Some Things are More Important

 Dad crept quietly into the pitch-black  living room. He looked all around him, nobody was there. "The kid must be asleep," he thought. He sighed as he set his coat on the table and sunk into his comfortable armchair.

"Daddy,may I ask you a question?"

Dad almost fell off his armchair in fright as his son somehow  materialised out of nowhere.

Dad:"Uh...*awkward* Yeah sure, what is it boy?"  He reached for today's newspaper.

Son: "Daddy, how much do you make an hour?"

Dad: "*frowning as he set the newspaper aside* That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?"

Son: "I just want to know,Daddy.  Please tell me, how much do you make in  an hour?"

Dad smiled, "If you must know, I make $100 an hour."

Son: "Oh! (With his head down). A moment later, the boy asked to borrow $50.

The father was furious. "If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you'd better march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why are you being so selfish. I work hard every day just to get repaid by this childish behavior?"

The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.

The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money? However, after about an hour or so, the man calmed down, and started to think: Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $ 50 and he really didn't ask for money very often. The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door.

Dad: "Are you asleep, son?"

Son: "No daddy, I'm awake".

Dad: "I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier. It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you.Here's the $50 you asked for."

The little boy sat straight up, smiling. "Oh, thank you daddy!"Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills. The man saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father.

Dad: "Why do you want more money if you already have some?"

Son: "Because I didn't have enough, but now I do. Daddy, I have $100 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you."

The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son, and he begged silently for his forgiveness. The embrace was long and warm. A joyous atmosphere indeed.

It's just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life. We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts. Do remember to share that $100 worth of your time with someone you love? If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days. But the family and friends we leave behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than to our family.

Some things are more important.

前一段时间，参加了一个童玩生活营,宗旨当然就是为了推广逐渐失传的传统游戏啦！今天我就来和大家分享几个传统游戏吧！
基本上，传统游戏分成两种：
a)静态游戏  
-不须劳动肢体，耗费力气，用到体力跑来跑去，跳来跳去的游戏。

b)动态游戏
-当然就和静态游戏相反，玩了过后会累会流汗的游戏。

今天要来谈谈的动态游戏：
A）KALIDUI （Galah Panjang)
人数：10人或以上
学习：团体合作，互相配合，过关闯局

1)选好AB两队阵容，若以10人为例，分成两组人比，一组为功，一组为守。决定哪一组先开始，以最快速度“攻城”，另一组则要“守城”

2）守城一组守在四或五条线上，管卡的多少视玩的人数而定。每位守城员，只能在自己平行线上活动，双脚须踩在线上为准。他们的任务是要阻挡敌方闯关，也就是要想办法把敌人围住，并想办法用手碰到对方，让他们丧失闯关资格。

3)第一个步骤，进攻组派一员与第一线上的守线员打手，即可开始闯关。他们必须紧密配合，分散敌方的注意力，让自己其中一员成功闯关。进攻组要在不被捉到的情况下，顺利冲过所有关卡，然后再跑回起点，只要有一人可以躲过所有防卫，过完一来一回的关卡，就算成功。相反的，如果进攻组一员被敌方碰到，进攻组全员就算输了。

4）进攻组与防御组每一盘对换角色。

Will create and English version of this traditional game soon.  Thx.

Karangan: Keluarga Bahagia

  Sebagaimana yang sedia kita maklumi,keluarga yang juga dikenali sebagai institusi kekeluargaan boleh ditakrifkan sebagai  satu kumpulan manusia yang dihubungkan melalui pertalian darah, perkahwinan atau pengambilan anak angkat. Kebahagiaan pula bermaksud suatu keadaan perasaan aman damai serta gembira. Keluarga bahagia membawa maksud kumpulan manusia ini yang dapat membawa perasaan gembira kepada ahli kumpulan manusia ini.  Namun, dalam menyingkap tabir alaf baru yang berkiblatkan materialistik ini, hubungan kekeluargaan ini makin renggang . Ibu bapa tidak rapat dengan anak-anak mereka kini kerana leka mengejar kebendaan . Sebagai akibat, hal ini telah menyebabkan masa yang diluangkan ibu bapa bersama keluarga makin kurang. Memandangkan masalah ini kian kronik, adalah baik kita menkaji tentang kepentingan keluarga bahagia.

