Perseverance.. My Lesson Learnt At Taman Negara

It was yet another interesting weekend with the ATMAH Project team.. a group of people from diverse backgrounds converge together towards one goal.. this time around it was camping in Taman Negara..

Through the rough terrains.. I persevered
With my bad back.. I persevered..
With my monkey mind telling me stop.. I persevered..
With my blistered feet.. I persevered..
And yes.. I finally did attain my goals.. I conquered the better parts of Taman Negara..

For fellow current and ex-zubedyans.. it felt good to be committed with action and savour the results.. many would have admired the spectacular view from the top.. but for me.. the exhilaration of completing the journey was spectacular enough..

There was one song that came to mind at that point..

I am on top of the world looking
Down on creation and the only explanation that I found..
Its the love that i have ever since you been around..
Your love puts me at the top of the world..

I felt like I was enveloped by the arms of the Universe.. it was a wonderful feeling.. the spirits were high though tired and I learnt many lessons that night.. thank you my darling pals for walking with me through this lesson and showing me another side of you..

• Susie for that smile that never wears off your face even in the most awkward moments
• Kana for the love and care you have for all of us.. you just have so much to give
• Vicky for your determination and wit that kept many of us going..
• Leena for your sense and sensibility..
• Revathy for your charm that got many tickled in their toes
• Kathir for your confidence
• Vela for us the other side of you that no one ever knew existed..
• Shantakumar for that brave front you put at most times..
• Renga the knight in shining armour.. need I say more..
• Liza the patience you had with many of us through our cooking sessions
• Kumar for ensuring we all took the final step together..

Lastly, in the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins -- not through strength but by perseverance ~Jackson Browne

Love you all..
dhena

Say It And Mean It

Growing up in a small town away from the city.. deprives you of many things and yet protects you from some things.. let it be good or bad..

Growing up in a small town, Valentine's Day was just another day passing.. but i was not spared of it.. i was 14 when i received my first stalk of rose from this boy i had this huge crush on.. hahaha.. melted my heart..

Interesting that when at a time when you are digitally divided from the rest of the world and you have no clue what Valentine's is but you are nevertheless engulfed and immersed by the attention and charm surrounding it.. nothing happened with that boy after that.. but Valentine's sure did follow me like a shadow through my growing years

Year after year i am reminded by it.. with the media hype which bridges the digital divide... you are not only bombarded from every nook you turn too but receive a barrage of sniding comments if you are not for it..

Many have become so centred to this day that we forget that everyday is a celebration.. why wait for February 14 to express how you feel to your loved ones.. yet its funny how we forget to say little things like I'm Sorry, Thank You, Take Care and I Love You to people who matter most to us.. So what would one day of over priced flowers do? I wonder..

My thoughts on this is.. let's cut the hype surrounding Valentine's and make everyday Valentines.. appreciate your loved ones.. love them like there is no tomorrow.. say it and mean it..

To all my loved ones.. i love you much much..

just a thot..

dhena

Relationships Are A Mirror Of You

I woke up this morning feeling guilty for not keeping up to my promise of weekly update on my blog..

I realized that all my disappointments are linked to my expectations.. and these expectations are entwined to my relationships either with myself or the people around me whether its loved ones or those i just met..

The past couple of days has been a roller coaster ride at work.. I am not only learning new things about people but also about myself..

The pas week made me more mindful of;

My annoyance with those who claimed who knew everything..
My displeasure with services rendered..
My irritation when someone is late..
My temper with common sense that isn’t so common anyway..
My disappointments when my expectations felt short…

And the list goes on..

Engulfed with guilt, I aim to finish at least one posting today.. but the universe had another lesson in store.. and this is my contemplation for the week

The people we are in relationship with are always a mirror, reflecting our own beliefs, and simultaneously we are mirrors reflecting their beliefs. So relationship is one of the most powerful tools for growth... if we look honestly at our relationships we can see so much about how we have created them.

