Onwards to 2025

 

Last week I got my Long Term Visit Pass Plus (LTVP +) renewal done!  This will allow me to remain in Singapore until 6 August 2025.  When we left ICA, Stephen told me that I would be 66 years old the next time I needed to apply again!  Then he sent that image to our children in Malaysia and it made me smile.  And as Jamus Lim would say, "it warms the cockles of my heart". 

I now realise that I've been here for eight and a half years already. Somehow those years went by so fast though it didn't feel that way at all.  

Anyway, despite all the Covid-19 restrictions, I managed to renew my Malaysian passport online, collect it at the Malaysian High Commission here, and also sorted out the LTVP+.  

Thank goodness, we are both computer savvy and can do everything on our own.  

Majulah Malaysia and Singapura!

No big deal

Image from Pinterest

Just a few years ago, I still used to feel bad about things and people and stuff.  My conscience always worked overtime and I am sure that, too often, I wasted energy just thinking about people or events that really didn't deserve a second of my time.

Somehow, being retired and having more time on my hands to do all that I like to do, which isn't much since I live a very simple life, I have found that I seldom feel bad now.  To be more accurate, I feel less bad about failing to live up to people's expectations.  There's very little interaction with others and so less chance of me hearing about what I should or shouldn't do.

I know that sometimes I still do what I think measures up to being a decent human being but, day by day, I am learning to just be.

When I saw this image, I thought it was great because there are many moments now that I actually feel like this.  I no longer feel bad about something I used to feel bad about.

This is just something for me to save here so I can be reminded of how far I have come.  Of course, I didn't do it alone.  Along the way, many good people have told me and urged me to be happy and not to worry too much.  I'm thankful for them and it seems to be paying off.

In a nutshell, I either deal with it or it's no big deal.  

Go crazy

Image from WWW

There really aren't many things that I could go crazy about nowadays.  I'm sure when I was young I was the opposite but that's what makes for moments when our soul smiles quietly in remembering.

I lead a rather boring life as compared to those around me.  I don't do anything out of the ordinary.  But when I feel like doing something crazy, there's nothing to stop me.  In fact, there's no one either.  

Like last night I watched 15 episodes of a TV series and finished at nearly 5 am this morning.  I wasn't sleepy and it was such an interesting show.  I woke up at 8.30 am and then went back to sleep almost immediately until noon.  Mild crazy but crazy all the same.

It's nice to be able to do stuff like this without having to weigh the consequences.  Stephen applauded me when I told him why I was so sleepy.  He's my best cheerleader!

And just one moment of craziness has left me with a glow in my heart and a skip in my step.

To make things even better, the universe rewards me with an unexpected surprise this evening.  Life is so gooooooooooood!

My cup runneth over

Image from Pinterest

Jared tied the knot at the ROM on Monday, 30 November 2015 after five years of courtship.  Their church wedding will be in 2016. Yay!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Young love is so wonderful.  

It's a week since and we're still deliriously happy that everything went so well. The simple ceremony, lovely lunch and dinner/drinks session all made for a totally memorable day. 

While it was quite exciting to finally hear the words, "you are now husband and wife", the defining "moment" for me was during the lunch when I suddenly looked around and felt overwhelmed by all the good people there who love this young couple so unconditionally.  It's a beautiful thing to be surrounded by so much positive energy.

My MIL congratulated me twice.  I can understand her joy. Jared is her first grandson!  I have been immensely blessed to have her as my MIL.  She has been a great role model with her love, encouragement and support for everything I've done.  

Katherine Hepburn nailed it by saying that it's not about what you are expecting to get.  It's always about what you are expecting to give.  May Jared and Gwen hold this message in their hearts and be blessed always by all the love that surrounds them.

My cup runneth over.... 

Image from WWW

I know enough now!

Not always but sometimes I do feel that I am not doing enough for the people in my life. Then I take a step back and look at what I'm doing and I ask myself if I'm doing my best.  For sure, my answer will be "yes" since I'm being my own judge.

Now I go one step further by also checking if while doing my best, I'm also being my best for me.  If the answer is "yes" again, then I know I'm on the right track.

I still feel guilty at times (not often) that I am spending too much time on my HP.  But if I'm not on my HP, I'd be reading a real book or watching TV or listening to the news or browsing youtube music videos.  My HP provides one platform for all of these things.  So it's not about spending time on my HP.  I'm just doing many different things with it. 

At that precise moment, I stopped analysing my time on the HP. I know enough now to enjoy it and also stay in touch with the people I love.  

End of story.

A different kind of difference

Image from Pinterest

There are many people who come and go in our lives. Some leave us better people and others, well, they gave us a taste of what being bitter is all about.

I'm not one to waste too much time analysing or dissecting when any relationship goes awry.  I'll give it my best shot and then if it works, it's great but if it doesn't, I'll just move on.  

I did this for most of my life.  Yes, I've gained and lost along the way but nothing is permanent in this ever-changing world.

I felt a bit nostalgic this weekend because a friend sent me a text for Teacher's Day.  She was my student in the 80s and even when we never saw much of each other, we eventually became quite close and we feel a bond of love for one another.

What struck me and touched my heart was that she still remembered me as a teacher.  It's been over 30 years since I taught her but she still holds those memories.  I'd forgotten that was how we first met!

This greeting from her made me smile all day and little did she know that I've noticed she never misses to wish me whenever Teacher's Day comes along (since we reconnected).

Most teachers never get to see if they made a difference in the lives of their students.  They just do their job and hope that everyone will end up better than when they first came.

My friend, however, has given me a glimmer of the seed planted long ago and shown me that I made a difference in her life just as she continues to do for my life.

There are other students who have kept in touch and who have also shown love and appreciation but the one that stands out is Wendy Voo.

Thank you for the loving and lovely message on Saturday and on every other occasion too.  It made me remember why I love teaching so much. 

It's knowing that I made a difference in the life of just one person that makes it all so wonderful.