23:48

I attended a workshop on mental health of traumatized children during my electives. It’s probably one of the most interesting workshops I’ve ever attended and probably the only one with a wide range of participants. They were mostly psychiatrists, or people working with mentally ill children..but there were quite a few students, retired teachers, peaditricians. basically we learnt a great way to help children who’ve gone through bad experiences such as the tsunami, a broken family, MVAs or natural disasters.

I really did learn a lot today. And I met a lot of very interestin people. Even met some slightly eccentric people. I had the good fortune of learning from a very experienced woman who worked with child victims of the tsunami. Her stories were incredible. How these children suddenly become orphans and how they have to deal with the sudden,violent loss of their loved ones.

Mostly, mental health has to do with a lot of talking things out. And having someone who can listen and encourage you is a huge step towards recovery. This new system has been implemented in Western countries and has been proven effective. I, however questioned wether this sytem could be as effective in Asian countries, namely Malaysia or Indonesia, where children are so used to not having a voice. Children here are not usually allowed an opinion on things. We are programmed to listen and follow orders. We do things because we are told to, but we are not explained why we have to. Most children do not have a voice of their own. So when crisis strikes, when expressing yourself and what you’re feeling is the best way to recovery, our children find it awkward.

That’s why here in Malaysia, they make use of the child’s creative side, thank God a child’s imagination cannot be taken away from him. So making them draw out their feelings actually does a whole world of good. They tell their stories through their drawings. We can interpret what they’re trying to tell us by their choice of colour, the way they draw and even the intensity of the strokes.

i have decided that i want to be in this line of work in the future, insyaAllah. :)
(im quite sure i dont want to be an O&G specialist.heh.)

080809

For those whom Islam has embraced, the greatest witness to God's unremitting, pursuing, sustaining, and guiding love is the Quran. Like a vast magnificent ocean, it lures you deeper and deeper into its dazzling waves until you are swept into it. But instead of drowning in a sea of darkness, you find yourself immersed in an ocean of divine light and mercy. As i read the Quran and performed the prayers, a door to my heart was unsealed and i was immersed in an overwhelming tenderness. Love became more permanent and real than the earth beneath my feet ; its power restored me and made it so that even i could feel love..i was happy enough to have found faith in a sensible religion - but i never expected to be touched by such intoxicating mercy.

- Jeffrey Lang.

a fresh start

its amazing how God plans things for you. how He makes things happen without you realizing it. its very often that i forget that everything has it's hikmah. everything happens for a reason.

met someone who has changed alot in me all in a week. changed my perception of life and how its suppose to be. and changed my perception about how and why we should be of use in this world. all without meaning to do so :)

sometimes a fresh start is all you need. sometimes you just need someone to tell you that you can do it. and all you need is a little push. a little understanding. a little empowerment. getting out of your comfort zone and being reminded of your worth.

setting your priorities straight

is much easier said than done.

haih.

'the fact that you dont seem to care,
pierces me like a knife on a dare'

i forgot.

" Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom (revelations of the Quran) and the best of speech; and argue with them in the best of ways and most gracious..."

[16:125]

we forget.

its done!

yesterday was the last day of my pre-clinical studies. as much as i am looking forward to a new phase, and at last meeting real patients i can interact with,im dead afraid of not being able to reach my standards and dissapointing the people who matter.Thank God for the few months before actually starting, giving me a chance to buck up,insyaAllah.

the saddest thing would be having to part with some people who have made my 3 years here unbelievably beautiful. :( Thank God for photographs. :)

i need to realize that there are some things i cannot control and probably have no say over. its in my nature to worry about everything to do with my loved ones though.but sometimes, all that can be done is to pray that everything goes well.

on a happier note, will be spending more time with Red now! its amazing really how something so small can have an effect so big on everyone who meets him. its funny how i can rudely be woken up by his shrieks yet start laughing the moment i see his tiny fists trying to punch me. and after a loooong while of screaming his lungs out and throwing a tantrum while the milk is being made and cooled, and after he's full and pushes the bottle away, he'll suddenly start giving you his most charming smiles accompanied by the gile cute dimples and you'll just feel like biting him. Pandai tau budak kecik tu. im sure when he grows up,he can get away with anything with that smile. cant wait to bring him swimming and playing badminton. ok la, maybe badminton will have to wait. :)

lalalala..just the thought of him has lifted up my mood. this boy is a drug!

"Seeing you mother Eliot, my definition of love changed."
~ Matt Mooney to his wife Ginny :)