dear diary,
how do i write this letter to you? i know i've heard the saying that i shouldn't wash my dirty laundry in public. of course, perhaps this isn't my dirty laundry directly. but this really breaks my heart.
you know, when i was teaching this drama class, my kids were made to write their own story. this young girl of 12 wrote a story about an old lady that she saw begging one day for money. she asked her mum why the woman had to beg for money at such an old age, and her mum replied, its because her children wouldn't take care of her. that's such a random answer don't you think? one of those that you tell your kids so that you make sure that they take care of you when you're old?
and you would think that these things just don't happen to your family or friends, people whom you KNOW have "integrity." and then strange things happen, children who argue with their parents, stop supporting them, stop speaking to them..
i know a man. a man who has had to endure just this. he has lost weight, he looks like he wants to cry when he speaks and he is filled with grieve and sadness that you can see when you look into his eyes. i look away, because if i stare into it, i know i too will cry.
i know this man, and he is gentle, loving and forgiving.
i know this man, and he does not deserve to be treated this way.
at the end of the day, it doesn't matter who the heck is right and who the heck is wrong. and when you are a family the longer you take to forgive, the longer everyone suffers.
this is why i am sure, that the greatest weapon the devil has is pride. he lets us to believe the lies that we are good and forgiving is a privillege.
who are we? who have we become? do we give our money to people who deserve it? NGOs? do we make the effort to make sure our parents, relatives, are not in need? who have we become that we can allow our fathers and forefathers to be in a moments need of basic necessities??
it makes me so mad and so sad at the same time. with every ounce of energy in me i hope i can make this right.
The twelve year old ends hear story by saying to her mum "mummy, don't worry you will never have to beg for money because i will take care of you."
yours,
jess
3 comments:
Another story goes like this...
Grandmother was getting old, so the parents decided one night to carry grannie into the forest and abandon her.
Next morning they put grannie in a big basket and together with their 6 year old child carried grannie in a big basket and abandoned her in the forest.
Half way home their 6 year old kid wanted the parents to go back to the spot where they abandon grannie.
The kids parents wanted to know why he wants to go back. The kid replied "you left the big basket behind, let us go back and get the basket otherwise what am I going to use to carry you went you get old?"
The kid's parents then realised what they had done was wrong and went back and took grannie home.
This is an old chinese story, perhaps many of us have forgotten.
Well, i guess whatever it is, people will find ways to justify their actions. But real love doesn't depend on how the other person treats you or what they have done. If you truly love someone, you have only their best interest at heart, not yours....
well said :)
Hi, my name is June, i read your post regarding the Intrudu. I'm a student from SEgi college doin american degree program and im taking intercultural this term. I hope you can provide me more information regarding the festa intrudu and others portuguese cultures, i'll be presenting this wed. I looked up the portuguese settlement in web but the info is less, i hope u can provide me some insights about portuguese culture in malaysia. I went to the portuguese settlement during the first week on oct wif my classmate for cultural studies, all of us would probably presenting similar info,hope you could provide me some info, thank you. I apologize for this blunt intro.
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