my head throughout the day!! :P). There is no doubt about the truth with regards to the metaphor used. Ben Franklin (1706-1790) was really wise to come up with the above saying. Anyway, I’ll just leave it to you guys to digest….


Subject: Quite like this....

A group of alumni, all highly established in their respective careers, got together for a visit with their old university professor. The conversation soon turned to complaints about the endless stress of work and life in general.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went into the kitchen and soon returned with a large pot of coffee and an eclectic assortment of cups: porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal - some plain, some expensive, some quite exquisite. Quietly he told them to help themselves to some fresh coffee. When each of his former students had a cup of coffee in hand, the old professor quietly cleared his throat and began to patiently address the small gathering.

'You may have noticed that all of the nicer looking cups were taken up first, leaving behind the plainer and cheaper ones. While it is only natural for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is actually the source of much of your stress-related problems.'

He continued… 'Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In fact, the cup merely disguises or dresses up what we drink. What each of you really wanted was coffee, not a cup, but you instinctively went for the best cups. Then you began eyeing each other's cups...''Now consider this: Life is coffee - Jobs, money and position in society, are merely cups. They are just tools to shape and contain life, and the type of cup we have does not truly define nor change the quality of the Life we live. Often by concentrating only on the cup we fail to enjoy the coffee that God has provided us. God brews the coffee, but he does not supply the cups. Enjoy your coffee!'

The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything... So remember: LIVE SIMPLY, LOVE GENEROUSLY, CARE DEEPLY, SPEAK KINDLY, LEAVE THE REST TO GOD.

Monday, March 24, 2008

There's No Glory without a Sacrifice

Goshhh...It's Lazy Monday again....After a long weekend, had to drag myself out of bed to start another week. Being a SAHM does not mean that there's no chores and errands to be done. Learned that the hard way!. :P

Back then, when I was part of the workaholic crowd, I used to imagine that being a SAHM would meant having nothing to do and no objectives or goals to achieve. Well, as they say, you never know what lies right around the corner... Know what? I realised that I actually do not have enough time! 24 hours a day is not enough! Apart from the chores, there's the kids and their informal education, the part-time business, the friends, the neighbours, the extended families etc etc. Of course, the last of the list would be me. What do I get out of it?..... Took me some time to get the answer..... Love. Yes. The answer is love. I am able to give love and receive more love.

I used to be angry with myself for being what I have became. To give up things that matter. To forgo things that I believed in. Was I in the position to be angry? Do I have that right? We were once taught to be good girls, study hard, obtain good grades, get hold of a decent job, get married to the right guys, be good wives and mothers, and ...... That's it?!. Was that the full circle? Or did they assumed that we will finally grow up and get some sense to do what's best next? How come no one taught us that life itself would be such a hard work, especially emotionally? We have to give, in order to receive.

Nevertheless, I eventually learned that by chucking away my obsession to climb up the career ladder and being at home 24/7 had made everyone good. I have the privilege to attend to everyone's need. Most satisfyingly, I have the ability to extend a helping hand to those who seek for it. I suppose it is my obligation to everyone to make myself available.

As I recall my childhood days, I can still remember that each family institution has its own functional sub units where apart from our parents and siblings, we have extended family members like grandparents, aunties, uncles, cousins etc, whom we look up to. Each individual, regardless how busy or crazy their lives were, will religiously function as who they were supposed to function.

Nowadays, everyone is so engrossed with themself. Things are mostly taken for granted. The new generation no longer sees or hears from their uncles or aunties, or even grandparents, more than twice or three times a year. Everyone stays far apart from each other due to urbanisation and better living, I guess. When I was young, I couldn't even go to the sundry shop without bumping into one of my relatives!!( Thinking back, how suffocating could that have been!) Well, there is always pro and cons to the situation.

All that we want in life is merely just happiness. How we function, is up to each individual to analyse, adopt and conduct. If we don't function how and what we are supposed to, then, eventually in time, the function will 'find' us, whether we like it or not!. My best guess, that is what I am living through now. Like it? Yes, I do.


Saturday, March 22, 2008

Here We Go!!

Well...this is my first time writing a blog (after years of reading others'!). I had the urge to go for it lately as there's lots of things in my mind. I do want to give this a try, though.

I love to see the network of cyber friends being created in this beautiful new era of communication. It has been inspiring to learn how big and rich our lives can become, just by sitting in our studies or anywhere that can be hooked up to the Internet!. It really is fascinating.


Anyway, I have to give credit to Farina for her 'indirect motivation' for me to start this.