I had just entered the basement parking of a shopping complex when I saw a lady shopper approaching her car.
Her car was parked at a premier parking location - just in front of the entrance.
Secondary only to the disabled car parks.
My car was just in front of hers.
But my car position wasn't right and there was a car behind me so I couldn't reverse.
It's obvious that it's the car behind me who would be the lucky one.
I lamented at my loss.
I parked my car about 50 metres away.
As I was stepping into the entrance of the shopping complex, I saw a man with his grown son (I presume) on a wheel chair. They were the ones who got that lucky parking.
The father closed his car door and I realised that it must have taken him awhile to help his son alight from the car.
I'm glad I missed that parking.
I would not want to deprive this father-son of such convenient parking.
This is definitely one of those "Everything just falls into the right places" moment.
Friday, March 31, 2017
Thursday, March 09, 2017
“I met my wife when I was seventeen. I didn’t want to tell her about my schizophrenia. At the time, she liked another guy who had no issues and I didn’t want to ruin my chances. I hid the disease for a long time after we married. I would always find explanations for my strange behavior. I’d make up stories to explain my violent outbursts at work. But it got to be too much.
By the time I admitted my disease, it was too late. She got a restraining order a year ago. I had an outburst and I hit her. She has forgiven me for the sake of our children, but they don’t live with me anymore.
I’m on five strong medications now. I still have some difficulty controlling the pace of my thoughts. Some thoughts will begin before others end. It’s like my mind is divided. It can be tough to keep both feet in reality. But I don’t want any more problems.
I’ve detached myself from everyone. I don’t speak at work. I spend my time alone. It’s my only way to live a normal life.”
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) from Humans of New York
By Jerry Carino
NEPTUNE, N.J. - The gentleman was a regular customer at The Home Depot, but he could not find the right washer among a sea of them in the hardware department.
Sales associate Kevin Woolley came over and solved the problem in five seconds.
“No. 10, right there,” Woolley said, pointing to the elusive piece.
“That’s why I look for him,” the customer said, gesturing to Woolley. “I would have been here an hour trying to find this thing.”
It’s an ordinary day on the job for Woolley, a 40-year-old from Belmar who has been with The Home Depot for 20 years, the past 10 in the Neptune store. The only extraordinary thing is Woolley himself. He has cerebral palsy, which gives him a severe limp, slurred speech and difficulty gripping things.
It has done nothing to dampen the spirit of the store’s most beloved employee -- and one of its most valuable people.
“When we don’t know something a customer asks about, we go to Kevin,” said fellow sales associate Caridad Gonzalez, who has been on the job for six months. “He knows it all.”
Woolley trained Gonzalez and many others who don The Home Depot’s trademark orange apron. They are in awe of his encyclopedic knowledge and his interactions with others.
“He’s extremely impressive,” Gonzalez said. “He’s awesome with customers. They love him. Every other customer who comes in here shakes hands with him.”
As they should. Kevin Woolley is a walking, talking reminder that life deals us the cards but we choose how to play them. A brief encounter with him offers a major dose of perspective.
Woolley’s cerebral palsy was caused by a distressed birth. He was delivered via C-section after suffering a lack of oxygen to his brain. His fine motor skills were permanently diminished.
“It’s difficult for him to pick up an ice cream cone or a piece of pizza,” his father, Henry Woolley, said. “But whenever I’m assembling something like a barbecue grill, which I’m not great at, he’ll say, ‘Do this dad, do that.’ He can see it; he just can’t perform the function.”
There is plenty he can do, like drive a car and send a text message. He’s a good listener and quick-witted. He grew up in Belmar and still lives there with his parents, and when I tell him I used to spend summers in the borough’s old party zone along 16th Avenue, he replies, “Sorry to hear that,” like only a wry local could.
Kevin attended the local public schools, and at Manasquan High he became a manager on the powerhouse football team under the late coach Vic Kubu. He also ran track.
“He would run the dash and come in last, but he tried,” Henry Woolley said. “I always told him, it doesn’t matter. Give it a try.”
In 1996 Kevin moved to Colorado to live with his older brother Chris. His career at The Home Depot began there. He’s worked in virtually every department over the years, doing whatever is needed, although he’d rather not climb ladders.
“I could work anywhere they want to put me,” he said. “I know what I can and can’t do, and they know what I can and can’t do.”
