another midweek on thursday

School was fun Wednesday. I doubt I could stay away from school in spite of the doctors’ orders. So I went to school anyways. – I mean it’s not like I have the flu or anything or some contagious diseases. Besides I find great joy and refuge with the kids, their smile, their goofiness (now you know where much of mine comes from), their innocence always a present surprise and who could ever get enough of ‘Good morning teacher iffa’ do you know what I did today, or teacher iffa mommy said this or that or simply good morning teacher iffa here is a hug for you. The hugs are in abundance what more could you ask for right and after a night of dreams that I had and all that’s transpired the hugs and going to school would was what my doctor would have definitely ordered.

I wonder sometimes when we try to do something nice for people, especially the ones we care about it always backfires and sometimes it don’t seem to even be your fault yet you blame yourself for it just to avoid conflicts – if I had a bad habit that would be it taking the fall for something I didn’t do anyways. What some hoped to be a wonderful, memorable and special night turned out of be quiet the opposite – if anything people were left in tears and probably feeling rather foolish. I guess that goes to the age old question of what men really want don’t it or what does it take to get a mans attention from every other woman but the one he is with. She would think after all the trouble to surprise him he would drop everything and focus on her so that they can have a wonderful time together but instead he was well busy typing away – I think that would just kill the mood or the enthusiasm that was felt before hand and at the end of it the woman seem to be at fault – when all she was trying was do something nice. Sometimes I don’t get it – maybe the woman was expecting too much? Or maybe seeing what they have shared he would have had the consideration to fully appreciate what she has done for him. Heck if someone did that for me I would for sure drop everything and focus on the person but than that’s just me. But I guess in spite of all that took place after, at least she knows that her heart was in the right place.

Anyways as with any other religious or cultural observances, we try to squeeze in about a lesson or two in class. The purpose is for the kids to learn about the significance and the reasons why certain groups practice certain things and do what they do.

Though children at this level 3-6 year olds are not required to fast, there are some parents who start their training process young. The kids don’t usually fast the full 30 days – they do it on alternate days, on weekends or they just do it for half a day this would usually be from the first call to prayer which is for the morning prayer until about 2 in the afternoon. With the training comes the rewards so I think that does act as a motivator.

I remembered as kids when we use to play hookey when fasting. Yeah we would pretend to fast when we actually didn’t. Don’t be shocked – I was young and stupid well not that stupid lol. I remembered not fasting at school and coming home and pretended I did – I am not proud of what I did but hey I was a kid so sue me. But my hookey fasting didn’t go very long cause one fine day I was caught red handed by mom and guess who got major discipline from dad – me me me . it seems from that day on I made sure I did the whole fasting thing and as I grew up I really understood what it meant to fast and the deeper aspects of it.

Anyways we have some Muslim students in our school who opted to fast so the school made special arrangements for their break time. Seeing that they wont be consuming any food or drink, they are allowed extra rest and nap time or just rest while the other kids are having their meals. These kids are also exempted from sports during this time but in recent years I have noticed they would rather join in , in spite of fasting.

With the lessons done the kids were definitely curious about how it would feel like to fast, so they wanted to join in the fast come Thursday – this would be a first, would really be interesting to see what the outcome would be.

After work, one of my closest colleague Mae and I headed to the mall. She wanted to treat me out for dinner seeing that we wont be hanging out a for a month after work because I would be fasting. She wanted us to pig out today lol ok I know not the best choice of words but hey everyone uses it heehe anyways its not really the case that I would break my fast outside and with friends, I have in the past but its just that I prefer breaking fast at home for the convenience of it, the food the prayer after you don’t need to go hunting for mosque or anything. Well anyways we had dinner at Bali Thai one of my favorite restaurants at Tampines Mall. It serves dishes with Bali & Thai influences. I love the butter shrimp and tom yum soup and the chicken wrapped in pandan leaves. We ate boy did we ate and everything was really yummy. Thanks Mae you’re the sweetest ;))

There was someone familiar on the street today. I was pretty sure I saw him somewhere before ah yes its him – it was a shocker for sure. Have you ever had one of those days when you’re missing someone bad and probably are not in the best of terms with them and you see someone who looks just like them? Well today was such the day for me. Just my luck huh well all I could say it did give me a sharp stab to the chest… maybe unconsciously you are trying to get them out of your mind for a moment but I guess the universe wouldn’t have it that way huh .. anyways ..

While walking back I see men and women in traditional best heading towards the mosque for the first teraweeh prayer for Ramadan .. ahh I thought to myself Ramadan is indeed upon us.

And so that was my midweek – I know I have friends who truly care, sincerity and genuinety is not easy to come by this day and age but I know there are a handful of people who always mean what they say and are very sincere about it.

And my night ends with a short view of my favorite panda who is huge now. I mean I remembered watching her sleep and she looked just like a baby so small and now wow shes so grown .. I guess our babies do grow up eventually whether we like it or not .. but in our hearts they will always be that little baby we remember so well ..