During Christmas, a good friend of me gave me a copy of “Marley & Me” by John Grogan, and it was a very good novel. Especially for dog owners, it’s so easy to relate and find laughter in the description of “Marley” the crazy lab. The most touching part of the novel to me was near the end when the author made the conclusion that dogs are very loyal to their owners and yet they spent over 80% of their time just waiting for their owners to return home.
Immediately I thought of Pretzel and he is indeed a very loyal dog and he indeed spends the majority of his time just sitting at home. Even though I should be giving him a daily walk to wind down his energy, I deprive him of these 30 minutes of happiness when I feel tired, when I don’t want to walk with him, or when I feel it is just too hot to go outside.
I remember the time when I first wanted to get a dog; it was around March & April of 2006. When I was young, I have never really like dogs and am even a bit scared of the big ones, yet I wanted one that year With my parents and my sister gone, I suddenly feel the house is just too empty, too quiet, and I want to feel some life in the house. The months before selling the house, Anna and I lived in a place that is over 3500 square feet, we each took a floor of the house and it has started suffocating me. That January and February was so hard to pass by emotionally and psychologically. Clearly going to bed isn’t always easy, you cannot stop the images and thoughts that circulate around your head; and one day, I decided I wanted to get a dog—the stuffed hippo with beans just doesn’t cut it anymore, I wanted something breathing beside me, I wanted something I can take care of, something that moves and has a heartbeat beside me when I sleep. A puppy is a good solution and suddenly I really like dogs.
Reflecting of Pretzel’s childhood till the day he moved to HK, I cannot exactly say he has a good puppy hood (from sleeping in an enclosed tent to a banana box on top of a stool to being inside a car in a parking lot for the majority of the day), though I fell in love with him from the first day I took him home from the airport. I brought Pretzel home on my birthday, though I didn’t plan it that way, funny how things happened. I love taking him for walks when he was a mere puppy in a little harness, I feel so proud seeing him trotting along beside me like a little stuffed animal. When other dog owners or people out for a stroll see him, they always stop and coo and say how adorable my puppy is and I just feel so proud, so I would take him out for a lot of walks a day, lol. Pretzel has kept me busy and preoccupied and we slowly adapted to each other’s style of living, though I must say I have no separation anxiety and I am not an attention dominator!
I guess reading “Marley & Me” makes me remember once again how precious and special Pretzel is to me and how he has really been there during my low times. Though I cannot quite say he was there to fix my problems and help me continue on with life, I must say he has brought colors and laughter into my life and I am so attached to that little ball of hair. Reading the novel reminds me Pretzel cannot stay a young dog forever! In the blink of an eye, he probably cannot trot around lawns, chase other dogs and just run around freely within feeling the pains of old age. So while he is still willing and energetic, I should give him more attention and bring him out to continue on his free spirit, because it is his energy and joy that makes me feels the happiness and delight of continuing on. He is a little colorful rainbow after a heavy rainstorm.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Saturday, March 15, 2008
An act of kindness
It’s true that you never stop learning everyday, especially from your friends. I learned from my friends what genuine kindness is, and how mere small gestures can really change a day. I remember once walking to the MTR station from the Vine with 2 friends, and it was late and I just wanted to get home. On the pedestrian bridge, there was a woman from the Mainland that was struggling with 2 huge suitcases asking for directions to the airport bus. She looked frantic, lost, and just tired from pulling the 2 suitcases along, and my friend didn’t hesitate before taking one suitcase from her and pulling it for the wandering woman. Even though she doesn’t know where the bus is herself, she willingly jumped in, took the suitcase and directed the lost woman and the 2 friends who merely followed to the main street and asked for directions to the bus stop. The thank-you and appreciation she received from the woman truly came from her heart.
Today, a couple of friends and I decided to go hiking at Sai Kung; after completing the trail, we were all walking along the main road heading to the bus stop; in the middle of the road, there were a couple of construction workers mending a strip of the road and as we were passing by, they all stopped working and were just looking at us. I was walking ahead of everyone, and I felt quite awkward and uncomfortable since it’s so obviously we were being stared at so openly; suddenly, I heard a cheerily and hearty HELLO bellowed out to the workers behind me and immediately I saw the workers’ faces all lit up and suddenly they were waving and saying hello to us too! Quite honestly, this blew me away, especially since living in such a busy city where the human to human interaction is so limited, I was really shocked at the warm hellos trailing after us! Today I learned that all it took is a small wave, a smile of acknowledgement, or a hearty hello that could immediately warm people up; rather than passing by and pretending we don’t see each other, by making a quick connection brings such warmth, and I just love it!
I am never a huge fan of kids, especially spoiled and bratty children that scream and run around blocking your path, but helping out with the African drum class at the down syndrome society gave me so much rewards. These children face physical handicap, but they are so willing to express and share their happiness with you, it’s just absolutely amazing. Today was the last lesson, and at the end of class, when one of the most handicapped boys walked by with his mom and dad, he came over and just gave me the biggest hug! I thought my face will crack from my huge smile, and he has just brightened up my day so much!
Today, I’ve learned to be more kind and I am up for the human connection! I learned that we’re all just people, we shouldn’t mask our feelings and we should greet one another, this world will be such a better place if all of us just smile and say hello to one another. It’s true what they say; all it takes is a smile to brighten up someone’s day.
There is something you may give a friend and stranger too;
It seems that when you give it, it’s given back to you.
This gift is worth a million, but doesn’t cost a dime; it’s lasting in effect,
But doesn’t take much time.
