Faith Friday #11: Surah Al-Imran [3:139-140]

Dear Earthlings (and disguised Spacelings),

'Original Photo Courtesy of GrumpyCats.com'

"So lose not heart, nor fall into despair. For you will be superior if you are true in faith. If you are wounded, then know that the other group is also wounded. And such are the days, We alternate them between the people, so that God will know those who believe, and so He may make witnesses from among you; and God does not like the wicked." Surah Al-Imran [3:139-140]

Another beautiful reminder for us, people!

Penned Down #38: Not The Usual Weather

Dear Earthlings (and disguised Spacelings),

I said my utmost gratitude to Allah SWT when it finally rained last night. It has been a super duper weird climate in Malaysia since the last few weeks (or months?). I could still recall laughing at a cartoon column in local newspaper recently, which joked on how Malaysians were finally able to wear fancy winter clothes in this tropical country.

Locals in Cameron Highland were reported to finally able to wear their sweat-shirts in the noon since last 20 to 30 years. I guess the sudden dropped in temperature has welcomed mixed reactions from at least everyone. Of course I, on the other hand was in euphoria to be in the cool, breezy ambience. I always have this thing with air-conditioned environments, if you must know.

'Always loved winter; although never had it'

There was even an unusual report which we Malaysians seldom get to hear it often; frosts were somehow found on plants in higher grounds in Sabah! Although it was no close to snow but still, it sounded bizarre to me. Especially on seeing the huge fact that I am residing in one of the tropics with high humidity, dry wind and copious rainfall throughout the year.

And when I thought how any weirder could it top the situation more, we suddenly had to endure another drastic changes in the climate again. Not the usual chumminess but it was beyond everything familiar. It was too hot and too dry yet too humid. No sign of rains for quite a few weeks (which pretty good for laundry chores) but most of us had to suffer from poor signs of hydration.

My lips chapped so bad that sometimes I could even taste the dried blood on them. Of course it was not a pleasurable thing, well except that you somehow share the same Cullen’s bloodlines (of Twilight). So when it rained last night, I was pleased to relish every second of it. Now I know how rigid it is to be in countries with the slightest rainfall counts.

Well I used to hate a lot when it rained during the laundry day just because I was too lazy to rearrange the wet clothes for indoor drying. To be exact, I just can’t cope with the damp smell in clothes. But if I had to choose between wet days and hot ones, I sure love rain more than anything. But then I guess it is always a win-win situation to every God’s cause. No?

So let us be thankful to whatever weather we have, people!

Penned Down #37: An Apology Message

Dear Earthlings (and disguised Spacelings),

I would never have expected that my previous post dated January 21st had somehow offended a number of people in such a way I did not intend to. These are good people anyway but they have actually dropped me some apologizing messages considering if they might had hurt me by any chance. Seriously in my sanest mind I would not even categorize them for being brutally hurting me, ever. Like a serious NO!

Dear good earthlings, my so-called post was not intended to bring a stir to what I called a 'past'. What goes past me is something I have made peace with, so that it will never screw up my present life or even yours. If you really go through my post then you will be noticing that I have said I am now learning to let go my grudge towards anyone. It is sure one hell of difficult task but what I do now is to take one step at a time.

I am not rushing anywhere so it might take some times to forget those really hurting stuffs. But seriously people, I have forgiven anything as long as it is tagged under 'past'. So please, do not apologize for anything especially those things that I can barely remember at all. What happened between us before is nothing to be taken on serious term today and I do really mean it. So chill, people. Chill.

The irony part is the ones who have actually gotten me into real misery are never bothered to feel guilty at all. Unlike those good people I have mentioned above, these kinda people think they can go pass their afterlife judgements as easy as using a Touch 'N' Go card. Well guess what, life is not built in accordance to our own whim and fancy. So does in the afterlife.

