A New Year Wish for You

 

May Light always surround you;

Hope kindle and rebound you.

May your Hurts turn to Healing;

Your Heart embrace Feeling.

May Wounds become Wisdom;

Every Kindness a Prism.

May Laughter infect you;

Your Passion resurrect you.

May Goodness inspire

your Deepest Desires.

Through all that you Reach For,

May your arms Never Tire.

~ D. Simone ~

A Vegan Christmas

 This is the time of year when my sympathies go to my feathered friends, the turkeys. This Christmas, thousands if not millions will join their departed old friends in Turkey Heaven. They will be renewing acquaintances and will enjoy a new life free from fear of being carved up on someone's dinner table. This age old Christmas tradition will never end and I'm still hoping for the day when people will opt for vegan turkey. These mock birds are not new in the market and I understand they taste as good as the original. So make the switch NOW, eat tofu and save a turkey!

Quote

Here's a lovely quote from a dear friend:

"A pretty face is nothing if we have an ugly heart."

How true!  So take care and let your inner beauty shine through.  Be genuine, sincere, generous and caring at all times!

New Year In Peace

Today we're in to our second day of the Chinese New Year.  I paid a visit to my nearly 90 year old aunt yesterday.  When she opened the door, she said without a moment's hesitation, "I knew you would come."   She ushered me into her living room and signalled to me to sit down.

Aunty lives alone.  Her daughter and family live outside town and had gone away for the new year holidays.  For as long as I can remember, we busybody relatives had urged her to go and stay with her daughter so that the latter could take care of her but she had stubbornly refused each time.  

Despite her age, she looked so bright and fresh in her red blouse with Chinese collar which she always wears on the first day of the new year and which she had worn for the past few years in succession. There was a plate of oranges on her living room table and a jar of new year cookies.  She had always been frugal and kept everything simple.  

As I looked at her, it came to my mind that someone once said what's the use of having children? You spend years looking after them and after they grow up, they leave the nest.  While some show gratitude to their parents, some opt to spend their lives away from them.  But in Aunty's case, she chose to be alone and she  likes it this way.

Kung Hei Fat Cai, Aunty!  

Good News

The good news is that my cousin has been discharged from hospital and is back in the old folks' home. We are all relieved and hopefully she will stay well.  I believe it's her guts that keep her going.  So much like my dear Mum.

Get Well Soon

I was rather distraught to hear that my cousin, the one who stays at the old folks home, had suddenly been admitted to hospital.  I was told she had a slight stroke and one of her kidneys is impaired.  I paid her a visit yesterday and though the nurse said she is doing well, I found she was very down in spirit.  I did all I could to comfort her and I hope she will recover.  It was quite depressing to see so many sick people around her and I can understand how she must be feeling  I told her I would pray for her, at which her face lighted up and she seemed less troubled. I do hope God hears my prayers.

Sharing and Caring

Last Sunday I visited the residents of a home for the aged together with my friends and provided them lunch.  One of my cousins stays there and I was happy to see her again.  She looked quite well and I was told by the nurse that she has a very good appetite!  Unfortunately she is not able to sit up in bed without help nor can she sit in a wheelchair any more as she keeps sliding down.  I also noticed she had lost some of her teeth as a result of which her speech was not very clear.  Other than that, she appeared to be quite happy and couldn't wait to tell me of the goings-on in her ward!  Incidentally, she finished two bowls of the broth we brought! 

The Mind Horse

I visited my cousin in hospital this morning.  She had been admitted yesterday because her blood pressure had shot up to a dangerous level.  When I asked her what happened, she said she is a born worrier and recent events had left her very stressed and almost close to collapse.  Well, she's not the only one who's a born worrier.  I guess it runs in the family! The mind is like a wild horse and unless we catch hold of the reins and bring it under control, we shall be forever at its mercy.  Let go and let God is the best advice anyone can take.

Hereafter

Cancer has taken away another of my old friends whom I've known for more than 30 years.  He was only in his sixties.  Somehow I had always thought he would live up to a ripe old age, something like 80 and beyond.   Nobody expected the end would come so soon.  It often takes the loss of someone dear to us to realise how short and impermanent life is on earth.  To my friend, may you find eternal peace in the hereafter.  I shall miss you.

