Grow!

Salam Aidilfitri.

It's been a while since I went back for Raya I think. It was good this time. Although Hari Raya has sort of lost the magic it used to have when I was a kid. Growing up sucks.

My mom was happy I went back home this time around. I was reminded of this one thing my moms used to do when I was still living at home; she always used to give me advice, and sometimes in the form of little letters and written messages on post its, stuff like that.

On the day of my flight back to KL, she bought me a book; Edward De Bono's How to Have a Beautiful Mind. I never believed in self help books, but I read the book on the flight anyway. It seemed interesting enough to warrant a once over. After the first few pages, a name card dropped out of the book. It was my mom's.

I was a bit curious as to why she would want to give me her name card. It's not like I don't know where she works. Her office phone and mobile numbers are engraved clearly in my mind. However, this wouldn't be the first time she's given me a name card, usually with some piece of advice on it. Picking up the name card I flip it over and see some writing on the back. The rounded, neatly spaced letters reminded me of the many times she'd written me, be it letter or note. You could probably scan her handwriting and make it some kind of computer font. Her handwriting is that neat. I think my handwriting was heavily influenced by hers. I don't write cursive, instead I write rounded, separate letters.

Here's what she had written on the card:

"The art of education is to continue to grow as long
as you live. Every moment brings its lesson. Every
person is a teacher. Grow in all directions. Develop
a desire for goodness, an eagerness for knowledge,
a capacity for friendship, an appreciation of beauty,
a concern for others. Grow! Man is never finished.
Man never arrives. Education never stops."

I couldn't agree more. I hope I'll be able to heed her words of advice and keep growing. Man I love my moms.