Mother is still Mother

Today we've decided to have a family dinner to celebrate Mother’s Day.

My brother made a specific request

– that I bring the camera to dinner for a specific reason.

This request just hits home – mother is no longer the same……..

Yet mother is still mother……

Love begins by taking care of the closest ones – the ones at home.

~ Mother Teresa ~

Easter

Last Sunday, whilst it was still dark we stumbled out of bed and made our way to Seremban. 

Every year, on Easter day we make our way to Seremban’s cemetery where we watch the sun rise whilst the pastor conducts a brief service.  Thereafter, we place flowers upon the tombstone of our dearly departed relatives.

A simple day spent where my children were re-introduced to their departed relatives whom they’ve never met and reminded again the meaning of Easter.  My youngest enjoyed going round the cemetery and placing flowers on tombstones. 

I personally enjoyed walking amongst the tombstones – a sense of peace prevails.  A day we commemorate Jesus’ resurrection.  I am humbly reminded again the greatness of my Lord God

Questionable Apology

A lot had been written about the poorly organized Energizer Night  Race 2011 held on 16th April 2011. 

We had our fun and even within our running members we had our share of disaster!  Though the fastest runner in my family ran the entire 21km, he ran the wrong route!  Looking back and even as I am writing this now, I can't help but laugh at his carelessness but really, there was just a lack of signage, direction and whatever else you want to call it. 

The run though held at a lovely location, was just poorly organized with the participants bombarding the main sponsor and the organizer at the end of the race.

Apart from the lessons to be learnt from bad preparation and organization, there is also the aspect of sincerity.  After the outcry of dissatisfaction, the main person behind the organizer issued an apology to participants on the official facebook of the run.  On the very same day, it was also reported in one of the local dailies that the organizer had her team lodged police report about the participants being unruly and aggressive.  To add salt to the wound, participants managed to locate the organizer's personal facebook where the participants were labeled as hooligans!  The participants on reading these, were of course incensed!  The issuance of apology was then deemed as just a public relation exercise. 

If you truly want to apologise, do it sincerely.  Otherwise stick to your guns and your stand no matter what.  Don't issue a half hearted apology then get caught because you'll just get into more trouble.

Half Marathon

It had been more than 20 years since I attempted long distance running.  Instead of going the full marathon, I've decided to test myself with the half marathon.  Last night, it was not only a test of my mental strength and physical endurance, it was also to set an example to my two teenagers who were participating in their first half marathon.

My main aim and only goal was to finish ahead of my two teenagers, to show them that no matter your age as long as you set your mind to it, you can achieve what you’ve set out to do.  It was a night run, so it was cool and good set up for us.

Getting ready for the race was fun.  We loaded ourselves with carbohydrate, then taking it easy till it was time to go to the Sepang F1 circuit.  Whilst one teenager was just ready to do the run purely as a runner, the other was determined to make a fashion statement as well.  We had her hair sprayed with lightning bolts and she was pleased with the results. 

Ready to go

Off we go!

She kept cheering the runners on - Thanks!

Though the run was badly organized and plagued with dried water stations, we had our fun.  The energy at the starting line was contagious.  The runners we met along the way were encouraging.  Seeing especially the older runners out there attempting the full marathon – it was an inspiration!  Then there was this generous kind soul who did not run, but she was shouting out encouragements to the weary tired runners around the circuit – “Thank you!”

The best of all was achieving what we had set out to do.  All the four of us completed our half marathon with sore legs but in great spirit!  I must say I am extremely proud of our teenagers who completed their first half marathon – well done girls!

Laughter

Quiet smile on lips, The smile suddenly bursts,  

Loud boisterous joyous sound

LAUGHTER!

An amazing expression that all human have in common despite the thousands of different languages and millions of dialects. We laugh even before we learn to speak

Laughter breaks down barriers and is one of the most endearing ways to communicate pure human emotion.  Even animals laugh.

 

 

 LAUGHTER 
the glorious sound of the soul awakening

Exposures

Yesterday my family went for QingMing - to the graves of my children’s great-grandparents whom they have never met.

Though I am of the Christian faith, and as contradictory as it may sound, I encourage my children to learn about their ancestors and pay their due respect.  Notwithstanding that there may be religious rituals overtones and making of offerings when families visit the graves, I believe that my children should be exposed to this.  They need not pray nor partake in the offerings, but there is no harm in my opinion for them to pay their respect to their ancestors and help clean up the grave sites. 

My youngest is getting to the age where he begins to question why and what are we doing during QingMing.  My teenagers are now able to help out in cleaning the grave sites and lend their young energetic muscles to carry the materials things brought there by their elders.  When the elders burnt offerings of "material luxuries", it was also a time for them to learn of how various faith/cultures pay respect to their ancestors.  

In two weeks’ time, my children will be going to their maternal relatives’ grave sites. There, they will be exposed to yet another way of how their Christian relatives pay their respect to their departed.

