Penned Down #43: University Life At Its Best

Dear Earthlings (and disguised Spacelings),

If there’s another place that I am somewhat familiar with (other than my hometown of course), it would be the exquisite Kuantan. If someone has accidently dropped me off there, I could have gotten myself survived at a percentage rate of 99.9% positively. Well you might say that I kinda knew the place like the back of my hand.

Funny if you should think that I graduated from a Kuantan’s business school. I am actually one of UNITEN’s alumni which its branch campus is located more than 100kms from Kuantan. I pretty had my five years of Accounting studies spent at Muadzam Shah; a brainchild of our Prime Minister’s dad. Frankly speaking, I had never heard of its name until I got there.

Instead of calling Muadzam Shah a fairly secluded area, I would prefer to portray it as a rather tranquil but well-planned town. The place was first built to become a fully established educational centre in serving the surrounding rustic provinces. So it kinda explained on why people (especially outsiders) would only find basic necessities close by.

'At one of Muadzam Shah's park when I was merely 19. Phew!'

Back then when I spent my time in Muadzam Shah from 2004 until 2009, the only shop to be available after 9 pm was 7-Eleven convenient store. Believe it or not, most of the shops would be closed as early as 7 pm onwards with no fast-food outlet to be found except some food stall and highway’s restaurants. And one of those few decent shops for us to get our groceries was a mini-mart called ‘Abadi’.

I could still recall its aloof owner who was not very fond of outsiders especially us students. At that time, most of us were having hard times with locals due to bad reps done by former students before us. I am not sure how things have changed now in Muadzam Shah after I left in 2009. Still haven’t got any opportunity to visit it yet though I would love to one day.

Since my friends and I could not find some appropriate places to shop in town except a pharmacy which sold limited personal stuff and toiletries, most of us had opted to go for Kuantan where fancy shopping malls resided and beach leisure was laid upon our eyes. I mean, who on earth did not find them alluring especially if you were a student. No?

During my first and second year in UNITEN, I did not have any cars with me. So every time we wanted to go for shopping, the only option for us was public transports like bus and taxi. It was actually pretty exhausting but the excitement shared with friends was beyond words. The best time to shop was of course when study allowances were disbursed. Bahaha!

'During our final years in Kuantan's East Coast Mall'

When I got my own car, I pretty much wandered around Kuantan all by myself. I learned to be independent during those times when I drove alone on that 106kms journey of 1 hour and 30 minutes (at average speed) either at night or day. And with trouble-free access to transport at that time, I was pretty sure that I headed to Kuantan most of my weekends. What a life, then! Teehee.

Anyway it was a fun life-phase for me; of which we tasted the freedom at rare and experimented life choices at most. Of course being in college/university wasn’t all fine and dandy; everyone must have some sad and sappy experiences to swallow. However it was probably the best time in life which no one could ever forget despite of how much our waist lines have increased nowadays!

Do live your life to the fullest, people!

Faith Friday #12: Surah Ash-Shuraa [42:28]

Dear Earthlings (and disguised Spacelings),

'Original Photo Courtesy of GrumpyCats.com'

"He is the One that sends down rain (even) after men have given up all hope, and scatters His Mercy (far and wide). And He is the Protector, Worthy of all Praise." Surah Ash-Shuraa [42:28]

Another beautiful reminder for us, people!

Penned Down #42: Embracing The Almost-Lost-Hope

Dear Earthlings (and disguised Spacelings),

I am pretty sure that every one (especially Malaysians) is well informed about the latest heart-shattering news by our Prime Minister in solving the ambiguity that followed our ill-fated MAS’ MH370 in last few days. Being me, to talk about things which is not at my liberty is something I would try to avoid as possible as I could.

'Courtesy of Financial Express.com'

So if any of you is looking for hot stories and facts that consist of what, who, why, when or how in relating to the poor aircraft’s episode, this is not the right place for you. My honest advice is you might want to hop on news portals which provide credible facts from trusted sources. Just don’t go to websites that worship speculations more than verifications, please.

To agree or not to, this incident has been causing a great regret to mostly everyone either directly involved or not. Walking on a fine line here, I must say this is not the right time to point a finger to anybody. An unprecedented event is something beyond the reach of human beings; if we must understand that everything is written by the hands of God Himself.

'Courtesy of The Malay Mail Online.com'

Speaking from heart, it is never too late to cling still onto any hopes even as littlest as they could be. A hope means optimism. It does not necessarily have to be a miracle but the fact that we don’t give up on hopes will sure brings a difference to everyone affected in due course. As long as we keep our faith in us, there’s always a tiny chance for miracle to grow on.

I, myself am not a pure realist. I am the kind of person who believes still in God’s miracle. And no, I am not a totally pious woman but I had never put aside my beliefs even when I fall into despair. Well I admit that sometimes I had my beliefs almost on the brink, but whenever I felt like quitting I would always remind myself that life is actually a big wheel as we see it.

'Courtesy of The Malay Mail Online.com'

It might justify our insights on life to realize that not everyone is going down forever. Sooner or later, the wheel will get us to its top like everyone else. Again, it is just a matter of time. Even so it is also crucial to remember that everything on top will get down all over again. So never overlook to be grateful to everything we own because they are merely momentary possessions to us humans.

So grow hopes in yourselves, people!

Penned Down #41: To Stay Silent & Sane

Dear Earthlings (and disguised Spacelings),

Sometimes when we don’t have anything to say, it is best to stay silent. Once Confucius had said, “Let the ruler be a ruler; the minister, a minister; the father, a father; the son, a son.”. Basically what he meant was if we don’t have the knowledge needed in certain things, it is wise to be an observer rather than to pretend like an expert.

