The Reader

Children at play..

 When my kids were small,I used to watch them playing in the field.It was a great joy for me then.Yesterday, after my morning walk,I saw a group of kids from nearby school running to the playground to play.It put the smile on my face looking at them having fun-the noise was music to my ears. One minute later,my heart sank when I saw a teacher was pushing a handicapped girl in a wheel-chair trailing behind.She is one of those happily running kids going to the padang for their PE class.Just imagine her feeling watching her friends running around having fun and she got stuck in a wheel-chair!

Immediately,I recited Alhamdulilah a few times because I was blessed with three healthy boys.Now, they are young men in their 20's.Thank you my Lord for your rahmah and rahim to my family.And please forgive my inadequate gratitude to You and my disobediences to Your Commands.We can disobey the Commands of Allah,but we can't run away from the Wills of Allah!

To parents reading my musing today, you know the feeling...

Note: My previous note on being  a father here.

Change is hard!

Yes,it is hard indeed!When I handed over my construction company to my younger brother beginning this year,I have to make  changes to my business days routine.Previously I went to office every weekday;now only once a week.I just can't go on drinking cappucino and read newspapers from front to back everyday.So, I continue my sideline business in project management training,audit  and consultancy with my other partners.At the same time,I spend more time in reading/learning to continuously upgrade my knowledge in subjects of my interests-Islam,philosophy and project management.So far, I am enjoying the change.

In about two years time,I will be joining the warga emas (group of senior citizen-60 years old),insyaAllah. Now,I could feel and see my physical body is getting older and weaker.To keep myself fit and energetic,I joined younger men cycling their mountain bikes about two years ago.So far,I am having fun with them and my weight  had gone down from 80kg to 75kg.Nothing to shout about, but I feel lighter and better about my body.Lately as a cross-training for me,I took up brisk walking.By the way,I can't run any more.Alhamdulilah, I can still walk 10km in one session.At my age,I couldn't ask for more.

My dear friend once commented at my Facebook that his greatest hurdle to walking is to start walking.Starting is really very difficult, however in some aspects,I managed to get started in a few changes in my life.My next hurdle is to keep the change I started.Anyway I am not going to worry about it for now.I will take it a day at a time...

When my father passed away 30 years ago,  my mother had to become father and mother to all of us.It is much easier if we embrace the change and not going against it.

Yesterday,I discovered this article about making changes in one's life.To my pleasant suprise, I have used a few of the recommendations by the authors of the  book entitled Switch.I have not read the book yet,so I can't comment.But you can read some ideas  from the book here.[just a book review]

My experience told me that I took five years from the day I decided to make the change to the day I embarked on the change.Many a time,we dare not make the changes because it takes a lot of efforts.Let me borrow this motto from the British SAS[Special Air Service]:

Who dares wins!

It is better late than never.Anyway,what else can I say?

Note: In April,2004,I attended a lecture given by mahaguru of change management from HBS.I suggest you read a book entitled The Heart of Change written by him.

More trees,please!

On the way to OrchardRd,Singapore
Originally uploaded by Adibi

As they say,money don't grow on the trees.Likewise,the trees don't grow on the roadsides if we don't plant them there.Just look at this photo.It is so cooling to drive even though the temperature is 34 deg C!

Many of my friends do express their happiness every time it rains nowadays.Why?It is because of the heat wave now.Every time it rains in my neighbourhood,I smile from ear to ear.My place is a new housing estate(about 3 years old) and most of the trees had been cut down and new ones have yet to be planted and the few planted have yet to grow tall.One of the reasons I go to FRIM every other weekend is to get away from the heat;not to mention I love cycling there!

To those in power at our local governments,before you approve the development plans,please ensure that no trees being cut unnecessarily and get developers to plant trees at the beginning of the construction phase.Thank you.

During a hot sunny afternoon,I felt hotter driving along an elevated highway where there are no trees along  the highways...

 

R&R

 I don't travel often but when I do,I like to stop at a few places along the highway.Today,on the way from JB to BBB, I stopped at Pagoh R&R.I was really impressed by the design and upkeep of the facilities.The place is beautiful,airy,clean and has adequate food stalls and facilities.Kudos to PLUS.

However, when I travelled from KL,Kuantan,Kuala Terengganu and Kota Bharu last two weeks,I think road users do need similar R&R facilities like those provided by PLUS and other toll road operators.For federal and state roads,I think the government should build the facilities and let the private companies manage and operate them.

 

Hidup dan mati satu ujian..

