After 8 years of SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythemathosus)

Keep dreaming :)

I just reread my own blog post that I wrote 3 years ago. I guess, things haven't changed much since that day, except that I've fulfilled more destination dreams in my life, especially last year and this year. I've fulfilled my dreams to visit Reykjavik  (as the city name resembles my nick name - Rima Reyka - and produces Reyka vodka), and at the same time I was very lucky being able to watch the Aurora Borealis (northern light) - never thought that I'd ever seen it in my life.

I've visited many other places that I'd never visited before too, like Russia, Korea, Vietnam, etc. I've fulfilled my dreams to visit the beautiful and romantic place of Taj Mahal, and to where Dalai Lama resides (Dharamsala). Never expected that the younger days' dream to visit the Buddha pilgrimage sites such as: Lumbini in Nepal, Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar, Tso Pema in India, China's Silk Road, etc., have also been accomplished!!! I've even traveled to more places in India like Kolkata, Sikkim, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and so on.

I'm very lucky too for visiting Bhutan 3 times in 4 years' time. Visited many places from west to east, to the south, that the Bhutanese themselves were amazed with the extent of the places I'd been too. It was all thanks to everyone who had been willing to invite me there, bring me around, let me stay at their houses, and cooked Bhutanese meals for me everyday. I've become more like a Bhutanese now :)

Usually I'd fly alone then meet up with friend/ friends there. But many times I travelled with my parents, sometimes with hubby or with son, also with siblings to create our memories together.

I've visited my sisters and stayed for some time too as to spend more time with them and their families - Australia for a month and Hong Kong for two weeks. Maybe soon I need to go home and stay longer with my parents :D

I'm very grateful that for the past 8 years my SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythemathosus) condition is quite stable. With my visit to Hong Kong this year end, it reminded me how it was all started. Read more about it here.

Yesterday (on Christmas day), I went hiking at Sai Kung Country Park - eastern part of New Territories. I'd heard about the place before and when my cousin, Jessica, invited us (my brother, my sister, their families, my son, and I) to hike there on Christmas day, I was so much excited!!!

Our hiking at Sai Kung Country Park, Hong Kong :)

She explained the territory to us beforehand. At first she said it would be around 11 km long and the trail would be up and down. So the expecting time to finish the trail would be around 4 hours. In the beginning I was hesitating if I could do it because on Christmas Eve we went out until late and walked a lot. My period was about to come too. Also, usually my morning walk in Singapore took me only around two hours time while the trail was quite easy to walk.

Despite all that, I told myself, "Rima, let's try!! Isn't it what you're looking for? Basking yourself in nature is what you're looking for right now. Since someone is willing to guide you, why miss the opportunity???" Therefore, I told my brother that I'd join them if my period had not started yet in the morning. So, I joined them and 4 of us went together :)

Beautiful mountains view at Sai Kung Country Park 

The terrain was really as what she mentioned. It was full of ups and downs. In between, we passed by 4 beautiful beaches (Sai Wan or West Beach, Tai Lang or Big Wave Beach, Sian Tian or Salty Field Beach, and Tung Wan or East Beach). We walked with total distance of 13.2 km for almost 4 hours time. We had lunch break in the middle (after passing the wooden bridge at Sian Tian Beach).

This hike showed me what life was really like. I started it with mixed feelings (mostly happy and exciting to see what lies next) and full of energy. I felt happy when the slope was going down (just like finishing one task successfully in life, e.g. finishing study), but prepared myself that it would be the beginning of another slope up (just like starting a new job). It required hard work, sweat, and determination to reach the top. But once you're there, you'd see the beautiful view from the top. That was when your hard work paid off - satisfaction. From there, things got easier again, then up again, until you reached your destination.

Live is short. Enjoy it to the fullest!!! :)

I felt great when finally accomplished the trails. I was just like the rest of the people who were in good health. Even the healthy ones were not necessary able to hike like that hehe...

So, let this year's Christmas hiking would be my celebration for surviving 8 years from SLE. My mind set is rather pessimistic though. I always tell everyone that I live my life as if I'll die tomorrow. They all immediately knocked the wood 3 times when I said "life is short, who knows I'll die tomorrow."