My children may not believe nor practice any of the above in the future, but it is my hope that through these exposures and many more to come, they will grow up learning tolerance and respect of others faith and culture.  Whilst there is no rule stating that we should understand all cultures completely, what should be the rule, however, would be the need for tolerance of those aspects that we do not understand.  The least I can do as a parent is to prepare them for this by teaching them to respect, understand and appreciate other traditions and customs.  For a multicultural society can only coexist peacefully when there is acceptance and tolerance of all those aspects that defy understanding.

"Stupid is as Stupid does"

My favourite phrase from Forrest Gump - "Stupid is as Stupid does".  Our educators and the relevant authorities may think we are doing great but if we continue to compare ourselves, not with the best, but with mediocres we will never progress.   Much has been written about English studies and our education system.

My six year old son had been asked by his teacher to write sentences using adjectives to describe two pictures of night skies.

He wrote and read this to me :

 "They look like they are cold and hot but never falling, only shooting across the sky.  They always can make a constellation.  They just look like little lights in the sky."

When I heard the word “constellation”,  I went “Huh? Do you know what that word means?”  He had very proudly explained it means a group of stars forming different shapes like bear, triangle and more. He is free to write what he wants and is encouraged to express himself.

Likewise in school last week, he and his classmates were taught to create their own investigations to find out if using different toy cars would affect the distance that they travel down a ramp. The children thought about how to make their investigation fair, what to keep the same and what thing needed to be changed.  After carrying out the investigations, they wrote what they did and their results. 

All the above are done with the great encouragement from his teacher.  He is encouraged to think and express his opinions independently.  I must say it cost us a fortune to enroll him in private school but our current local school system is sadly so lacking that we had no choice.

The above, I must say sadly, is in contrast to our local school system in general where children are taught to memorize the text books. In most cases, come exam times, they are to regurgitate what they have memorized, not learnt. 

Take the recent case of Nicol Paul Miranda where his teachers had allegedly lodged a police report against him for questioning ‘celebration of independence’ and the tenets in the Rukunegara.  Everything that is deemed to be incorrect are now tagged with “provocations that may harm racial harmony”.  The school later came out to defend themselves saying that Nicol had defaced his exams papers. Yes, the evidence they produced showed that but couldn’t the teachers have handled this trivial matter without having to lodge a police report? Is Nicol's inquisitive mind too much for them to handle?

I remembered during my school days I had fantastic teachers - of the highest quality with great dedication to their profession.  I am not saying there isn’t anymore around but far and few in between.  Teachers like Mdm Ruth Cheah who took initiative to take over a class where the teacher had left, was punished!  Has politics infiltrated our education to a point of no return?  So much so we have teachers who only choose teaching as their profession because they have no other options?  Isn’t this a reflection of the standard of our education system or rather the lack of it?

Whilst neighbouring countries' youth and graduates are improving their English, our local graduates  can hardly string a sentence in English correctly! For one of our Minister to say using English at work is 'weird', where do we stand in progressing!?  Don't they know proficiency in English language is vital and is one of the top three leading language in international discourse?

Singapore's teaching is notable for their outstanding Math and Science scores internationally.  In contrast, our teachers made headlines not for academic excellence but increase in rates of assault cases in school.  For Singapore, just across the causeway, their prospective teachers are selected from among the top one-third of high school graduates.  From which percentile rank of the education sections are our prospective teachers from?  You may ask why compare?  I say why not compare and compete with the best?  

A teacher who is attempting to teach without inspiring the pupil with a desire to learn is hammering on cold iron.   ~ Horace Mann ~

Night and Day

My teenagers are on their spring break – one week of leisure time.  Two very different approaches to their respective spring break.  Today in particular.

One has no choice but to bury her head into her books – revising for her forthcoming future deciding examinations.  Stress led to her midnight raidings of the refrigerator for tomatoes to munch on, and craving for green apples!  She drinks fresh milk and Milo by the gallons.  Tonight she'll de-stress herself by going overtime on her ballet pointes.  It is also expected that she'll have a go on her  piano till the wee hours of the day!

The other has been busy seeking ways and means to earn some extra pocket money.  She was asking her father and I to introduce her to part time jobs.  It was as though her drum tutor knew this because last Saturday, he invited her to join his band for a performance gig! The real bonus is that this 15 minutes performance gig has a payment that exceeds her two months' allowance!!!  She not only jumped at the opportunity, she grabs it – playing the drums has its benefits after all!  She is on her way to her performance gig now.....

It never fail to amaze me - these two teenagers of my flesh and blood - similar but yet totally different like night and day!

Build nuclear plant - are you joking?

Malaysia now wants to build nuclear plant(s).  A lawmaker said we should not brush off nuclear plant.  Can we do it?  Build and maintain it with stringent measures that a nuclear plant requires?

Let the records speak for itself below.  As it is, failure in simple maintenance works like those outlined below are already mind boggling!  Now want to build and maintain nuclear plant?  Gila!