'Courtesy of Space Cadet Bling.com'

Well I am not going to bash those morons who have made moronic statements about ill-fated MAS’ MH370 recently; most people have covered them nicely for me. What I am trying to say here is not everybody is entitled to give opinions on things they don’t perceive well. If it does not involve us, it is better to stay shut than making a fool out of ourselves.

Pertaining to every day’s life, being silent is the major key to a wise justification. Getting caught up in real life conflicts and to have dealt with a kind of people who were not that nice would have made us to be self-defensive and overly-vigilant in instant. Besides, it is in everyone’s nature to correct anything mistakenly judged upon us. True enough?

But dear, more we are trying to prove that we were right and they were wrong, more damages could have been done in between the process. What I have learned so far is that when people decide not to listen to us, they will never do it. It is like trying to speak up at a side of a road where everyone is honking their cars endlessly and nobody is listening.

Similar thing happened to me when people dropped by just to judge me in my own parents’ house. I constantly felt the pressure to roll my eyes out and defense myself in front of them. But no, I would not be dim-witted and do it. As The Hubster always reminds me, I don’t have to be as shallow as those people. I could do better than howling to some insensible rocks.

I have seen individuals who rang most of everyone they know just to explain how they were not guilty and how they turned into victims. While at the same time, they bad-mouthed the other party so they would get the crucial votes just to stay innocent in front of others. Well, to pull such a desperate stunt in proving their guiltless points? That was just sad for me.

Being silent does not mean we are frail and useless. It sure seems like we gave in and let those people won over us but the truth is, we won by being wisdom. So what if people mistakenly judged upon us? Someday they would eventually learn the truth whether they like it or not. As for now, let times do the justice for the whole picture. Always stay in faith.

Being silent is astuteness, people!

Penned Down #40: The Different Feeling

Dear Earthlings (and disguised Spacelings),

So last weekend The Hubster and I went back to Klang. My PIL is going to perform Umrah with his youngest brother and wife on this coming Sunday (or Saturday?) so they held a farewell gathering for a pax of 300. Supposedly there would be a blessing/thanksgiving ceremony for my late MIL but it was postponed before. So this farewell gathering was a joint occasion for my both PIL and late MIL.

We forgot to snap any pictures but the crowd was quite as big as a wedding's. Beside the fact that my PIL is one of the important persons in his circle, he is actually very kind to everyone he meets. So that explains why everyone is devoted enough to attend his every event now and then. Luckily for us (or me), we did not have to sweat ourselves for everything was done by appointed food caterer. So yeay for that!

Nevertheless, the feeling of going home this time was somewhat different than before my MIL left us. There was no longer the same warmness to wait for our arrival anymore. It wasn't me alone, I am sure The Hubster felt the same thing too. Things have been pretty different to everyone now; with some of them have turned more complicated than what I usually saw these past few years.

'My MIL's rest place now'

And it was definitely sad to see The Hubster recited Surah Yaasin at her late mother's grave. Sometimes he still had a cry or two whenever he mentioned about my MIL. I know that he misses her terribly, especially when he was in distress and could not find the same mother's affection any longer. I could totally relate to that because I know, my MIL is someone you wanna be as a mother.

Anyway, I always fond to meet up with a bunch of nice people in my in-laws family every time we go back. They treat me like I am a no stranger to the house and their loving gestures are genuine. They are not faking anything in front of me. The best part of all; I can be fat, ugly, jobless and whatnot but they would never try to judge me. These are what I call a true family, indeed. And how I love them a lot.

'The Hubster's cousins and aunt'

Being warm is more important than being a cold one, people!

Penned Down #39: They Talked About You, Too

Dear Earthlings (and disguised Spacelings),

It has been quite often for somebody to appear in front of me with this kind of look so obvious that it was written all over his/her plain face; the judgmental look. No, I wouldn’t call myself of being too sensitive and whatnot in interpreting body language but evidently, it was too noticeable to be ignored.

Actions speak louder than words. Call me a paranoid freak but as a matter of fact, I am actually not. What matters to me most is how my husband sees me, and how I see him. But to entirely say that I don’t give a damn about how people perceive me might be an act of improper contradicts. Well I am not gonna lie about it; I do care sometimes.

It is too devastating to see how somebody could have the shallowest idea of being better than anyone else. This is one issue that I have been keep repeating again and again but apparently, this kind of people never bothered to get the message. Why they never did is something I could relate to my earlier words; they might think they are too great themselves. Got me?

'Courtesy of MBird.com'

You see, it is not cool at all to think that we are the best to everything we are. We might have the feelings that we are the best daughter/son, the best daughter-in-law/son-in-law, the best niece/nephew, the best mother/father, the best grandmother/grandfather (and the list goes one) but ask ourselves this; do others feel the same like we do?

If you ask me, I know that sometimes we have a tendency to think we have been the best for people in our circle. We wanted to believe that we are better than anyone else so we tend to despise others who are not up to our so-called righteousness standards. For all we care, it is better to be the poor victim rather than the blamed villain so others will take side with us and boycott the unfavorable ones. No?

To give advices is good, but never do it based on biased point of views. Sometimes this kind of people would come to us and claimed to be all nice and naive in giving their preachy two-cents opinion. They think they have been given the mandate to correct things just because they are the good people and we are the bad ones based only on what they have heard.

Ironically, how can you be so sure that the party who had been speaking-ill about the other one is not doing the same thing behind you? They might have talked about you to other people too, you know? So unless we have been given medals of being the best person in the whole world, it is wise to stop the act that shows we are better than anyone else. We are merely God's humble servants here.

Think properly, people. Think.