Reflections & Hopes on My Birthday

Celebrating my birthday is very meaningful.  This is a special jelly fruit cake from close friends from Selama and they came a few days earlier to celebrate with me.  Thanks and appreciate true friendship.
 

Mei Lian, Soon Sau, Pau Choo and Janet.

Kuala Sepetang .  This seafood restaurant serves delicious fresh seafood.

  My second birthday cake with love from my lovely daughters.

My hubby, Chuah sharing the birthday joy. 

My lovely daughters and grand daughter. 

My third birthday cake from my niece Poh Tee with love.

A simple celebration at the coffee house of Hotel Panorama.

I am most grateful to be able to celebrate 54 years of being in this world.  I appreciate whatever nice things I possess including good family relationships, friendship and workplace.  There are lots more to mention especially the good experiences such as being able to help others and also the bad experiences of having to face other people who were against me in my mission.  I have come to realize these are all the spices of life and life indeed isn't a bed of roses.  There are times when I cry silently and feel really down but I am quick to cheer up once I get over it.

It is lately that I made a big change in my life and it's like starting a new chapter.  When I received the letter for transfer to my new school, SK Bendang Siam, I shed tears as it is unimaginable for me my school and love of 29 years.  It was my second home.  Yeah, I agreed to the transfer when I was told my service is badly needed in my new school and since I have four more years before retirement, I could bring some positive changes there.  It meant I would be leaving Selama town which I love with all its friendly people, the community and the NGOs I am involved in.  I will be back whenever necessary as it takes only 40 minutes from Taiping. However, I am adjusting to my new life, new friends and pupils and I love it too.  By the way, slimming down is part of the agenda and I managed it and I hope to maintain it to stay fit and healthy.  I will not miss my regular medical checkups as well.  To be able to continue to be a regular blood donor means that I am healthy too.  I will stay young ,active and continue my contribution to society whenever I can.  I will improve myself , learn from my mistakes and spend more time of meditation and reading up on Buddhism and listen to Buddhist talks on Youtube to help me put into practise Lord Buddha's teachings daily to be a better person. 

Then, I was excited as I was accepted into the Long Distance Programme with USM.  My retirement plan will be better when I graduate with Honours in Social Science majoring in Antropology and Sociology.  Political Science is my minor subject.  I realize I have to put in a lot of effort and manage my time for my family, schoolwork, studying and also social work.  I am going to fulfill my dreams in the subjects that I love. 

There was no opportunity to go for the degree before and a few years back I gave up the idea when my age limit was over and the education ministry would not offer or sponsor my studies.  Then, I suddenly realized that I had to do it when I saw the ministry offering to upgrade many teachers to become graduates.   I felt challenged actually and decided to prove that at 54 I too can do it. I grabbed the opportunity by applying online and sent in all the necessary documents.  It was a joy to be accepted and I qualified under the senior citizens programme.

What saddened and disappointed me most was when the Jabatan Pelajaran  Perak did not approve my application for my permit to study , so did Bahagian Pendidikan Guru.  So, the next step is to make an appeal and I hope within these four years, I will obtain that permission letter which is needed by the university. 

I am wondering why I should be penalized for yearning to study.  Worse still I am quite sure a portion of my gratuity will be deducted for the days I attend intensive courses and examinations throughout these four years.  This meant a lot!  Why should this be?  I am spending my own money after all. 
The vice-chancellor mentioned he will help and I hope he will.  Anyway, I hope NUTP or KPPK can help solve this problem.   I am hopeful . 

Well, being on Facebook, having my own blog and feeling connected is helpful and I don't feel lonely or lost especially when I need some words of advice or encouragement, some latest news and information.  However, some Facebook friends can be very irritating and I just delete them or their posts. 

I always work till past midnight and I really have to work faster so as not to sleep too late which is very unhealthy.  Thanks to my husband, family and close friends for their support and it's most important not to disappoint them .  I appreciate this precious life .   May there be peace throughout the world and a stop to all forms of violence especially against women and children.  I can make a difference and I will.