   Sebelum itu, apakah pencetus maslah ini? Umumnya, kehidupan yang terlalu mengutamakan harta benda, kerja dan keseronokan hawa nafsu penyumbang kepada kepincangan dalam keluarga. Kehidupan yang mementingkan hiburan dan kebebasan sosial juga dikatakan faktor sampingan yang membawa kepada masalah dalam rumah tangga. Sebagai akibat, golongan remaja di negara ini yang tahun seusia jagung, darah setampuk pinang mudah terikut-ikut dengan budaya songsang Barat kerana kehilangan perisai kekeluargaan ini. Misalnya, anak-anak muda sekarang didapati tidak segan silu lagi untuk bercumbu-cumbuan dan mendedahkan aurat di khalayak ramai. Ada pula yang berkiblatkan falsafah hidup Barat dengan mendewa-dewakan kebebasan mutlak dan kesenorokan seperti terjebak dalam kumpulan ‘Mat Rempit’. Natijahnya,mereka bersikap pasif dan kurang peka akan perkembangan semasa. Mereka menjerumuskan diri mereka dalam kemelut sosial untuk mengisi kekosongan jiwa mereka. Mereka ketandusan kasih sayang daripada kedua-dua orang tuanya. Sesungguhnya, anak yang meningkat remaja memerlukan  belaian kasih sayang daripada kedua-dua orang tuanya . Walaupun begitu, ibu bapa yang sibuk diburu waktu pasti lebih longgar dalam soal pengawasan anak-anak mereka.Oleh itu, mereka yang sibuk mencari rezeki perlu meluangkan sedikit masa untuk mengambil berat terhadap mereka dan memantau pelajaran serta segala gerak-geri mereka.Jika ibu bapa sanggup mendengar isi hati anak-anak mereka dan mewujudkan perasaan kekeluargaan, generasi muda ini diyakini tidak akan begitu cenderung untuk mencampuri anasir-anasir yang tidak diingini dan mencari kesenorokan di luar rumah dengan bohsia dan bohjan yang lain.Tegasnya , keluarga yang pincang menyumbang kepada lonjakan  kebejatan sosial yang menghantui warga kota kini.

   Sesungguhnya, kewujudan keluarga bahagia diyakini dapat mengekang peningkatan kes-kes jenayah. Tidak dapat kita nafikan bahawa biasanya, mereka yang terjebak dengan jenayah mempunyai masalah dengan keluarganya. Penerapan  budaya Barat yang tidak serasi dengan budaya ketimuran kita turut mununjangi percambahan maksiat dan jenayah seperti perogolan dan pergaulan bebas .Menurut laporan sesorang pakar psikologi,mereka sebenarnya  ingin mendapatkan tumpuan dan belas kasih sayang daripada ahli-ahli keluarganya dengan membuat demikian. Institusi kekeluargaan yang mendukung peranan sebagai agen pencorak sahsiah generasi muda ini tidak boleh lepas tangan dalam usaha untuk menangani fenomena ini. Misalnya, anak-anak patut dibajai nilai-nilai murni dan keimanan yang kental sejak kecil lagi, bak kata pepatah “melentur buluh biarlah daripada rebungnya” .

    Pada masa yang sama, institusi kekeluargaan yang bahagia dapat mengekang masalah bunuh diri di kalangan remaja. Individu-individu ini mungkin telah mengalami keganasan rumah tangga apabila kecil lagi. Sebagai akibat, remaja sentiasa berfikiran negative dan terdorong untuk menjerumuskan dirinya dalam kes bunuh diri.  Keganasan rumah tangga ini bermaksud sengaja atau mencuba meletakkan mangsa dalam ketakutan dan kecederaan sama ada dari segi fizikal atau mental. Contohnya, sesetengah mengurung anak-anak mereka tanpa kerelaan mangsakerana menganggap anak-anak mereka ini sebagai beban .Pihak-pihak tertentu seperti Menteri Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat Malaysia sepatutnya campur tangan dalam hal ini. Akta Keganasan Rumah Tangga 1994 (Akta 521) yang telah berkuat kuasa pada 1 Jun 1996 ini perlu dimanfaatkan untuk mengekang kebejatan ini! Selain itu, menurut dapatan seorang pakar psikologi  di Amerika Syarikat, cetusan fikiran bunuh diri hanya akan berlarutan dalam otak mangsa selama 1-2 minit sahaja. Jika seseorang akan menghalangnya dalam jangka masa itu, mangsa akan berubah fikiran dan tidak merampas nyawa dirinya. Oleh itu, ahli keluraga patut lebih prihatin terhadap keluaraga mereka.

