it's ok to be not ok

I have a friend whom once I asked "are you ok?"

And she gave me a really honest response that very often when people ask her that question, she can't tell them that she is not, so she will end up just saying that she is ok..

Since that day, I never asked her that question anymore..

Maybe it's easier for her to feel how she's feeling without her having to answer "ok" whenever someone asked that question.

I just want to say that it's really ok to be not ok.

I'm thankful that she could share that with me

I am not and will not be stumbled, but instead I felt so much love for her because she could be real.

Being in church more than half my life, growing up..

Sometimes it seems like we have to be ok... all the time, every time..

Does being not ok means our faith is low? No!

We don't have to be ok all the time, we can afford to be not ok when it's not ok!

The truth is, no matter how long we have been in church, we will always need to depend on God through the different seasons of our life!

And most of the time, we depend on God more when it's not ok..

The heros of faith too had their struggles..

And today as I was just having this conversation with God..

He said to me, "her faith is so beautiful.. having faith doesn't mean that we will never doubt or be afraid.. having faith doesn't mean that we will never struggle.. but it is in the midst of all these, and yet in simple steps, she put her trust in Me again and again.. bit by bit.. that her faith is so beautiful in My eyes.." and He smiled.

I delicate this post to 'my friend'.

I am not just here in good times, I'll be here all the time.

You are my hero of faith :)

Courtesy? #2 - Hoarding

This word "Hoarding" is a big word... It started with describing the human behavioural of hoarding food or natural supplies that they think will soon be in shortage.

And then it became a behavioural where everything is "MINE"... in this word "hoarding" there is no courtesy or sharing...

So how is this word being constantly seen in society nowadays? instead of just supplies....

Children at childcare centre hoarding all the toys and not allowing other children to play or touch those toys. Some parents even blame the school for not educating their children. But really, where are the kind of things taught at home? I believe that home is our first learning centre.

Then the very common and often seen in our daily life are people hoarding seats. The purpose of my post is not to embarrass anyone. Hence, I chose photos where faces are not revealed so that no one is put to shame.

This seat hoarding situation did not only limit to MRT but also cafes and eating places. Photos cannot be posted because faces are too close up and easily identified.

I'm sure many of us have faced frustrated situations, looking for seats at cafes or eating places. Waiting for people to finish their chit chatting, studying, 1 person taking 4 person's seats etc... all these happening during the peak hours. I understand that some times you are looking for places to study, hang out with friends etc and needed a place. I can totally understand this, because i do hang out at cafes and just relax, enjoying the ambience etc too.

I am referring to eating places where big crowds of people are standing around waiting. An act of courtesy or kindness would be, to share your table if you are alone or only taking up 2 out of 4 of the seats. :) i'm sure the people won't mind and will be really appreciative :)

Once i was at Soupspoon located at Bugis. it was peak hours at around 6.30pm where hungry people are hunting for food to fill their stomach after a long day of work. While many people are standing around looking for seats in the Soupspoon, i noticed a 4 seater table with some books and a school bag but no one was there. I waited for awhile to see if the person is ordering food etc. After 10-mins, the person still did not show up at the seat. So my friend and i decided to  sit at half of the table and leaving her things at the other half, to just have our meal.

We sat there and ate quickly as there were many other people waiting for a table. After close to an hour since we entered the shop, when we were about to finish and leave. The lady whom the books and bag belongs to came back and started to make a big fuss, raising her voice. She made a scene about us sitting on her seat and that she had placed her things there to show that the table is taken. Its obvious that she is not eating and neither is she really present at the seat because it was an hour since i saw her.

After making a huge commotion in the eatery, people around are feeling uncomfortable in the unpleasant situation, we realised that the boyfriend is one of the staff working. And she started scolding the boyfriend and embarrassing my friend and i publicly. It was a really awful experience.

Let's be people who are kind and passionate towards fellow humans. Sharing tables, giving up seats that you do not need or even to make an effort to finish up faster, can really help brighten someone's day. Caring and sharing is the opposite of hoarding. Some things may be OURS, but i think we can be kind to share it with someone in need.

Of course, the most important and easiest expression of courtesy is a smile. A smile can go a very long way and it can be passed on from one person to another :)