Elevated!

Today my old friend asked me,"What is it like to be a mother-in-law?"

Well, it's only been a day since I became mother-in-law or MIL to a new daughter-in-law. Yesterday we welcomed a new daughter into our family when our son got married.

How do I feel? I feel happy and proud that I have a sweet, lovely daughter-in-law who will be a good wife to our son. Indeed she is a most welcome addition to our family. We have waited quite a while for this happy occasion and we are very happy that he has found the right woman to be his life partner.

I'm also very happy that we have good folks as our son's in-laws. We look forward to a happy friendship in the union of our children. Now we have new friends and relatives by marriage in Singapore.

We look forward to more grandchildren in the future and this is a very happy thought indeed. So how do I feel, my dear friend? I feel wonderful and happy to be a MIL!

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Rain

Rain, the pattering drops on the window panes,run down slowly then increase in intensity as the rain storm takes hold.
Visibility is almost nil as you look out the window.

How Mother Nature mirrors the human psyche. What stirs the emotions initially turns into stormy passions of anger, a slow churning that gathers intensity and the violence of it can be frightening at times.
The storm outside parallels the storm inside you.

Have you ever walked or played in the rain when you were young? Have you ever felt the soft raindrops as they fell on your head and trickled down your face? Have you felt the painful sting of heavy rain as it fell hard and fast?

I remember wading in the shallow drains, filled with swift running water during the afternoon rain. Sometimes my siblings and I would put our paper boats into the drains and watch them float away, carried by the flowing water, oblivious of our wet clothes and wet heads.
The reckoning with mum would come later but for that moment, it was bliss, revelling in Nature's shower.

Rain brings cheer and fun to youngsters but misery to the farmers and to those who live in low-lying areas as it means flash floods and mud flowing into their homes.
Cars often get stalled in the rising waters.

Many enjoy a lie-in when it's a rainy morning. Somehow it becomes more cosy to snuggle under the blankets when it rains.

There is a different freshness in the air after the rain. Sometimes you see a beautiful rainbow, a promise of better days.
Just as after a good cry or letting off steam, one feels much better. The grass is wet but it looks fresher, somehow.
The flowers sparkle with raindrops on their petals. We wipe away our tears and soldier on.

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What Makes You Feel Good?

I think compliments make a person feel good, whether it's a guy or gal.

When an older guy is told that the shirt he's wearing makes him look younger, you can bet he'll wear that shirt more often.

To a lady, the best compliment is when she is told that she doesn't look her age.

So we mustn't be stingy with our compliments. Paying a compliment when it is appropriate to do so, will make a difference. It also feels good to make others happy, especially when they might be feeling down.

A compliment will boost their morale or spirit and make a difference to their day. The important thing to remember is to be sincere and mean it when you are complimenting someone.

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A Lifetime of Lessons

Have you ever wondered what we are here for? Why are we here?

We are the fruit of our parents' union and we go through stages of growth. That's a fact.

Looking back, it becomes clear that life is a series of lessons to learn the experiential way as we pass through the various stages.

As babies we cried to have our needs met as we had no
language to express them. Babies learn quickly to manipulate their parents, crying when their demands are not met.

Toddlers are no exception and they can make life miserable for parents with their constant tantrums and often unreasonable demands.

From age four until pre-teens, these are the exciting
years of discovery, with teachers and parents being the guides.

Then come the turbulent teens, a phase where adolescence brings with it conflicts, rebelliousness, puppy love, etc. Pushing the boundaries,so to speak and testing the patience of parents. A very vulnerable period indeed for both teens and parents as it is fraught with unknowns. A child can go bad during this phase if not properly managed.

In adulthood more experiences lie in store, good and bad. A great deal of time is spent in the pursuit of dreams and career building.
We settle down with our life partners to build a home and a family and the life cycle begins again.

I was reading a book in which a sage shared that in life we are actually preparing for death and it would be wise to pause during our frenetic materialistic pursuits to consider how we are doing spiritually. Have we touched base with our God? At the moment of death, what can we say about our contributions to the betterment of our fellow beings? As we stand beore our Maker on Judgement Day,are there any points in our favor?

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