Dianara's Reflections...

I can't begin to find the words to expound on the many good and wonderful things I found in our neighbour down south, Singapore, that could express what I really feel. The drive down was quite smooth but the signage indicating the route to the Second Link must have been damn (pardon my language) inconspicuous that we had no choice but to enter Singapore via Woodlands! Hah! That's Malaysia for you, if you know what I mean. The highways, expressways and roads in Singapore are so well equipped with many appropriate road signages that it's quite easy to find one's way around the island republic; of course with help of GARMIN too...haha. Shopping there is heaven! So many good and fantastic department stores to go in and out of, whether many levels above ground or many more underground! Can't wait for the June sales though, that'll be the time to really spend or as the saying goes, 'Shop, till you drop!' Walking up and down Orchard Road is one interesting ad...

Watching videos of the tsunami hitting towns of Japan makes my heart weep for the victims and people of Japan. No words could aptly describe how I felt, watching the sea literally swallowing the coastal towns and bringing in its' wake, a trail of near total destruction, a devastation so great that it'll take months before a town is reconstructed. So many lives lost; so many possessions gone and so many memories washed away by the raging waters of the tsunami. I pray for the people of Japan. I pray for their recovery. I pray for their strength. I pray for their hope. I pray for their courage. And I pray they will forever stand united to rebuild all that was lost and to emerge from this catastrophe a stronger nation of survivors.

This morning, a neighbour of mine when I lived in Glenmarie, Datin Shazarina succumbed to liver cancer. This sad news was conveyed to me by my cousin earlier. The shock to me about her death was that for a non-smoker and non-drinker, it seemed preposterous that she died of liver cancer. But then, as how life goes, nothing can be taken for granted and nothing should be left to chance. Expect the unexpected because we may never know what waits for us around the corner. It may be something good, which is what we should be thankful for, or something bad that may leave us stumped for words and reeling in disbelief.Take stock of your life, look after your health. Even loads of money can't redeem a death sentence. Eat healthily, live clean, smoke free, alcohol free...exercise regularly too. After hearing the news, I thought long and hard about life, especially mine... what I had gone through and what I would expect in future. I have not done enough to ensure a good health for myself. Th...

Picture this: A married son, wife does not work, has 4 young sons - 2 at school. Everyday he brings to his parents' house the two younger boys ( cause his 'office' is there), gets his own parents to look after the boys and of course most of the time it's his mother who has to take care of them. Parents are not young anymore and the boys sometimes do not listen to their grandparents. The grandmother will most of the time be reprimanding them and they will listen for a while only....and then start squabbling again. The father of the boys though is taking advantage of his parents in that he does not give a single 'cent' to them. It's his parents who fork out their own money to buy things for his kids. It's his parents who have to sacrifice their time to look after the kids. So what is the wife doing at home then? The other 2 older kids go to school, they don't live in a big house that it'll take her days to clean, she does not cook much either! Whe...

Ever wondered why some kids can be so loud and rude to their elders?...You don't have to look far actually. It can come from your own backyard!...hahaha...yup, and it's such a disturbing sight too. Children, well most of them, emulate the adults within their scope of sight and relations. When they see or hear adults talking, cursing or shouting to each other, unconsciously, the scene embeds itself in their minds. This will later be 'vomitted' from their innocence as something that is not wrong, ok to do and nothing unusual. But it's a shame to see them emulating all the negativities they inherit from the adults....and we the adults are to blame for polluting their minds. Shame on us too! There's a family I know of where a grandson of about 4 yrs old seems to find it ok to shout at his grandparents! Horror of horrors!!!...If I were given the chance, I would smack him silly. But then, you can't blame him either cause he sees his dad doing it, his grandfather d...

Break-ups. I see this as something that some people go through at least once in their adult lives. The end of a relationship does mean it's the end of the world. No way! It's just that they were not meant to be. Why? This is due to so many reasons and differs with each and every couple. If a relationship cannot be salvaged anymore and the best solution is to part ways, then so be it. Don't hold on to something that was never there in the first place. Though the relationship has been forged for years and years, if it's fated to end along the way, accept it with grace and see that as a blessing. You may have unwittingly got yourself into a situation that you could not get out of easily and the break -up sort of did you a favor. Who knows eh? Marriages can end and it's not unusual for married couples to go through divorces. Due to what reason or other, just accept that it was to last that certain length of time only. For the couples involved, move on and start a new l...

I caught a glimpse of the Velfire as it slowly made it's way up the driveway. A lot of things went through my mind and I felt my heart beating a little faster. We had not met since the day we got divorced and this will be the first time we meet face to face again after a year. I have of course seen him in the news and papers, so I sort of knew what to expect. He however, had not seen me at all. We had a court hearing this morning to finalise and to register with the Syariah Court, the terms of the divorce pertaining to the division of assets and the custody of the children. This proceeding had to be postponed twice due to the stroke that my ex suffered at the end of last year. And the day finally arrived...today, the 30th of june, 2010. The Velfire stopped at the porch to 'unload' its' passengers. My ex, our two eldest children and the 'valet of sorts'. He helps my ex with the day to day activities, from helping him dress to accompanying him to the office and ap...