Cold Shower and Half-Hearted Endeavours

Yesterday at work, a particular colleague had some makeover work done and turned up at work looking quite different from her usual self. Naturally, her new look attracted lots of attention and buzz.

Sweet girl she is, so good for her.

Until someone made a remark that she only takes the effort to look good once a month, albeit said with no ill intentions. And well that just got me thinking.

1. How often have we allowed our careless mouths hurt someone else, (although) without meaning it?

At times, the impact may be so severe as to dampen the other’s spirits forever. Say the person has taken long to finally muster up the courage to speak in public. A remark on the person’s voice sounding somewhat like a squeaking hyena will hardly do wonders for the person’s esteem. In fact, it may even cause that person to shun public speaking for the rest of his/her life!

A mere word from us, but a huge and lasting impact on the recipient.

2. Do we go though great pains to excel in something just for a brief period? Is there consistency and follow through?

Remember a hobby or interest started at a spark of a moment?

Went all out to buy a gleaming new golf set, matching gloves and soft spikes shoes, a whole load of collared tees only to lose interest in the game after a few swings at the driving range.
A sudden passion for origami/sudoku/baking, only to see another white elephant accumulating dust in the already pilled high stack of equipments and tools (courtesy of previous attempted endeavours).

At what point do we decide to pull through until we at least achieve something. At what point do we decide to bite the dust.

The Child in All of Us

There’s just something about seeing old, graying man in their coats and tails licking away at a colorful ice-cream cone covered with rainbow sprinkles. In the middle of a working day!, if I may add. For that moment, just for that particular moment, they are transported into a world of their own, their haven.

For this entire week, I have been having ice-cream everyday after lunch. Hence, apart from indulging in my own little piece of paradise with each lick and slurp I take, I had the opportunity to witness grown people be caught up in their own world, a world where deadlines are forgotten, management presentations are not real, and the boss… the boss, who is that?!!

Ah… just for that one moment.

I guess everyone has a child in them. And everyone has just that particular something that manages to bring out that child. For some it’s hearing a favorite song on the radio in the middle of a crappy day, for some it’s finding a first edition favorite comic book hidden in the archives of an old dusty bookstore, for some it’s having a home-cooked dish made with love after a long time away from home.

For me, it’s seeing my dogs (Woofy and Tag) still respond to me after not seeing them in months; just sitting contentedly watching my family members talk, joke and laugh with ease and comfort and bask in all that warmth and familiarity; seeing a smile or hearing the voice of my other half at the end of a dreary day; reading the poetry I wrote many years back with a good cup of peppermint tea for company. These are a few of my favorite things. These are the things that transport me to a world of my own, to a sliver of my paradise.

And if all else fails, there’s still my rainbow sprinkled ice-cream cone.

Darn, now if only I didn’t have to get back to my deadlines and management presentations.

I'd Rather Have

Attended church camp for the last couple of days. And been sick the last couple of days before camp. A series of events; both unfortunate and fortunate.

Last weekend, had some insect bites all over my body. Was grumbling, fussing and bitching over the whole weekend… thought I must have gotten it when we sent lil’ sis back to her chalet-fied campus the week before. It must have been it! I mean where else would there be insects that’re so unaccustomed to my urban blood? It can ONLY be where the flora/fauna outnumbers the humans ie my sis’ campus! Argh.

Dear good ol’ doc couldn’t satisfy my curiosity as to the cause of the bites/itch. @#)(^*(#*&!@()#$!!! Just stuffed me with medication. Like I couldn’t have known or visited a pharmacy for that…

As things would have it, was down with high fever on Tuesday. Oh, darn. It won’t be, it can’t be… (whisper) dengue, could it? Well, I’m no CSI nor House wannabe, but put one and one together = the insect bites + high fever ?

Doc said that my fever had to be monitored over the next coupla days. Homebound. I hate being sick. Well, I guess everyone does. Hypochondriac, I am not. Makes you feel so inadequate, incapable and dependent. Well, at least, that’s how it makes ME feel. Guess it’s good at times to take a step back to see and act like the other side of the coin. Puts things in perspective. Ooo, perspective… I love that.

Thank God with some TLC, I improved. Dengue, it was not. Well enough to make it for the church camp in Malacca from the 23rd to the 26th of Aug, 2007.

The camp was good, though not as what my other half and I expected.

I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold
I’d rather be His than have riches untold
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or land
I’d rather be led to His nail-pierced hand

Than to be the king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin’s dread sway
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today

I’d rather have Jesus than vain applause
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause
I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame
I’d rather be true to His holy name

This song captures the essence of the entire camp. Easy to sing with our mouths and get caught up with music and harmony. But how do we fare in our actions, thoughts, aspirations and dreams? Do we put Him above all things? Do I?

There's Just Something...

We were at church Sunday worshipping. I usually have pianist duty but since dear lil' sis was back from her college that weekend, I got the chance to be next to my 'diamond in the rough' throughout the worship session.

There's just something about worshipping together; something so intimate, so beautiful about adoring and thanking our God together. It took my breath away. And this is just now when we are engaged... what more when we are married and seen as ONE in God's eyes.

The beautiful union between man and wife and man with God. Transcends this world.

All this is only possible because of Him, and of course, him.

The Beginning of a Journey, Personal and Cyber

It feels odd... my first words on this blog. The thought that it will be immortalised in cyberspace means intelligent and momentous words are called for to mark this 'event'?

Hhmmm.

I have always loved to write. From years back, I have dabbled in writing; therefore it came as a surprise (to myself, even) as to how come I didn't jump on the bandwagon of blogging.

So, there it is now. Here we are. The very beginning of my affair with blogging.

Anyways, I thought it appropriate that even as personally I embark on a new journey and chapter of my life, I begin a blog to mark and commemorate this exciting path ahead of and together with me. (Also to reignite my fire and addiction for writing).

This journey being my engagement. My very own personal leap of faith.

Many thanks to all who sent their well wishes.