愛と希望

愛と希望

It is Chinese New Year's eve, and after a very long day, I made it to the louhei dinner. It is Tuesday, and it means - mid-week, end-week is nearing. Thankfully, tomorrow is another Abu Dhabi day. 

I came back to Kenji on the couch, and he is just staring at me right now. I have already given him 2 treats. I wonder what this animal wants further. 

I don't think I can fall asleep any time soon. Suddenly, thinking about time and space, and what a parallel universe in Singapore would be doing now. Probably, sleeping after a heavy 团年饭。 Prob wondering how Day 1 and Day 2 visitations are going to be like, probably thinking about donning new clothes, and taking lotsa pictures, and maybe, for those who are going back to work, probably hoping that Day 2 will be rest and respite. It was a similar feeling that I have every year, during this season. 

CNY eve, and Day 1 - seems to be in a bubble of its own, and then tiredness at the end of the day. But still, a good getaway from the rushed pace of life. 

I decided to watch Tokyo Love Story - saw it on Netflix and was surprised. It is such an old show, and it is one of the very first Japanese shows that I watched, that touched me. And that's how I named Kenji Kenji too. It was at that particular point when Kanji asked Akana what was in her big bag, and she replied - 愛と希望。And I decided that I wanted to pause for a bit. And ponder what it means. In her context, she has unconsciously fallen for Kanji on the onset, and was carrying her love and hope with her, while Kanji was thinking about another. This drama and story unfolded in a very "love story" manner, and where in the end, Akana, the quirky, spontaneous, lively one, had to confront her own feelings, and so did Kanji, the silent, 木那, silly one. I don't remember the details anymore, but I recall I enjoyed the drama many many years back, and now, maybe I can understand what the director is saying, in a deeper manner. 

Love is the greatest of all. Faith, Hope, Love - these 3 abide, but Love is the greatest of all. 

The best way to start this CNY - is to focus on the greatest of all - Love. For without that, everything becomes meaningless. I will ponder about Love a bit more these next few days. Agape Love, and what that means to me.  

First time Lou Hei on CNY eve in 8 years, I believe. :))

Beautiful weekend mornings

Decided to do a tennis session today with Bakary instead of the usual run, so that I will not kena the heavy traffic jam later at ZSC. Seems like Coldplay disrupted the whole flow of normalcy for the ZSC vicinity. Even all the restaurants here are closed for that. But, it's also nice for a change. Means I stay home and enjoy some good time in the rihan cocoon. 

Been housekeeping. :-D It's good to declutter, and just, just, just, at this present moment, I am feeling the sunrays come into my desk, and it's such a nice feeling, because I am showered; it's been a great tennis session of learning and realizations this morning; and I have the yummy local nescafe with fresh milk. :))

So I told myself, I will be intentional today. After this journaling, I will go read the proposed strengthening of domestic workers law piece, and then Future of Jobs report methodology.  Inshahallah. 

I find that while I endeavour to do many fruitful things, sometimes I fall into this "nebulous state", and then somehow everything becomes hazy, and I get so distracted, and then I never did what I intended to do. I guess that's where discipline and focus comes in. But, still, I am human, I guess. 

This morning's tennis was so much learning. Somehow, I am much more calm with Bakary. Maybe cos he is also very chill and very relaxed when playing. So it rubs off me. So good!! I took some notes from the learning, and shared with the coach. I think... I am happy this morning.

Yesterday, was also an amazing morning. Maybe it was due to the yummy hotpot the night before. But when I started running, I somehow felt I could run more. So I decided to listen to my body. :)) And then, I did a second round round the mosque, and I thought I could do a 3rd (but didn't), and ran back and continued some rounds round the track. Maybe it was also the beautiful morning weather. 

Yesterday, I watched some different episodes of how this billionaire is trying to promote "Don't Die", and prolong life longevity. All interesting concepts and ways of living. This morning, Bakary asked me the same - how to live well and healthy. For me - I think, simply - Exercise and stretch, Drink lots of water, sleep well, eat when hungry,  laugh a lot, Journal-meditate-pray, Learn-think. Hahha, somehow, the list gets longer even as I type.

What a beautiful 2-day weekend mornings. :) Thankful. 

Day 1 Little Joys

Ate, drank, fellowshipped, watched fireworks and somehow, walked my way into 2025. :)) Slept soundly, and woke up to a chilly sunny Wednesday morning. 

Nothing much per se in my mind for now, just glad and thankful I can still run. Did my usual round round the mosque, and decided to clean up my place a little. Gosh. Time just flew by. I dunno how much I did for the house, but it's now 2hrs later. 

I picked up the book that I'm halfway thru, made a nice coffee, and now, decided to read - read a running book. :)) 

So quiet, peaceful and nice. 

Just thankful for a wonderful 2024 and its mountain highs and valley lows. 2025 will be no different, it will be the same with its peaks and bottoms. But I will just continue to be myself, XC. Maybe a little wiser, a little kinder.