REALITIES OF LIFE

SPM and STPM results are finally out. One of the major news publications caught my eys with the headline "She failed" where a girl had jumped off a 3rd floor balcony when she got her SPM results. That was one of the most insensitive reporting to my opinion. The poor girl must have been under a load of strain and to cover the story of her 'jump' on the front page doesn't help one bit! Think of the parents' feelings! Sensationalizing the incident just doesn't help the poor girl at all.......do remember she is just 18!

Just today, my niece was so scared of collecting her results and when I called her to ask her how she did, she burst out crying that she was afraid to collect the results for fear of failure. When the exams were a few weeks away, she was involved in a car accident which had caused her right arm (her writing arm) to fracture. She had to go through the exam with her arm in a sling. Honestly, I did not expect her to do well. Sure enough, she sent me an sms to say that she didn't make it through. I called her immediately and tried to advise her to look at it positively as she was going through a rough patch when the exams were on.

Somehow, the results of an school examination tends to put the students and parents into a crazy tizzy! I know of some parents who expect their children as young as pre school kiddies to do a fantastic job of studying and getting good grades. In school the children are saddled with homework, then after school it's tuition, music lessons, dance lessons, martial arts, etc. Do we as parents ever think about the children? Have we ever asked them what they want? Do we understand their needs and wants?

Education used to be a luxury, only for the very rich; then it became a necessity and now it is one of the fundamentals of socioeconomic needs. No education, no professional careers, no money, fancy clothes, cars or condos!

We have to remember that the children are CHILDREN. They too need space to grow, time to rest and most of all parental support and approval! To all the students who didn't get through, do not feel like the world has ended, try again.

God bless!

5 YEARS ON.........

Yesterday was the 5th anniversary of my Patricia's passing. It was also Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. I had thought that this year, I'd still be the crazed up, grieving mom again, more so since Patricia's ashes have been placed in a columbarium way down in Melaka. Much to my surprise, the pain was still there but less intense. The tears still came but not like a waterfall. I was still moody and the guilt was still there. Ended up with a migraine due to the heat and not from over exhaustion like the previous years.

I still miss my sweet Patricia, the smiles, the 'manja' looks, holding her and breathing in her sweet baby smell. The memory of her final hours on this earth still haunts me. I still hurt and tears still well in my eyes when this day dawns. I still feel like a part of me has died and the void is still there. I know that these feelings will never leave me. I know each time this day dawns on, I'd still feel like the earth split open and swallowed me whole.

But I am glad that God has given me friends to alleviate the pain. I can only thank God and wish the day passes without incident. God bless.