When Phil Kramer was about to become the Neptune store’s manager last year, transferring from a North Jersey outlet, he took a reconnaissance tour of the place with his wife one weekend afternoon. No one knew who they were.
“Kevin was the only person who acknowledged me,” Kramer said. “He was the only one who said, ‘Hi, how are you doing? What can I help you with?’”
It didn’t take long for the new boss to realize, “This guy lives and breathes what we’re trying to do every day.”
Loyal customers have known that for many years. Within five minutes on Tuesday afternoon, one asked him for white siding nails and another sought his opinion on the right blade for a planer.
“He has a good heart, and I’ll tell you this: Wherever I go with him, somebody will say, ‘Hi Kev, how are you doing?” Henry Woolley said. “I’ll say to him, ‘Who is this person?’”
Chances are they shop at The Home Depot.
“We were at the hospital for an X-ray (recently),” his dad said, “and we’re walking down the hall when a patient comes out of his room and says, ‘Hey, it’s Kevin from Home Depot!’”
He’s at the store five days a week, putting in 40 hours. That’s a lot of time on his feet for someone who walks with difficulty.
“It’s a hard job for him there, but Kevin gets through it,” Henry Woolley said. “We never mention ‘handicap’ to him. He knows he’s handicapped but he never mentions it. He does OK.”
You go to The Home Depot for drill bits, not inspiration. In the hardware aisles of the Neptune store, Kevin Woolley will help you find both.
NEPTUNE, N.J. - The gentleman was a regular customer at The Home Depot, but he could not find the right washer among a sea of them in the hardware department.
Sales associate Kevin Woolley came over and solved the problem in five seconds.
“No. 10, right there,” Woolley said, pointing to the elusive piece.
“That’s why I look for him,” the customer said, gesturing to Woolley. “I would have been here an hour trying to find this thing.”
It’s an ordinary day on the job for Woolley, a 40-year-old from Belmar who has been with The Home Depot for 20 years, the past 10 in the Neptune store. The only extraordinary thing is Woolley himself. He has cerebral palsy, which gives him a severe limp, slurred speech and difficulty gripping things.
It has done nothing to dampen the spirit of the store’s most beloved employee -- and one of its most valuable people.
“When we don’t know something a customer asks about, we go to Kevin,” said fellow sales associate Caridad Gonzalez, who has been on the job for six months. “He knows it all.”
Woolley trained Gonzalez and many others who don The Home Depot’s trademark orange apron. They are in awe of his encyclopedic knowledge and his interactions with others.
“He’s extremely impressive,” Gonzalez said. “He’s awesome with customers. They love him. Every other customer who comes in here shakes hands with him.”
As they should. Kevin Woolley is a walking, talking reminder that life deals us the cards but we choose how to play them. A brief encounter with him offers a major dose of perspective.
Woolley’s cerebral palsy was caused by a distressed birth. He was delivered via C-section after suffering a lack of oxygen to his brain. His fine motor skills were permanently diminished.
“It’s difficult for him to pick up an ice cream cone or a piece of pizza,” his father, Henry Woolley, said. “But whenever I’m assembling something like a barbecue grill, which I’m not great at, he’ll say, ‘Do this dad, do that.’ He can see it; he just can’t perform the function.”
There is plenty he can do, like drive a car and send a text message. He’s a good listener and quick-witted. He grew up in Belmar and still lives there with his parents, and when I tell him I used to spend summers in the borough’s old party zone along 16th Avenue, he replies, “Sorry to hear that,” like only a wry local could.
Kevin attended the local public schools, and at Manasquan High he became a manager on the powerhouse football team under the late coach Vic Kubu. He also ran track.
“He would run the dash and come in last, but he tried,” Henry Woolley said. “I always told him, it doesn’t matter. Give it a try.”
In 1996 Kevin moved to Colorado to live with his older brother Chris. His career at The Home Depot began there. He’s worked in virtually every department over the years, doing whatever is needed, although he’d rather not climb ladders.
“I could work anywhere they want to put me,” he said. “I know what I can and can’t do, and they know what I can and can’t do.”
When Phil Kramer was about to become the Neptune store’s manager last year, transferring from a North Jersey outlet, he took a reconnaissance tour of the place with his wife one weekend afternoon. No one knew who they were.
