Living One's Life

Warmest greetings of a Very, Very Happy 2009 to all readers. A meaningful transition to Hijrah 1430 to all Muslim brothers and sisters and a belated Christmas Greetings to all Christian friends out there.

It has been quite sometime since I last blogged. I found out that I missed blogging very much and missed reading out others' mind. My New Year and Hijrah resolution would be to blog again. Even though I admit I can't be frequent as before but at least I'll try my best before the numbers of my fingers of both hands are up.

I was having coffee this morning when a man on radio 938 Live admitted that he proved to himself that being a real man is to go around chasing women for 2 years.
On the 3rd year, he realised that his wife and son had drifted very, very far from him. To make up for the lost time, he made effort to win back them and now, the 4th year, being a real man to him is all about strengthening the family bond. The good wife who once had to swollow the bitter pill of betrayal is now tasting the sweetness of her answered prayer for a responsible head of the family.

But one man I met in a neighbouring country did a very different way of being a responsible head of his family. He would rather have them sleep the whole day. He too would join them when not at work as a factory-hand. His reason is, they would feel the pang of hunger once they are fully awake.
Having 3 meals a day is impossible and is a great constrain to his already tight financial situation.

I did not believe the story when it was related to me. But understanding his situation, I admired Ana, my friend, who refused his down-payment in a business deal.

His monthly salary of rupiah 1,200,000 ( about S$170.00 ) is definitely not enough to pay for his rental and a wife with 2 small kids.
As the island of Batam is nearer to Singapore than Jakarta, our sadness seeing them shouldering their tough life is not anywhere nearer to them bearing the true meaning of toughness of life is all about.

God willing, I will be in Dabuk Island in a few weeks' time. Although I've never been there, but sensed that life for normal residents will not be much different.

Here we are all bracing ourselves preparing for the worst outcome of the worst world crisis ever happened.

The best lesson we can learn from our southern neighbours is how they feed their soul and mind and prepared to continue living in scarcity...