Terengganu Stadium Roof Collapse - ONE YEAR after being built!
Read full story here

Newly built Sabah bridge found collapsed.  Read about it here

Our Parliament leaks again and again.
Our minister attributed the leak to act of God.









Date : 24th June 2010
Burst pipe at Kuala Lumpur Court Complex - "Burst pipe caused part of a ceiling at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex in Jalan Duta here to collapse again today. This is the recurrence of a similar incident at the complex shortly after it opened three years ago."
AND AGAIN on....

Date : 23rd September 2010
Jalan Duta Court Complex flood was due to the piping system in the ceiling being overburdened and bursting due to a heavy rain shower.




The list goes on and on and on.........  We have not even attained competence in simple maintenance works.  Yet now, the government thinks it can build and maintain nuclear plant?!?!  Isn't this self delusion in its purest form!?

Trust Abused

My heart aches having to read yet another article where a child died at the hands of the people who are supposed to take care, protect and educate them.

The latest being Saiful Syazani Saiful Sopfidee - an innocent seven year old boy had his life snuff out by his religious teacher who is also his hostel warden!
A TEACHER did this!
Saiful was beaten to death based on the teacher's suspicion that Saiful had stolen something!  According to news article, Saiful was allegedly tied up and repeatedly assaulted by the teacher for two hours before Saiful collapsed!  Was the teacher trying to beat a confession out of Saiful?  Saiful died defending his innocence, paid with his life!

The Sunday Times brought back the heartbreaking memory of Baby Bala who was battered, severely scared and violently abused.  He was left to die outside the Kuala Lumpur hospital toilet.

If I remember correctly, Baby Bala was only about 3 years old when he died.  During his short life span, he knew nothing but pain and sufferings.  He suffered burns, beatings and violent tortures before he lapsed into coma and died without ever regaining consciousness. 

The above are but two examples - there are numerous news articles about children abuses.
How can a human do this to another human - and these are mere children!!!?  Even animals take care and protect their young.

The Golden Rule

Have you ever been in a situation whereby you see someone abnormal and you somehow tend to pull back – our natural instinct?  I admit I have been guilty of this too.  I always instill in my children whilst there may be special people we come across, we should not make them feel different by treating them differently, as much as possible to treat them as we are, give them the dignity and respect that we expect from others.

I am so glad to have met a kindred spirit today.  Both of us saw something that we felt was discriminating and we simply could not let it go.

Sitting there by the pool reading a book, I was minding my own business.  Then out of the corner of my eyes, I saw flurry of activities from the children’s swimming pool.  The big gentle giant was asked to leave the children’s pool.

You see, at the club where I was relaxing, every weekend we are blessed with this innocent gentle giant who comes and play with our children.  He is a young man of 20 years old but with the mentality of a 5 – 6 year old.  He likes to play with the youngsters and sometimes not realizing his strength, he is seen to be playing rough.  The children who are familiar with him enjoyed his company, and he in turn give them piggy rides.

Today three gentlemen (who carried the titles Datuk) visited the children pool area and perhaps saw this gentle giant for the first time.  They were alarmed that this ‘retarded man’ was allowed to be in the same pool with the children and play with them.  They summoned the security guard, and instructed that the gentle giant be removed from the children’s swimming pool.  Because these men carried the titles Datuk, the security guard did not dare to tell them he is harmless.  These Datuks then summoned for the gentle giant’s younger brother (11 years old) and reprimanded him.  The poor boy was facing these three adults with his head bowed – if you were in his shoes you too would feel intimidated won’t you – a child against three adults?

All the above were done in full view of all the other parents who knew the gentle giant well.  We were all worked up but none step forward to speak up for him.  I just could not take it and thought it was getting a bit too much.  I didn’t even care if my club membership may be suspended, I just didn't like what I saw.  I then took the first step in walking towards these Datuks. On walking there, kindred spirit met me and together we confronted these men whom we had to tell off.  We told them to look across the pool and look at all the parents who were all upset with their behaviour. 

We had to enlighten them that whilst the gentle giant may be abnormal, we don’t agree that he be discriminated especially in full view of all the other children!  The message that these men were sending to the other children – that it is fine to discriminate and treat people who are different from us differently!!  Absurd!!!  One of them had the galls to inform us that he is ex-Mayor of XXX to which I simply advised that I didn’t recognize him but that does not excuse his behavior.  

My young son who is only 6 years old came to join us and told these gentlemen "Uncles, he is very nice to play with.  He is big but he is my friend." Children don't know how to discriminate against someone who is seen as 'abnormal' or 'retarded' in adults' eyes and children should not be taught to discriminate!  In the end, the gentlemen accepted our views and we walked away feeling that we have at least tried our best to educate these men. 

Confucius taught, “What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.”

Prophet Muhammad at The Farewell Sermon "Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you."

The Stoics promoted the principle, “What you do not want to be done to you, do not do to anyone else.”  

The Greek philosopher Epictetus said, “What you avoid suffering yourself, do not afflict on others.”