The food cart.
Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.
Plato
Whenever she sees me loitering around the vicinity, she will call out to me to come over. Once she is done with attending to her customers, she will then kindly ask me about my well being. Sometimes she gives me food, sometimes she gives me money. She never lets me leave with nothing in hand.
All along I thought that I have nowhere to go to, that I have no one, that I have nothing and I am nothing. Her gesture made me feel that I can do something, that I should do something, and that I can be something.
-----
Two weeks passed since then.
2.04am Malaysian Time
The water spinach.
Of all the wonderful things in the wonderful universe of God, nothing seems to me more surprising than the planting of a seed in the blank earth and the result thereof.
Julie Moir Messervy
With each passing day, one discovers utmost joy in patiently and tirelessly monitoring the progress of these little things, that sprout from a few tiny little seeds.
Gardening, I suppose, will be a form of alternative therapy for me.
Day 4 for the kangkung. :)
8.00pm Malaysian Time
Of the dumbing down society.
Sis :: I saw this good looking guy! But he is around your age!
Me :: Eh? You're not thinking of matchmaking me with him, are you? *sis still has this sick fetish. the nerve.*
Sis :: Hey, remember that other good looking guy?
Me :: What guy?
Sis :: Oh. I forgot. You don't take notice of guys.
Me :: Try working with guys, guys and more guys.
Sis :: Some people have all the luck. How do you remain focused?
Me :: Simple. One of my ways to keep my sanity intact is by deeming all guys are married. Works like magic! :D
Sis :: You are one sick girl.
As a matter of fact my health is presently under siege. Blood test results indicate my blood is infested with bacterias that is making me lethargic to the core. *which explains why I can instantly conk out the instant my head touches the pillow* On the flipside, this means I can slack at home, drink yakult by the gallons to purge those bad bacteria out and catch up on some good 'ole youtubing whenever I regain consciousness.
Not half bad I say.
7.13pm Malaysian Time
Desired memories.
Our room faced the lake at Taylor's University College Lakeside campus in Petaling Jaya. There was just enough space for me to sit at the window of our room at Ruemz hotel, the perfect place for me to browse through my AlMaghrib class notes. Once in a while I will glance over at the sisters and join in the conversations, speaking as though we have known each other for ages when in actual fact, it was just the week before we became acquainted to one another.
It was that very week, in the afternoon, when one of the sisters came up to me and said;
I know we are supposed to do this solely for the sake of Allah, for the sake of our Lord, but I cannot help but feel that after we try so hard to assist the people as much as we can, we just end up feeling unappreciated. How do I overcome this feeling?
I smiled at her and responded with;
What we have to go through, is nothing as compared to what the Prophet had to go through. How did the Prophet feel when he tried so hard to give them the truth, yet they chose to hurt him instead? What did he do to overcome that? Remember our purpose. We are here to sincerely assist people, and by doing so, we hope to have our deeds recognised and accepted by Allah, Allah alone and not by someone else. Keep that in mind. :)
Soon after, I gave her a hug and we resumed our designated tasks. Later in the evening, the same sister came up to me saying she needed to tell me something. She hesitated for a while, tried to utter a few words, stuttered something somewhere in the middle, and I was still there, waiting anxiously for her to get it off her system. When it eventually came out, it just made the wait all the more worthwhile.
I love you for the sake of Allah sis. I really really do. May Allah reward you for helping me out earlier. :)
Despite being tremendously tired and weary after a long day at Taylor's, her words, and her hug gave me the last bit of strength to say;
I love you for the sake of Allah too sis. If you ever catch me having one of those low moments, please remind me too. :)
我想念她们。
9.45pm Malaysian Time
The actual reality.
When I was working in the education industry;
We often listen to the words being spoken, yet we interpret those words in its literal context based on our pre-defined personal opinions, which may at times be judgmental, tenacious views. In that process we eventually fail to grasp what people are trying to convey.
Thus, before we stop people in their tracks, give a thought on the underlying issues that made people utter such words. Listen to their behaviours. Listen to their facial expressions and body gestures. Listen to the things they conceal or have difficulties in voicing out. Listen not solely by using your ears, but include your mind and your heart to it. Strive to listen to the words which are not being uttered. Strive to empathize. Only then, speak.
Going home soon. :)
5.26pm Malaysian Time
Scattered interference.
Brother :: Why are you learning Mandarin from the language centre? Are we not Chinese enough? You can learn from us. As a bonus, we will throw in Cantonese and Hakka lessons. We may even throw in Hokkien lessons if you behave.
There has been a change of priorities, and since I haven't been able to commit myself to learning Mandarin from the language centre, I have decided to halt my studies there. Ties made aren't easily broken. I will definitely miss my classmates, and the staff, but we came to a consensus that we will make it a point to meet up elsewhere for tea-drinking and bonding sessions.
Presently I suppose it is back to self-study for me and possibly learning from my Chinese-educated brothers and sisters.
Sister :: Let her get used to the Cantonese and Hokkien sounds. Later on it will come naturally for her.
Should I be scared?
4.17pm Malaysian Time
