The Birth of Kindness

26-12-23 (Boxing Day)

Handmade shelter for a community cat in one of the neighbourhoods in Singapore. (Source: FB post Dec 2023)

One Christmas Eve many years ago, I passed by 3 or 4 dogs seeking shelter from the on off day long rain under the void deck of abandoned flats.

By the time I bought dog food and aluminium trays from the supermarket to go to their aid, the dogs had disappeared.

A slight panic descended as darkness deepened in the deserted premise where I stood. Held down by trays of opened canned food, there was not much I could do. The drizzle was also gathering force.

“Miss Ong, what are you doing here?”

I looked up to see two smiling boys. They introduced themselves as SJI boys.

More than 20 years after the Christmas Eve Dog Feeding Encounter, I would be travelling to Nepal in Dec 2023 with Marcus Tan. Besides letting me hold onto his arm for balance when I walk on uneven grounds, this SJI boy also stops for animals. (Dec 2023)

Despite having no memory of seeing them in school, I told them what I was trying to do.

Without hesitation, they took the food offerings from me, and headed to the bus stop where they said they saw the dogs.

After they returned from their act of kindness where the dogs gobbled up everything in a flash, the boys and I held hands in the rain and gave thanks.

Those were the days of pre-social media. I had scant knowledge of helping homeless animals.

And had I let my physical condition, the inclement weather, and the darkness convince me to ignore the dogs’ hunger, I wouldn’t have met these two boys whom I believe to be angels in disguise. 😊❤️

And as the years pile on, the seemingly mundane, “Miss Ong, what are you doing Here?” has become a question of transcendental importance to me.

So in the spirit of Boxing Day as we put away present wrappers, and tidy up our surroundings, here’s wishing everyone increasing clarity to what we’re doing with our life & gifts. 🙏

Rocky, the survivor of acid attack came to welcome me. (Street Dog Care, Nepal, 11 Dec 2023)

December

19-12-23

Poinsettias in full bloom in Park Village, Budanilkanta, Nepal.
(7Dec 2023)

In my youth December meant holiday jobs to make some money for personal outings & school supplies.

There was always some anxieties whether my limp would be an issue with the employer or labour laws.

December in my late teens & early twenties meant carolling rehearsals and admiring well dressed people who had invited us to sing in their beautiful homes on Christmas Eve.

Only in my 30s, December became a time of looking inward at who I really am. Living with 12 cats & 1 dog assures me that I am home. There’s no need to go outside to seek amusement or approval.

I adopted my first and only dog, Shoya, when I was 35 years old.

After my dog passed on in December 2014, and my cats slowly left me one by one, December becomes a time to rest & remininsce.

And whenever I get the chance to visit Boudha Stupa, I bring my animals with me. In my walks, I thank them for taking on animal forms to teach me what it means to be human.

Showing Shoya the Boudha Stupa at every chance I could since 2016)

This December as I stood still by windows & on terraces, I witnessed wedding celebrations in Budanilkantha, an engagement party in Nagarkot, cultural performances and devotional practices in Boudha.

On the balcony of Hotel Country Villa in Nagarkot Hills, Nepal. (10Dec 2023)

In the midst of music, singing & chanting my spirit lifted as my animals & I received the auspicious vibes generated by these celebrations.

Butter lamp circumabulation at Boudha Stupa.

December is truly an ending & also a beginning. 🙏😊

Because they can’t talk, I learn to listen better.

16 November 2023

My 20-year-old cat, Oliver died on the 50th day of the passing of his buddy, Emmanuel. Emmanuel was 19.

Through their lives, these 2 cats have given me 39 years’ worth of companionship and teachings on living & dying.

Because they can’t talk, I learn to listen to their needs by watching their eyes, facial expressions and body language.

Oliver listens to Saraswati Mantra with me.

Because they can’t talk, and can’t defend themselves verbally, I learn to listen to myself before my judgement becomes my reality.

Emmanuel is always protected by Mother Mary.

And because they can’t talk, I learn to make supplications on their behalf.

Took my boys to see the Boudha Stupa this December.

The late Lama Zopa Rinpoche taught that animals don’t just come to us for food & shelter.

Indeed.

As Emmanuel needed home treatment involving needles that I fear and my stiff fingers are not of much help, I started listening to the Medicine Buddha Mantra to overcome fear and steady my hands.

