Archives for March 2025

24th March 2025. 3 min read

Photo by Bernard Hermant on Unsplash

It’s been two months since sustaining my ligament injury and meniscus tear of my right knee.

A few days ago, I decided to wean myself from the walking stick. At some point, I have to rebuild my self-confidence to resume my daily functions again sans the support.

I replaced the leg brace with my leg sleeve and tried the stairs without the walking stick for the first time. Though it is not perfectly stable, I believe in waking up my muscles and ligaments again to do their job.

Our body has immense propensity to recover because life is an unknown.

The longer one stays supported especially if there is no more major pain, one will become dependent on the crutch. Crutch mentality is real thing and I had it for a long time with my scripts.

Albert Einstein famously said, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle”.

I like his philosophical approach because I see my injury as a miracle as it had opened up a whole new perspective for me.

I slowed down during this period.

Not being on the move all the time enlightens me in the following ways;

Self improvement wise – I started to re- organise my time – pack my stuff, read more uplifting articles, improve my language learning and getting back to Toastmasters actively.

Business wise – I started scouting for prospective associates who could run my practice and this could help some younger dentist get into business easily with my base already built over the years. Afterall one day, it will be a real goodbye and I want the patients to be in good hands. That would also free more time for my indulgence in living.

3 Personal growth –Well, I have been a bit obsessive. The last three months before my injury I had too much on my travel plate so the injury put a halt to that.

Being limited in my mobility has made me sip my coffee slower, made me more resilient and more observant. I noticed that the creeper plants and the climbers in my garden are so beautiful. The creeper plants have weak stems so they creep along the ground to reach their resources. The climber plants climb up structures and look dignified.

I want to be more than the climber plant – I want to climb and not need support!

It’s like any event in life. You get beaten down but we get up again.

Wasn’t it Confucius who said, “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”

I remembered in my younger days, when a taxi rammed into my driver’s seat. It shook me but I went back to driving almost immediately so as not to acquire the fear.

I fell once at the mountain during skiing and nobody came to my rescue. My husband was nowhere to be found as skiing is a lone sport. Hobbling to the nearest cable station, the staff said they could not call for rescue as I was able to stand up.

Somehow, I miraculously skied back on one ski, took a painkiller and went back skiing again. I wouldn’t do it now if it happens again because one can rise up so many times as I am more aware of the current circumstances. I would just act motionless or play dead.

Well, I have started to make the flight of 20 steps in my house up and down gingerly with a grip on the railing. One day, it will be without gripping, another time, I will trot down the stairs like I used to.

…adds fire to my belly

15/3/25. 2 min read

At a subway in NYC— Dec 2011

I have never forgotten this incident. It was December of 2011, my husband and I were in a NYC subway, and I approached this cheerful black gentleman for some information.

To my surprise, he started conversing with me in Mandarin, and for that matter in perfMandarin language.

For a moment, I was not keen on asking about my destination. My questions turned to how and why he had learned mandarin.

Mr A( pardon me , I have forgotten his name as it’s more than 10 years ago) told me he was interested in Mandarin because he wanted to go to China one day and experience her culture. He self- studied by borrowing books from the library starting with the most basic language book.

Assiduously, he looked for opportunities to expose himself to the language, through tapes, watching Chinese movies or dramas with English subtitles and listening keenly.

That was a moment of inspiration for me. It set me thinking about my language learning that was put on the back burner. Having invested many years for weekly lessons in Japanese language studies, I have not reached the level of speaking it comfortably and naturally and it’s due to my lack of diligence.

After asking for the direction and before parting ways, I wished Mr A best of luck in his endeavours. He smiled widely, light twinkled in his eyes as he also gave his best wishes to me.

A meaningful encounter with a person of great potential because he had shown that one can achieve success by exercising passion, persistence and fortitude even without formal studies.

8th March 2025. 2 min read

Author at a walking street in Moscow

Of all my Instagram photos, the above picture taken along a walking street in Moscow back in April 2018 inspired me the most.

I was with my team mates attending a dental seminar.

Our guide brought us to this interesting alley lined by many quaint shops and I spotted several people fixated on this young man.

The lanky young man looks stylish to me with his long physique carrying his casual thick black suitable and a nice scarf draped around his neck. He could be a student going out on a weekend doing some busking work to earn some keeps.

What caught my attention was his speech and delivery. This gentleman was clearly reciting poetry and its likely to be Russian.

He delivered it with so much flair, fluency and fortitude that he held me spellbound for a good twenty minutes. He must have recited a few poems in that interval.

His voice was smooth, clear and resonant so it was not surprising that many were charmed by his voice. In addition, I was impressed by his confident stance, engaging the audience fully. I was. most blown away by his memory prowess that he could deliver his speech without a hitch!

How did he do it? This is of interest to me as I still have my script as my crutch at my public speaking club most times.

I arrived at my own analysis;

He has a great passion for what he does; that is excellent public speaking.

He must have practiced very hard till he has internalized its message.

He is a very driven young man as he has a goal to capture his audience to impress them and earn his deserved tips.

He is a learned man, reading widely and deeply to improve his intellect.

He is using this platform to practise to perfection.

This young man has a bright future.

After tipping in his box, I joined my team again, and wished I could stay longer. He has inspired me in this craft of public speaking skills which I never got very far for the lack of qualities mentioned above.

I suppose I would have to start working on them if I seriously want to give a speech worthy of my members’ attention at our next meeting.

I am grateful for this chance occurrence which enriched my life and will make me progress further, only if I take action.