THE COURIER TRUCK STOPPED BY AGAIN

The excitement escalated when the courier truck stopped in front of the house and I was informed by a dear friend I should be expecting a parcel from her.

The styrofoam container was filled with frozen keropok lekor [kneaded fish and flour, something like fish cake, raw and needs to be fried] and it had traveled all the way from Kuantan, or somewhere from the East Coast to Johor Bahru.

Thanks a lot Puan Suriana Ali, a friend of UPM TESL class of 1993, for your kind thought. I could actually get this keropok lekor here but I am sure the one sincerely sent by a far away friend would definitely taste much better.

"Kindness is like snow.
It beautifies everything it covers."

~ Khalil Gibran ~

THE PARCEL THAT TRAVELED ALL THE WAY FROM KUCHING

15th JUNE 2021 ~ There was a parcel awaiting for me beside the front door as I arrived home. Luckily, it was not wet as it had rained heavily in the afternoon. Let's see what was put inside the box and I found the unboxing, as people nowadays call it, quite thrilling.

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Tadaaa.....

It was a multi-layer cake wrapped inside a multi-layer packaging. The cake was delicious - the original and authentic Sarawak Layer Cake. By observing the fine, colourful layers, the cake itself was a masterpiece. It had traveled from Kuching to Johor Bahru for 6 days and yet, it was still in a good condition.

Guess one doesn't have to wait only for Ramadan or Syawal to do good deeds. Thank you Puan Azwan Shaiza Nizam , [and she is actually residing in Seremban, not Kuching] another friend of TESL class of 1993, for your kind thought. Only Allah may repay your kindness.

"A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees."

~ AMELIA EARHART ~

THE SURPRISE THAT ARRIVED AFTER THE TERAWIKH PRAYER

5th MAY 2021 ~ There was a car parked outside the house as I arrived home from the Terawikh prayers [the prayers that are done at night during the month of Ramadhan] at about 10:30 p.m. A lady driver introduced herself as a Ninja Van staff and handed me over a huge and heavy box.  However there was no indication who the sender was as it was not stated on the label outside the parcel. I had never expected to receive a surprise late in the night.

I was eager to find out what was inside and the box contained a lot of items - all of them were healthy food products. I will need a lot of time to finish eating and drinking all the stuff but for sure, I will be a healthier man.

My sincerest gratitude to my Chinese friends/ex-colleagues of SMK Taman Universiti for the Eid big package this year, and all the Eid gifts that they have been giving and sending all these years without fail. Wishing you all the best of health and many more years of friendship to treasure.

"Kindness in words creates confidence,
Kindness in thinking creates profoundness,

Kindness in giving creates love."
~ Lao Tze ~

THE ALMS GIVING CEREMONY IN LUANG PRABANG ~ DAY 3

6th DECEMBER 2017 ~ The daily routine of giving alms to the barefooted Buddhist monks clad in their orange robes very early in the morning has forced many visitors to wake up even before the sun rises just to witness the event. We were already wide awake by 5:00 a.m. and then at about 5:30 a.m. we heard drums being beaten from far away. We went to the main road near to the hotel and by that time, there were already people on the streets. Generous donors were already seated by the roadside while entrepreneurs were busy looking for prospect buyers to the packets of snacks that would be surrendered to the monks.

Not long after that, the monks arrived - walking in one straight line and they stopped in front of the people who put their alms in the containers the monks were carrying.

There were many groups of monks, and most probably they belonged to different monasteries there. They came from different directions and walked away quickly once they received the alms. I could see that most of the monks were young boys but each group was led by someone who looked more elderly.

There was a group of young foreigner who were there to join in the alms giving ceremony, rather than just observing.

If you wonder, what was given to the monks, surprisingly people donated snacks that could be bought from the street vendors but there were also other food items. However, that does not mean the monks eat all the snacks and that does not happen as all of them looked really slim and fit. I read somewhere, the items given would then be sold back to the shops and the monasteries would get their money. But correct me if I am wrong.

On the last day of my stay in Luang Prabang, I managed to witness this ceremony nearer and clearer when I went to the market place.

"Kindness in words creates confidence,

kindness in thinking creates profoundness,

kindness in giving creates love."

~ Lao Tzu ~

TO BE CONTINUED...

[MY LUANG PRABANG TRIP MAIN PAGE]

THE LONG BREAK FOR EID HAS OFFICIALLY STARTED

The long break for Eid has already started. Three more days to go (including today) and I am getting more nervous. Too many things to do, to little time to do it (or too tired/lazy to it). 

I would like to express my gratitude to the kind-hearted people  for all the Eid Raya goodies that were handed over to me before the festive holidays started. Only God may repay your good deeds.

I got three cards this year, all by hand, and I left one more card in school.

"For it is in giving that we receive."

~ Francis of Assisi ~

SANTA CLAUS CAME EARLIER THIS YEAR

Sunday, 20th July ~ I thought when Ng Ching Kai had finished form 5 and Ng Jing Hann had gone away to a private school, I would not receive a Raya goodie bag from their family anymore. However, Ching Kai came to school in the evening to hand over my goodie bag, and the tradition still continues it seems.

Thanks a lot to Ng Ching Kai and family for the warm and kind thought.  There will be time, as a teacher, I will feel tired and unappreciated and start to count the days to retirement, but on that day, they had made me feel special, and I appreciate them for doing that. 

similar activity but in 2013

"A tree is known by its fruit: 

a man by his deeds.

A good deed is never lost;

he who sows courtesy reaps friendship,

and he who plants kindness gathers love."

~ St. Basil ~