A Season For Everything

 

Little Jassy, in his kennel

 

Showing off his little tail!

 

Jassy's winsome face, walking and wagging tactics make me smile!

I love the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible, especially Chapter 3, Verses 1 to 9. The writer must have been quite a humorous, yet mundane person. Someone extremely down to earth and I love people like that! They are not up in their ivory towers or people who are so spiritually high, that they are of earthly insignificance and irrelevance.! Notice my present tense for the verb "discover"? I am still discovering .......

In case some of my readers are not familiar with the Book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 3, I will write out the verses so that you can follow my train of thoughts.

CHAPTER 3 Verses 1 to 9

GOD PREDETERMINES THE EVENTS OF LIFE

1. To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven.

2. A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A Time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted.

3. A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up.

4. A time to weep,
And a time to laugh.

5. A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from
embracing.

6. A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away.

7. A time to tear,
And a time to sew.
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak.

8. A time to love
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.

9. What profit has the worker from that in which he labors?


The above verses help me to understand why sometimes things happen and that man proposes but God disposes.
They remind me to take each day as it is and to maximise the "Now" and the "Present" - each brand new day that God has given me. Sometimes I lament that I am a late developer - I discover my panache for cooking at age 23; discover my ability to run and participate in half marathons and vertical marathons despite my short legs and oversized body at age 32; discover my love for dogs at age 35; discover that you cannot trust people too much at age 48; discover my interest and talent in speaking at age 52; discover my musical talent at age 54 and a half, etc. etc.

I am glad that I discovered my love for dogs when I was teaching at ACS (Independent). My students had brought back 3 puppies out of the six they had discovered while on a geographical expedition at the mangrove swamps at Pasir Ris. My adoption of one puppy, Kamlette, saw me reading up books on dogs. I treated my puppy like my student and spoke to her in full sentences. Surprisingly, Kamlette, like her owner, (ahem) was also quite linguistic! She understood when I said, "That is quite enough!" She would quickly put her head down on the floor, and looked forlorn. "Ok, you're forgiven!" and she would leap at me and try to lick my hands and face to express her joy! "Where is your leash?" and Kamlette would run excitedly to the door, knowing it was time for her walk. Now I laugh when I found out that trainers would only use one or two words when they train the dogs! I had made a linguist out of Kamlette, for I had to try to say the word "walk" in so many languages. I realised I could not use the words "kai kai" and walk anymore. At first I told my friend that after dinner we would take the dog for a walk. It would be some time before we could get ready but Kamlette was ever so ready at the door for she recognised the word "walk". Hence, I used "kia kia, (Hokkien for walk); makan angin (Malay); faisons nous une promenade (French), and somehow she picked up the words! We resorted to sign language and Kamlette also picked it up. Finally, we resorted to writing on a piece of paper! What an amazing dog! I wish I had a video camera then.

After Kamlette, I also adopted Bobo and Xiaobai. I had to put Kamlette to sleep when she was 16 and a half years of age. Although, an old dog, she still looked very beautiful and youthful. She had kidney problems and blindness. Bobo passed away at the age of 9 and Xiaobai at the age of about 8. Bobo is a Rough Collie and Xiaobai is a Chow Chow. I guess Mongrels like Kamlette have a longer life span. After having enjoyed being the owner of 3 lovely dogs, I am now very contented. I will not be adopting any more dogs. There is a time and season for everything. Now it is too difficult for me to bend down and shower a dog. I am contented with dog-sitting for my friends and clients when they travel overseas. I am also contented to help out now and then with dog-related organisations like the SPCA and Noah's Ark.

Recently, my tenant, Jasmin bought me a toy dog for my forthcoming birthday. The lovely little dog could walk and wag its tail! Cute! As they say in Hokkien, "No fish, prawns also delicious mah! No live dog; a toy dog is also wonderful lah!"

I am glad that I had travelled round the world in my younger days. I am thankful that I climbed the Great Wall of China and parts of Himalaya and skied down the mountains in Banff in my thirties. Now, I enjoy staying at home, reading, writing, watching TV and cooking, more than anything else. A time to slow down after all those years of chugging round the tracks.......Toot! Toot! Oh! Gosh! Am not so sure after all ....here comes the Choo Choo Train again! :-)

Gan Chau