Gifts from the Mountain

All things happen for a reason.

Something happen to me at work yesterday.

It really has stirred up the fire of my anger!

I can say that I was mad enough to choke!

But one of my habit ... I won't say anything when I am too angry.

 

I remember this old quotes that has become part of me:

" For the word that sting the deepest is the word that never spoke.

Let the other person wrangle till the storm has blown away,

then he'll do a heap of thinking about things you didn't say."

 

So, to distract my mind from thing that just happened,

I headed to our University library - my perfect hide out -

and browsing the shelf that has books on quality.

I didn't find anything interesting and continue browsing to the next section,

then I saw a title on the spine of one of the book

"Gifts from the Mountain" by Eileen McDargh.

I pulled out the book and I already fall inlove with cover

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I flipped through the first few pages ... and I liked what I saw!

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Each page is illustrated with stunning watercolor paintings.

Mind you I didn't actually 'read' I just wanted to look at something that can divert me from my 'current state of mind' .

I took the book to the counter to borrow it and headed back to my office.

It's a simple book!

Simple enough to make you sit and ponder.

The sub-title of this book is 'Simple Truths for Life Complexities'.

What's in this book is nothing new.

 

Like what the author said in her Prologue:

"In many ways it will remind you of what you already know

but have forgotten in the tension of time constrains, work worries, and family frustrations.

Some passages will jar your memory while others might evoke a new awareness and result in action."

 

We all have our own mountain.

There's always a challenge that demands our attention or a complication looking for simplification.

But first, I need to thank the person who had stirred my anger.

If not because of 'that person' I won't discover this book.

 

Happy reading!

 

Love - Larra

 

 

One Sunday afternoon ....

"Quiet is peace. Tranquility. Quiet is turning down the volume knob on life. Silence is pushing the off button. Shutting it down. All of it. "

The above are words of Khaled Hosseini in 'The Kite Runner' that I have just finished reading today. Most of you must have heard of this book which was published in 2003 and has become an international bestseller. I have been reading this book since last week after finishing 'A Thousand Splendid Suns'. These two books were a Christmas gift from Herbie - a limited edition signed by the author.

It's been a quiet Sunday for me .... been resting while reading and sipping oolong tea.

I wasn't feeling well since the last few days. Cooked myself chicken soup yesterday ... and I am feeling much better today.

But still I am missing someone ..... the chair beside me is empty ...

And I can almost hear the sounds of my own thought .....

"Said the Sun to the Moon -"When you are but a lonely white crone,

And I, a dead King in my golden armour somewhere in a dark wood,

Remember only this of our hopeless love

That never till Time is done

Will the fire of the heart and the fire of the mind be one."

('Heart and Mind', Edith Sitwell from The Oxford Book of Twentieth Century English Verse)

The Heart

 

All the knowledge I possess everyone can acquire,

but my heart is all my own.

~Goethe~

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The holiest of all holidays are those kept by ourselves in silence and apart,

The secret anniversaries of the heart...

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow~

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Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart ...

Who looks outside, dreams.

Who looks inside, awakens.

~Carl Jung~

Helloooo!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hellooooo ....... what are you looking at?

My new teeth? They are pretty, aren't they?

With these new teeth, there's nothing that I cannot chew!

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Including Grand aunty Larra's remote control. But .... mummy wanted me to drink Yakult instead

Oh, I almost forget to introduce myself .... I beg your pardon. I am Balqis Izzati .... I also have another name 'Ain Balqis' ... but you can call me Aqis. Yes, that's right we have met before .... remember these pictures? These pictures were taken when I was 1 month and 7 days old ... I know, those days were the happiest days in my life this far ....

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Today, 3 January 2008 .... I am 1 year old! Euwwwwww, I am getting older! Anyway, Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday to me!

I wonder whether Mummy or Daddy or Grand aunty Larra bought me any present? Mummy took me out for shopping at Ikea on 1st January 2009.

She bought pink stool for me and blue one for my sister Ain Batrisya. I hope that ugly stool is not my birthday present. I hope Mummy or Grand aunty Larra will get me new gadget like latest Nokia or Blackberry Bold handphone so that I can talk to my sister whenever I feel bored at Grandma's house. Oh, did I tell you that my sister Ain Batrisya will start going to kindergarden this coming Monday? She's so excited - she said she will be meeting new friends and she will be busy playing with them. And I'll be alone with Grandma!

Errrrr, I think I better stop here. I need to get ready .... I heard mummy and daddy planning a surprise birthday party for me tonight! So, see yaaa at my birthday party! Pssssttttt, please don't wear pink will you? I would love to see other colors

Tata!

Ain Balqis