It has been a while since I wrote but my excuses as usual would be that I have been attending to all the 'Worldy Needs'. Then suddenly amidst all that I was sent to one corner of the world where I was forced to take a holiday. Still struggling to find the 'hikmah' behind that trip that I made with daughter and son-in-law.
Lately, I have been troubled by thoughts of when is enough of something, enough. The layman's description of being thankful for what we have. Every month if not every fornight I would be travelling between two homes, one a linked 3 bedroomed house in the city to the other a 6 bedroomed bungalow in another city about 5 hours drive from the other abode. I have been troubled too by the fact that I could not provide a better home for my children when all came to stay for a visit especially now with grandchildren and all. In front of the linked house is a very large playing field complete with a playground where my granddaughter enjoys going, a football pitch and also a futsal pitch. My bedroom is overlooking the field except it's not visible due to the 'rhu trees' which were planted some twenty years ago right smacked lining the edge of the field, now blocking the view. Its the green area which I sometimes fail to see. I have been blessed with a home.
Coming back to the 'destined trip'. There I observed how people lived. From afar I could see the small houses all close to one another, roofs of one house meeting the roofs of other houses, basically the termed used in my country would be the squatters. But this is typical of the living condition of the masses of the population near the city. There are areas where the rich population live but was not anywhere to be seen near the city. Even then it may only be for a small percentage of the population. It doesn't matter what the government policies of that country are about the welfare of their people but the truth prevails. There are people around the world where living in shacks are normal and there I was forgetting to be thankful for what I have. I reckon this is one hikmah that should drive home in me.
The local people do all sorts of odd jobs just to earn a living. They put up mobile stalls everywhere just to make a living and presumably to make ends meet. In every street you see someone selling something, turn to your left, to your right, from the front and the back there seemed to be someone selling you something. From drinks to foodstuffs, to bags to fill your shopping to souveniers. You see people eat by the mobile stalls by the roadsides to fill hungry stomachs. It is admirable to see young men who do small businesses practically selling anything of sale value without the fear of being jeered by society. In my country you don't get to see locals do certain jobs anymore because it is being done by the immigrants and the more the job is labelled to be being done by immigrants the more the local think it's beyond them to do similar jobs. Thus unemployment rate soars high in my country at least for the locals. These people are sincerely earning a living the way they know how in order to feed themselves and their families. But you never know some of these people may be living in big houses outside the city. The general impression is that the people have to work hard to earn a living. Seeing this makes me feel guilty about spending money to shop but I consoled myself that it was ok if I was to buy things to give away as token to families back home.The other hikmah for me is to be thankful for the monthly paycheques I received, rain or shine.
Another hikmah I see from this trip, is the softer side of my daughter and her husband and we spent quality time together and aptly just before he takes a trip to Sao Paulo, Brazil for two and a half months. Too bad though no honeymoon for them for they insisted I took the extra bed into the studio apartment where we stayed for three nights instead of me taking another room to stay on my own. My children always tell me not to be judgemental but here I dare to be judgemental now. Which young couple would want their mother or mother-in-law to share their studio apartment with no privacy before their long separation. Hmm.. I wouldn't. Thank you kiddos, it feels so good to be loved. All in all it was a wonderful trip and a relaxing one for the mind. I really have been blessed many times over.
The last hikmah at least for now is that after coming home from the trip I received this call from an International consultant inviting my company to do a job in that country and in particular in that city. Talking about Divine Will and Decree. Should we take the job and since I am Head of that Engineering Division, therefore I have to be there to ensure the job is carried out properly since this would be the first of our International commissioned work as Consultant. Since I have been to the place I can now know what to expect when I am there doing my work.
All in all, when you think you do not have enough of something, think again of the more unfortunates. Then you can say enough is enough and just be thankful for what you already have now.
Lately, I have been troubled by thoughts of when is enough of something, enough. The layman's description of being thankful for what we have. Every month if not every fornight I would be travelling between two homes, one a linked 3 bedroomed house in the city to the other a 6 bedroomed bungalow in another city about 5 hours drive from the other abode. I have been troubled too by the fact that I could not provide a better home for my children when all came to stay for a visit especially now with grandchildren and all. In front of the linked house is a very large playing field complete with a playground where my granddaughter enjoys going, a football pitch and also a futsal pitch. My bedroom is overlooking the field except it's not visible due to the 'rhu trees' which were planted some twenty years ago right smacked lining the edge of the field, now blocking the view. Its the green area which I sometimes fail to see. I have been blessed with a home.
Coming back to the 'destined trip'. There I observed how people lived. From afar I could see the small houses all close to one another, roofs of one house meeting the roofs of other houses, basically the termed used in my country would be the squatters. But this is typical of the living condition of the masses of the population near the city. There are areas where the rich population live but was not anywhere to be seen near the city. Even then it may only be for a small percentage of the population. It doesn't matter what the government policies of that country are about the welfare of their people but the truth prevails. There are people around the world where living in shacks are normal and there I was forgetting to be thankful for what I have. I reckon this is one hikmah that should drive home in me.
The local people do all sorts of odd jobs just to earn a living. They put up mobile stalls everywhere just to make a living and presumably to make ends meet. In every street you see someone selling something, turn to your left, to your right, from the front and the back there seemed to be someone selling you something. From drinks to foodstuffs, to bags to fill your shopping to souveniers. You see people eat by the mobile stalls by the roadsides to fill hungry stomachs. It is admirable to see young men who do small businesses practically selling anything of sale value without the fear of being jeered by society. In my country you don't get to see locals do certain jobs anymore because it is being done by the immigrants and the more the job is labelled to be being done by immigrants the more the local think it's beyond them to do similar jobs. Thus unemployment rate soars high in my country at least for the locals. These people are sincerely earning a living the way they know how in order to feed themselves and their families. But you never know some of these people may be living in big houses outside the city. The general impression is that the people have to work hard to earn a living. Seeing this makes me feel guilty about spending money to shop but I consoled myself that it was ok if I was to buy things to give away as token to families back home.The other hikmah for me is to be thankful for the monthly paycheques I received, rain or shine.
Another hikmah I see from this trip, is the softer side of my daughter and her husband and we spent quality time together and aptly just before he takes a trip to Sao Paulo, Brazil for two and a half months. Too bad though no honeymoon for them for they insisted I took the extra bed into the studio apartment where we stayed for three nights instead of me taking another room to stay on my own. My children always tell me not to be judgemental but here I dare to be judgemental now. Which young couple would want their mother or mother-in-law to share their studio apartment with no privacy before their long separation. Hmm.. I wouldn't. Thank you kiddos, it feels so good to be loved. All in all it was a wonderful trip and a relaxing one for the mind. I really have been blessed many times over.
The last hikmah at least for now is that after coming home from the trip I received this call from an International consultant inviting my company to do a job in that country and in particular in that city. Talking about Divine Will and Decree. Should we take the job and since I am Head of that Engineering Division, therefore I have to be there to ensure the job is carried out properly since this would be the first of our International commissioned work as Consultant. Since I have been to the place I can now know what to expect when I am there doing my work.
All in all, when you think you do not have enough of something, think again of the more unfortunates. Then you can say enough is enough and just be thankful for what you already have now.
Comments
Post a Comment