Sunday, October 4, 2020

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost (review by Oui Hui Che)


The Road Not Taken 


My favourite poem on the journey of life. It gave me heartaches each and everytime I read it. Making choice is my biggest obstacle and not wanting to lose pride makes it worse. 

However I am glad that I have the courage and conditions to make choices near enough to my ideal despite of turbulence at times. 

Associating with the wise and compassion had helped me earn credits in life just like hitting jackpot. Thank you to all of my friends and family. 


Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Sunday, June 7, 2020

Warm Heart Chapter 1: The busy body

His holiness the Dalailama and Southeast Asia youths had a dialogue today. This word "warm-hearted" stabbed on my heart and tears rolled down the cheeks. 

Yes, this feeling of warm-heartedness which is so close once now so far.

When I was 3, I had a neighbor whom goes to nursery with me. We jump on trampoline, walked around the school hand in hand and went home by bus. I will doze off and he'll wake me up. Mom would be waiting at the doorstep in her aprons. It was wonderful until this friend move to Taiwan and I was transferred to another nursery. 

One afternoon while kids should be sleeping, I was surrounded by a bunch of kids at the staircase. A sense of fear arose and I panicked. Luckily teacher came and shoo everyone to take a nap. I was so angry and wanted to tell teacher that they want to bully me. Haha… I followed teacher to and fro but wasn't able to speak a word. I know what I want to say but I haven't learn how to speak in sentence yet. That was a helpless experience.

Later on our family moved to Myanmar. I was so happy to go to kindy! We had a beautiful playground with green grass, beautiful teacher whom had blonde hair, fair skin and classmates of different skin colors. The happiest moment in a day was when we can go to play freely at the playground.

Something happened and I'm not aware that it is "dangerous"

A kid snatched a sharp ended comb of my friend. I ran towards that kid and say "Hey, it's hers! Give it back!" That kid was reluctant to surrender, so I grabbed onto the comb and we struggled. 

"Ouch!" My face is burning with pain. The sharp end of the comb slided through my chin. I was shocked by the pain but I managed to grab back the comb for the girl. I felt heroic for helping a kid that day.

When I reached home, mom saw the red, fresh scar on my chin. She jumped up and ask me "What happened?!"

"I helped a girl to get her comb back today! This is nothing" I replied proudly

"Are you out of your mind! It's dangerous to mess with sharp things. This will leave a scar on your face FOREVER!"

At that moment, I was so confused. Why am I scolded for helping people? Is this going to be a permanent scar? A sense of regret arose. Am I too impulsive? 

"Next time just tell teacher, don't be a busy body. No one will appreciate if you succeeded. Even if you get hurt no one would care."

I felt so hurt. At that point of time I just felt that it's the right thing to do. I have the courage to bear the consequences and most importantly I do not think that human should be so selfish only caring about our own benefit. Friends in need is a friend in deed! Being kind to others is so fulfilling and gave me a sense of joy. I disagree with you, selfish YOU!

However, deep inside I developed a mindset to be more cautious in helping others is the future. For I wouldn't want to be scolded again.