At Kopan Gompa on 12/12/23 to give thanks to late Lama Zopa from whom I’m learning to care for animals beyond their material needs.

As Oliver liked to stay on my lap to listen to devotional chanting or singing, I learned to be still like him and let the words sink in. This was also how my longest living cat left his body.

Until last year, Oliver & Emmanuel had never fallen ill. Unwell animals disguise their pains & injuries to avoid evoking the predatory instincts of the healthy ones. But I also believe my cats endured their illnesses so that I may evolve spiritually.

The quiet in my flat now seems to hold the mantras & music we have listened together over the years.

So on Oliver and Emmanuel’s behalf I wish to thank everyone who has ever smiled at or said kind words to those who cannot talk. In a broken world, any speech made with the intention to heal is sacred to the listener.

Blessings of Light on Oliver. This was our 20th Deepavali together. The next day he entered a good death.

Life ends, but blessings bestowed are forever.

Thank you, friends and all. ❤️🙏

October 4

4-10-23

Oct 4 is the Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi and World Animal Day.

The stories & prayers of St Francis where he mediated on behalf of a wolf and addressed all natural elements as brothers & sisters resonated deeply with me.

Through him I learnt that for good to manifest, every intention needs to come from a place of peace & humility, not judgement.

One of the privileges of being born human is the ability to comfort another being. On our way to Metta Cat & Dog Sanctuary, we always stop by to greet the cats of Mdm Wong’s Shelter.

Since 2007, I’ve been trying to observe 4 Oct by doing something special related to him & animals.

Marcus being greeted by Wednesday on World Animal Day morning. (Metta Cat & Dog Sanctuary)

Today I feel blessed to spend time at an animal shelter and to light butter lamps at a tibetan buddhist temple.

As the day draws to a close and with Krishna Das’ chants filling up my living space, may I return this favour that has been so generously bestowed on me, by wishing everyone the Peace of St Francis of Assisi and Kindness to Self & All Animal Beings. ❤️🙏😊

May these lamps illuminate all sentient beings so that they may transcend suffering & death, and find peace.

Goodbye to All That

11-10-23

Yesterday as the Oct 10 or 10/10 discounts on various online shopping platforms raged on, I found my interest to acquire more displaced by an urgency to discard.

As I gave thanks for the leaves that formed a mandala 2 full moons ago which had since shrivelled up and become brittle, I bade goodbye to aspects of my disposition that have kept my heart small and my mind fragile.

I bade goodbye to pettiness, so that I may be freed from fault finding.

I bade goodbye to perfection, so that I may be freed from fear.

I bade goodbye to self-righteousness so that I may be freed from ignorance.

Perhaps the glorious goldening of leaves and their dramatic shedding at this time of the year are gestures from a very benevolent universe to ease the deaths of personal habitual patterns that are hindering our ascension.

New Moon Eve

14 Sep 2023

Having Massala Papad at Khailash Prabat Restaurant along Syed Alwi Rd today.

Today was my first visit to Syed Alwi Road since 2019. The pandemic and lockdown seem such distant memories. How quickly 4 years just passed like that!

Pre-pandemic shot. At Syed Alwi Rd 4 years ago. (7 Nov 2019)

At Mustaffa Centre, I saw the circular enameled plates of my childhood. All the way to our late teens, my brother & I had gathered around it to make pink & red dumplings of glutinous rice flour every year.

Enameled plates on which Chinese families knead glutinous rice flour to make dumplings and Malay families assemble Nasi Ambeng ingredients for communal dining.

In my friend’s home, it was a platter on which his mom assembled her Nasi Ambeng ingredients for communal dining.

It is amazing how an ordinary household item links cultures and evokes nostalgia.

Today we also had our fill of pani puris, channa puris & papad masala, and TWO servings of masala tea. Indian food is also my comfort food. It reminds me of my neighbour, Asha, who created unlimited supply of thosai, curries, murukus and snacks from her single burner kerosene stove for us kids.

What was meant to be just a lift to my medical appointment turned into a full blown tea with shopping and purchase of flower garlands thrown in.

The much loved deep fried little pockets made of dhal flour.

Perhaps in the face of volatile politics, fickle human dynamics and unpredictable climate, we find solace in memories of people who had loved us without expectations, in humble utensils and affordable snacks that have withstood the test of time.

This is my dream menu. I’ve always wanted to try the indian street snacks showns in documentaries & vlogs.

