Yesterday, Missus and I were out on our usual morning walk and came across this ugly scene. Some young saplings near a park bench (recently erected by the MPSPK) were destroyed. They looked like they were deliberately sawn down by someone with a hacksaw. There was rubbish strewn all around. The monster or monsters even built a bonfire under the bench. Such despicable acts of vandalism!!! 3rd world mentality at work.
Like stepping on other dancers toes or bumping into behinds on a dance-floor, I might have one time or other offended people without even being aware of it. Sometimes I feel that maybe I've used the wrong choice of words, but since nobody's telling me to shut up, I assume everything's ok. So, if ever anyone out there feel I've been stomping on your toes and making you feel really, really uncomfortable, here are my humble apologies. Let's just carry on dancing. Although unfortunately, my other half doesn't like dancing, I've somewhat retired from that ever since we got together.
But I'm not sweating it at all. Life has a lot more for me in store. Actually when I think about it there are so many things in life I want to do, or often thought I'd love to do. I'd need about the same number of lives as a cat to do it all. And the other factor is, I like to take my own sweet time doing the things I love doing because it's not work. And there's no deadline attached. And, hey I am really looking forward to retirement! Considering that I started working as a farm boy at age 5, all through school and after, I 've actually been working for 47 years!! But, ok, in all fairness, I did have some breaks and some fun in between. How would I have survived otherwise?
As they say, no one ever kicks a dead dog. So being alive and trying to live it to the full we simply can't avoid interacting with people. While doing that, being humans, no matter how nice and diplomatic we try to be there is no way we can avoid offending others or getting offended in return. The only thing we can do is to accept that this is part of life and take it in our stride. If you think someone is being offensive or criticising you, simply adopt the "Duck's Back" theory. You know, ducks feathers have a very waxy surface. That explains why they don't get wet in the rain or when those ducks go for a swim, they're dry as soon as they leave the water. Simply let all that unpleasantness dribble down and drain off.
Or you can also use the "Wet Dog" theory. Those who give their dog a bath should know this. The shaggy guy simply gives its whole body a vigorous shake. Don't know how it does that. Must be a natural thing for a dog. So that's why you end up having to take a bath yourself.
What I'm trying to say is that, in spite of what happens around us, or whatever people do or say, we can remain happy as long as we remain in control of our emotions. If we react to negative situations badly, then they will take us down with them. If we remain positive, we may find it to be a good lesson to learn. Here's my favourite quotation: "If life hands you a lemon, turn it into a lemonade".
That's enough of mind wanderings for now. I sort of got tired of writing rhymes to pass off as poems. Again, for want of trying something which I always wanted to do. Maybe these things need a lot more polishing. But I'll keep trying anyway. I got nothing to lose.
Before I became a father myself I couldn't imagine the difficulty in making certain decisions, especially when the welfare of the whole family is involved. Sometimes you have to make a difficult choice among priorities. Take for example when one of the boys has a swollen hand due to an infection, while you have a whole farm of vegetables to tend to, and farm animals to feed. And you’re shorthanded due to the dry season and the vegetables needed extra water to keep them from drying out. And it is especially during the dry season that vegetables grow exceptionally well and that means more work than you can handle. To take the boy to town to see a doctor would take off at least 3 hours of your time, during which the vegetables would bake under the hot sun.
Such was the dilemma my father had to face. And I was that child. My right hand was infected with a painful lump filled with pus. I was suffering for several days and the hand kept getting more swollen each day. To put to risk a sizeable plot of vegetables (we didn’t have the luxury of water pumps or sprinklers back in those days) which could perish and lose the income, which could mean hardship for the whole family, or let the boy suffer a few more days until the occurrence of a more favourable weather, which might not happen.
Meanwhile I couldn’t write with my swollen hand and my schoolwork suffered. The farm was short-handed because I couldn’t contribute my share. Mother could only do her part of the workload which also included most of the housework. My two elder brothers were then studying in the afternoon session. Father relented and took me to a doctor. Waiting for the doctor took longer than expected and sure enough, the vegetables suffered.
