The Best Thing That Happened to Me This Year

It has to be discovering the SG Assist online platform. What a fabulous idea! 

I am already a SG Cares volunteer since 2010 and in many ways the two platforms are similar. But what spurred me to register for SG Assist was the fact that help can be rendered to others in the vicinity in real time. 

It was around the time that Dorscon Orange was announced when I chanced upon it on Facebook. During that time, returning residents were put on Stay Home Notice and close contacts identified via contact tracing were put on Leave of Absence. My own brother was under LOA for a period of time and honestly I did not think too much about it then. 

However, not everyone has the fortune of staying with someone else to keep the household running while one is unable to even step out of the house. There are people who have neither family nor friends nearby  to assist them in their daily needs such as food or grocery. The beauty of SG Assist is that you can easily connect to someone who can help you do just that! 远亲不如近邻啊!

Naturally I was concerned about the risks of getting infected but I am sort of young-ish and pretty healthy and I believe that things happen for a reason so if I do get infected even with all the precautions taken then so be it! I just cannot not do something when I am fully able to do it. Moreover, being a relatively new resident of Bukit Panjang, I thought this might be a good way to familiarise myself with this estate.

Although there could be multiple new assist requests in a day, I actually never got to help anyone on SHN or LOA. In fact, requests were accepted by other volunteers so quickly that I was often greeted with an empty request list instead! Good to know that Singapore is not short of helpers. 😃

Health vector created by pikisuperstar - www.freepik.com

It was only in July when I responded to my first SG Assist request and had since helped the same Senior Activity Centre with similar requests to accompany elderly to their medical appointments. So I would turn up at the nearby centre to meet the elderly, take the taxi with him to the hospital, navigate our way to the right clinic for registration, wait with him in the holding area and hail a taxi to return to the centre with him. 

Usually, the type of volunteer roles I take up involve either sports or children and I tend to avoid elderly because I barely speak Hokkien and I generally feel awkward around them. But I am so thankful for this precious opportunity to slow down and spend time with each of the pioneers I met. Not only did I get to hear incredible stories (one had a long career in the army), I learn that aging is not necessarily something to fear.

It may appear that the elderly were dependent on me during these trips but I truly think that I was the one who gained the most out of our interactions. As with every volunteer activity, it always ends with me in a state of joy and having a new appreciation for being alive. The sense of admiration from the taxi uncles and nurses who realised I have no relation to the elderly is a super morale booster too!

So the best thing that happened to me the year I turned 40 was signing myself up for SG Assist which led me to these kindly old souls who taught me that growing old is okay.

Ellen says..

I am a huge Ellen fan. I was almost a workaholic when I was working as a teacher but I tried my damnedest to make it home every workday at 5pm to catch her show on TV. I would dance along with her and the audience at the beginning of the show (if no one else was home), laugh out loud at her witty jokes, shed silent tears to the heart wrenching and/or heartwarming stories highlighted and really take to heart her constant reminder to "be kind to one another". Her show had been the most positive part of my otherwise stressful and monotonous life. Kind of a surprise to myself that she had only been mentioned once in my blog.

My friends know how much I idolise her. I am totally infatuated with her! I constantly made references to things, ideas, people, songs mentioned during the show in my conversations with others and come to think of it, many trendy things that I do know about are mostly because they had been featured in her show. Case in point, never laid eyes on SuperM until they performed live on her show. And I actually dislike the colour blue with the exception of what I call "Ellen blue". It is as though she can do no wrong such that even my least favourtie colour becomes acceptable when it is associated with her. So I talk (maybe gush is a better word) about her a lot. I have double copies of her books because I have sweet friends who think of me when they see her face. 

When she first started the Ellen Shop and began advertising her merchandise during the show, I often eyed them enviously. If I know of a friend going to or transiting in LA, I would be sorely tempted to ask for a gift from the shop. It is probably a great blessing in disguise that I do not live in USA because I probably could then set up a branch in my own house. 

Subsequently my inclination towards minimalisim all but squashed any of my desire to own Ellen items no matter how much I like them. Until she started her BE KIND by ellen box series. 
The internal struggle.....
~ a be kind box! awwww.....
* but it will be full of items that you won't need...
~ they are products that make a difference to the world!
* how much more dust collectors do you want to take care of?!?!
~ they are curated by Ellen!
* think of the environmental impact and of transporting it halfway round the world...
~ maybe just one??
...
...

Then my birthday came around... and although I was still struggling within... somehow... when you really want something the entire universe conspires to make it happen (feeling this a lot lately) and today I received it! It sparked so much joy in me just to unbox it! C'mon... it's Ellen... even if it was just chock-full of bubble wrap I would still be grinning from ear to ear. And the fact that I had no idea what the contents were made the unboxing all the more anticipative!

Ellen's note

I count the card with a note and signature by her an item on its own! Hahaha... the main point of the card is probably the descriptions of all the items within but this slightly bigger than A5 square tri-fold card with her gorgeous image on the cover is something I will treasure like all my Hello Kitty items!

