The Doors of Life

Fri 21 Sept - This week has been quite an unpleasant one as I have been deluged by news about the passing away of friends. The one that jolted me the most was the news of the demise of my former classmate, room-mate and house mate - Lydia Ng Lee Tiang.

Lee Tiang joined my Form 5 class in 1976 in Convent Muar. She had failed her MCE (now the SPM) and was with us as a retainee. Being a retainee in "Upper Five" (her very own words), she kept a low profile. When the MCE results were announced, it was learnt that she had obtained a Grade 1 and was eliglible to go to Form 6 in Muar High School. While in Form 6, we were fellow Interactors, and later we went on to University Malaya together where she read Economics. We also became room- and house-mates while we were staying in Section 17, Petaling Jaya.

Lee Tiang was always a jovial and diligent girl. She was tanned for a Chinese ("kopi susu" type of complexion) and was tall and slim. We had good fun together. It's sad that not having seen her or got any news about her for about 25 years, I should learn about her death through my good friend, Hui Chen. Thanks Hui Chen, for keeping me informed.

I learnt that Lee Tiang died of liver cancer. It shakes me to my very core because she was young , only 49. Surely, funerals are meant for the old and aged, not someone like Lee Tiang who should have had so many good years ahead of her. Her death is a timely reminder to us all that every day is a bonus, a gift from God, and that life is temporal and transcient and as such, I had better be more appreciative of the people around me - my spouse, my children, my extended family members and all my friends who are dear to me.

May I end this posting by sharing with you the lyrics of the song "The Doors of the Life". It's a beautiful Japanese song with a mix of English lyrics, sung by Mariya Takeuchi, and it aptly reminds me that life is short but hey, it's worth living!

"When spring comes again, one year will be added
The scenes reflected before the eyes will be changed slightly
The innocent and naughty young days have gone far away
As I sense it now, I am already on the way beyond 50s.

I say it's fun to be 20
You say it's great to be 30
And I say it's lovely to be 40
But I feel it's nice to be 50

With unbelievable speed, the time has fleeted away
If I knew it, though small things, all would be kept in mind, said my heart
The full-bloomed cherry blossoms or the colour-changed mountains and maples
Such scenes can be seen how many times henceforth?

I say it's fine to be 60
You say it's all right to be 70
And they say it's still good to be 80
But I'll maybe live over 90

To open and close the door of the life, every single thing is so heavy
For the sake of the beloved ones, every single one should live on
The blue of your denim will fade increasingly to its beauty
At the end of the long journey, everyone has some sort of its splendour

I say it's sad to get weak
You say it's hard to get older
And they say that life has no meaning
But I still believe it's worth living."

Relax & Unwind

My husband and I have found a good place to unwind in Melaka - Seafarer Seafood Restaurant, that serves halal local and western fare. If you are travelling along Tengkera Road and are heading towards Masjid Tanah, Seafarer is on your left, a short distance past the Bukit Rambai traffic lights. We go there most Fridays for a round of drinks or light supper in order to relax after a week of hard work.

Winston is the musician at Seafarer on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. I enjoy his music as he has a wide repertoire of songs - from the sultry rumba, heart-thumping rock and roll, to the romantic waltz numbers. Best of all, there is a dance floor for dance lovers like me. The dance floor can be crowded but it adds to the fun of dancing! However, it is an uncovered area so when it rains, any plans to show off your dancing skills will be dashed.

Yesterday night (Merdeka night), I was pleasantly surprised to meet my primary school teacher, Mrs. Neo. She was a teacher in the Convent primary school, Muar (my hometown), back in 1970s. Well, last night, one look at her sitting at the next table and I called her name. I recognised her instantly as she has not changed after all these years. She is still the same - hair immaculately in place with interesting, daring colours; flawless complexion with not a wrinkle or signs of aging; her makeup faultless and dewy-looking. Mrs. Neo has always been a trendsetter even back in the 1970s - she coloured her hair back then and even wore bare backs.

Another thing that made her stand out in the crowd last night was her dancing skills. In her pair of high heels that went well with her stylish pair of jeans, she twirled with grace on the dance floor. Her well-executed movements reflected her zest for life. At 60, Mrs. Neo would easily put any woman (including me) to shame. So inspired by her was I after meeting her at Seafarer that upon reaching home, I applied a face mask in the hope that I'll look as good as Mrs. Neo does!

One lesson that I learnt about life last night: One can still look good inspite of one's age if only one takes time and effort to pamper oneself.