Something Different

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen

If you're forlorn and need a way to lift your spirits up..
If you feel lost and need a light to guide your way out of the darkness..
If you feel like your life has cease to gain much more meaning than it already has..
You should read this book..
This was by far the most inspirational book I've ever read so far.
I've heard great reviews when I bought it a year ago, but reading non-fiction has never been my cup of tea.. lol.
When I finally decided to read the book, I was experiencing all of the above (mind you its not as dramatic as i made it sound to be haha)..
After finished reading, I felt like I've wasted a year (since buying the book) when I could've been exposed to the awesomeness that is Dr. Greg way earlier.
But then again, everything happens for a reason, and I also thought if I read it a year ago, I would not have been able to appreciate it as much as I do now.
Its hard to imagine that someone can be as benevolent, kind, humble, determined, selfless and all those things could exist in this world, regardless of religion or race, his only care was for the children, the girls and the women, and their future.
We've always taken education for granted, being able to go to good schools with good teachers, more than enough amenities, plentiful of scholarships thrown our way..
These kids in the remote parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan are exposed to the extremism of Al-Qaeda and Taliban, because that is the only world that they know.. and they are actually exploited because of their lack of education and knowledge.
And we wonder as moderate Muslims, why would these people subject themselves to suicide bombings (for example) in the name of sacrifice, in the name of Allah? why don't the 'leaders' who instruct them do it themselves instead of manipulating these poor kids who honestly don't know better than what they are taught in these extremist schools?
Promoting peace by education is ingenius.
And to think that someone from a country where his own citizens have been killed and bombed by these very people from the place where he's helping, its really one of the most incredible example of the level of compassion a human is capable of.
Many times, I find myself shedding a tear or two throughout.
Its impossible to not to, given the magnitude of the mission at hand and the subsequent accomplishments that came, and still coming.
I've been frugal to the point of stingy the past 2 months, but when I have some breather in terms of pocket money, I'll definitely be treating myself with the next book that continues on the chronicles of Dr. Greg.

The Malay Dilemma by Dr. M

I tried to read a couple of fictions after that but I couldn't get past the first 10 pages, its like they don't interest me anymore, for now.
Well, I don't think that is the case, this is probably just a phase, its like my brain is telling me it can't have enough of the kind of info I fed it after reading Three Cups.
I was going through the library of books at a friends house, and then I saw the book that I've always wanted to read but never came around to.
This is the perfect time.
Again, things happen for a reason and I guess it was fate that I came across this book, at this point in life.
Its been 40 years since Dr. M wrote the book, some of the things he said are probably not as relevant anymore.
Malays has progressed so much since, but not everything in the book should be discounted.
There are a lot of truths that I've never thought of before and it also made me better understand my own race and our relationship with the land of Malaya.
However, its not that easy to fully appreciate the problems of Malays because I've been lucky enough to be living in urban areas, where we are more exposed to other cultures, more open in our way of thinking yada yada.. whereas the problems are mostly applied to the rural folks.
But it does shed some light on the matter and the problems that face, and why does it happen to us, and how does it compare to the peoples of other countries who also had an influx of immigrants..
But there is one thing mentioned that seems so simple I wonder why I've never thought about it before...
Its the way we look at 1) life and 2) time.
We are taught to appreciate life, we know it is important, we know we have to do good in this life, for a happy ending in the after life, we don't want to die.
And yet, we don't value time.
We procrastinate, we're not punctual, we leave things to the last minute, we're lazy.
But to make full use of our life, or as the saying goes, "live life to the fullest", we have to value time.
These two elements go hand in hand, but the contradicting ways we view these two things is really a conundrum.
I'm a procrastinator myself, habit is not easy to change, but now that I (and hopefully you) realize this, let us all strive for the better and value what time we have left and literally experience the life to its fullest, according to your own definitions of living a full life.
As for me, I've been trying to work towards it, I feel that going out there to see the world and experience what other cultures and countries have to offer is ever-enriching.
Action speaks louder than words so I hope I'll have something to show for all these things i'm saying.
The expectation of society in Malaysia to study, get good grades, get a job, get married, have kids, work like crazy to become rich etc.. its such a conformity that I sometimes I feel stifled by what people expect me to do and achieve.
But I'm slowly learning not to care about what other people say, and just do what I want to do, what makes me happy.
And money is not everything, its important, but its not everything.

So anyway, the next book I'll be reading is also another non-fiction. So wait for the review!