Diff Eyewear

Aviator sunglasses! Haven't had one for a while and with every pair, the gift of sight is provided to someone in need. 👍 The hubby caught me at the moment when I was trying it on and pointed out that it would look better on him... so anniversary gift for him settled!

Vahdam Teas

Tumeric teas! Great timing when I am just trying to include more tumeric into our diet... Not sure if it will really be "BEST. TEA. EVER." as she put it but revenue goes towards education of the Indian tea growers' children - the educator in me approves! 

Quartet

A lasting dry-erase pad. Hmmm.... what will I do with my endless supply of scrap paper then? Hahaha... but I love the little message already on it... maybe I will just leave it there.... 🤔

Lotus Bags

Something that I have already decided against buying but lovely to actually own some! At least a percentage of profits is channeled to environmental charities.

BE KIND. Umbrella

Something from the Ellen Shop! So in the end I do own an Ellen merchandise after all. A straightforward reminder "when it's downpouring, literally and metaphorically". Certainly apt in the current Covid-19 situation. Can't wait to use it!

Little Renegades

Cards with basic mindfulness techniques for the little ones. Will definitely try them with Dylan and Erica and I imagine the cards will be very useful too if I take on some kids yoga classes...

Endangered Species Chocolate

Dark chocolates! Though not quite the percentage I prefer (these being only 55%) but helping gorillas (Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund) while enjoying a treat? Priceless.

Kind Lips

Lip balms that remind you to #SaySomethingKind and support anti-bullying initiatives. If I am still a teacher, this would be a consequence for any bully who does not understand how to shut up when you have nothing nice to say. Any teacher friends want them?


And that's it! The last time I was this excited about a parcel was when I ordered my leather backpack from Kickstarter. I am really not into online shopping but I think today I finally experienced a little of what regular Taobao kings and queens do with their consignments... 

Thank you Ellen! For being such an inspiration and beacon of light to me and to the world. I love my BE KIND box and I am so blessed to get it for my birthday!!!!!

dive-eat-sleep-repeat

Just returned from a vacation. As I was out at sea for 4 days and nights, am still feeling landsick (ie: as though still floating in water when standing on firm ground). But. What a glorious holiday filled with so many firsts:

·        1^st time holidaying with May and Bee

·        1^st time to pack so little for a 6 days trip

·        1^st time in Similan Islands, Khao Lak

·        1^st time  to experience liveonboard

·        1^st time losing my snorkelling mask

·        1^st time losing my dive group while underwater

·        1^st time writing in a dive logbook

Yes. Finally started a dive log, albeit most reluctantly. It was good fun to sit down and do or copy “homework” after each dive. I learnt that it’s up to me! So I don’t have to stress over identifying the multitude of species of sea creatures but just pen down my feelings and experiences instead. I can do that! And certainly not restricted to dives… time to dust off the many (empty) travel journals I acquired…

Although I should be excused as it was my first liveonboard experience, I did feel that I didn’t pack right.. well.. at least I didn’t overpack?!?! Still, there were many items I wished I had with me during the trip. I wished I brought along rashguard and long tights – not at all proud of the ugly tan lines across my thighs and upper arms.. =/ also realised it’s time I invest in more than just a mask for diving, booties or even socks will prevent blisters from fins! Thankfully my 2 hair ties lasted the trip but can never have too many hair ties when you do not want hair to obscure the beautiful scenes the ocean has to offer.. can’t believe I left all 6 or 7 sarongs at home! Certainly a better between-dives-attire than just a tee.. Even though I set out not wanting to be bothered with photo taking, I really should have brought along at least one memory device! Finally, bring a multi-colors pen!!!

 

It was a very, immensely, awesomely enjoyable trip! I keep recalling my huge, sunny smiles and the emotions of joy and carefreeness throughout the trip. Even before arriving in Thailand, I was filled with excitement in anticipation.

At various points: having Dylan and Erica to send me off at the airport, performing the “manta call”, discovering the tiny beings – shrimps, nudibranchs, ghost pipefish, mothfish – to catching sight of the big guys – moray eels, trigger fish, marbled stingray, manta ray and whaleshark! -, showering off in the warmth of the sun after dives, indulging in delicious food and sinful snack of toasted egg and ham sandwich, jumping off the boat into the sea and jump shots out of clear waters, reaching the top of Sail Rock, watching stars and sunsets, relaxing in the pool of an amazing resort, suntanning by the beach with a book… the list can really go on and on.. Oh! Having someone assumed that I am a model?!?! Haha… =)

 

 

 

 

There had been a point when I thought I would never be able to enjoy holidays again… without a special someone to hold my hand while transiting, to surprise me with flowers in the room, to share and enjoy the unique sights and sounds with, to kiss and cuddle up to at night… The sense of loss still comes sometimes but I certainly realised that I had not been as free as I had in the last week for some years now…

I am okay.

Oh. Happy international day of happiness.. =)