Sweets for New Moon and to wish my former tutee, Niq, a sweet start and sweet finish to his PSLE. Coming Monday is Ganesh Charthurti.

Flowers as Teachers

12 Sep 2023

A bouquet from a student whom I taught 36 years ago arrived today.
(11 Sep 2023)

In my childhood, I spent hours pottering among plants. I stuck the wooden stems of paper flowers into soil and believed they would become real flowers if I could just focus. I sometimes got scolded for removing offering decorations from the altar to put them in dirt. 😄

This crochet sunflower is as precious as the real ones. (Teachers’ Day gift 2023)

In my youth, flowers assured me that I was accepted & appreciated.

These lovely girls & their sunflower gift. (NYGH, 2004)

Now in old age, flowers remind me to always carry the Sun in my heart, & challenge me to bloom my best regardless of how much time that’s left.

Yesterday all the yellows, reds & golds descended in my home through the kindness of people I’ve known for a long long time.

So I felt very compelled to dress up for the flowers and take some pictures to honour them and their givers.

Flowers make us smile & teach us to hold everything lightly.

May the blessings of flowers open our heart & mind, for our good and the good of others. 😊🙏

Never Too Late

6 Sep 2023

The Tibetan Book of Living & Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche.

My first copy of “The Tibetan Book of Living & Dying,” came from Borders the Bookshop at Wheelock Place. I bought it out of curiosity.

I had what I called “reader’s block,” and gave the book away in 2012. My inability or refusal to accept then that life ends despite our best efforts probably kept me from receiving the guidance in the book.

Over the years, the passing of 10 cats and 1 dog in my care, and the gruesome deaths of cherished community cats from dog attacks have eroded my state of denial. Death is just round the corner.

And with Emmanuel & Oliver’s deteriorating health, I’ll be witnessing death for the 11th & 12th time.

They are my longest living cats. I need to be better prepared for their passing so as to do justice to their companionship of 18 years.

So last week I ordered a copy of “The Tibetan Book of Living & Dying,” after assessing my receptivity to it via Libby APP.

Today as First Tutee and Granduncle came to see Oliver and pray over him, the book also arrived. 🙏❤️😊

First Tutee sees Oliver as his First Cat. They met in 2017.

So every thing has its timing. What we cannot understand or refuse to understand will make sense at some point. And friends who live in our thoughts will appear at the right time when needed.

And I cannot ask for a better alignment of intention, needs and spiritual aid like the one I had today. 🙏🪔

Super Moon Sound Healing

30-8-23

Whenever I pronounce the name of the Goddess of Wisdom, “Saraswati”, I feel articulate & calm.

One recent Sunday evening on the ride home, I felt a strong need to listen to a “Saraswati” mantra, specifically the version sung by Krishna Das.

So right there in the living room of my flat with Oliver on my lap, we listened as Saraswati’s Beej Mantra filled up our home through the deep but effortless chanting of Krishna Das.

Oliver & I on a Sunday evening with Ma Saraswati. 🙏

Today a friend shared what a mantra is with me.

“A mantra is a kind of magic formula that, once uttered, can entirely change a situation. It can change us, and it can change others. But this magic formula must be spoken in concentration, with body and mind focused as one. What you say in this state of being becomes a mantra.” – Thich Nhat Hahn

The late Thich Nhat Hahn’s spoken words in his accented English always feel very warm to me.

Oliver sat very still throughout the Saraswati mantra. Maybe he was receiving the wisdom he needed to have an easy & relaxing stay at the veterinary clinic in a few days’ time.

At the vet before he was admitted for a 2 day stay.

May the Super Full Moon tonight share her crystal silence with us, so that in that clarity everything we choose to hear & say becomes a mantra to benefit all sentient beings. 🙏

New Moon Mandala of Leaves

16-8-23

The exceptionally beautiful tree we met this morning also shed gorgeous leaves.

We bowed to the tie dye combo of emerald green, glorious gold, fiery copper and chrome yellow as we bent low to pick one leaf after another.

More leaves fell as the breeze rose, as if the tree was shedding her grace on us.

I told my brother that I would make a mandala out of these leaves that have been bathed by moonlight for the New Moon tonight.

He placed the 12 leaves in the car boot so they wouldn’t get crushed.

May the New Moon bless all that she touches even if they have to fall to the ground one day. And may all sentient beings be endowed with Grace to turn all life lessons into gold. 🙏