  Selain itu, institusi kekeluaragaan yang ceria dan sempurna diharapkan dapat melahirkan murid yang berketerampilan  dari segi aspek fizikal , mental , rohani, emosi dan kesopanan. Hadis Riwayat At-Tarmizi ada menyatakan bahawa, ‘tiada anugerah yang dapat diberikan oleh seseorang bapa kepada anaknya selain tunjuk ajar dan budi perkerti mulia.Dalam  hal ini, ibu bapa sebagai tonggak keluarga seharusnya mendampingi dan memesrai anak-anak mereka. Genarasi muda juga patut diasuh dan dididik dengan didikan agama dan moral yang utuh. Natijahnya, seseorang remaja dijangka dapat membezakan yang mana kaca dan yang mana permata sekali gus menghindari gajala sosial yang pasti memusnahkan masa depan mereka. Serentak dengan ini,seseorang yang berlatarbelakangkan keluarga yang bahagia dapat menumpukan sepenuh perhatian dalam pelajaran atau bidang-bidang yang terlibat dengan tiadanya sebarang masalah keluarga.Hal ini dikatakan demikian kerana seseorang ini tidak perlu risau akan keluarganya.Sesungguhnya, hal ini dapat meningkatkan produktiviti seseorang individu dan masa depannya akan terjamin.

   Di samping itu,tidak dapat kita sangkal bahawa,sekiranya apa-apa yang dinyatakan di atas tercapai, negara kita pasti aman dan makmur.Remaja pada hari ini bakal menerajui pucuk pimpinan Negara pada masa hadapan dan merupakan aset modal insan negara yang tidak ternilai,bak kata pepatah “pemuda harapan bangsa,pemudi tiang negara”. Dalam perkampungan global yang seolah-olah tidak bersempadan ini, negara kita memerlukan  orang yang berbakat untuk terus  berkembang maju dan bersaing dengan negara-negara besar yang lain agar kita dapat duduk sama rendah,diri sama tinggi dengan negara-negara besar yang lain. Institusi kekeluargaan diyakini dapat mencapai tujuan murni ini. Dengan tiadanya kepincangan sosial dan kes jenayah, daya saing rakyat Malaysia akan meningkat. Pertumbuhan ekonomi yang pesat akan tercapai dan  terus menggantikan ketidaktentuan ekonomi yang  menyambar seluruh dunia. Secara tidak langsung, Wawasan 2020 negara kita juga tidak akan tertinggal seperti angan-angan Mat Jenin.

Memandang  keluarga yang porak-peranda menjurus kepada pelbagai kebejatan sosial, kita harus menarik rambut di dalam tepung. Kalau kita halusi sejenak,akan kita dapati bahawa kebanyakan kes perceraian berlaku kerana pasangan suami isteri tidak begitu menghayati kehendak ajaran agama dalam melayari kehidupan alam rumah tangga termasuk dalam menunaikan tanggungjawab sebaik mungkin. Statistik perkahwinan di seluruh negara pada tahun 2008 mencatatkan 130,314 bilangan pasangan yang berkahwin.  Namun,pasangan yang bercerai telah mencecah 22,289 kes. Agama Islam memang menggalakkan perkahwinan. Lantaran itu, perkahwinan dalam Islam tidak lain daripada bertujuan untuk mengawal dan mengatur fitrah kehidupan manusia demi faedah dan kebaikan manusia baik di dunia mahupun di akhirat. Kalau pasangan suami isteri berpegang utuh kepada ajaran agama masing-masing, keluarga bahagia pastinya dapat dibentuk.

   Sebagai penghias penutup bicara, banyak faedah yang mampu kita peroleh apabila mempraktikkan nilai kekeluargaan dalam kehidupan seharian.Bekas Perdana Menteri negara kita, Tun Dr. Mathir Mohamad pernah mengatakan bahawa, sebuah keluarga boleh dianggap sebagai unit terkecil negara,iaitu cel. Jika sesebuah keluarga mendapat barah,seluruh negara akan tumbang. Oleh itu,masyarakat tidak boleh bersikap acuh tak acuh dengan nilai-nilai murni ini agar mereka dapat melahirkan sebuah keluarga yang sempurna. Sebaliknya, semua pihak baik kerajaan,Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM), badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) mahupun  pendidik  harus menggemblengkan sinergi  dengan ibu bapa untuk merangka strategi yang pragmatik dan ampuh lagi demi membentuk institusi kekeluargaan yang bahagia.‘Keluarga Bahagia Negara Sejahtera!’