This simple little gesture can make the day worthwhile;
It’s just as good as sunshine—
That is what we call a smile
~jill wolf~
Today, a couple of friends and I decided to go hiking at Sai Kung; after completing the trail, we were all walking along the main road heading to the bus stop; in the middle of the road, there were a couple of construction workers mending a strip of the road and as we were passing by, they all stopped working and were just looking at us. I was walking ahead of everyone, and I felt quite awkward and uncomfortable since it’s so obviously we were being stared at so openly; suddenly, I heard a cheerily and hearty HELLO bellowed out to the workers behind me and immediately I saw the workers’ faces all lit up and suddenly they were waving and saying hello to us too! Quite honestly, this blew me away, especially since living in such a busy city where the human to human interaction is so limited, I was really shocked at the warm hellos trailing after us! Today I learned that all it took is a small wave, a smile of acknowledgement, or a hearty hello that could immediately warm people up; rather than passing by and pretending we don’t see each other, by making a quick connection brings such warmth, and I just love it!
I am never a huge fan of kids, especially spoiled and bratty children that scream and run around blocking your path, but helping out with the African drum class at the down syndrome society gave me so much rewards. These children face physical handicap, but they are so willing to express and share their happiness with you, it’s just absolutely amazing. Today was the last lesson, and at the end of class, when one of the most handicapped boys walked by with his mom and dad, he came over and just gave me the biggest hug! I thought my face will crack from my huge smile, and he has just brightened up my day so much!
Today, I’ve learned to be more kind and I am up for the human connection! I learned that we’re all just people, we shouldn’t mask our feelings and we should greet one another, this world will be such a better place if all of us just smile and say hello to one another. It’s true what they say; all it takes is a smile to brighten up someone’s day.
There is something you may give a friend and stranger too;
It seems that when you give it, it’s given back to you.
This gift is worth a million, but doesn’t cost a dime; it’s lasting in effect,
But doesn’t take much time.
This simple little gesture can make the day worthwhile;
It’s just as good as sunshine—
That is what we call a smile
~jill wolf~
Sunday, January 13, 2008
My Vancouver Trip
A couple of days prior to returning to Vancouver to visit my sister and friends, I wasn’t too hyped, to be honest; clearly I wasn’t expecting it to be crappy and not fun, but I thought I would be bored now and then, and was considering rescheduling my return flight ticket to Hong Kong earlier. I truly believe I was subconsciously missing Pretzel, as I am gone for more than 2 weeks! However, I am glad I stayed for my entire planned trip, because I really did have fun. I always thought going on vacations mean going to places that are foreign, and when you return to the familiar, it would be so boring, because you just wouldn’t visit the tourist spots. Well, I am glad to say that stereotype has been slashed in my brain, because even though I really did not go to any tourist spots, aside from Granville Island, I still had such a great blast in Vancouver, because it is my chance to visit all the little treats and stuff I enjoyed while living there.
Slurping up on the matcha chillos, dunking myself in pretzel balls, sucking up the Dairy Queen blizzards, grabbing a mango slush BBT on the go, OMG, multiple adrenaline rushes coursing through me everyday! I was even happy to be in a huge line at Chapters for a cup of starbucks! Going to nice dinners at the keg, eating italiano and Greek food, yum yum. All my trips evolve around foods, lol.
I truly believe my trip wouldn’t be as fun without my sister and my friends, they really make it that much better. It felt good to return, do the shopping, and just catching up. Can I say everyone is totally different? Well, I was only gone for a year, but I do observe minor changes here and there; everyone seems quite settled in their work, relatively happy/satisfied with what they’re accomplishing, people are considering changes or advances in their career, so very true signs that we are all indeed growing up and time isn’t stopped or pausing for any of us!
Finally, it was very nice seeing my sister, it is really weird how when we don’t live in the same country, we talk a lot on the phone, then when we are in the same room, it’s different! We still talk obviosuly, but she seems awfully defensive about her territory. I am always feeling cold in her apartment and she keeps turning the heat down! I do believe in the Chinese saying about how it’s easy to meet up but hard to live together, so very true! Well, I am excited to see her when she visits HK, I am really praying she could see herself in HK and choose to move there, that would be so awesome! We would be living in the same country again!
As I don’t foresee myself returning to Vancouver for probably around 2 years, when my sister indeed decides to move to HK, and I come back and assist her with the packing, and more legal paperwork, omg, those damn things are endless! So hopefully I will still see my friends when they visit Asia in the next 2 years!
Slurping up on the matcha chillos, dunking myself in pretzel balls, sucking up the Dairy Queen blizzards, grabbing a mango slush BBT on the go, OMG, multiple adrenaline rushes coursing through me everyday! I was even happy to be in a huge line at Chapters for a cup of starbucks! Going to nice dinners at the keg, eating italiano and Greek food, yum yum. All my trips evolve around foods, lol.
I truly believe my trip wouldn’t be as fun without my sister and my friends, they really make it that much better. It felt good to return, do the shopping, and just catching up. Can I say everyone is totally different? Well, I was only gone for a year, but I do observe minor changes here and there; everyone seems quite settled in their work, relatively happy/satisfied with what they’re accomplishing, people are considering changes or advances in their career, so very true signs that we are all indeed growing up and time isn’t stopped or pausing for any of us!
Finally, it was very nice seeing my sister, it is really weird how when we don’t live in the same country, we talk a lot on the phone, then when we are in the same room, it’s different! We still talk obviosuly, but she seems awfully defensive about her territory. I am always feeling cold in her apartment and she keeps turning the heat down! I do believe in the Chinese saying about how it’s easy to meet up but hard to live together, so very true! Well, I am excited to see her when she visits HK, I am really praying she could see herself in HK and choose to move there, that would be so awesome! We would be living in the same country again!
As I don’t foresee myself returning to Vancouver for probably around 2 years, when my sister indeed decides to move to HK, and I come back and assist her with the packing, and more legal paperwork, omg, those damn things are endless! So hopefully I will still see my friends when they visit Asia in the next 2 years!
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