[Al-Mulk:2] Dialah yang telah mentakdirkan adanya mati dan hidup (kamu) untuk menguji dan menzahirkan keadaan kamu: Siapakah di antara kamu yang lebih baik amalnya; dan Dia Maha Kuasa (membalas amal kamu), lagi Maha Pengampun, (bagi orang-orang yang bertaubat);

Setiap kali saya membaca ayat ini,saya teringat bicara guru saya[dan bapa saudara isteri saya],Allahyarham Dato Ustaz Yusuf Zaky Yaacob. Beliau mengajar saya bahawa kehidupan dunia ini adalah sebagai makmal ujian Allah kepada kita semua.Ada yang kita suka dan ada yang kita tidak suka.Semuanya itu ujian untuk kita semua.Yang sedap kita bersyukur dan yang sakit kita bersabar.Beliau sendiri mengalami kemalangan  jalan raya (patah tulang) dan sakit berat(jantung dan buah pinggang) tapi dengan usaha giatnya dan izin Allah,beliau berjaya menterjamahkan Fi Zilalil Qur'an ke bahasa Melayu dalam tempuh 10 tahun.

Semasa beliau berbicara berkaitan ujian,saya teringat ujian bahan di makmal kejuruteraan awam di Sheffield University semasa saya menjadi penuntut disana dalam tahun 70'an. I did compressive strength  test of the concrete where I applied the load until it fails(crushes to pieces).Hasil ujian akan menzahirkan pelbagai metrics untuk kita mengenali sifat-sifat bahan  yang di uji.Lebih kurang begitulah apabila kita diuji oleh Allah swt.

Sama-sama kita bersabar dalam menjalani ujian Allah swt.Sesungguhnya,setiap yang mengaku beriman akan diuji!

[29:2] Patutkah manusia menyangka bahawa mereka akan dibiarkan dengan hanya berkata: Kami beriman, sedang mereka tidak diuji (dengan sesuatu cubaan)?

Blog is passé?

A few days ago,I read in our local newspaper that blog or blogging is becoming a thing of the past or getting out of fashion as the Internet users are using more and more social media applications like Facebook and Twitter.It was reported some where that more than one million Malaysians are are using Facebook.Lately I also noticed that more friends of mine in their 50's and 60's are joining the band-wagon.For senior citizens like me,we have to embrace the new technology to get connected to our friends,relatives , children and grand children.Even my mother,a frail 76 years old lady has to learn how to read the sms sent by her grandchildren!

I also noticed that my blog readers  are visiting my Facebook more than my blog,The Reader.Anyway, all my blog postings are connected to my Facebook and Twitter.IMHO, what ever I want to do at my blog ,I also can do at my Facebook-may be with better interactions.As for now, I will keep on blogging;it is more focus and less 'messy' compared to Facebook.

 

Birds watching..

KL Bird Park 127
Originally uploaded by Adibi

I am no bird watcher but I enjoy watching birds in flight especially when they are about to make a landing.A few weeks ago,I saw a couple of bird watchers.They were armed to the teeth with binoculars,cameras and notebook roaming around FRIM area.I should have asked them what birds they were watching but I was too engrossed with my cycling buddies.

A few days ago, while I was crossing the wooden bridge spanning the Tasik Cempaka@BBB,my eyes caught about a dozen big white birds flying in formation like the Red Arrows!At that time I was doing my morning walk.So, I stopped and looked up.The birds made a half circle and touched down at the river flowing into the lake.They came looking for their breakfast at about 7:15am. Early birds catch the biggest worms..

Previous posting on birds.

Message in The Bottle

While walking along the beach,I remembered the movie entitled from the novel Message in The Bottle written by Nicholas Sparks.My wife and me read the book and later we went to watch the movie!I could not remember when but it must be in the 90's.

Immediately I took out my drinking water bottle and put it on the beach and took a few shots.However,I was not happy with the shots and moved the water bottle closer to the water edge.As I was about to take the shot, a big wave suddenly came over and the bottle was uplited and floated away.Fortunately, a young man was watching me near by and he ran into the sea to rescue my drinking water!

Looking at the waves coming and going with their own sounds,let me share this quote:

The form can blind us from the substance-just like the musical waves of the ocean.The eyes shall feast on the dancing waves but the heart must see its essence-the water.

 

Neglected pillbox

 During my recent visit to Pantai Irama(Bachok,Kelantan),I brought my cousin to see one of the dilapidated concrete bunker/pillbox used by the British to defend Malaya during the World War 11.It was left to rot away...

What a great shame to those in power and the people for not taking care of our own  history....

You can read and see more photos here.

Full photo below:

 

A Walk @Pantai Irama,Bachok

Every time I go back to my kampung,I must visit Pantai Irama.The Malay proverb says,"Tempat jatuh lagi dikenang,inikan pula tempat bermain".My kampung Pondok Beris,located about 5km away.It was THE beach for us at that time.

When I was a kid in the 60's,we don't walk-we run  and  we swim.It was fun all day.Now,some fifty years later,I am glad that I could walk and do a short run.As I walked the childhood memory started to return like the train of South China Sea waves arriving in drove and finally settled on the beautiful beach.

Yesterday,my cousin Ramzan joined me for a 5.4km of brisk walking.As we walked,we talked about old days.I don't need to take along my iPod to provide music along the beach because the sound of rolling waves was much better.

Below are two shots.The first is Morning Walk and the second is my version of Message in The Bottle.InsyaAllah,I shall write more when I recovered from 1320km travel by car over the last 5 days..