Malaysia - Happy MERDEKA!

Zenith cosy nook

Main office area

I needed a space – a space to work with others, and yet it has to be a place for my aspirations. Not any aspirations but my zenith aspirations.

Bright and airy, cosy and warm, casual yet formal.  Was I asking too much?   I don’t think so as I knew this place exists somewhere or I could create it.

This brought back memories when we first decorated our abode.  I was missing a piece for the living room.  I wanted a bench to complete the living room.  A bench, to most, is just a bench.  But to me, it was not.  I didn’t know what style of a bench I wanted but I know I would recognize the bench when I see it.  I would go into furniture shops looking for ‘this’ bench but I could not find it.  The man could not understand how different can a bench be?  I ended up looking for ‘this’ bench for 3 years.  The minute I laid eyes on ‘the’ bench I knew I found my bench.  It was love at first sight.  Now it has been sitting in my living room for more than ten years. 

Nomad rice bench

This beautiful bench was originally used by the nomads to transport their rice supplies. It is carved out of a solid tree trunk.  I now use it as a bench as well as board games storage space.  

 

"Hello" foyer

My aspiration space – I’ve found the blank canvas and created the ambience.  This space is to nurture my aspirations, fill it with fun, inspirations and along the way transform lives.  

For serious work

Zenith is derived from Arabic samt ar-ras 'the way or road above one's head - figuratively, the point of culmination; the greatest height.  To me personally, my zenith aspirations, dreams, ambitions are only words.

"Skies" - the meeting room...

It is only when I can combine these words with a fervor to make them a reality that these words become tangible. I aspire to make mine a reality, but always keeping in mind what a good friend once told me ...... 

..with practice putting green

work hard but "always take time to smell the roses".      With that in mind, I created my new office space combining formal business space with casual ambience and lots of colours.

We all have our own life to pursue, our own kind of dream to be weaving.  And we all have some power to make wishes come true, as long as we keep believing.  ~~ Louisa May Alcott ~~

Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today.

~~ James Dean, the symbol of rebellion ~~

Tender Delicate Hope

My younger teenager is just starting her IB and working towards her exams in 2013.  That sounds like a long time to go, isn’t it?  I found out tonight she is already putting so much pressure on herself though it is more than 20 months away!   When she was twelve and was about to sit for a major exam, she was so stressed up.  But instead of studying she simply went cycling to de-stress.

This younger teenager is the happy go lucky one, giggling spontaneously and getting excited over small little things.  Anyone and anything in the entertainment world you want to know, just ask her.  She is the only one in the family who twits and had been sent to twitter jail – for twitting too much within a certain timeframe.

“Behold your body is your temple” – this is what she says all the time.  She takes extremely good care of herself pouring loads of lotion to moisturize herself.  If we are at the beach, it is sun-block complete with wide brim hats to match her swimwear.  Very health conscious and extremely active in sports.  Fashion is within her zone but she is mindful not to spend unnecessarily lavishly.

All the above are what one could observe of my younger teenager.  Unbeknown to most, she is also the more sensitive one.  Her tough exterior is more of a defence mechanism that she has put up in case she gets hurt, be it by comments passed or through actions of friends or loved ones.  Quick tempered but just as fast as it comes, it fizzles out just as quickly.  Her strongest strength is her determination.

There was an occasion where she took up my challenge to swim twenty laps non stop in an olympic size swimming pool in exchange for her very own Blackberry.  Not known to be a strong swimmer and had never completed swimming a lap without stopping, she took up my challenge.  She swam from early evening till the sun set.  For her determination in completing the challenge, she was rewarded with her very own Blackberry.

Tonight at our family dinner, we were all laughing and talking about stuff in general.  Out of the blue, the subject turn to studies and IB exams.  The mood at the table changed instantly just within the snap of a finger.  My younger teenager, the livewire of the family suddenly turned moody and broke down.  Such is the pressure she puts on herself to achieve good grades even though she is just one month into the IB two years.

The name, Nadia in Russian means "hope" or it can be a variant of Nadiyya which, in Arabic, means "moist, tender, delicate".

To me, my livewire is the tender delicate one.  Delicate to look at but also tough.  She reminds me of Lily of the Valley, an old-fashioned perennial that looks so delicate with its tiny bell shaped flowers but this hardy shady lover is anything but delicate! Lily of the Valley is a tough-as-nails perennial that can grow in the deep shade of large trees and shrubs.

Delicate but tough, my 'hope' is also the loyal to the end, she’s one to be by your side come what may.

I pray that that my “tender, delicate hope” will continue to grow even in the deep shade or large trees and shrubs like the Lily of the Valley.  Above all, not to forget continue to take the time to go cycling.

My "tender delicate hope"

Whatever you do and wherever you go,
I will continue to always whisper a prayer for you
Because I love you, always
~Mummy~

Zeta-omega-eta

In eight days, my little ballerina will leave the nest. She is looking forward to the new chapters in her life including dancing in the rain in her trenchcoat.

