A journey to remember...

A couple of days ago, John had the biggest blow in his life! He suffered a nasty crash while descending downhill at Genting Peres during the Inter-State Cycling tour organised by the Pedalphiles Cycling Club (PCC). His helmet and bicycle handle bar broke and his jersey...torn! It was the helmet that saved his head, otherwise it's curtain close for him!


Fortunately, he survived with a deep cut just above his right eye, wounds and bruises all over from his face down to his legs and his left elbow was the most critical. Who cares about anything else...thank god, he's alive! The other cyclists were all very helpful, quick to respond and came to his rescue almost immediately. One of the support team crews drove him on his car to catch up with me and we took him to the nearby clinic in Titi to get medical attention.

Actually when I first saw him, he was such a bloody mess; blood griping all over the place, yet he was still beaming and assured me he's okay. "Ok? I wasn't too sure..I doubted and thought he was playing poker." Well, after an injection, 3 stitches near his right eye and left arm bandaged - it's amazing that his spirit was still high. He was still keen to stay with the group and we decided to continue the journey and move along with PCC team but as a supporting crew.


Throughout the 3-day journey, John was his jovial self and became famous too...everyone (even the taukeh at the kopitiam and ah pek at the roadside stalls) got to know him and asked about his plight. I noticed that human beings are by nature kind and caring. I was also glad we made the decision to continue our journey with the pack and not return home despite the mishap that befell John. I observed that it was the collective energy of friendship that had helped ease the pain and the amount of compassion shown that helped heal the wounds. The sight of John actually made one feels that this guy must be in great pain. Pain - yes, but not as serious as he looks. We were also fortunate to have Dr. Raymond with us - he helped change the dressing for John during the journey.

We also had fun being the support team. We enjoyed cheering and taking photographs for fellow cyclists, handling food and water to the thirsty and rendering assistance to a trio with flat tyres. The fellowship over dinners were great. Like runners, cyclists are another special breed of humans with their own stories and their fair share of experiences (mainly accidents, oops!) and I was inspired listening to them.


While cyclists like Jason, Gerard, Jezamine, Tomato and others achieved their record of the longest ride; I achieved my own record of the longest drive in 3 days covering a total of about 665km. From Kajang - Bahau - Kuala Rompin - Kuantan - Kuala Lumpur...passing through plantations, lakes, estates, some very remote areas I hardly knew existed in M'sia and some very scenic and 'heavenly' places like Genting Peres, Felda Land at Gemas, the beautiful beaches of Pantai Lagenda.

All these and perhaps much more...will certainly etch to my memory and remain as one of my forget-me-nots.

As for John, I bet with my last dollar that you'll see his ass on that Scott again in two weeks time!

Some forget-me-nots

Remember this oldies ?

"Try to remember the kind of September
When life was slow and oh so mellow
When grass was green and grain was yellow
When you were a tender and callow fellow
Try to remember and if you remember, then follow...

Try to remember when life was so tender
That no one wept except the willow
That dreams were kept beside your pillow
That love was an ember about to billow
Try to remember and if you remember, then follow..."

Little things in life have a strange but pleasant way of reminding us of the big things. Sometimes a brief moment is all it takes to shift our focus and align us back on course. We hear and see so much about so much but how much of it is significant enough that it retains in us?
In the recent Olympics, the world witnessed numerous records being broken, in the world of education, we often hear the highest distinctions scored, in the domain of medicine, the breakthrough in cancer research. All of them are fantastic feats and worthy of applause. But just how much of it is good enough for us to remember for the rest of our lives? Often we marvel over the information and forget them the next week if not tomorrow. So, what really matters then?
Besides a very memorable and spectacular Beijing Olympics in August that got me glued to that idiot-box, a series of events took place in my personal life as well.
And it has helped me realized and learned that touching mortal lives have a longer if not a lasting impact than chasing after the many things which can so change as long as others live after us.
Remembering a kind deed is by far easier and more meaningful than memorising the steps of a salsa dance!
I can vividly recall the times when my nanny spent all her time nursing me and helped me cope with a difficult childhood. She was always sensitive to my needs eventhough she has 6 children of her own to tend to. She is 93 years old now and still very much a mother to me even until today.
When I twisted my ankle and couldn't walk for a week, there was Susan an ex-colleague who never failed to chauffeur me to & fro work, to the doctors and everywhere. She even made sure that all my meals were taken care of.
I also remembered the time when I had high fever just the night before the Penang Bridge Marathon - it was John and Francis who took me to the doctor.
Then there's my mentor, Miss Moey whom I can always find solace. And she remains to be my role model for as long as I'm around.
All these and many more remain not because I want to remember them but somehow, they etched themselves to my memory and my heart.

"Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your names on hearts, not on marbles." - Charles Spurgeon