It was only when I became a father myself and faced with similar situations, that I understood the reason that caused my father’s indecision. Today, I can still see and feel the little scar on my palm. It serves to remind me of a father’s responsibility and care for the whole family and also for each child individually. It reminded me that all character building, leadership training and decision making has to begin at home.
My father did not complete even 1 year of education, but his advice for living were sound enough for us write in our hearts and remember for life and hopefully to be passed on to the next generations. What he couldn’t get from his limited schooling, he learned from observing the successes and failures of others. His favourite sermon: If you want to do good deeds to society or treat your friends well, you must first learn to love your brothers and sisters and treat them equally well. Otherwise you are only a hypocrite and whatever good that you do for society is meaningless. He has never heard of the saying, ‘Charity begins at home’. He just practiced it.
To all fathers out there, Happy Father’s Day.
Today I wrote a rhymic tribute to Screenshots (Jeff Ooi) on being voted as "FREEDOM BLOG', Asia.
A recognition for your tireless dedication
To truth and freedom of expression
Welcoming opinions to your timely reports
You've gained a multitude of public support
To help chart a greater destiny
Engendering a truly Malaysian identity
Personal leisure you often forsake
To weather on with whatever it is to take
And fight on despite threats so vicious
To uncover practices vile and atrocious
In a world so frought with insincerity and spite
You shine like a beacon in the dark of the night
The Mimosa is a thorny plant with pink flowers shaped like spikey moth balls. The leaves are like tiny ferns each with an inch long stalk which quickly bends out of the way as soon as you touch any part of the plant, exposing its thorn. It used to be a nuisance on our farm when it multiplied and spread too fast. We had to get rid of them every now and then. It was a fairly difficult task. If you grab it too gently you can't pull it off the ground as the roots go quite deep. But the harder you grab it the worse pain you suffer for the thorns are sharp as needles.
Over the years I have learnt to appreciate its beauty and treat it with respect since it is no longer a threat to my occupation.
Mimosa
The mimosa is a sophisticated lady
She grows seemingly fragile, sensitive and pretty
Standing on limbs nimble and slender
Sways in the breeze appearing so tender
Quietly by the wayside blooming in pinkish hue
Fresh in the morning still moist with dew
But touch her not or sharp thorns she will bare
She dares to hurt you so better beware
She cringes at every touch ever so mere
Take heed for that is no show of fear
If ever you invade or violate her virgin sanctity
She will defend herself with righteous ferocity
Her dainty leaves like fans she deftly lower
Swiftly strives to protect her every flower
So stoop not to take her in a manner so fierce
The harder you grip the deeper she'd pierce
This principle of nature to remind you less you forget
Within every life a means itself to protect
Judge not this lady by her gentle demeanour
Treat her with respect and safeguard her honour
I testify that I shiver not
From the weather humid and hot
Under thick blankets of clouds dark with anger
That promise of rain yet refuse to deliver.
But only yield a pittance some drops of water
While continuing to stifle the air and smother.
Inducing suffocating thoughts that our brighter citizens
Have gone for better promises in other nations.
Leaving us to shout slogans of 'boleh' falsely proud.
Empty halls where once our finest students crowd
Mingled with the children of who's who in society
Standing tall in their achievements with propriety.
Their parents and relatives beaming with pride.
Friends of different races cheered from every side
Now hide behind their titles in secret shame.
Whose children excel because of their name.
Will our future generations have to hold
Still, the epitaphs that read in bold
'Beneath here lies meritocracy'
In exchange for racial pride and supremacy.
But who weeps in vain for this nation
In the onslaught of globalisation
Unable to unite every citizen's brain or might
We fail in our ability to stand upright?
Wake up now every Malaysian
Whether or not you love this nation
Live by your conscience break the rules not
Positions of power be neither sold nor bought
Else all shall vanish under the global waves.