I remembered the first day day she sat for the IB exams.  She came to me and said

“Mummy please pray for me.”

To hear that, it truly warmth my heart.  I told my little ballerine “I’ll not only pray for you, I’d like to pray with you.”  Sitting for her university entrance exams was quite a daunting experience.  To know that she would reach out to me to pray with her just warmth my heart so. 

That day also brought me back to the day she heard the news of the demised of a terrorist.  Instead of joining her friends in chorus of jubilee and celebration, I remembered her clearly simply saying “No matter what, it was a death of a person.  I won’t want to rejoice in it.  I won’t rejoice in the death of someone even if he is my enemy.”

When she declared the above, she did not know of what Martin Luther King had said.  I told her that’s exactly what Martin Luther King said.  She celebrates life just as she has been named, Zoe.

The Greek word ‘zoe’ written 'zeta-omega-eta' is usually listed as meaning 'life'.  It can also mean 'a (means of) living', 'subsistence', 'goods' or 'property'.

There are times her stubbornness can drive me up the wall.  Many a time I have been exasperated by her oblivious to her surroundings, her lack of urgency and awareness of what is going on around her.

 

All in all though, I know she has a good head on her shoulders.  I am ready for her to leave the nest.  Soar my little ballerina, soar.

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives but I will not rejoice in the death of one, even an enemy."    

~~ Martin Luther King, Jr ~~

R & R

“Please go and write. You should rant, rave whatever on your blog.  You’ll feel better.”

 

The above is what my teenagers would tell me and this afternoon was no different.  I oft rant and rave to the man and my teenagers, if they are around, on issues that I feel strongly about.  My R&R, is the abbreviation for rant and rave – not rest and relax! 

When I get to R&R to my teenagers, that does not mean that they listen to me.  To my teenagers, my R&R is just me letting off my angst. 

They have long learnt earphones are their best friends!  They let me go on and on and on….. by now they are smart enough not to interrupt, they just go hmmm, yes, correct…..  Any contradiction to my views will only get me ranting more and non stop.  They’ll put on their earphones and I’ll just get on with my rantings.  Usually after I’m done, I’d feel much better and then we go down for snacks!

There was once when my sister called from Canada in the middle of my R&R.  She called at the wrong time! I felt sorry for her.  Instead of our normal sisterly conversation, I just plunged right in and told her what was going on, how I felt etc etc.  Poor sister – not that she is not used to this after our growing up years together – but to be caught in the middle of my R&R when she just called to talk……. well that’s what sister is for?

 

Today my family got me this book

They were like hawks looking at my reaction on receiving this book

Sorry to disappoint them, I look forward to reading the book!

A non too subtle hint in the book title?

A book I’ll enjoy reading nonetheless

ZP

On Wednesday, 17^th August 2011 ZP came into being. 

However I did not know of its existence until yesterday morning when I had received a call announcing the birth of ZP.  The person on the other end of the line asked that I go and collect ZP as soon as possible.  Two days to the deadline I’ve set for myself.   

 

Today one day to my deadline, I went to collect ZP and its birth certificate. 

I am so glad it is done.  ZP is officially here!

We all have our own life to pursue, our own kind of dream to be weaving.  And we all have some power to make wishes come true, as long as we keep believing.

~~  Louisa May  Alcott  ~~

Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today.

~~  James Dean  ~~

Faith

I just have to write about this, to share this.

I am always humbled and amazed by God’s mercy and faithfulness.

I,for one am not the regular pious nor the typical well worded Christian.  Close friends and loved ones who know me well will testify that the way I swear can put a sailor to shame. A bad habit I have been trying to rein in and am still trying… and bad that I am, He has never ceased to bless me though as unworthy as I am.  Time and again, God has blessed me so where I can only give thanks and give back in return.

In this early hours of the morning, God has just answered my prayer in a most spectacular manner.  Don’t get me wrong.  There was no great white sparks, firecrackers, lightning bolts or bright lights from heaven.  Just in His simple way He gave me the answer that I have been seeking in prayers for the past few weeks.

  

In providing me with an answer to my prayers, He showed me in the most modern way possible - via skype! I found out how a beloved man made a courageous decision against all odds and norms.  Such a tremendous hard decision to make but this beloved man made the stand nevertheless after much prayers and with the support of his beloved wife and family.

 

With his wife sharing this confidential detail with me via skype, she did not know that I would be so blessed to witness such faith.  Simple faith simple step but yet it takes such a lot of courage and obedience.  When this beloved man and his family put their faith in God, they know that God will provide for them in His own way in His own time. 

I thank you for sharing with me.  I am very blessed by you and your family.  In turn I pray that you will continue to open up your hearts to Him and blessings that come along the way.  I dedicate this great hymn to you.  Much love always.