Recollection of letters (15)

 31 October 2021

Dear Sushila

I must apologize that most of my cards are old - as old as me. I bought them during my travels in the various countries I visited. My intention was to support Unicef in their noble cause of helping displaced, marginalized children, affected by war, famine or any natural disasters. I wished I had used them then, but I was too busy working to pen any cards to friends. It's only now in my retired life that I am using them.

However, I am sad that many of my Bangladesh & Myanmar friends are not receiving my mail (as of now). For Myanmar,I can understand; with the unrest and military take-over, the postal service is their least concern. But no excuse for Bangladesh. It's perhaps just pure laziness there. A 'don't care' attitude among the staff in the postal service. I'm sure they are taking the covid situation as an excuse. But the world is opening up, so they better wake up! 

The other day, James had a runny nose & a cold was coming up. He's quite prone to that actually. But because of the covid, we all got scared and kept clear from him! He wore a mask and kept to his room. After two days, the symptoms cleared and two ART tests confirmed negative. What a relief! See how the covid has affected our homes/family/friends? I'm so glad I am this age; I don't have to worry about work, colleagues or what the next chapter of the world events be. Aren't we lucky Sushila? 

Stay well, stay home & stay safe!

Love Sylvia  

Recollection of letters (14)

28 October 2021 

Dear Sushila

Today, Singapore has 5234 cases reported. With 84% of the population vaccinated, the government is trying to create a herd immunity. Although many scientists will agree this is the only way to fight the virus, it is still nevertheless a harsh attempt, as many elderly and vulnerable people are in danger of succumbing to the infection. As it is, there is an average of 8-12 deaths each day with many critically ill in ICU. It is no more a sad news but an expected outcome.

Borders are opening up but I think it will be a while before I feel confident to travel again. We have to stay well and stay safe. 90% of the fatalities are those above the age of 60 years with underlying medical condition. The medication they take for their chronic illnesses have weakened their immunity system, so the expert says.

I have been listening to old songs lately, mostly the piano recitals from the discs I bought in Colombo. Do you remember when you brought me to a shopping center where I bought these discs? Easy listening and relaxing!

Sushila, when you watch tv, remember to get up every now and then to walk around. It keeps the circulation going. Don't sit too long on the sofa. 

Do you have a Fitbit watch that can record the number of step you walk each day? The ideal is 10,000 steps a day. I have a Whitings watch as a Christmas present a couple of years ago. It has the same function and each week it averages up the number of steps you have walked each day. Last September (2020), I decided to take walking as an exercise each morning and from that date, I average 13,000 steps a day. I intend to keep this up so that I will not feel guilty when I over-eat. Haha! and because I love my food, I have not lost much weight. Haha!

Lots of love

Sylvia

      

Recollection of letters (13)

 18 October 2021

Dear Sushila

I'm glad you went out to buy yourself some new jewelry. You look good in the photo, although a bit thin. Eat more Sushila, and remember, once a Beauty Queen, always a Beauty Queen!  

Do take care of your health and live happy each day. There's nothing much to worry about now. We have done our part in terms of career and motherhood. So it's our time to relax and enjoy the fruits of our labor. Do what pleases you. Do what makes you happy. 

Being retired is to love idleness. For me, I love to busy myself about trifles; to begin a number of scrap-booking projects and not finish one of them; to come and go as my fancy bids me; to fritter away the whole day insignificantly and incoherently, and to follow nothing but the whim of the moment (quote from a wise sage). 

Well that pretty much sums up how I pass my time. I take long walks each morning along the riverside and love to watch the white-breasted waterhens go about their morning routine. Such agile birds with thin legs and long toes, walking gingerly on stems of long grass and along the riverbed. They are usually in pairs and if I am lucky, I get to see a family with one or two black chicks. They have to be careful because there are big monitor lizards around but they know how to defend themselves. I am fascinated by their behaviors, how the baby chicks know where to hide under the river grass, how the mother bird would peck at the tail of the monitor lizard to chase it away! The mother bird is the matriarch of the family and if the father bird brings in some food, she will force it out of him, and take it to her chicks! Haha! 

With affection

Sylvia       

Recollection of Letters (12)

 16 October 2021

Dear Sushila

It's always nice to hear your voice & know that you are well, although the news of the robbery in your house is disheartening. I hope by now you have got over your 'heart-break' of losing some of your favorite jewelry. But look at the positive side - it gives you the excuse to but new ones. New and contemporary designs perhaps! And when you wear them, you will be uplifted & feel 'new' again. So go ahead, Sushila, buy that necklace and bracelet you mentioned. Do what makes you happy!

As a wise sage once said, "We don't grow old by merely living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up our interests wrinkle the soul. Whatever our years, there is in every of our hearts the love of wonder, the unfailing childlike appetite for what's next and the joy and game of life"  

So enjoy, have a small party with family and good friends. Remember, don't let the shadows of yesterday spoil the sunshine of tomorrow.

Today (16 Oct) is World Food Day and this year's theme is Safe food now for a healthy tomorrow. I pray for the poor and marginalized that none of them should go to sleep hungry; and being an animal lover, I pray too that all the stray dogs and cats in the world will be fed regularly by kind and compassionate people near them. 

Love

Sylvia