“Kevin was the only person who acknowledged me,” Kramer said. “He was the only one who said, ‘Hi, how are you doing? What can I help you with?’”
It didn’t take long for the new boss to realize, “This guy lives and breathes what we’re trying to do every day.”
Loyal customers have known that for many years. Within five minutes on Tuesday afternoon, one asked him for white siding nails and another sought his opinion on the right blade for a planer.
“He has a good heart, and I’ll tell you this: Wherever I go with him, somebody will say, ‘Hi Kev, how are you doing?” Henry Woolley said. “I’ll say to him, ‘Who is this person?’”
Chances are they shop at The Home Depot.
“We were at the hospital for an X-ray (recently),” his dad said, “and we’re walking down the hall when a patient comes out of his room and says, ‘Hey, it’s Kevin from Home Depot!’”
He’s at the store five days a week, putting in 40 hours. That’s a lot of time on his feet for someone who walks with difficulty.
“It’s a hard job for him there, but Kevin gets through it,” Henry Woolley said. “We never mention ‘handicap’ to him. He knows he’s handicapped but he never mentions it. He does OK.”
You go to The Home Depot for drill bits, not inspiration. In the hardware aisles of the Neptune store, Kevin Woolley will help you find both.
Sunday, March 05, 2017
Friday, February 24, 2017
Saturday, February 18, 2017
I'm back in Sungai Buloh.
I wrote this.
My dear Bible Study friends,
Forgive me for not bidding goodbye to you one by one personally.
I have taken a long time to compose this as all your faces constantly flash in my mind in my every attempt, and I have to pause to gather my emotions.
Basically I want to say two things.
1. Thank you for being so good to me.
2. I am sorry for not doing good enough.
If there were times where I had offended you, I humbly ask for your grace and forgiveness.
Please know that I truly appreciate all your help and loving kindness that I so undeserved, even to the extend that I feel embarrassed to face any of you now.
Initially, I felt so sad because I had come to Penang with such high hopes, I felt that I have failed myself.
But God whispered to me last Christmas, he told me to read my diary. So I did.
I compared my writings before and during my stay in Penang.
Indeed there was a difference.
It would be unfair to say that my 28 months here (Penang) was in vain.
There are lessons to take home with me.
When I was packing, there were many things that I had to throw away, no matter how useful it could be.
But when I saw my Bible Study notebook, I knew at once I had to take it home. It is filled with your precious testimonies and sharings. This notebook is a summary of the better part of my Penang experience.
Thank you for being part of my happier memory here (Penang).
I never thought I'd leave = (
Not like this.
I wrote this.
My dear Bible Study friends,
Forgive me for not bidding goodbye to you one by one personally.
I have taken a long time to compose this as all your faces constantly flash in my mind in my every attempt, and I have to pause to gather my emotions.
Basically I want to say two things.
1. Thank you for being so good to me.
2. I am sorry for not doing good enough.
If there were times where I had offended you, I humbly ask for your grace and forgiveness.
Please know that I truly appreciate all your help and loving kindness that I so undeserved, even to the extend that I feel embarrassed to face any of you now.
Initially, I felt so sad because I had come to Penang with such high hopes, I felt that I have failed myself.
But God whispered to me last Christmas, he told me to read my diary. So I did.
I compared my writings before and during my stay in Penang.
Indeed there was a difference.
It would be unfair to say that my 28 months here (Penang) was in vain.
There are lessons to take home with me.
When I was packing, there were many things that I had to throw away, no matter how useful it could be.
But when I saw my Bible Study notebook, I knew at once I had to take it home. It is filled with your precious testimonies and sharings. This notebook is a summary of the better part of my Penang experience.
Thank you for being part of my happier memory here (Penang).
Not like this.
Friday, February 10, 2017
Monday, January 23, 2017
Saturday, December 31, 2016
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Published by Tang Ruxyn
A man, known as Lee Hui Sen, willingly gave up his hard-earned RM44,500 for a family that he has probably not even seen in person.
He had forked out the large sum of money as a down payment for a house that was on auction, but decided to cease his wishes to buy the house when he noticed the family’s plight just as he went to check out the property.
