Of Ambiga Sreenevasan, Hillary Clinton, Condoleeza Rice and Others

In the year 2009, a Malaysian was honoured to be one of the eight recipients for the 2009 Secretary of State's Award for International Women of Courage Awards.

Excerpt from Facebook

In the ceremony, the United States Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton commented, "... Ambiga Sreenevasan, has a remarkable record of accomplishment in Malaysia. She has pursued judicial reform and good governance, she has stood up for religious tolerance, and she has been a resolute advocate of women’s equality and their full political participation. She is someone who is not only working in her own country, but whose influence is felt beyond the borders of Malaysia. And it is a great honor to recognize her and invite her to the podium."

Here is what Wikipedia has to say:

Dato’ Ambiga Sreenevasan (born 1956) is a Malaysian lawyer who served as the Malaysian Bar chairlady from 2007 to 2009.

In March 2009, she became one of the eight recipients for the 2009 Secretary of State’s Award for International Women of Courage Awards. In the ceremony, the United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton commented, “… Ambiga Sreenevasan, has a remarkable record of accomplishment in Malaysia. She has pursued judicial reform and good governance, she has stood up for religious tolerance, and she has been a resolute advocate of women’s equality and their full political participation. She is someone who is not only working in her own country, but whose influence is felt beyond the borders of Malaysia. And it is a great honor to recognize her and invite her to the podium.”

In the picture, she stands between two women who will go down in US history.  I think Ambiga will also make it in the annals of Malaysian history.

For this reason, it is amazing that others recognize her good work and contribution to society (see here), while in Malaysia, there are some who think otherwise. (see here).

(pics from here)

Of being a friend

Recently, a string of emails made me think about what it means to be a friend. Not just a Facebook friend, but also a friend as defined by dictionaries as “a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard”.

The dictionaries also describe a friend as (1) a person who gives assistance, (2) a person who is on good terms with another and (3) a person who is not hostile.

A friend is not only someone who gives assistance. Anybody who is not a friend can also do that.

A friend is not a person who is on good terms with you. It is much more than that.

A friend is a person who is not hostile. Not true. A friend can sometimes be argumentative.

I suppose it would really be a stretch of the imagination to think that a friend could be defined so easily.

In one email reply, I wrote, “a friend, who could stand me, would stand by me”. This really is true. We are not perfect beings. We hide behind different masks with our insecurities and our vulnerabilities. The one who can see beyond all that, and still accept us for who we are, is a friend.

I have many friends. In every aspect of my life, I’ve been blessed with good friends. Not just fair-weather friends but friends who have shown their love for me much more than I sometimes think I deserve.

From experience, I know that it isn’t the length of time, the quantity of moments when meeting up or the quality of each happy greeting.

A person become your friend when you dare to show your true self, warts, and all.

As I think of the people in my life, the ones who are my friends, I realise how wealthy I am.

(pics from photobucket)

The Great Together

I don't know exactly when I heard about the Class of '76 getting together.  I think I must have heard it from a couple of my FB CBN friends.  As time went by, more and more were sending messages and today, the lunch materialised with 28 of us showing up.

It isn't always easy to organise a get together.  However, Facebook has made it easier and since it was an open invitation, anyone who was interested could just inform and join in.   Life is so easy when there are no protocols to follow.

I hadn't seen some of these gals since 34 years ago.  Yet we picked up just as if it was yesterday that we were in school.  Some of us weren't ever in the same class but it did not matter.  Some of us remembered the face but not the name or vice versa.  Some of us who have kept in touch via emails or HP also met up again after too many years.  Some are back for the summer holidays and happily shared news about other CBNers who are overseas.

Last night, I was wondering about what to wear, or if anyone would notice my hair is coloured, and that I am far removed from the image of a skinny girl with pigtails. 

None of my concerns was of any concern at all.  Everyone only saw the happy memories we had when we were in school.  We saw beyond all those superficial things and found that genuine friendships really last a lifetime.  

I am such a homebody. I almost never socialise.  Therefore, I am quite picky about going out.  I am so glad that I did not give this a miss.

What makes for a great get together?  I know.  Laughter.  Hugs.  Kisses.  Jokes.   It's also “the pointing at someone who just arrived and who you suddenly recognise”.   It's about connecting again with the girls who you knew as teens and who are now wives/mothers/grandmothers.  It's reuniting with the familiar banter and feeling teary from the joy of being part of these beautiful people.

So what's 34 years between friends?  I can tell you it's nothing!

The Get Together is all about the great together.

Dedicated to my wonderful and much loved 
CBN class of 1976. 

All photos only on Facebook.

P.S.  

G, I did a grammar check but I claim writer's licence 

for breaking some English Language rules. :-)