Well done steak

Taken from http://blog.grammarly.com/post/36108547882

My Role Model

My role model is my sister. Her name is Joy and she is thirty-years old. She is working as a lecturer in a local university. She is very small and petite. She has beautiful black hair and the prettiest smile I have ever seen. She is also very cheerful and it is no wonder that she got the nickname of Joy. She is almost 10 years my senior and she has made a great impact on my life.

She was diagnosed with cancer of the breast at age 25. When my family and I heard the news, we were in shock and distress. I was devastated. I felt as if my sister was going to die. I cried and cried. I only stopped when she smilingly asked me why I was crying.

“I am scared that I am going to lose you!” I cried with fear. She said calmly, ”Hey, you silly goose. I am not going to die. I am just having a cancer. It is not life threatening. It is something that can be treated. And if I had to get cancer, then I am glad it is breast cancer because I can easily go for a mastectomy and get on with life. So, what’s your problem?”

I stared at her and then started thinking. How come she never cried? How come she never whined and complained? How come she continued to bring joy to everybody’s lives? Where did she get her strength from? What was wrong with me? Why was I crying like life has ended?

It was a very traumatic time for all of us. She went through radiation, chemotherapy and the saddest time of our lives was when she lost all her hair! Her beautiful black hair simply dropped onto her pillow as she slept. I collected all her hair and I still keep it in a bag! I just can’t throw it away.

But, she taught all of us lessons in strength and patience. She taught us to laugh in the face of pain, hurt and fear. She simply would not stay down. She bounced right back!

Even the doctors were amazed at her recovery and ability to cope with the situation. My sister Joy made all of us aware of all the fragility of life and showed that we had to be thankful for every minute that we had.

We became one of the families who laughed and celebrated a lot. We would find any occasion to give thanks to just be alive because after all life is a gift.

Today, she is a cancer survivor and is a counsellor to other cancer patients. I am totally in awe of her. From her, I learnt to live life fully, happily and contentedly.

(458 words)

Adapted from Tutor Utusan Malaysia Wednesday 6 August 2008

The Cliff

    

    One day, a despondent young man who was bankrupt decided to end his life. He felt his life was miserable, having failed in all his undertakings. He wanted to commit suicide by jumping off a cliff that was a two-hour bus ride from his house.

    The cliff was a famous tourist spot. It overlooked a lush green valley and offered a wonderful view of the sea beyond. Sometimes, if you are lucky, the reflection of the sun creates a beautiful rainbow in the blue sky.

    After a hearty breakfast, the young man took the first bus that left for the cliff. It was 7.30 am and the bus was quite empty. After a few stops though, the bus became crowded with people on their way to work.

    A middle-aged man in a security officer’s uniform sat next to the young man and started a conversation. He said after a big yawn, “Didn’t get enough sleep last night. The cost of living is getting very high. I have to work two jobs to support my family and mind you, my wife is also working. Only the rich can enjoy their life. It’s getting tougher every day – what a world.”

    The young man thought in his heart, “Yes, and that’s why I am leaving it.”

    The middle-aged man got off at the next stop. By now the bus was nearly empty again, and thirty minutes away from the last stop at the cliff top, an old man got onto the bus and sat in front of the young man. It was drizzling then.

    He was untidy-looking, his hair unkempt, his shirt faded and stained and it looked as if he had not bathed in days. Turning to the young man he said, “I guess you are going to the cliff too.” The young man nodded coldly, remaining silent. The old man continued, “I’ve waited nearly a year to come to the cliff. My children left me after they got married and of course after getting their inheritance since all the properties willed to them by their mother.”

    “I was imprisoned in a posh old folks’ home. After some time, my children decided that I was becoming too expensive for them, so they dumped me in a state-run old folks’ home. I decided then to leave the place. I worked as a gardener and did odd jobs.”

    The old man then asked, “Where are you coming from?”. The young man said, “About 50km from here.” The old man said, “I have actually come from 250km away and had to take a few buses to get here. I skipped some meals to save enough cash to come here.”

    The old man continued,” I remember when I was small, my parents used to take me to the cliff to see the views. It was a wonderful sight. The cool blue sky matched by the lush green valley below. Sometimes the blue sky was dotted by spots of wild birds. I could see the sparkling reflection of the sunlight on the sea. It was heavenly”.

    Unperturbed by the young man’s scowl and silence, the old man went on. He said, “I haven’t felt proper sunshine in years. Our cities are choked with smog and the sky is polluted by haze. Thank God I made it here today. I just want to see the view from the cliff so that I know it’s worth living here on this great planet no matter what we go through.”

