Certifiably Ironic

My heart goes out to Japan and its people. Its Prime Minister said that the country is facing its worst crisis of all time since WWII after being hit by earthquake + tsunami, which have brought upon unimaginable damages, losses and pain to the country and its people. I can only hope that assistance from the rest of the world would render Japan a quicker recovery and pray that the demised souls have peace.

This unfortunate event got me thinking. Of this island I belong to and brought up in. ‘Kiasu’ – as we have been labeled – definitively means ‘afraid to lose’. I am suddenly wondering why. As in why are we so afraid to lose when we don’t even have that much to speak of in comparison to other countries. We have no natural resources, and we are geographically on lowland surrounded by other bigger countries that would shield us from natural disasters. All we have are people which by now means half of the population is made up of foreign influx.

Why then are we so ‘kiasu’? With such state of mind, would we be able to stand united in a crisis that affects the entire nation? Or would we care more about our own well-being, put our own interest before others even in the wake of a crisis becos we are ‘kiasu’? Would there be zilch survivor at the end of the day becos we were all looking out only for our own survival? In a country where courtesy has to be encouraged and promoted through nation-wide campaigns, I don’t dare imagine. I can only pray that no crisis this large-scaled would ever befall upon this tiny island where unity seems scarce. . .

Permeate Me No More!

Today’s Ash Wednesday. Lent begins again and it’s the time for penance and reflections and praying. Fasting for today and followed by forty days of abstinence.

Traditionally, the practice is to abstain from meat, which is represented by flesh and organs of mammals and fowls, in honour of the passion of Christ on Good Friday. And which practice I only realised today that the limitation of abstinence extends to the soup and gravy containing meat. No more mommy's soup for the next few weeks!

Like many others, I too keep vigil of such practice. Since it’s up to individuals to give up something one enjoys during this Lent period, I also tried to give up something that I have been doing for more than a decade. I gave up smoking for Lent two years back. It worked for me then and the experience made me understand that kicking die hard habits is all about focus and determination; mind over matter. I am going to try again this year. Stop smoking, this time for good. I have been meaning to quit, just that I have given myself tons of excuses not to. Abstinence during this Lent period is a great way for me to kick the habit for good, no more excuses. I look forward to having sparkling white teeth and be able to confidently say that the smell of smoke permeates me no more!! :)) So the time has come for me to bid goodbye to my final pack of ciggy!