Lesson One of Listening to the Soul

Written on 14 Jan 2009 for

05th January 2009
Penang Malaysia

I came home today, little more irritated and frustrated than my usual energy.

Can't believe after my contemplation yesterday my first test would emerge so quickly. These days in Penang I got to endure a series of sarcasm about my current life style. ;-)

I admit the irritation and upset feeling linger a while more than a night and I thank God for always reminding me to follow my heart - my soul path. A friend from Australia return and we had a jolly good afternoon sitting down and repairing my computer for one and taking a long chit chat as the other. We talked about our lives in Melbourne and how much we enjoyed the laid back-ness of the country, the freedom of choice, the respect for each other's privacy and most of all the support system. Is something till today I find it hard to replicate also hard to let go. Is truly a place where one can be one self and your dreams will be support thru and not question. The moment I return to Penang things started to change.

I talked to my friend and he is telling me his idea of taking a career break because of the bad ecomony to do some world travelling with his now fiancé. We talk about the Australians I meet in Europe who spends like 1-6 months travelling around and we not talking about university students but bankers, dentist, teachers, nurses etc. That is the Australian way, they believe that the world is filled with so much more and it a waste to leave it unseen. That why in Australia, companies give out career breaks or sabbatical leaves to one to do something they want to do to fulfill that soul's path.

I checked one of my entry in my journal - a good day in May'08 I wrote my desire and decision to take my one year sabbatical and I remember reading this in wikipedia and I quote:

"A sabbatical (from the Latin sabbaticus, from the Greek sabbatikos, from Hebrew shabbathon, i.e., Sabbath) is a rest from work, a hiatus, typically 2 months plus. In the strict sense therefore, a sabbatical lasts a year. In recent times, a sabbatical has come to mean any extended absence in the career of an individual. In the modern sense, one takes a sabbatical typically to merely take a break from work or to fulfill some goal, e.g., writing a book or travelling extensively for research. Some universities and other institutional employers of scientists, physicians, and/or academics offer a paid sabbatical as an employee benefit, called sabbatical leave. Some companies offer an unpaid sabbatical for people wanting to take career breaks — this is a growing trend in the UK, with 20% of companies having a career break policy, and 10% considering introducing one."

Now I cannot help it but take a little laugh at myself. When I first return from my Europe trip, a friend ask me "so now you know what you suppose to do already?" and while I continued on flying and travelling many brand and labeled me with many words and names.

However, after today's conversation with my friend I was brought back once again to the life of dreams in the Aussie way of life I believed in and treasured.

Sweetest of all my attention was brought back to this message I received from a friend somewhere middle last year -
"you will never guess where i have just been... under the stars eating india food in tuticorin india. if you had told me i would be in india in now and vietnam the week after when we met at the beginning of this year i would have said you were crazy but things have turned out as they have.."
and of course he did not stop there - he went another round to Europe! ;-)

A New Year card that came in from America that says, "Wishing you another year of 'around the world in 80 days' Haha"

and most of all a long written card from Dublin filled with words that brought me joy.

I am happy now, laughing back at myself - is nice that some shared my passion and experience this year, a friend even have the photos I taken printed framed and decorated her house, some take my travelling as inspiration and did the same. Some will go on disagreeing with me. However that is the world and this quote came in timely:

'You must learn one thing, the world was made to be free. Give up all other worlds except the one to which you belong'

Thank you to those whom today I finally look back and see that in this non-working 8 months I did not make any financial gain, I was being a liability and not an asset. However, I get to live my soul's path, learn and experience from the world, be an inspiration to some and let some inspired me all the same. Most of all with those I travelled with, the deepen relationship and understanding - especially you mom, the openness after Europe, I admire and respect that leap. Of course like Yen Wei says "Because you are special!!" The many new friends I made around the world especially the Irish Group. You all are such blessings!!

And for my mentor because you never gave up on me or my dreams.You never rushed me to find my path but you kept the lights on for me all the way.Because and simply because you are the only one who will sit through every single pictures with me and listening to my every tales all day long!

Thank you all for just being in my life.


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