Three in One

People are getting kinder everyday.  This morning, I was waiting for a car to pull out so that I could take its parking space. I was quite surprised when the driver, a young lady, suddenly jumped out of the car, ran over to my car and gave me her parking ticket. It was a one hour ticket but she had used only ten minutes.  I thanked her very much and went into the supermarket to do my shopping.  When I came out, I found I still had twenty minutes left.  A car had just pulled in beside me, so I passed the ticket on to the driver!  One parking ticket shared by three persons!  That little random act of kindness started by one young lady certainly made my day!

Visiting My Cousin

I visited my cousin at the home for the aged this morning.  Although she was busy eating her broth, she saw me coming in and waved to me.  I was happy to see that she was still in good spirits!  Unfortunately she seemed to have contracted some infection on her legs which were heavily bandaged.  She wasn't the least worried about them and continued to chat with me.  I could see she recently had a haircut.  She is lucky in that the home is visited regularly by groups of well wishers who not only cut the old folks' hair but also serve them food and entertain them with song and dance.  I hope she will continue to enjoy her stay there.  Bless you, cousin and see you again soon!

New Year Blues

I visited my 87 year old aunt (she'll be 88 this year) during the new year and found her in a despondent mood.  Living alone can be rather depressing and I'm not surprised that she was rather down.  She has few visits from her daughter who lives out of town and her only companion is the telly.  She said that she couldn't understand why God let her live up to this ripe old age when she was raring "to go" and see what's on "the other side".  I tried to cheer her up by telling her how blessed she is to be still healthy and mobile at this age while others are in a worse off situation.  She snorted at what I said and told me I'm too young to know anything.  I wish she would be less grumpy and be happy and carefree, like she used to be when she was young.

Merry Christmas.

December is a month of LOVE and FORGIVENESS

A time of giving of ourselves to others
A time when people get together
and a time where Lovers give time for each other.
This is the time for Yuletide carols
Where choirs sing in every house
Giving joy to all the family
for their simple songs that Christmas brings.

This is also the time for giving of ourselves
To share the blessings that we have to others
That we bring joy to them
So that they feel the spirit of Christmas too.

Christmas won't be the same without helping others

Helping them that comes from the heart

Christmas has no meaning without giving of ourselves

Because we are an instrument of God's LOVE this Christmas. 

~ Marife Figueroa ~

Old is Gold

Last Sunday, I paid a visit to my cousin who's staying at a home for the old.  She was looking well and healthy and couldn't wait to regale me with stories of the goings-on at the home and the visitors she had.  She sleeps in a ward of around 50 old people and not all of them get along with each other unfortunately. Only those who are sick do not get involved in petty quarrels!  My cousin for one is pretty obstinate and loves to pick a fight with the nurses but then there's really nothing for her to do.  I hope she doesn't do it too often, she might just get kicked out!!

Spread Kindness

Drive Carefully!

I was appalled to see a video of a freak accident the other evening. This lady, after filling her car at a petrol kiosk, started her car to leave but apparently her slippers got entangled with the accelerator and she lost control of the car. It crashed into the vehicle in front of her, ran over its owner who was standing beside it and finally crashed into a nearby fence! Apart from several broken bones, the man lived to tell the story! So, drivers, do wear sensible shoes when you're driving - and be careful!

Food for the Mind

A friend confided in me that she had recently seen a psychologist.  She had been depressed since her husband's death and needed someone to talk to. She said her session with the psychologist did help as she had gained new insights on life which she had not even thought about.  I asked whether she would continue seeing him.  She looked at me in horror and gasped, "What?  You must be kidding! At RM250 an hour, I'd rather spend the money shopping!"  I wondered why she didn't think of talking to me, I wouldn't have charged her a cent or well, maybe, just a lunch!

Courage

I went to see my friend the other day, the one who is currently undergoing cancer treatment.  I was glad to see that she looked none the worse though she's now wearing a scarf over her head after having gone through two chemo sessions and suffered some hair loss.  She was in fact very cheerful and appeared to have taken everything in her stride.  I gave her two books to read and although I asked her to go upstairs to rest, she refused and sat chatting with me for some time.  She  reminded me again of my Mum.  Such courage and determination to live.

Kindness

It is said that the true nature of man is kindness.  One good example is that of a 65 year old woman who spent more than US1,000 to buy up about 100 dogs that were to be killed for the recent dog eating festival in Yulin, China, thus saving them from a gruesome death. Thank goodness there are still people like her around!

Fighting Spirit

My cousin stays in a home for the old.  Despite being physically handicapped, she is bright and cheerful.  She reminds me of my Mum - they both have the same courage and fighting spirit.  I hope the angels will keep a close watch over her.