counting blessings

God has been really kind to me. I'm thankful for HIS blessings. For the past few days, I enjoyed myself truly. I caught Lion King The Musical. It was so lovely I'd really watch it again! Also, I wanted to get myself a DSLR as a graduation cum birthday present. hehe I needed to find reasons to spend for myself! At the counter, Papa paid for my newest toy Canon EOS 550D. I loved it. I suppose feeling well loved is the best blessing! I am gonna head to the airport shortly. It's a short trip with Sue and Naz to Bangkok and Pattaya. Will be back on my birthday. Perhaps I'd upload really beautiful pictures! Sawadee love!

Passing

I was up early, slightly after 5! I had a bad dream. Somehow in it, I saw my family crying. I got annoyed with myself for not able to get back to sleep on this Vesak Day. There was a call at home. I heard Mama's wailing shortly after. I rushed out of my bedroom and found out that a maternal extended family member has passed away. Mama has intended to visit him today. We received news that the late relative was critical last night. He returns to God at 2am with his big family by his side. He turned 88 a few days ago. I am thankful I get to attend his funeral cos of the public holiday.


Putting on the tudung took longer time than putting on my make up. This is probably the second time I attended a Muslim funeral. I watched the increasing number of people coming into his home. There were many more waiting downstairs at the void deck. Families and friends offered condolences to his immediate family members. I thought I would be able to refrain from crying. I was affected watching his family kissing his forehead to bid their goodbyes. One of his son had his lower leg amputated recently. He had to return to the hospital after the burial. He was sobbing a lot on the wheelchair as he watch his dad for the last time. There weren't any goodbye kisses between them.


I remember this elderly as a jovial 'uncle'. He was a fantastic cook. He was a doting grandfather. He promised me that if he could, he'd cook for my wedding too when he did so for my cousin's. The last I saw him was Hari Raya. He held my hand and wished me happiness and may I find the love of my life soon. We said prayers for him before his body was to put to rest. May God forgive his sins, bless his soul and grant him a place in paradise. I suppose we can see if a person was well-loved in his lifetime by looking at the day he passed on. There were many good words about him. He will be deeply missed by all who knew the good in him. 

Mothers' Day

We celebrated Mothers' Day yesterday at the beach. It was a pot luck celebration. I went there after placing my vote for the election. It was sunny and with no intention to sun tan, I was still baking myself. I had fun catching up with my love ones and enjoying the wide spread of good food with these lovely mothers. I went off earlier to watch Thor with Hiddy. I thought of Phil when I was at the cinema. I have not caught any movie since we stopped seeing each other. Watching movies with Phil was my favourite routine. It shall remain as a hobby in the past. He made such a difference after three years of movies for almost every weekend.


I stayed up with my mother, watching the election results. I have never been up for anything on tv this late apart from soccer. It is interesting to be politically updated somehow. Perhaps the social networking sites have brought the GE 2011 to a whole new level. I see that as a hot topic in Face Book and Twitter. The Returning Officer, Yam Ah Mee shot to fame. He should really learn intonation!


I'd to visit my paternal aunt in a Malaysian hospital. Just as soon as we got to see her, she was getting a transfer to Regency Specialist Hospital. I saw her frowns. I was praying for God to lessen her pain. She screamed to beg the nurses to stop moving her. I looked from a distance so that I'd not cause any obstructions. Papa looked sad. They have not seen each other for more than two years. I didn't accompany Papa to go to Malaysia for Chinese New Year or even Qing Ming. He didn't want to miss seeing his sister for the last time. 


We drove to the hospital. There wasn't any patient other than my aunt in the emergency department. With her eyes closed, she was grumbling about the pain. Papa got me to greet her. I did as told. She opened her eyes for a while to acknowledge my presence. She told me she wanted to die. She had tubes all over her body. She was hardly the plump aunt I knew. She looked so much like late Grandma. Her extended family came shortly. I saw my cousins and my nieces. I feel out of place cos I do not speak dialect and I am not close to any of them. I am only too glad to head home.


