This is My House

     Its so sad.. I found out recently a primary schoolmate of mine from SRKBD passed away from cancer. She was such a sweet little thing, and to be gone forever at the age of 24 makes you really stop and think. I just hope that wherever she is, she’s in a better place. That makes her the 2nd friend I know to pass away from illness, and the 5th friend to pass on. Em- keep on smiling sweetie!

     What kind of legacy will I leave behind when its my time? *note: A recent stay in the hospital with a bout of dengue did get me thinking along these lines.* No one likes to talk or even think about DEATH do they? Its an ‘unglam’ subject, and considered taboo to even talk about in case we jinx ourselves (yes, i have met such superstitious people). Maybe its a matter best left entirely up to personal musings or with extremely close friends only.

      I vowed to not take everything for granted and to find meaning in my life after Joshua’s passing in ‘98. But its hard to keep the faith when the world’s all nutters- attacks with bombs exploding concurrently, from Bali to London to Egypt. Seems like some people out there are hell bent on DESTRUCTION. High school shootings and senseless death. People killing their own families. What kind of madness has humanity wrought upon themselves?

      But the saddest thing I find (and this is where I struggle to find meaning) is the ‘tidak apa’ attitude of people, and yes, even my own friends and family. As long as its no skin off their noses, then its none of their concern. The apathy and the indifference..its sad. The Dec 26 tsunami that struck our neighbouring countries was a fine example. *credit to Yen for information re the Red Cross drive*

      I couldn’t believe how some of my friends and my family didn’t even want to lift a finger. Yeah, its all good to donate money but you can’t ignore the fact that tonnes of food and supplies was to be shipped over and it needed to be packed properly beforehand. Like thinking about physically helping out was too difficult of a chore. Geez.

     A certain someone who wasn’t even working and who was on uni break (Translation: LOTS OF FREE TIME) even told me ‘No thanks babe.. that’s not my scene. You go ahead la.’ So what’s your scene? Being comfortably lazy and prefer cruising around in a mall looking for chicks? What’s so goddamn hard about spending one or two afternoons packing supplies? Not like its asking you to pull out teeth or camp overnight there. Not like the Red Cross centre was 5 hours drive away. What’s more the tsunami struck close to home so all the more reason to get involved right? NO.

     I guess maybe they thought it was too small of a difference to make. But you gotta trust that even if one box of biscuits or clothing reached them, someone did not go hungry or cold that night. Things that we all take for granted nowadays. Still, there remains a minority who are a tiny bit compassionate. Those who don’t think of people in monetary terms and benefits. Thank god.