    The old man then asked,” Are you working at the tourist kiosk there?”. The young man paused for a moment and answered, “No, I’m going there for the same reason you are.”

    The rain had stopped by then. The sun was shining again. As the bus drew to a stop by the cliff top, the bus driver called out, “Hey, you guys are lucky. There is a double rainbow today!”

(649 words)

Adapted from: Leonard Selva Gurunathan  Heart & Soul Starmag Sunday 30 March 2008

Greek God Injury Report

Making A Difference

As much as I love inspirational quotes and stories, I never imagined that someday, I would figure in one of them. But life is full of surprises, so here’s my story.

The day started just like any other and I waited patiently for the sun to go down so I could go for a dip. At 7.15pm, I looked out the window and saw a beautiful sunset. It was my cue to head downstairs.

As I approached the pool, I noticed a young lady getting out from the other end. Well, it’s going to be me swimming alone that night, I thought to myself.

I geared up and got into the pool gently. Once I had gotten used to the temperature of the water, I noticed the same person had returned and begun swimming. I could not keep my eyes off her.

She swam lap after lap without stopping. Feeling a little let down by my own speed, I pushed myself a little harder at the start of each lap, pausing occasionally to enjoy the view around me.

After seven years of living in the same condo, most people would have gotten tired of the same, although amazing, view from my pool. But I never fail to gloat about it – it’s the main attraction for anyone who visits.

I had planned on doing 20 laps. After the 18^th lap, I stopped to take a rest. It was then that the young lady came up and started thanking me profusely.

At first I did not quite understand her. She then explained that she had given up her passion for swimming some years ago. But that evening, after a long day at work, she decided that she would get back into the pool.

However, she was only two laps through when everyone else in the water started to get up and head home. She felt uneasy swimming alone and wanted to do the same. That was when she saw me approaching and decided to continue with her laps as she now had company. My presence in the pool that night had also inspired her to swim again, she added.

Her words caught me by surprise and all that I could mutter was, “You’re welcome,” while flashing a wide smile.

As we both swam to the other end of the pool, she whispered, “See ya,” before getting out. As I completed my last two laps, I started thinking about what had just happened.

How could my presence make such a difference in someone else’s life? After all, I did not offer her any assistance; I was simply going about my own business.

Then it struck me that in most of the stories I had heard or read, the characters were unaware of the effect they would have on someone else’s life. It just happened.

Thinking back on that experience still gives me goose bumps: what if I had been lazy and decided to go for my swim the next day instead? I would have killed your passion, young lady. Surely I would not be guilty, as I was unaware of the situation. But now, I know the impact of my presence on you.

So, the next time anyone thinks of herself as unworthy of making a difference, think again. I am proof of that.

(550 words)

Adapted from: Caren Alyssha Philip Heart & Soul Star2 Sunday 27 May 2012

Nautical Expressions

(To show/fly a) false flag

To pretend to be something you are not

Cars are identified by their license plates; ships use flags. In the old days, pirates would check out the nationality of their quarry, run up either the same flag or one of a trusted ally, get in nice and close, and then launch their attack.

Example:  Our CEO got caught in false flag operation. He thought she was an investment banker but she was actually working for one of our rivals.

To take the wind out of someone’s sails

To depress someone. To bring someone down.

A sailing ship can only travel when the wind fills its sails. The sight of a sailing ship suddenly coming to a stop, its sails dangling uselessly, inspired this idiom. A captain may use his ship to block the wind, thereby forcing a rival to come to a halt.

Example: Discovering we all have MBAs really took the wind out of Jeff’s sails.

To run a tight ship

To be very organised and efficient.

In the old days, ship captains may or may not have been efficient but they were certainly cruel. One of the many legal punishments was keelhauling, where sailors were tied up, thrown overboard and dragged underwater from one side of the ship to the other so that they will be scarred or even killed by the sharp barnacles on the keel or bottom.

Example: Jack runs a tight ship so we should cut our overheads drastically.

To sail close to the wind

To do something dangerous. Also to do something that is within the rules – but only just!

A sail boat can only move if the wind fills its sails. Therefore, if you sail directly into the wind, the air will slide past your sails rather than fill them, and you will come to a stop. You may even be blown backwards!

Example: Sue-Anne enjoys sailing close to the wind but her mum is worried she'll land herself in trouble one day.

Adapted from: Ellen Whyte Logomania Star2 Tuesday 4 Spetember 2012