~ Shakti Gawain

Such, my contemplation this week is all about learning from our relationships…

Just a thot..
dhena

p.s. May you emulate the coming year by being creative and resourceful to achieve your goals in life.. Gong Xi Fa Cai..

That Which Begins Must Come To An End..

Everything that Begins Must Come to An End I am told.. Such, i examine this statement further..

Birth and Death is inevitable.. the only thing that is constant in this ever changing life on earth.. Such the life we live is a temporary platform for bigger and better things i would like to think.. So if birth is at one end of the spectrum and death on the other.. life seems to be the only thing we have a choice about..

But then again.. how many of us live life putting everyone and everything else before us.. and then regret every moment spent doing it.. i happen to be one of them.. the people pleaser.. i am a work in progress.. am learning my lesson.. its hard but necessary..

The next question is why do we have to live our life to the fullest.. my take again, i want my obituary to read.. "the woman who lived life to the fullest".. so this day forward.. i am throwing caution to the wind and want to live my life 'sensibly' dangerous..

And to friends who coloured my life.. who got onto the bus of life with me and had to get off at some point.. i thank you from the bottom of my heart for having taught me valuable lessons.. And for those who are still in my circle of love.. thank you much for adding the drama in my life..

Love you all..
d

2007.. A stock take..

It was great year.. many lessons learnt and...

now moving on to 2008.. more resolutions, hopes and dreams.. Looking forward from the positive twist of 2007, i am looking forward for this year to be much more fruitful..

I want to contribute to:
1. Empowering the citizens of Earth..
2. Preserving Extinct Animals..
3. Enhancing the Quality of Air around us..
4. Uplifting My Soul..
5. Connecting to the Universe...

These might seem like a tall order.. but nothing can be achieved without us taking the first step.. such i am taking my first step towards my goals..

Initiating the change...

dhena

Relationship - Wine or Yogurt??

Relationships.. its up to the respective individuals to decide whether they want their respective relationships to age like vintage wine or curdle like sour yogurt..

Divorces are on the rise.. and you wonder why.. why is co-existing so difficult.. why is it that men and women date for years and a year after marrying the loves of their lives - decide to part ways.. Would this be expectation or is it just that our tolerant level has gone to the dogs..

Such i am moved to believe that marriages during our parents time was like wine and marriages today have become yogurt or soured milk... The mega million question remains, what happened with this generation?

Well moving up the ladder a bit to our neighbours.. how many of us know our neighbours.. bet most of us rather the privacy than some ‘busy-body’ neighbour.. the comradeship that the previous generation had is lost.. even in schools its apparent that the relationships between children of different races is non-existent..

Moving one notch higher to our country.. the state seems to be the same.. soured relationships everywhere.. This continues.. between countries too.. its so apparent that we ally with those who are of the same kind.. for this level of patriotism to our own kind, why cant it be towards humanity.. don’t we all have ruby red coloured blood running through our veins.. or am i deluded??

Just a thought...

d

The Command of the English Language

For the first time i was at awe when i watched Koffee with Karan last night.. the command of English made me wonder.. these are stars who actually have a good command of the language.. now coming back across the indian ocean to examine our Malaysian stars and their command of the English Language.. well, i think best for me to stop and not venture further.. a handful have excellent command of the language but the rest its at an appalling state..

Let's examine the subtitling instead.. that's gone to the dogs as well.. i wonder if at any point there is quality checks.. half the time the subtitling does not co-relate.. someone told me once.. they only take rejects to do subtitling.. the state of the english language is rotting and we continue to believe that we will be able to build a nation like japan..

Once when i met thisgentleman, he related.. why cant we follow the Japanese.. Has anyone even done a stock take of what we have and how hard they worked to get to where they are.. Are we Malaysians willing to work that hard.. let's ask the majority first.. I believe that what the country is reaping is from a small percentage of people who are willing to work their ass off.. whilst the majority prefer the verbal diarrohea and inaction..

just a thot
dhena