When I was doing my marketing at the usual supermarket, a lady approached me. She apologized before asking for help. She was holding on to Ventolin on one hand and some cash on the other. She explained she wanted to get milk for her son but ran short of $5. I offered her the money and saw how thankful she was. To me, it's not easy to put away one's pride to 'beg' unless outta desperation. I saw a mother's love on this special day.

G is for graduation, GE2011 and gorgeous May.

The graduation bear from Hiddy. 

Being back in school brings back FUN memories. I was there to collect my graduation attire with Hiddy. The kids, probably 19-20 year-olds graduating with us made me feel old. Somehow it was like watching Harry Porter and friends trying on the gowns. What was missing are the brooms and owls. Everyone look good and I'm definitely looking forward to graduate with my class, especially my bestie on the 24th. There are a number of events that I am excited about this month. I will share them in my entries in May. We have three public holidays; Labour Day, Polling Day and Vesak Day. No work makes me very happy. I have a new manager who drives me to the wall works differently from me. I need time to adapt to changes in my job environment. I have an eager 'assistant' now!


I shared the GD received, with my family as I am the only Singaporean at home. The General Election is coming up for Singaporeans to choose and elect leaders for the next five years. GE2011 represents my chance to vote for the second time. I can see that many of us are taking this GE very seriously. My dad is a PR for many years and today, he shared his personal political views. I have to agree with him that over the years, the government served their duties well. We have seen the results, now we expect changes and more improvements. I am grateful for their efforts. The opposition parties promise a better Singapore. Whoever our vote will go to, we should give sufficient thought to who we would like to represent our interests. 


On a side note, I received an email from an astrologer. I have never subscribed to her service but I found her readings accurate. Before I delete it, I decided I'd just extract the following analysis and post it on my blog. It was an interesting read. Apparently from a numerological perspective, she predicts that "the Transit which you will live through will bring significant changes to your life, and I might even say radical changes. This Transit will be a very favorable period and will have many positive repercussions notably as far as your love life is concerned but also from a material point of view and for the realization of a project that you have had in mind for a long time now.


I know that you have gone through a particularly difficult moment in your life and you are still going through these difficulties, notably in your love-life. At this time you ask yourself a lot of questions about the person who is in your heart and spirit but who for the moment no longer shares your life. One of your preoccupations at the moment is to know exactly how you should act about this person and until you answer this question you feel not really be able to be happy and content. Don' t worry too much about this however because I can help you to respond to these preoccupations by exploiting this period which lies ahead for you. I can also see that the questions you ask yourself make you stressful as you feel anxious about the time which is going past and the feeling that the choices you make will be irreversible.


In your relationships in general you are sensitive to other people's feelings and often put their needs ahead of your own, especially those of their family and close friends. You get a great deal of personal satisfaction from helping others. I have also strongly felt that you are intuitive; you have an unusually strong intuition. Being in touch with this power may be one of the reason why you are drawn to astrology readings and psychic experiences. In fact there is a very strong aura around you and an energy that is truly powerful. I am sensing vibrations from you much more intense than those I experience with most clients. I can also detect a lot of strong qualities within you, notably that you have a great deal of latent or unrealized potential. In fact, you are sometimes frustrated with the fact that others don't always recognize this or appreciate what you could offer. This is because you have not had the time to show these people and you also wish very strongly that the person who is in your heart becomes aware of these qualities of yours.


You feel divided between your desire not to make any commitments, your taste for freedom and your need to associate yourself with a much stronger base. You know what you want and you don't really like what is simply 'good enough'; this as you know has often made you difficult to be with in the past. Recently you have been energized by thoughts of exciting change but have not acted due to certain questions which you ask yourself, you want your life to reach a major turning point."


You left me when I thought you'll be there to witness my happy days. I miss you.