Category: life

Back in school, we’d always exchange cards when hari raya was approaching. Inside the card, there would usually be little messages of invitation and friendship.

Reading them would always bring about a good feeling about the moments and experiences that were shared.

Such beautiful handwriting

I enjoy receiving these cards. And I keep each and every one of them. There are some in my pile which are about 10 years old even.

Not too sure if the kids in school now even exchange cards anymore.

I know that there are sites like e-cards and ‘friendster’ where you could send your messages. But I feel that it’s still nice to have a physical item in your hands that you can hold and read without having the need to switch on a computer.

A card from someone I looked up to back in school

Some of my cards are already yellowing with age already. But it just gives them more character.

And I was hypothesizing, since this humble bloggariffic is read all over the world, would you like a card? I think its would be fun. Just email me your mailing address 🙂

For about a week in the office, we could hear the sound of a kitten mewing. It sounded like it came from the false ceiling.

Everyone was puzzled. How could the animal climb all the way up there? And how was it able to survive all the while without any food?

Yesterday, Ah Soon, one of the caretakers of the school took a ladder and climbed up to investigate. After a length of time, he didnt find anything and had to stop.

Ah Soon tried again today and he finally caught the little minx.

Isnt it adorable?

Of course it being unaccustomed to humans, it was a little wild. It bit Ah Soon’s hand while he tried to hold it, and it wont stop hissing, so he had to put it in a little cage for a while.

We didnt mistreat it, we swear!

Poor little fluffball. It was shivering and looked most miserable. I asked Ah Soon if I could have it for a little while.

I took the kitten outside of the office where there is no air conditioning. And I had a good look. It was a fuzzy tri coloured cat with lovely grey eyes.

As a kid, I’ve kept alot of cats as pets. Through experience, one of the ways to comfort them is to hold it and stroke it.

I decided risk having my hands clawed and gently held the kitten by the back of the neck then cradled and stroked it.

Amazingly she quietened down. She seemed a little puzzled at her surroundings but she didnt make a fuss.

Ah Soon noticed

Ah Soon : Want to keep it? I’ll get a box

Me : I cant! All my siblings has athma

Ah Soon : Aiyah, I’ll get a box and poke holes in it, you keep it ah!

Me : Cannot! (frowns as I do want the kitten)

Ah Soon : Keep lah! If not I’ll have to release it somewhere else.

Me : (panics and sees a student) Eh boy! Do you want this kitten?

Student : Oh yes! I love cats!

Me : Do you promise to take good care of it?

Student : I do! I do!

Lucky boy. Now he has a lovely kitten. I do hope that she’s in good hands.

—

I do believe that pets are good for the human soul. Caring for another living thing brings about compassion, love, care, responsibility and many other good qualities.

Its even possible to rehabilitate a person with a pet.

And why not? If a delinquent wont hear another persons advice, maybe an animal could allow them to open up.

I’ve always observed at how in general, people shy and rambuctious both alike, would turn into mush when encountering animals. Thats the healing power that these creatures have.

Its one of the rare connections that we have left, in a vastly disconnected world that we live in.

[audio:arabicsong.mp3]

This song has been around for as long as I can remember – even my dad said that he’s been hearing it since his youth. And yet it still sounds evergreen.

Every ramadan, the radio will play this right after the evening prayer announcement. So every time our family break our fast together, we’d hear this song.

When I listen to it, I do get nostalgic sometimes.

I started fasting since young. My parents would wake me up at an insane time before dawn and persuaded me eat something. I was supposed to not consume any food or water. Since I was just beginning, I started with just half a day.

As some years passed by, I fasted for longer and longer till I managed to complete a complete day. At the age of 9, I was really proud of myself. I was part of the ‘big people’.

Of course as a kid, there were days when I cheated. As a kid, I went to religious classes at the mosque. My peers taught me to drink the water that was meant to be for our ablution (Haha. Naughty naughty) and sometimes at home, I would peek into the fridge and pop something in my mouth when I thought no one was watching.

Ahhh … Those were the days.

To me, fasting is a spiritual activity which tests the human endurance and heightens the level of empathy towards the less fortunate.

And I feel blessed to be able to break my fast with my family to sit, talk and eat together as compared to the regular days when everyone is doing their own thing.

Perhaps I’m feeling nostalgic because I realise that there is nothing that would last forever. One day perhaps, my siblings will leave the nest to get married or to persue their own goals. And though my parents arent so aged, we all know that we are not meant to last.

Even the radio station is considering of changing the arabic song to something more modern.

We should enjoy and appreciate what we have right now.

Its now the 7th day of fasting and another 24 more days to go.