This is about the first 'trophy' I got in my life, back in 1996 (should get a confirmation from Mommy). It was a colouring competition. It was also the day I left Dungun, Terengganu and get back to the place I was born, Muar, Johor.
Back then, I was an introvert, and started to draw and write even before I get enrolled into kindergarten studies. I loves to fill blank pages with colours, and draw. Just before I left Dungun, my Mom get me to a colouring competition - which is my passion. (I feel thankful, and blessed to be in this family. My Mom is a good educator.) It was a care-free competition, which I got to colour the blank page as usual, but my art work will be judged. After I done my coluring, my family got me to a good breakfast/lunch, as a reward of me completing the piece of art. Fair enough =P
With pure passion, and without the goal of wining in mind, I got my first trophy in life. I was just 5/6 years old, when the word 'winning' does not even appear in my vocabulary list. Of course, this brought a lot of happiness to my family back then.
"Winning a race is so important that, most of the time, we unconsciously end up losing our character."
"Winning a race is so important that, most of the time, we unconsciously end up losing our humanity to love."
Things got different when my life goes on to preliminary studies, secondary studies, pre-university studies and now in my third year degree. We found out knowledge and examination result are the way the society judge our success. Students are even labeled as 'A' class, 'B' class and 'E' class. We segregate the students with good results and those who cannot score good results.
Before we talk about unity and 1 Malaysia, this question strikes me on 7 January 2014. It was from a conversation with my course mate after a chilling dinner at Fat Boy's Burger.
"How much segregation are we promoting among our people in our daily 'systems'?"
Segregation among people, which can be similarise as label and classification, become a trend in our social circle. If we talk about social circle, we need to study the causes from family system, education system... Yes, I am talking about the entire ecosystem where human exist. A developed democratic country with unity should not be a political effort, but it should be a collective effort by all the people who are living within the system. It is easy for us to blame the leaders and politician, but, are we playing our role as a citizen to unite our children, and all the differences in our people? It starts from within.
Of course, I respect those who have great realisation in this matter, and started the change from within. However, we need more realisation. At least, start the change within the family.
It was a heartbreaking news featured in NST on January 6, 2014. "Mental Health Screening for More Students." Since when, we thought we are providing education to our children, but within the system, we found out our children do not even learn how to live a better life as a human being?
If you don't act on life, life has a habit of acting on you. Looks like life is acting on us like never before in 21st century.
A lesson learnt. Always get back 'home', to a place where you are being yourself with clear life purpose, values and passions. Only when we stay grounded on the values, then we could lead a life of virtue.
"Arts of Living", I love this phrase more than ever while writing this post.
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