Though he liked the house, he did not have the heart to kick out a family in distress from their home.
says.com
His handwritten letter which was left at the house's mailbox, moved many people and it's easy to see why:
"Dear sir, I am Lee Hui Sen, the man who bought your house that was being auctioned.
I apologise because I had bought the house and that may have caused you and your family members to fret and worry about this matter.
That day, my family had gone to the house, sir, and we have seen the children's clothes outside the house. My family and I do not have the heart to chase you out of the house, if after we bought the house, sir.
We decided not to buy the house after all, even when we’ve gone through all the trouble to pay RM44,500.
We will lose the money, but the money will still go into your house’s bank account. We hope this can be of some assistance to you."
He went on to offer some advice, hoping that the family would work towards getting a closure after this ordeal
"Try to negotiate with the bank. Restructure your loan, otherwise, your house would be auctioned again.
Try to discuss with your bank to lengthen the instalment plan, so that the monthly instalment could be lessened according to your capabilities to repay.
Dear sir, this is only my personal advice. If you can, please do throw away the small trees and flower pots at the side of your house so that your house would look brighter and invite positive energy into the home.
Good luck and have a nice living forever to you and your family."
Ananti Rajasingam, social worker
KUALA LUMPUR — Nothing makes Ananti Rajasingam happier than knowing that what she does helps children — local, immigrant or refugees — feel like they have a “normal” life, just like everyone else.
Working as a social worker at Yayasan Chow Kit, a centre that provides temporary shelter and education for at-risk children, Ananti and her colleagues do their best to help traumatised children reintegrate into mainstream society.
The job can be taxing both emotionally and mentally. Dealing with tales of abuse or hopelessness on a daily basis, Ananti admitted to breaking down a few times.
But knowing that some of the children she’s helped succeeded in life, and at the same time mindful of her own privilege, Ananti reminds herself that being strong is necessary to help those children survive their ordeals.
In her own words:
When I started out… I was known as a kafir (infidel) here. The children never touched me so I used to work like an island but I’ve always believed that children do not think this way… it’s the adults who shape them.
The children were curious, they asked me about my faith.. at that time I didn’t know what was kafir. I was like why did they keep calling me kafir, but then I learned that it means someone who worships more than one god.. I didn’t take it to heart. I know that some things are just cultural and that I too have to learn (about their way of thinking).
Most of the children in the Chow Kit area, everything is a challenge to them. I come from a middle class family, I don’t have to sleep on the floor… I never have to worry about what my parents do. But the children living in Chow Kit, they have to think like survivors. And every day is survival for them — they’ve gone through so much in life.
There was once this foreign worker who died because he got electrocuted and everyone gathered around him. The children just came up to me and asked why are you so stressed up, it’s just someone dead. To them this was normal, death was normal. They deal with death every day because a lot of parents commit suicide in Chow Kit because of Ah Long problems.
It’s just really nice to see (these) children live in contentment. They carry so much burden at that age. A lot of them know about their parents’ hardship, and to carry that kind of weight (on your shoulders), you’re not really being a child.
I used to make a lot of decisions for people; like your life is like this, why not you do things this way. I think with maturity that people have their own answers. All you need to do is just dish out those options and let them reflect about it and they will have their answers. Don’t make decisions for other people.
Personally I feel a lot of people are trying to shut the issues (of refugees) out or they pretend it does not exist. They don’t see that refugees and refugee children are human beings as well.. imagine if the tables are turned and we become the refugees, nobody wants to go out there in a new world. You’d want to stay home no matter what… but people here think refugees are a problem.
It’s so emotional to hear their stories because they are so desperate… for others (locals) there are help, they have financial support, someone will always reach out to you if you’re local. But for refugees… it’s just frustrating. These are people with dignity, like doctors or people with good jobs and they’ve left everything. Imagine they come to you and ask if they can sweep the floor in exchange for some form of (help).
I’ve heard how they’ve been raped or molested, even by the authorities. Even though they have the UN (United Nations High Commission for Refugees) card, it gets thrown away. There was this lady who was pregnant… the most human thing you can think of is to give her some help but what they did was they detained her and when she wanted to pass motion, they told her to do it in front of other men. That is like the lowest point of a woman’s life, sort of stripping off whatever dignity she has.
We live in a narcissistic society… I always make it a conscious effort to tell myself this is something I have to do, like a purpose to do something kind and contribute back to something more positive.
- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/10-things-about-ananti-rajasingam-social-worker#sthash.V6GgmZHy.dpuf
Monday, December 26, 2016
Christmas at Batu Ferringhi BnB
St Clair Bayfield: Oh, you think I didn't have ambitions? I was a good actor. But I was never to be a great actor. It was very very hard to admit that to myself. But once I had, I felt free of the tyranny of ambition. I started to live.
Is not ours a happy world, Cosme? Do we not have fun?
Cosme McMoon: Please, Mr. Bayfield.
St Clair Bayfield: You see we have to help her, because without loyalty there’s nothing.
Cosme McMoon: We’ll be murdered out there!
St Clair Bayfield: And you think I’m not aware of that? For twenty-five years I’ve kept the mockers and scoffers at bay. I’m very well aware of what they might do, but Florence has been my life, I love her, and I think you love her too. Hm? Singing at Carnegie Hall is her dream and I’m going to give it to her. The only question now is whether you will stand by your patron and friend in her hour of need, or whether you will focus on your ambition?
[Cosme doesn’t reply]
St Clair Bayfield: Please, Cosme. Will you play for your friend?
From the movie Florence Foster Jenkins.
Sunday, December 25, 2016
10 Daily Encouragements for the Person in Mental Illness Recovery
By Kalie Menge
As I’ve gone through this journey of struggling with demons and slowly, inching my way toward recovery, there are a few encouragements I’ve picked up along the way that have helped me. I hope, by sharing them, they will help you, too.
1. You are not alone.
Whatever you’re feeling, whatever you’re going through, be it stress, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or any issue. You are not the only one struggling with it. I promise. There are people who love you, care about you and want you to live and get better. I am one of them.
2. Your track record of getting through bad days is 100 percent.
You can get through today. And guess what? You can get through tomorrow, too.
3. The day is only 24 hours.
That thought has gotten me through so many days, especially when I wake up depressed or anxious. It gets to the point where I’m literally counting down the hours and minutes until I can crawl back in bed and start a new day. 24 hours. You can do this.
4. Following that: Tomorrow is a brand new day.
Yes, it might feel like the same crap that you dealt with yesterday, but it is still a brand freaking new day. A new day to have an adventure, to smile more, to find another tool to help, to be a bit more or less productive than yesterday. It’s a new chance. It’s up to you what you decide to do with it and whether or not you decide to take the chance and do something new.
5. You are brave, strong, courageous and a damn fine warrior!
You have been fighting your demons for what seems like forever. Some of you have been fighting for decades. Think about that! You have been fighting for years and haven’t given up or given in yet. Bravo! You are strong, much stronger than you thought you were, before this war began. You have fought every day, and you will continue to fight every day until you have won. That, my dears, is incredible bravery.
6. Your struggle does not define you.
Yes, your demons have a rather large impact on your life. Yet, I don’t say, “I’m Kalie, I’m depressed.” No, I say, “I’m Kalie, I have depression.” See the difference? Your demons, your struggle, your war does not take away from the awesome, amazing, wonderful, incredible person who you were before the war and who you are now! It is something you deal with, but it does not define you.
7. It will get better.
I know it’s hard to believe, when you’re stuck down in the crap, the muck, the pain and the dark, that it will get better. I promise you this, it will. Your present situation is not your final destination. You are heading toward something a million times better than what you are going through right now. Diamonds have to go through intense heat and intense pressure to be made. Just think, when you’re going through an extremely rough time that you’re becoming a diamond.
8. You are not perfect.
I know right now you’re probably thinking, “How is that an encouragement?” Well, that’s because no one is perfect, so you’re in great company! Martin Luther King Jr wasn’t perfect. David Bowie wasn’t perfect. Robin Williams wasn’t perfect. Alan Rickman wasn’t perfect. I am far from perfect. The President isn’t perfect, nor is the King or Queen. There is not one single solitary person who is perfect in the entire earth. So, please do not think you have to be perfect because you don’t. I know that with the demons lying and screaming at you, you feel far from perfect. And you know what? That’s perfectly OK. No one is asking you to be perfect. Well, I’m not at any rate, nor are your brothers and sisters who are fighting alongside you. You don’t have to be perfect. I promise.
