In the far haven of eternity

As o'er the stormy sea of human Life
We sail, until our anchor'd spirits rest
In the far haven of Eternity,...

~Robert Montgomery

Father passed away very peacefully on 25 Jan 2013 at the ripe old age of 102.  When I lost Mother 15 years ago, I was overcome with grief for losing a person who had loved me so unconditionally for as long as I know.  Now when I lost Father I feel I had also lost a large part of my life. Memories of my childhood and young adulthood with my parents came flooding back, both the tribulations and the happy times that we went through as a family.  But as I looked at him lying so peacefully, I try to convince myself that he is now in a better place where he is no longer weak and frail. 

We cannot destroy kindred

We cannot destroy kindred: our chains stretch a little sometimes, but they never break. ~Marquise de Sévigné

Tour of the Thean Hou Temple in Kuala Lumpur with Father and Sis on 15 January 2013.  Thean Hou Temple, built by the Selangor and Federal Territory Hainan Association (clan association), 雪隆海南会馆 is 6-tier and is one of the biggest temples in Southeast Asia.   The temple is dedicated to Mazu, 妈祖, the Sea Goddess. The Mazu sculpture occupies the main shrine on the third floor of the temple. Next to Mazu are the Goddess of the Waterfront, 水尾圣娘, a Hanianese deity and Guan Yin, Goddess of Mercy, 观世音菩萨.  The Mazu birthday celebration in the Thean Hou Temple is supposed to be one of the largest held outside of China. The Mazu belief and custom has been designated as "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity" by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 2009.

Korean barbecue with Sis on her birthday 14 January 2013

一寸光阴一寸金，寸金难买寸光阴

Translation: An inch of time is an inch of gold, but an inch of time cannot be bought with an inch of gold. 

This proverb tells that time is more valuable than money. Money spent or lost can be earned; time lost is lost for good. No money can buy it back. 

My re-furbished front yard

Mother's "must have" kumquat

Nurseries are enjoying brisk business in recent weeks due to the approaching Lunar New Year.  Flowers and and plants that have certain symbolic meaning are now in great demand.

One of these is the Mandarin orange kumquat plant.  Mandarin oranges are called ‘kum’ in Cantonese, the pronunciation similar to that for the word ‘gold’. Kumquat, therefore, is symbolic of wealth, good fortune, and prosperity.
 

Sister and I visited the nurseries nearby today. We were both reminded of how our late Mother used to ensure that a pair of kumquat plants were bought and placed at the entrance door every Lunar new year. CNY had not been the same anymore without Mother.  

Hard hitting facts!

• The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of the poorest 48 nations (of the world's countries) is less than the combined wealth of the world's 3 richest people!
• 20% of the population in developed nations consume 86% of the world's goods!
• Approximately 790,000,000 people in the developing world are still chronically undernourished, almost 66% of whom reside in Asia and the Pacific!
• 30,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death. That is about 210,000 children each week, or almost 11,000,000 children under age 5, each year!
• Across the world, 130,000,000,000 people live on less than $1.00 a day; 3,000,000,000 live on under $2.00 a day; 1,300,000,000 have no access to clean water; 3,000,000,000 have no access to sanitation; 2,000,000,000 have no access to electricity!

Adapted from http://www.globalissues.org

Pictures from: http://www.123rf.com/stock-photo/asia_poverty.html

Percentage of population living below the international poverty line in Asia

Country	% population living under US$1.25 (PPP) a day	% population living under  US$2 (PPP) a day
Cambodia	22.75	53.27
China	13.06	29.27
East Timor	33.44	72.87
India	32.67	68.72
Indonesia	18.06	46.12
Laos	33.88	66.00
Malaysia	0.00	2.27
Myanmar	n.a	n.a
Nepal	24.82	57.25
Pakistan	21.04	60.19
Philippines	18.42	41.53
Sri Lanka	7.04	29.13
Vietnam	16.85	43.36

Body of one-year-old girl found burnt in a dead-end street

A post-mortem report showed that the child found in a dead end street in Johor_Bahru could have been brutally abused before her death, with injuries showing that she had died from a broken spine.  Her death was due to severe spinal damage due to an impact on the chest! 

There is a possibility that someone has stomped on the child's chest! The post mortem report also revealed that the child had bruises all over her body before being burnt!

