I don't friend you

I don't know how young children say it now but I know that when I was a kid in primary school and if we ever fell out with anyone (trust me, this happened on a daily basis), we'd say to that person, "I don't friend you anymore". We'd say it for events like when your friend borrowed your pencil or eraser and forgot to return it to you. Or if you heard from a friend of a friend's that a friend had said something about you.

In Singlish, that's like a child's interpretation of "I'm not your friend anymore" or an adult's interpretation of "Go fly a kite". If we were to make up later (and trust me again, that too happened on a daily basis!), we'd show our pinkies and twine them round each other to show that the bond of friendship was glued back again. How simple life was back then.

I was at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital recently and overheard this conversation a lady (looked to be in her 30s) was having on the phone with her friend (in diction which made my hair stand).

Lady on pink Lollipop phone, "You trell him.....If you donch trell me who give you my number, then we not going to make friend" (wow, I've not heard that in a looooong time!). Her friend must have said she wouldn't do that because this lady dench (oops, I mean then) said, "You geeeve me heese number now, I crall him for you!!! Yah! Geeve me now, quick!!!"

This lady's husband then comes out of the clinic and stands by listening to his wife. He shakes his head and tells (I mean trells) her that she must be so free she wants to mind other people's business. He walks off and she follows.

Sorry, I had nothing bretter to do thanch to listen to this lady. There were hardly any patients at the Rehabilitation centre where I was waiting to see the physiotherapist (for my knee), the number on the board refused to jump forth.

By the way, the new Khoo Teck Puat hospital in Yishun looks more like a resort than a hospital. You might want to pop by to check it out (I know, 'choy! choy!). Aiyah, donch say I wished it upon chew (I meant you), just telling you how nice and serene it is!

In that instant

My friend said that in that instant when she thought, 'This is it!', all hope was gone, she realised what really mattered after all. In the face of danger, it was her neighbours and strangers who helped her. In this difficult time of recovery, it is her family and friends who rally round her protectively. She's realised how much she's loved.

Ashamedly, I myself never told her I loved her until yesterday.... I'm Singaporean after all; no expression, dull face, reserved. How do I go around telling my close friends I love them? Yikes. I'm not that old but my generation and before don't really indulge in such expressive exchanges (even if we hug all the time). I know the younger ones do. They say it all the time (online!). Really, it wasn't until I realised how close I came to losing her that I realised what her friendship meant to me. I used to see my girlfriends as makan buddies (because we only meet over makan) but I realise they're like 'sisters' and I'd feel lost without them.

It's true, many of us walk around trying to make logical sense of what should and shouldn't matter in our lives. Most often, it is our jobs, our positions, our salaries, our cars, houses, which schools our kids are in, how our kids fare in school.... really, in that instant just before you get zapped out of existence, what really matters after all?

Friends

My son, who reads my blog, reminded me that I've not updated it in a while. It's true. I've been busy with my art and stuff.

Yesterday, I learnt from my son that something had happened to his friend and his family. He was visibly upset. John had been friends with this boy since they were toddlers. They went to the same kindergarten, primary school and now secondary school. They are in the same CCA and they are tight. They've known each other since his mum and I plonked our toddlers at each other's faces.

That boy's mum and I were primary and secondary school classmates. We belong to a small group of former schoolmates who meet up once in a while to catch up over makan. Although we don't meet as often as we'd like to because of our busy work schedules and family commitments, when we do, it's like we've never been apart. Just one of those friendships, I'm sure you know what I mean.

They are in hospital and we've not been able to visit them. I've been feeling all choked up since learning this news. Feeling so helpless. Been praying and praying. Passing the message, asking more people to pray. Nothing else I can do. We'll have to rally around her and her family once they get discharged.

I heard my son's school has been praying for them. Those Gabrielite boys are a real special bunch. When things like this happen, it reminds me of what is most important. Don't wait till it's too late.

Temporary Being

I know most times, the barrage of stories circulating online cannot be verified but heck, sometimes, these stories just bring a lump to your throat, don't they? If they make you reflect and change you for the better, then my guess is no harm done. Every once in a while, I will come across phrases which I find strike a chord. This is one of them (sorry, I don't know the author of this one - but I like it alot):

WE ARE NOT HUMAN BEINGS
GOING THROUGH A TEMPORARY
SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE.

WE ARE SPIRITUAL BEINGS
GOING THROUGH A TEMPORARY
HUMAN EXPERIENCE.

Doing strange things for God

Here's an inspiring story. Author unknown. I cannot verify the truth of this story but it's inspiring nevertheless. Though I didn't get to feed a crying child and I do not understand the purpose of what I had done, I totally understand how 'foolish', 'strange' and yet 'awesome' that young man had felt.

"A young man had been to Wednesday night Bible Study. The Pastor had shared about listening to God and obeying the Lord's voice.

The young man couldn't help but wonder, "Does God still speak to people?"
After service he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the message.

Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways. It was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car, he just began to pray, "God. . . If you still speak to people, speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey."

As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought, stop and buy a gallon of milk.

He shook his head and said out loud, "God is that you?"
He didn't get a reply and started on toward home. But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk.
The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn't recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli.

"Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk."
It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk.

He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home. As he passed Seventh street, he again felt the urge, "Turn down that street."

This is crazy he thought and drove on past the intersection. Again, he felt that he should turn down seventh street. At the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh.

Half jokingly, he said out loud, "Okay, God, I will."
He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop. He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in a semi-commercial area of town.

It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighborhoods either. The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed.
Again, he sensed something, "Go and give the milk to the people in the house across the street."

The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were
already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat. "Lord, this is insane.

Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they are going to be mad and I will look stupid."
Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk.
Finally, he opened the door, "Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk.
If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient.
I guess that will count for something but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here."

He walked across the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, "Who is it? What do you want?"
Then the door opened before the young man could get away. The man was standing there in his jeans and t-shirt. He looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem
too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep. "What is it?"

The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, "Here, I brought this to you."
The man took the milk and rushed down a hall way speaking loudly in Spanish. Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face. The man began speaking and half crying,

"We were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money.
We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me how to get some milk."

His wife in the kitchen yelled out, "I ask him to send an Angel with some...Are you an Angel?"
The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him
and put in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward his car and the tears were streaming down his face. He knew that God still answers prayers and that God still speaks to His people."

One Wish

This being Holy Week, I'm in a contemplative mood.
You know how some of us gripe and groan about this and that in our lives?
We wish this, we wish that? If only this, if only that?
More money? Better job prospects? New Car? New House? A better spouse? Better neighbours?

I thought I knew what I really needed and wanted. But I've come to the realisation it isn't true at all.

Think about this carefully.
If you could have only ONE wish granted by God, what would it be? (asking for 'more wishes' disallowed, lah).