Someone said to me, "Cancer is like the common cold these days." She's right. The dreaded disease is common these days and its taking lives "like nobody's business".
Early this month, a family friend went home to be with the Lord. She had cancer. Last week, another family friend died of cancer. I lost my beloved "kung-kung" (grandpa) and my dad lost his brother within few months of each other in 2005 - both died of lung cancer.
It makes me mad and it makes me sad. And also scared. Tales of how painful it is and the thought of how it tears one from loved ones scares the hell out of me. And there's no cure. Doctors can't figure out what makes a cell mutate and turn cancerous. The best bet is early detection and treatment they say. And they say that science is progressing all the time and they are working furiously for a cure. But nothing in this world is ever 100% sure or foolproof. The only hope we have is Jesus.
So, yeah, I hate cancer. And I pray it will never take me or anymore of my loved ones in its claws of death.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Confessions of a bookworm
I have a thing for the written word. I just love to read. Even labels on skincare, makeup or toiletries that I buy. Of course I love books. I come from a family of bookworms. We have to sneak books into my home. Dad or my brothers would bring a book home by hiding it in their bag but the rest of us know something's up when they disappear for sometime (to read la). Then, they'll hide the book so that we can't find it and we'll try to find it and read it when they're not around. Many a time there were exclamations of, "Who took my book?!" There'll be innocent expressions all around and giggles when the culprit was unmasked. And then the quest to get the book back begins. Threats fly and forgotten I.O.U.s or misbehaviour dregded up all in the valiant quest for the book. It's fun! It's unique to us and we treasure it.
Of course we'll all fight to be the next in line to read the book. Since I became a mum, I've been unfairly pushed to the last spot on the waiting list by my brothers. Imagine that! They all say the same thing - that I take "forever" to read a book so I might as well be last. Oh, the insult! I remind them that I used to be a fast reader (why, I finished SHOGUN in one day! Of course, I had a headache after that.) and that now I have kids to care for and housework to do so I don't have the luxury of curling up with a book anytime I want to. But I've resigned myself to my spot on the list. *sigh* Mum doesn't get involved in all these because she doesn't read the type of books we read but she laughs at our "book-battles".
When I was in primary school, I started reading the Encyclopedia of Britannica. I found the stories and articles fascinating. I can still remember a lot of what I read in those volumes. Strange that I cannot remember what I read in school books! haha! *sigh*
I raise Sean and Aidan to love books too. My dad - ambitious man - started a shapes & colors book with Sean when he was just 4 months old! I read to him before his naps & bedtime and from about a year old onwards, he'd refuse to sleep unless I read his favourite books to him, several times. Now, both boys would grab a book before bed and when they wake and harrass us to read to them. They have quite a collection of books between them. Many of the books are about trucks/machines since Sean is crazy about them and Aidan has followed in his footsteps. In my family, Sean is regarded as the authority on trucks. He knows the names of almost every truck/machine on the road and even the names of most of the parts. And they've got the cutest Bible ever (a gift from my bro, Daniel). It's a Toddler's Bible - very short interpretations of Bible stories and very, very cute illustrations.
Is it natural for people who love to read to want to write? I've dreamed of writing for a living but I don't think I'm good enough. Thinking of taking a writing course if I can find the time and the money. Who knows? I may see my name in print some day.
Of course we'll all fight to be the next in line to read the book. Since I became a mum, I've been unfairly pushed to the last spot on the waiting list by my brothers. Imagine that! They all say the same thing - that I take "forever" to read a book so I might as well be last. Oh, the insult! I remind them that I used to be a fast reader (why, I finished SHOGUN in one day! Of course, I had a headache after that.) and that now I have kids to care for and housework to do so I don't have the luxury of curling up with a book anytime I want to. But I've resigned myself to my spot on the list. *sigh* Mum doesn't get involved in all these because she doesn't read the type of books we read but she laughs at our "book-battles".
When I was in primary school, I started reading the Encyclopedia of Britannica. I found the stories and articles fascinating. I can still remember a lot of what I read in those volumes. Strange that I cannot remember what I read in school books! haha! *sigh*
I raise Sean and Aidan to love books too. My dad - ambitious man - started a shapes & colors book with Sean when he was just 4 months old! I read to him before his naps & bedtime and from about a year old onwards, he'd refuse to sleep unless I read his favourite books to him, several times. Now, both boys would grab a book before bed and when they wake and harrass us to read to them. They have quite a collection of books between them. Many of the books are about trucks/machines since Sean is crazy about them and Aidan has followed in his footsteps. In my family, Sean is regarded as the authority on trucks. He knows the names of almost every truck/machine on the road and even the names of most of the parts. And they've got the cutest Bible ever (a gift from my bro, Daniel). It's a Toddler's Bible - very short interpretations of Bible stories and very, very cute illustrations.
Is it natural for people who love to read to want to write? I've dreamed of writing for a living but I don't think I'm good enough. Thinking of taking a writing course if I can find the time and the money. Who knows? I may see my name in print some day.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
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