Essay: An Unforgettable Incident

  "Bang!"The deafening sound of gunshot resounded in the air. My heart trembled and I satwide awake on my bed,gasping for air. The incident three years ago still relentlessly haunts me, every single night. For all these years, I had been trying to let it go, heaven's know I tried,but still it plagues my mind,even till now.

  It was the school holidays. My classmates and I were on an outing, camping at Taman Negara as a school trip after the school exams, Personally, I thought it was a golden opportunity to relax ourselves after our stressing studies, and of course, have some fun! Later that day, my fellow classmates and I set out looking for butterflies for our school science project. Besides, we enjoyed jungle trekking anyway and we did find some rather interesting and exotic butterflies along the trail. Lee, who loves biology, was totally thrilled by the wide variety of flora and fauna there. We, on the other hand, simply rolled our eyes and shook our heads as he looked all around him, sometimes stealing a glance at us,saying "What?" However, I have to admit, the place was pretty cool.

  The smell of the rainforest and soil seeped into our nostrils. The leaves of the great big rainforest tree rustled at the afternoon breeze as we rested below its shade. Some rays of light managed to shower in and greet us, but still it was quite dark. Our clothes all stuck to our skin as we gulped down our precious water greedily. Only Lee paced about. He was getting impatient. "Come on! Can't we carry on now?" Muthu wrinkled his nose but said nothing. The rest groaned while I struggled to get up. Soon we were on our way again. All was quiet, except for our ragged breath and the droning of bugs. Everybody was dog-tired and desperately wanted a rest, but Lee insisted we continue.Daniel was not pleased about this and I could hear him muttering something under his breath. Then Ali piped up, breaking the silence, "Hey, aren't we venturing a bit too deep into the forest? We might get into trouble!" Lee scowled, and said that we can find more special and unique stuff around here. I wanted to fire back, but i held my tougue. However the others have already started an arguement.

  Just then, we all jumped in fright as a deafening roar reverberated in the air. We all hid in the bushes as quick as lightning,  Crouching low, the frightened boys and I found ourselves whispering urgerntly,all with the same question playing in our minds, "Is it approaching us?" We stared in shock as a ferocious tiger, standing high and tall, emerged out of the thick undergrowth. A tiger! Roamingin the jungle! Out of the blue, a phone rang. My phone. I cursed as soft as I can as I fished the brand-new Samsung out of my pocket. A sense of dread rushed over me. We were doomed  Who would have known that we could get a telephone signal here amidst the woods? To our utmost horror, the deadly predator was now headed our way. I could here twigs snap as it came closer and closer. I looked at my friends, only to see them staring back at me, as though reprimanding me for bring along the phone and wanted me to take care of this mess. The fear in their eyes were unmistakable. I gulped. Our hearts raced and we had our heart in our mouth.

  Then Lee lost it. He could not hold it back anymore. He got up and ran, as fast as a cheetah, yelling and screaming gibberish at the top of his voice, like a lunatic on the run. I would have laughed, if my life was not threatened by a 11-feet tall cat. Shaken by Lee's outrage, we all got up on our feet, scattering in all directions. The tiger growled menacingly and gave chase, tailing us as we made for an escape. To our dismay, Muthu tripped clumsily at the root of a tree. "No!" I let out a shrill cry.We all turned back, only to see the ugly sight of the tiger, sinking its jaws into Muthu's neck. It roared, as if declaring its victory then looked at me, straight in the eye. I saw its hunger, its anger, its deadliness.
Then I looked at Muthu's lifeless body, sprawled on the ground. I choked back a sob as the tiger began its feast.  Still sobbing, I fell onto my knees, unable to register what had just happened before me.Following the disaster, was the sound of gunshot. Then, everything before me, blacked out.

  When I woke up, I was at the ranger's station. "The kid's awake. Can you hear me? Are you alright?" Without hesitation I blurted out, "Where is Muthu?" The only respond of my companions were mere silence. The atmosphere was dreadful. After quite a moment, a ranger stood forward and explained. One of the rangers saw us in trouble. He fired his rifle, but not at the tiger, as it is an endangered species and is a protected animal. However, the sound of gunshot did scare it away. He brought every single one of us back to safety, all except one. Muthu did not make it. For all I know, Muthu is gone. I did not notice  the others' expressions but I see Muthu's parents crying their eyes out, resulting in red and puffy eyes.

  I never forgot that hearth-breaking moment. If we did not go so deep into the jungle. If I did not bring the phone. If we did not even go to camp. So many if's , but what is the use. We cannot alter the truth. Muthu is dead, because of me, because of us.