9. Count your blessings.
Honestly, that helps. Your only blessing may be that you’re alive, but that in itself is indeed a blessing! Your blessings may include a roof over your head, clothes on your back, food in your belly, a warm bed, shoes on your feet and running water. They may include a family who is taking you in, a friend who checks in on you every single day, your therapy animal, your children or your husband or wife. You have blessings all around you. All you have to do is look, and they will appear.
10. You are going through this for a reason.
I don’t know what that reason is, and trust me, I would give anything to know why we are struggling and fighting. However, there is a reason. Maybe the reason is to help you cultivate your inner strength. Maybe it’s to show you that even though you may not love yourself, you are loved by many others. Maybe it’s to teach you to train your mind to think of positive things. Maybe it’s to show you that when you reach rock bottom, you can pick yourself back up. Maybe it’s to help you get in touch with yourself and to help you figure out who and what you really are. I don’t know. However, I do know no one struggles alone, and no one struggles for no reason. There is purpose in the struggle, and if you really, really look for it, there may even be peace.
Stay strong, dear ones.
As I’ve gone through this journey of struggling with demons and slowly, inching my way toward recovery, there are a few encouragements I’ve picked up along the way that have helped me. I hope, by sharing them, they will help you, too.
1. You are not alone.
Whatever you’re feeling, whatever you’re going through, be it stress, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or any issue. You are not the only one struggling with it. I promise. There are people who love you, care about you and want you to live and get better. I am one of them.
2. Your track record of getting through bad days is 100 percent.
You can get through today. And guess what? You can get through tomorrow, too.
3. The day is only 24 hours.
That thought has gotten me through so many days, especially when I wake up depressed or anxious. It gets to the point where I’m literally counting down the hours and minutes until I can crawl back in bed and start a new day. 24 hours. You can do this.
4. Following that: Tomorrow is a brand new day.
Yes, it might feel like the same crap that you dealt with yesterday, but it is still a brand freaking new day. A new day to have an adventure, to smile more, to find another tool to help, to be a bit more or less productive than yesterday. It’s a new chance. It’s up to you what you decide to do with it and whether or not you decide to take the chance and do something new.
5. You are brave, strong, courageous and a damn fine warrior!
You have been fighting your demons for what seems like forever. Some of you have been fighting for decades. Think about that! You have been fighting for years and haven’t given up or given in yet. Bravo! You are strong, much stronger than you thought you were, before this war began. You have fought every day, and you will continue to fight every day until you have won. That, my dears, is incredible bravery.
6. Your struggle does not define you.
Yes, your demons have a rather large impact on your life. Yet, I don’t say, “I’m Kalie, I’m depressed.” No, I say, “I’m Kalie, I have depression.” See the difference? Your demons, your struggle, your war does not take away from the awesome, amazing, wonderful, incredible person who you were before the war and who you are now! It is something you deal with, but it does not define you.
7. It will get better.
I know it’s hard to believe, when you’re stuck down in the crap, the muck, the pain and the dark, that it will get better. I promise you this, it will. Your present situation is not your final destination. You are heading toward something a million times better than what you are going through right now. Diamonds have to go through intense heat and intense pressure to be made. Just think, when you’re going through an extremely rough time that you’re becoming a diamond.
8. You are not perfect.
I know right now you’re probably thinking, “How is that an encouragement?” Well, that’s because no one is perfect, so you’re in great company! Martin Luther King Jr wasn’t perfect. David Bowie wasn’t perfect. Robin Williams wasn’t perfect. Alan Rickman wasn’t perfect. I am far from perfect. The President isn’t perfect, nor is the King or Queen. There is not one single solitary person who is perfect in the entire earth. So, please do not think you have to be perfect because you don’t. I know that with the demons lying and screaming at you, you feel far from perfect. And you know what? That’s perfectly OK. No one is asking you to be perfect. Well, I’m not at any rate, nor are your brothers and sisters who are fighting alongside you. You don’t have to be perfect. I promise.
9. Count your blessings.
Honestly, that helps. Your only blessing may be that you’re alive, but that in itself is indeed a blessing! Your blessings may include a roof over your head, clothes on your back, food in your belly, a warm bed, shoes on your feet and running water. They may include a family who is taking you in, a friend who checks in on you every single day, your therapy animal, your children or your husband or wife. You have blessings all around you. All you have to do is look, and they will appear.