My wishing stones built at Ta Lang Beach - Sai Kung Country Park, Hong Kong 

It's reality though. Everyone will go there one day. It's just a matter of time, 'when?' I just want to fill my day with happiness. Forget the unhappiness. Let it go altogether with what causes it. And at the end, only peace will remain. Let's see how many more years I'll be able to continue living and celebrating more surviving years from SLE. For the rest of SLE owners, hope you are blessed with long life and stable condition. So you can reach for your dreams like I do, live your life to the fullest!!! You can do it!!! :)

My Motivation Quotes :)

Hi hi!!! I'm back!!! It's been long time since my last post here. I'm still alive btw hahaha.... It's just I was away for pilgrimage trip to India for more than 3 weeks time :)

So many things were going on while traveling, started from Modi's big surprise on the Rupee exactly at night before I flew to India (the 500 and 1000 notes were declared no longer to be used and at the mean time we had to use the smaller denomination until the new 500 and 2,000 notes arrived). Initially I was worried because I had only 500 notes in my pocket. It could be seen clearly in my face especially by those who saw me on my first day reaching India.

"You love adventure, you got it. Double!! Ha ha ha," claimed Passu. Yeah, because of him I could put my smile back towards the situation and he tried his best to help me. And many people were indeed helping me in many ways to solve the problems I faced. The situation too, often not, would be blessings in disguise at that point of time :)

Now it's over and I'd returned home safely and sound. It'd been almost 2 weeks now and I spent most of my time sleeping on my bed. My bed missed me and I missed my bed. Hehe... No la, I just felt tired from the continuous traveling and the good thing was, I lost 2 kg from this trip!!! ^^

"When tired, learn how to rest, not quit"

People might think that I was just wasting my time. But luckily none of my family members and close friends thought so. For me, taking a rest wasn't a waste of time. At the end, it would benefit for my health and mind, wouldn't it? ;)

Until when? I didn't know yet. Let's see and let nature takes its course. At the mean time, I was trying my best to get back on my feet again, starting with getting up early. Lol... :P And today, I started my habit back to go for a morning walk. It'd been some time since the last time I went to MacRitchie Reservoir. 

This morning I went alone. I waited until the sky turned brighter because otherwise it would be quite dangerous for a woman to go alone (well, although I didn't look that attractive, still precaution was the best measure hehehe...). And since there was renovation work at the golf area, from Jelutong Tower, I made a detour and walked towards Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. 

I'd been wanting to try on that route since long time ago but was too afraid to go as I wasn't sure about the path. So today, I decided to walk that path, alone.

"Om muni muni mahamuni sakyamuni ye soha..." I kept repeating the chant while walking. It reminded me the melodious sound that the Bhutanese chanted during our pilgrimage trip in India. Soon, I saw few people coming from the other direction. Some of them would smile, some would wave upon passing by. Wow!!! The power of the mantra!!! ;) There was even someone offering me a lift towards the main road. First time I encountered it in Singapore!!!

With the new short cut hair at MacRitchie Reservoir :)

Since beginning, I heard many mysterious sound along my path, which usually were caused by the animals and mostly were the hungry monkeys. Yalama!!! Their appearance was startling me!!! Many times I had to face them in the middle of the road that I had to pass.

So along the way, I kept thinking, "Imagine those monks who went to meditate alone in the middle of the jungle. How would they overcome their fears towards wild animals that they encountered along the way? They must have used their power of love and compassion!!! So Rima, try to apply that now!!!"

Hahaha... It was easier to say than done! I decided to allocate my eye sight to somewhere else while walked past them (avoiding eye contact), and try my best not to agitate them. Omg!!! It scared me so much la!!!

It was fun though! From there I could contemplate what I'd been through and at the same time trying to keep my mind thinking positively so that my journey would be safe :)

Happiness is...

So, let's see where my fate bringing me this time. At the mean time I had to recharge my positivity level to the max as that was what I'd attained from the pilgrimage journey. The emptiness feeling that arose turned up to be the positivity filled heart that I believed to be useful for my next journey in life. And I will no longer allow the NEGATIVE things in my life to SPOIL all the GOOD things that I have would be my motto to achieve happiness in my life :)

Everything happens for a reason :) (Photo source: Google.com)

And exactly as the above quote, "Eventually all things fall into place. Until then, laugh at the confusion, live for the moments, and know that everything happens for a reason, and only for a good reason!!!" Hope this won't be my last post this year. As for now, these would be my motivation quotes to help me to stand up on my feet again!!! Wish me all the best guys!!! ;) And please make use the quotes if it helps you too!!! Wish you all the best too in everything that you do!!! :)