Reference: http://thestar.com.my/Cops: Burnt girl was abused

How could any human being to this to a 1 year old? May the little girl be safe in heavenly care!

 According to the World Health Organisation, up to 53,000 children are murdered worldwide each year!

Anyone can spread the spirit of Christmas and volunteerism, no matter the age

Elderly residents of a Utah health care facility are proving that anyone can spread the spirit of Christmas and volunteerism, no matter the age. Copper Ridge Health Care in West Jordan has transformed into a doll hospital over the last few months, giving new life to old dolls that will go to needy children.

Residents at Copper Ridge have spent the past few months preparing the dolls to go to new owners this Christmas. But not just any owners, young children with mental health disorders whose parents can't afford presents this year because of medical bills.

The doll project started out as a way to get residents interested in activities they enjoy, like sewing. But the facility quickly turned into a full blown-doll hospital when community members donated dozens of raggedy old dolls.

Please read full story Elderly elves turn West Jordan health care facility into Santa's workshop by Shara Park http://www.ksl.com/

The tranquility of the evening

The complete life, the perfect pattern, includes old age as well as youth and maturity. The beauty of the morning and the radiance of noon are good, but it would be a very silly person who drew the curtains and turned on the light in order to shut out the tranquillity of the evening. Old age has its pleasures, which, though different, are not less than the pleasures of youth.

W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM, The Summing Up

My 101 year old Father enjoying the lake view and the beautiful flora and fauna around the lake. 

 

Any place can be beautiful

Some people look for a beautiful place, Others make a place beautiful -Unknown

Some years ago (26)

Date of entry: 7 October 1948

The call is too strong.  I cannot resist it.  It is the call to my spirit, to my soul, to my eternal being.  I must respond to the call and one day have my vision realized.

Quote: Woon/Joon Sang Chew

Morib rendezvous

A successful trip to morib beach. It warms my heart to see him in a relatvely good mood and enjoying the fresh, cool sea breeze. I think he has an affinity for the sea.
 

Who the hell is missed out?

This is too nice for me not to keep in the blog

Source:  unknown

In the mood for some people bashing today!

Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

 

God must love stupid people. He made SO many.

 

Never get into fights with ugly people, they have nothing to lose.

 

Some cause happiness wherever they go. Others whenever they go.

 

Some people hear voices.. Some see invisible people.. Others have no imagination whatsoever.

 

 

A long ago story

Many many ... years ago today, a young Chinese lady gave birth to her second child, a baby girl.  "Is it a boy or a girl?", the young Chinese man asked anxiuosly when he came near the delivery bed in a private clinic in Foch Avenue (the present Market Square), Kuala_Lumpur .  "aiya...Another girl", she said apologetically, full of trepidation, as the Chinese woman next to her had just been shouted at by her Chinese husband for giving birth to another girl!  Expecting the worst, she was awaiting her turn...but instead, almost immediately, the young Chinese man scooped up the baby girl in delight and smiled broadly.  The young Chinese lady was relieved and for the first time the young Chinese lady realized that the young Chinese man was actually a "good person".

The next day the doctor declared that the young Chinese lady and her baby girl could be discharged.  It was post Second World War, life was difficult. The young man pleaded with the doctor to let them go home first and he will make full payment later. "You and your wife can go home, leave the baby here, bring the money then you can take her home", the heartless doctor shouted. The young Chinese man left the clinic.  The bewildered, tearful young Chinese lady sat with her baby girl near the clinic door for several hours not knowing what to do.  At last the young man came back with some money he borrowed from relatives and friends in Brickfields and they all went home to Brickfileds in a trishaw. 

(Actually these 2 events were related by the young Chinese lady to the baby girl some years down the line when the baby girl became an adult and it became a long ago story that she will never forget). 

Dining out with the family

Malacca Rendezvous

The traffic crawls really really irk me!

 

Today, I took one hour to reach my Father's house in petaling-jaya, from my house 5 km away, then I took one and a half hours to reach malacca which is 140km away!  Yes, you guess right, my 101 year old father is bitten by the touring bug again!

Yummy?  mmm....

 

Took a short foot tour

Met a beautiful bride along the way who graciously allowed her picture to be taken. 

The Church was built in 1753!

She was busy playing tourist instead of looking after him!  Sigh...

Wonder what was going through his mind when he was looking at the Malaccaa River?

The maritime Museum

Busy chatting up the mm?