10. You are going through this for a reason.
I don’t know what that reason is, and trust me, I would give anything to know why we are struggling and fighting. However, there is a reason. Maybe the reason is to help you cultivate your inner strength. Maybe it’s to show you that even though you may not love yourself, you are loved by many others. Maybe it’s to teach you to train your mind to think of positive things. Maybe it’s to show you that when you reach rock bottom, you can pick yourself back up. Maybe it’s to help you get in touch with yourself and to help you figure out who and what you really are. I don’t know. However, I do know no one struggles alone, and no one struggles for no reason. There is purpose in the struggle, and if you really, really look for it, there may even be peace.
Stay strong, dear ones.
Taken from Tim Ferris, author of Tools of Titans.
Another strategy revisits the importance of mind-body integration:
But his most powerful technique has to do not with the self but with other selves — or, rather, with mooring the self to the existence of goodness by modeling and extending it to others:
“The key is building fires where you can warm yourself as you wait for the tempest to pass.”
Another strategy revisits the importance of mind-body integration:
Go to the gym and move for at least 30 minutes. For me, this is 80% of the battle.
But his most powerful technique has to do not with the self but with other selves — or, rather, with mooring the self to the existence of goodness by modeling and extending it to others:
If you can’t seem to make yourself happy, do little things to make other people happy. This is a very effective magic trick. Focus on others instead of yourself. Buy coffee for the person behind you in line (I do this a lot), compliment a stranger, volunteer at a soup kitchen, help a classroom on DonorsChoose.org, buy a round of drinks for the line cooks and servers at your favorite restaurant, etc. The little things have a big emotional payback, and guess what? Chances are, at least one person you make smile is on the front lines with you, quietly battling something nearly identical.
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
L, my ex-co worker in the PJ state contacted me to let me know that my old job is vacant. She encouraged me to try.
Her efforts in messaging me was surprisingly mysterious because we were never friends to begin with.
Acquaintances the most.
I do regret my decision coming here to Penang.
If I could turn back time, I wouldn't have left my old job, the one which I was so stable in, to come here, an entirely different risky experience, which had caused several relapses of depression.
My current weight gain truly depresses me.
I'm back to square one.
I pulled out an old shirt that was handed down by my sister.
It has a very strong fabric softener smell.
My sense of smell very quickly and succinctly reminded me of how I felt when I came to visit my sis here 3 years ago.
That sense of clarity.
I had that clear sense of clarity.
I can't go back.
I have no home back there.
I have only two choices.
A more familiar and comfortable misery back home ;
Her efforts in messaging me was surprisingly mysterious because we were never friends to begin with.
Acquaintances the most.
I do regret my decision coming here to Penang.
If I could turn back time, I wouldn't have left my old job, the one which I was so stable in, to come here, an entirely different risky experience, which had caused several relapses of depression.
My current weight gain truly depresses me.
I'm back to square one.
I pulled out an old shirt that was handed down by my sister.
It has a very strong fabric softener smell.
My sense of smell very quickly and succinctly reminded me of how I felt when I came to visit my sis here 3 years ago.
That sense of clarity.
I had that clear sense of clarity.
I can't go back.
I have no home back there.
I have only two choices.
A more familiar and comfortable misery back home ;
or risk creating my own new misery and smudges of happiness here.
Monday, December 12, 2016
I'm reading about these news.
1.
Thong Wei Yuan, who decided to end her life ;a 22-year-old ACCA student who leapt from the twelfth floor. Some time between 6 to 7 a.m, Nov 12 2015.
A witness shared, "she was prepared, having put on black clothing and footwear, she never uttered a sound when she was falling,so you can imagine the dreadful state of mind she was in, being overwhelmed with unbearable inner pain. It was chilling to see her fall without moving at all, motionless., "
2.Taken from The Star
Another story about postgraduate student Law Jia Yi, who was said by her friends and the press to have committed suicide in Taiwan, believes everything would have been different if she had not gone there.
Reeling in shock from the news, the friend, who only wanted to be known as Keith, said he believed that she might have been suffering from depression.
The 24-year-old, a first-year postgraduate student at the National Taiwan Normal University, was found dead near some burnt charcoal in her room by a housemate on Wednesday evening, according to Taiwan newspapers.
