Happiness is .......(33)

Hip! Hip! Hooray! I received my first email from my second sister, Ean Ean, from Melbourne. Sister wrote, "This is my first time using the computer and email. People had walked, run, climb, swim,etc, thousands of miles and here I am at 62 just starting to crawl. Well, never mind, Better be late than never,right?

Of course, it is never too late to learn anything! I started to learn the computer four and a half years ago; learn the violin 16 months ago, learn Hindi two years ago, learn public speaking in toastmasters' clubs four years ago.... and hence "huo dao lao; hsueh dao lao" (life long learning).

Being the youngest, I am the first one to learn how to email and blog. Thanks to the encouragement of my nieces and nephews, I gradually overcame my phobia. I had been persuading my siblings to learn how to email so that we could all communicate more easily. Eldest brother is the second one to learn how to read emails. Then it was followed by eldest sister, Lee Lee, after much coercion. I kept pestering her until I received a scolding. I even bought her and second brother a note book each. Luckily Sister Lee Lee has learnt and is thrilled with her computer. I remember how she would phone me up and ask me how to do this and that. I advised her to get help from someone in Kuching, because I too am not very good with the computer. Second brother Kee Seng has still not yet learnt. Hence I would print out my blog articles for him to read. He has promised to learn soon....soon and very soon.

Hence, you can imagine my great joy when I received my first email from my Second Sister. I prefer to communicate via email as it is free. I do not like to use the phone as there is often ringing in my ears, and the ringing sometimes causes me to feel dizzy. I have lived with my chronic ear problems since time immemorial, and I try not to be affected by it too much.

Like all curious children, once a neighbour's little boy asked me, "Aunty Choo, what is the meaning of "ringing in the ears?"

"Oh! It means listening to music free of charge", I said, smiling.

Justin had overheard me telling his mother about my ear problems. This ringing of the ears can manifest itself at any time of the day. This is also one of the reasons why I gave up driving, as the ringing causes imbalance and it is risky to drive. Sometimes the "music" is quite lovely, like a huge gathering of crickets singing a melody. At times it is a strange cacophony of "music" made by a variety of insects and birds.

As a property agent, I have to answer phone calls ever so often. Hence, when I return home, I just want to be quiet, "resting" my ears and vocal chords. I prefer activities like writing, reading, gardening, cooking, playing the violin or watching my favourite television programs.

If my siblings could handle the computer, they could read my blog articles and communicate via email. There are still so many things more to learn about the computer eg. skype, web design, etc. etc.

The globe is getting smaller because of computers! At first I was also terrified of the computer; but now I can't live without it! Happiness is being able to communicate with a click of the mouse!


Gan Cao