To those who have known me, I wish to apologize for everything ill I have done towards any of you. I am not good in saying sorry but I really want to be that one person who's always willing to apologize and forgive. And to those people who have gotten through my email inbox, so sorry I could not reply to your messages directly. Some things just need some distances at a moment, if you should understand.

Let's reset everything to zero again, people!

Penned Down #36: The Pen-Pals Thingy

Dear Earthlings (and disguised Spacelings),

Browsing through piles of old file and folders from my primary and secondary school days, I came across the most valuable one among the others. It was the folder of my former pen-pals! Most of the memorable stuff and letters were actually dated more than a decade ago which somehow occurs to me how old I have turned now. Hek!

I do realize how this pen-pal thingy is nowadays considered as old-school (old but fashionably cool, perhaps)? Sure it is for today's teens are no longer lack in options to seek the windows to another world. They have Windows Vista, XP and 7 to do all that. During my time, the only window we had was some kind of a pen-pal organization. And mine was International Youth Service (IYS) which was based in Finland.

It was founded in 1952 and it arranged pen-pals among young people all over the world. Of course they still charged a fee for all their services but it was not that expensive for a kid, though. I think it was around USD1.20 at my time in 1998. We were given a simple form to fill up but most of the complicated handling parts such as posting and converting to Ringgit currency were all done by teachers.

'The IYS pamphlet-form in Yours Truly's safekeeping'

Unfortunately the organization was closed down in 2008 (no thanks to internet) but I am sure lots of people had benefited from its 56 years of service. Anyway I have just found out there is a tribute to IYS made by its former users (click HERE). Reading some of the comments have surely surprised me when some of them are still keeping in touch with each other while a few got married to their own pen-pals!

I do remember most of my pen-pals; well I even had a bestie among them (well, sort of). Her name was Irene Morales Dominguez from Madrid (Spain) and she was the same age of mine. It was her to first write me in June of 1998 and I still remember how excited I was to receive an air-mail from a country outside Malaysia. Frankly speaking, I never had one before hers.

We exchanged fancy letters telling all sort of things such as dreams in life. It was beyond amazing to think that a part of my teen life was chronicled in letters; just like the story of Mary and Max if I must say. The exhilaration was pure to us especially when we attached letters with photo, postcard, sticker and stuffs. You know, all the itsy bitsy things that could make a girl's day bright. Teehee!

'Some of her posted stuffs. She was in the orange sweater, though'

Unfortunately we lost contact somewhere in 2002. I could not remember why but I guess she must have changed her home address so my letters did not make to her hands safely. I did try to find her on Facebook using her full name but of course, not many of us would be using the real name on social platform nowadays. So we never wrote to each other since then.

Frankly if I had the chance, I would love to meet her again and catch up on things we have missed all these years. Not only with her but maybe with all my pen-friends such as Christopher Freeman from Oklahoma (US), Abhishek Bhattacharjee and Pavan Goud; both from Meghalaya and Hyderabad (India), Orhan from Derinkuyu (Turkey) or Talha Arshad from Lahore (Pakistan).

They might be married or have children or whatnot but I am sure it will be nice to hear from them again. In fact, I think my generation was lucky to have experienced the joy of putting pen to paper only to learn about different existed culture and languages. Letter writing, once very popular might be a hobby of a few now. But there were happy times indeed; with no fear of meeting shady people which is unlike today.

The joy of pure friendship from the good old days, people!

Faith Friday #10: Surah Ash-Shuraa [42:19-20]

Dear Earthlings (and disguised Spacelings),

'Original Photo Courtesy of GrumpyCats.com'

"Allah is Subtle with His servants; He gives provisions to whom He wills. And He is the Powerful, the Exalted in Might. Whoever desires the harvest of the Hereafter - We increase for him in his harvest. And whoever desires the harvest of this world - We give him thereof, but there is not for him in the Hereafter any share." Surah Ash-Shuraa [42:19-20]

Another beautiful reminder for us, people!