Taiwan newspapers, quoting friends of Law, said she had been working part time at a cafe while studying to be a teacher there and that she claimed to be “under pressure”.
“She was a very cheerful, happy person. A very nice girl, she liked to bring happiness to people around her.
“But she liked to hide her own personal things to herself.
“To be honest, I really don’t know what happened in her last few days,” said Keith.
3.A piece of news dated Mar 06, 2009, A 27-YEAR-OLD Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) doctor, absent without official leave since last October, has been found dead in Melbourne.
The body of Captain (Dr) Allan Ooi was found under the Westgate Bridge in the south Australian city.
The 2,600m long bridge across the Yarra River is a vital link between the city centre and Melbourne's western suburbs.
A police spokesman there said the young man was seen getting out of his car on the bridge before 4am that day, and that the police did not believe anyone else was involved in the incident.
Capt (Dr) Ooi was believed to have been in Melbourne all this while, though it is not known where in the city he was, nor with whom he was staying.
He studied in Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) and Anglo-Chinese Junior College before reading medicine at the National University of Singapore.
He came from a family of doctors: His father Alex Ooi is an obstetrician and gynaecologist, his mother Lucy Ooi is a cosmetic surgeon and his brother Adrian, 28, is also a doctor.
His sister Lynette, 24, is the exception. She is a lawyer in Hong Kong.
Thong Wei Yuan, who decided to end her life ;a 22-year-old ACCA student who leapt from the twelfth floor. Some time between 6 to 7 a.m, Nov 12 2015.
A witness shared, "she was prepared, having put on black clothing and footwear, she never uttered a sound when she was falling,so you can imagine the dreadful state of mind she was in, being overwhelmed with unbearable inner pain. It was chilling to see her fall without moving at all, motionless., "
Another story about postgraduate student Law Jia Yi, who was said by her friends and the press to have committed suicide in Taiwan, believes everything would have been different if she had not gone there.
Reeling in shock from the news, the friend, who only wanted to be known as Keith, said he believed that she might have been suffering from depression.
The 24-year-old, a first-year postgraduate student at the National Taiwan Normal University, was found dead near some burnt charcoal in her room by a housemate on Wednesday evening, according to Taiwan newspapers.
Taiwan newspapers, quoting friends of Law, said she had been working part time at a cafe while studying to be a teacher there and that she claimed to be “under pressure”.
“She was a very cheerful, happy person. A very nice girl, she liked to bring happiness to people around her.
“But she liked to hide her own personal things to herself.
“To be honest, I really don’t know what happened in her last few days,” said Keith.
The body of Captain (Dr) Allan Ooi was found under the Westgate Bridge in the south Australian city.
The 2,600m long bridge across the Yarra River is a vital link between the city centre and Melbourne's western suburbs.
A police spokesman there said the young man was seen getting out of his car on the bridge before 4am that day, and that the police did not believe anyone else was involved in the incident.
Capt (Dr) Ooi was believed to have been in Melbourne all this while, though it is not known where in the city he was, nor with whom he was staying.
He studied in Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) and Anglo-Chinese Junior College before reading medicine at the National University of Singapore.
He came from a family of doctors: His father Alex Ooi is an obstetrician and gynaecologist, his mother Lucy Ooi is a cosmetic surgeon and his brother Adrian, 28, is also a doctor.
His sister Lynette, 24, is the exception. She is a lawyer in Hong Kong.
Chiang Ti Ming (Born in Seremban - 1976) : Malaysian Chinese boy genius. IQ exceeded 180.
- 13 years old; youngest student to be ever admitted to California Institute of Technology (CALTECH) to study physics. His father accompanied him to California and live there to look after him.- Well respected by his fellow classmates and lots of achievements, awards, results were in the top 5%.- Graduated with a Doctorate in Particle Physics from Cornell University in New York.
Started working in US, and then suddenly in 2002 when he was 26 years old, local newspapers reported that he was admitted to hospital here for depression and withdrawal symptoms. The whole nation was so awed by him when he first came into the limelight at 12 years old. It seems that he does not talk and just sleeps in his bed all day.
On January 6, 2007 (31 years old) he passed away. So sad and the family is too distraught to say anything. Their 4-year old daughter who was also said to be a genius had drowned in a swimming pool at the Seremban International Golf club in 1993. (Ti Ming was about 17 years old then.) Double tragedy.
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