Brilliant Stuff

A good friend brought this to my attention the other day, it is so good I would not want to miss the chance to share it with you guys:

An ingenious example of speech and politics occurred recently in the United Nations Assembly by the Palestinian Representative and made the world community smile.

'Before beginning my talk I want to tell you something about Moses. When he struck the rock and it brought forth water, he thought, 'What a good opportunity to have a bath!'

He removed his clothes, put them aside on the rock and entered the water. When he got out and wanted to dress, his clothes had vanished. An Israeli had stolen them.'

The Israeli representative jumped up furiously and shouted, 'What are you talking about? The Israelis weren't there then.'

The Palestinian representative smiled and said,

'And now that we have made that clear, I will begin my speech.'

Twenty-One

I turned 21 last Saturday. Alhamdulillah.

Time is a strange thing, you see. I feel that it was not long ago that I wrote a piece here for my 20th birthday. All those things that I had been doing for the past two, three years did not seem like a distant memory. Over the years, there were dreams that were planted but soon forgotten. As my birthday arrives every year, I cannot help but look back regretfully at all those things behind me, the could haves and should haves, all the empty promises and moments when I lost focus on life’s true motives.

Despite all that, I am grateful for being given this opportunity to breathe my life into its 21 years of age, and to be constantly rewarded with good health and beautiful bounties. I know I have not been the best of servant, so to be given all these blessings is indeed gracious of Him. I shall strive to improve myself every single moment of everyday out of appreciation for all these.

People say that 21 is a big number, that it signals the start of adulthood. It marks the moment when you begin to spread your wings out wide for you now have total freedom to control your own destiny, so say a friend. I do not know about you, but I certainly do not see anything glitzy about turning 21. At any rate, it is just a reminder of another year gone by and of the added pressure and bigger burden that need to be shouldered as people get older, the thought of which is actually scary.

Thanks to all you guys who had given me fervent wishes, no words can describe my appreciation. Sorry if I have not been too kind any of you, or if you feel that I have downgraded myself as a friend or family member of yours. Having you guys around is indeed one of the best things that could happen to me, though I seldom say so.

Outward Bound School

Late last month, PETRONAS sent me for an experience of a lifetime to Outward Bound School, Lumut together with other scholars.

The whole experience was fun, really. It does not matter that we came back from the one-week adventure with battered body, everyone seemed to be enjoying it up to the very last moment.

Looking back, none of us had any clear idea of what to expect when we arrived in Lumut. True, some had already asked dear friends who had been through but that hardly prepared us for the real challenge that lay ahead. First off, certainly no one would have guessed that the dormitory would be placed so high up that going up and down looked more like an endurance test rather than a routine affair. Then there was also the long ordeal of kayaking around Pangkor Island, covering a distance of 24 kilometres in two days. As our muscle still ached courtesy of the rough kayak experience, we were put on a whaler in a group, rowing and sailing for another two days. Boys and girls, no escape, everyone was in. The strong cheered for the battered, and together we braved through the sea heading to our destination. Each time a goal was reached, it felt brilliant.

You see, battling physically to pass through all those ordeals is one thing, but convincing yourself that you can actually do it in the first place is quite another. You spent hours battling the sea in your kayak yet the end was nowhere in sight. There and then, with energy drained fast, the only thing that pushed you forward was your conviction, the voice in you saying that you could reach the destination. I do not know if anyone ever questioned the logic behind OBS, but if there is the answer is clear; it trains you to constantly renew your willpower, to always have the self-belief in the roughest of circumstances.

The experience also renewed my respect and admiration for the opposite gender. They laboured the same amount of works as the guys yet there was no complaint, everyone was determined to see off the challenge. When difficulties arise, they were amongst the first to get up and offered help.

I am forever grateful for this experience, for the chance to do things that I could not possibly think that I would be able to do. Also, the opportunity to say hi to old acquaintances and make some new ones along the way was priceless. I will forever keep the memories etched in my mind.

Ragam Tuan Timbalan

The Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib was being questioned by a reporter in the wake of recent events in Perak;

R: So now BN and Pakatan Rakyat have equal number of seats in Perak, don’t you think that the state government formed by BN will be fragile? What if any of the three independents decide to go back to Pakatan Rakyat?

N: They won’t go back to Pakatan Rakyat. Why do you ask me about something that will not happen?

R: Well I’m just raising the possibility, it might happen.

N: No it will not happen.

R: What if it does?

N: If it does happen then only I will answer your question, as of now it doesn’t happen.

Well I am sorry Mr. Deputy Prime Minister, but seeing how you answered those questions, I am quite afraid of the prospect of the future. I find it hard to believe that you will do well when being put one-on-one against the likes of Barack Obama, Vladimir Putin or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. I cannot quite give my full support to you in your quest for the highest office yet Mr. Deputy Prime Minister, at least until you are able to respond well in conversations.

Thank God for Sports

I enjoy watching sporting events, and often the highlight reel for me, the one that makes me wait all night is the moment the match ends. An obvious reason is that is when the final result unfolds. But other than that, the reason why I usually get all excited and eager towards the end of the show is the unscripted drama that follows. The winners and their unlucky opponents who lose are the main actors.

So as the drama unfolds, I watch with great empathy as both sets of players are engulfed in emotions – albeit different, opposite ones. The winners raise their hands up to the sky in triumph while at the other end players sit dejectedly, eyes fixed to the ground. My favourite part is when both shake hands and exchange some quick chat, perhaps some congratulatory words are offered in exchange for comforting ones. I have always tried to guess what exactly they were saying to each other, and whether they are all real or merely acts in front of the camera and crowds.

The reason I bring this up is because I was touched by the drama that surrounded the prize giving ceremony of the Australian Open, men’s singles event involving the winner Rafael Nadal and his arch rival Roger Federer. I felt for Federer, I thought his frustration was real. I was sure everyone in the stadium could sense his weight of emotions, how badly he wanted the title. You see, sportsmen these days are so often associated with ego and ridiculous demands while lacking the passion for the game. I am sure no one will disagree with me that in Federer we have a true sportsman, someone that defies the aforementioned stereotypes of his fellow men.

Incredibly he was not the only true sportsman the world had watched last Sunday night in Melbourne. Nadal, for his friendly gestures and his sincere apology to his rival has won the hearts of millions. How many times have you seen a winner this humble? More often than not they did not even care to give you a credit for the game well fought, much less apologize for the dejection caused.

'Tis the reason I love sports. With icons like Nadal and Federer around, I fail to see why I would stop.