Happiness is....(Part 1)

It suddenly dawn on me, recently, that in a few months' time I would be 56; even then it's assuming that God will allow me to live that long.

Much as I would like to live for as long as possible (for so long as I remain healthy that is), whether I like it or not I would not be around that much longer. After all, comparing human life to the clock, turning 56 would be just like the clock striking 5.30pm!

Which reminds me of the song 'Beyond The Sunset' which is one of the hymns frequently requested by family members of the deceased when our Prayer Group through the Benevolent Ministry pray for the dead either at the funeral parlour or at their home. But I will dwell more on this in a future post when I have the wordings (and hopefully the tune) ready.

Coming back to the original story, upon realising that I'm getting old (at least in the civil service sense as I will be retiring in less than 3 years' time) I've also become rather sentimental. So I decided to start a series of posts (hopefully once a week or at least fortnightly) based on the heading 'Happiness is....'.

So here is my first instalment. I took the above picture when I was having my breakfast in a Kepayan coffeeshop recently. As you can see, my hand was holding 'Yau Cha Kui' (my non-Chinese friends simply call it 'cha kui') and I was dipping it into my cup (or rather glass) of 'Kopi-O-Kau kurang manis'. As I'm turning 56, my memory is also beginning to fail me so that despite trying hard I can't remember what they call it (Cha Kui) in English. All I know is it should be called 'Fried (something)'. HELP! anyone?

Never mind what it is called in English, but what is more important is happiness is dipping my Cha Kui into my Kopi-O as we used to do during our childhood in the old-style coffeeshop back in my hometown Tamparuli in the 1960s; when even the tables, chairs, and cups were old-fashioned which you can't find nowadays.

I know most people would have their Cha Kui laced with either Kaya or Magerine/Butter or both (kahwin), but to me and my childhood friends, happiness is dipping your Cha Kui into the coffee before putting it into your mouth! While you still can, if I may add, as I turn 56 soon.