A little inspiring cikgu
It was supposed to be a sad or emotional visit to her mom's wake service, or so I thought. But it was as if we're embracing the teachings of Lord Buddha -- truly understanding Anicca.
~*~
Just as the law of change can cause decline and decay it can also causegrowth and progress. Hence it is that a seed becomes a plant and a plantbecomes a tree, and a bud becomes a flower. But again there is no permanency in growth. Growth again gives way to decay. The plant must die. The flowermust wither. It is an unending cycle of birth and death, integration anddisintegration, of rise and fall. Hence it is that Shelley has aptly said, "Worlds on worlds are rolling over from creation to decay, Like bubbles on a river, sparkling, bursting, borne away."
The good man is always a happy man. He has no fear of death because he has no fear of the life beyond. Of such a man has it been said in the Dhammapada: "The doer of good rejoices in this world. He rejoices in the next world. He rejoices in both worlds."
~*~
"As advance-stage cancer patient, she was very painful before she died", SK was narrating her story to us. Her face was as calm and composed as usual, with occasional laughter of sort when she shared about her teaching experience in a notorious secondary school as a form teacher in the 2nd last class.
As the eldest daughter in her family, she took care of her mother who was diagnosed with pancrea cancer. Incidently, the diagnosis result came out on the 1st day of the camp that's why she couldn't come join us to be with her mom. As pancrea cancer spread very fast, somehow they knew they had to accept death was looming very soon.
How many daughters actually teach their mother about accepting Death? *teary eyed*
She brought her mom to temples for chanting when she could. She slept at the bed side at the hospital to be with her mom, only able to 'listen' to the mother's cry of severe suffering pain, but not able to help relief the pain. The only thing that the doctor could do was to give morphin to stop the pain, to stop consciousness.
Cikgu SK was bubbly as she tells her story about her mother and her new teaching job. I couldn't contain my laughter at one point (totally oblivious that we're at a wake), when cikgu said she wanted to join the world vision 30hour famine campaign, yet having the patience to handle a bunch of notorious ignorant form2 students, having the time on Sunday to teach Sunday school kids, having the energy to go hiking with her adventure-inspired buddies, and having a terminally ill mother to constantly care for. I laughed in disbelief, that am actually to talking such a sweet inspiring cikgu, right in front of me.
On the first day of her mom's death, many of her school teachers and even her students came to pay a visit. She was so touched she said. The class students actually pooled together a sum of contribution for her. How many students actually really cared for their school teacher to that extend? (inspite of the students being notorious and laidback)
I felt truly fortunate to have known of a fellow INCOVARian so wonderful as her. Swee Khem ...you inspire...
~*~
Just as the law of change can cause decline and decay it can also causegrowth and progress. Hence it is that a seed becomes a plant and a plantbecomes a tree, and a bud becomes a flower. But again there is no permanency in growth. Growth again gives way to decay. The plant must die. The flowermust wither. It is an unending cycle of birth and death, integration anddisintegration, of rise and fall. Hence it is that Shelley has aptly said, "Worlds on worlds are rolling over from creation to decay, Like bubbles on a river, sparkling, bursting, borne away."
The good man is always a happy man. He has no fear of death because he has no fear of the life beyond. Of such a man has it been said in the Dhammapada: "The doer of good rejoices in this world. He rejoices in the next world. He rejoices in both worlds."
~*~
"As advance-stage cancer patient, she was very painful before she died", SK was narrating her story to us. Her face was as calm and composed as usual, with occasional laughter of sort when she shared about her teaching experience in a notorious secondary school as a form teacher in the 2nd last class.
As the eldest daughter in her family, she took care of her mother who was diagnosed with pancrea cancer. Incidently, the diagnosis result came out on the 1st day of the camp that's why she couldn't come join us to be with her mom. As pancrea cancer spread very fast, somehow they knew they had to accept death was looming very soon.
How many daughters actually teach their mother about accepting Death? *teary eyed*
She brought her mom to temples for chanting when she could. She slept at the bed side at the hospital to be with her mom, only able to 'listen' to the mother's cry of severe suffering pain, but not able to help relief the pain. The only thing that the doctor could do was to give morphin to stop the pain, to stop consciousness.
Cikgu SK was bubbly as she tells her story about her mother and her new teaching job. I couldn't contain my laughter at one point (totally oblivious that we're at a wake), when cikgu said she wanted to join the world vision 30hour famine campaign, yet having the patience to handle a bunch of notorious ignorant form2 students, having the time on Sunday to teach Sunday school kids, having the energy to go hiking with her adventure-inspired buddies, and having a terminally ill mother to constantly care for. I laughed in disbelief, that am actually to talking such a sweet inspiring cikgu, right in front of me.
On the first day of her mom's death, many of her school teachers and even her students came to pay a visit. She was so touched she said. The class students actually pooled together a sum of contribution for her. How many students actually really cared for their school teacher to that extend? (inspite of the students being notorious and laidback)
I felt truly fortunate to have known of a fellow INCOVARian so wonderful as her. Swee Khem ...you inspire...
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