Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Grief

My Wednesdays are on of the best day in the week. So far, it has been a ritual of going out with a friend.

The friendship with this friend developed in stages. First she was a stranger, then an acquaintance, then a casual friend, a neighbour and eventually we became good buddies/friends. It is also great that we both make an effort to make time for each other to meet up and update each-other. So, I really look forward for our weekly meet. Good friend(s) are hard to come by and I cherish the very few I have.

We both may be of different religion & background but we sure do share one religion on matters concerning spirituality, compassion, inner-peace and dogs :)

Today, we had long planned to get my new saree blouse fixed (Note: Gosh, my hubby's eye is going to pop-out when he sees me in it...wink, wink! My father-in-law definitely need his sun-glasses on when he sees me in it :P). We went to see one of the best Indian tailor in town (located in Wilayah complex). The tailor's name is Vincent. He is artistic, good in his work and darn expensive.

After the we headed to Royal Selangor club for lunch with another friend whom I met for the first time. Let's just refer to this new friend as A. So sad, A's husband just passed away couple months ago. She's got three girls. The eldest two in college and the youngest being nine years. Her husband died due to cancer (relapse, 4th stage of prostate cancer and also tumour in the head.....) He hubby was only 54 years of age when he died!

A has many friends but not one is free to listen or just have a decent conversation...Poor woman is in grieving stage and no one to speak to until today.

Though I didn't get to do my many other more important errands that I had scheduled for, I am truly happy and at peace and grateful that I had the opportunity to be there for a complete stranger in need (well, she is a friend now). All three of us had lovely lunch and one of the best teh-tarik kurang manis in town! Of course my diet 'kaput'/busted! Oh well... I hope to see her again sometime soon.

My day is truly complete even though I am down with a bad sore-throat and building up a fever too... Giving A a good hug too feels good.

I am far from perfect but by being a giver feels as good as being a receiver too.

Last but not least, I end today's entry with this quote:-

“Do not stand on a high pedestal and take 5 cents in your hand and say, "here, my poor man", but be grateful that the poor man is there, so by making a gift to him you are able to help yourself. It is not the receiver that is blessed, but it is the giver. Be thankful that you are allowed to exercise your power of benevolence and mercy in the world, and thus become pure and perfect.” ~ by Swami Vivekananda quotes (Indian Spiritual leader of the Hindu religion (Vedanta). Disciple of the famous 19th century mystic-saint Sri Ramakrishna of Calcutta. Founder of the Ramakrishna Order of Monks. 1863-1902)

2 comments:

  1. Many people talk about being a giver, write about giving but few just give. Great work in just doing it. It seems sometimes friends tend to take things for granted and seems like A just needs someone to talk with. In life, I've noticed people come and people go, some leave great wonderful memories and some leave bitterness and sorrow, we must learn to accept and forgive. Trust in god and believe in life to be wonderful. NT

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  2. Being a giver feels as great (or more) as receiving. I didn't know A. Just met her today without prior arrangement....Glad to have made someone's day a little better without any expectation whatsoever.

    True, in life we have lots of characters who just zoom into our lives and use the 'giver' as when needed and drop all 'contact' when something good happens in their respective lives. And these sorts/characters will have lots of excuses such as being busy lah, work lah, family problems, health issues etc. etc. etc. blah blah blah...
    Oh well, in God we can trust. Take a deep breath and let go....As our Master used to say...do the step and release (you know what I mean). It works. Makes my life much better than hoping for all these losers to buck up and realise how good we have been to them (or if I have personally meant something to their respective life/lives. So, am forgotten and used...oh heck! Such is life, Ce'st la vie).

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