Three Lessons Learned Over Laughs, Noodles and Steps Not Taken

Written by : Kimberly Ong
*splosh!*

“Great! Now my shoes are wet and my carpet is gonna stink up,” I mumbled to myself as my treacherous foot stepped in a puddle of water after a heavy downpour on my way to the car. My thoughts spiraled to how inconvenient it was to walk in such a distance from my classes to my car under the rain, all the while mentally drafting a complaint letter to the university administration. It was icy and cold, the rain; much like the night that I had showered under the stars in the humble abode of Ms.Jenny Pong. That feeling brought me back to the entire day I spent in Ipoh and reminded me of what I had learned.

Just before my semester had started, I, along with another intern from eHomemakers, Gloria, was tasked to travel to Ipoh to film and write about a lady who needed to raise funds to maintain her home. Honestly, I don’t think my perspective on many things have stayed the same ever since. Jenny is a woman in her 40s with an incredibly beautiful personality. If you’ve been already reading this blog or theundyingflame.blogspot.com, you would probably already know a thing or two about her.

I first met Jenny when we arrived at her home by an abandoned train track in Ipoh. The house is a humble one made of zinc roofing and plywood walls, home to most of her extended family. Rolling out about two feet from the floor on her chariot, she greeted us with her ever so charming smile. “Ah, you are Kimberly and Gloria right? Have you eaten? Here, have a seat, make yourself at home.”  Our conversation hit off really well, getting to know each other and cracking lighthearted jokes so quickly. We ended up spending hours chatting with  her family members as she pulled herself around with her arms, serving us tea, snacks, succulent mangosteens and rambutans. It was easy to tell that Jenny was a lady bursting with joy and enthusiasm in life, and everyone adored her. Following her around, here’s how I have learned to see thing differently:

• To share what you can’t have with others

Gloria and I were fed with all the best local foods of Ipoh throughout the day. Treated with a variety of foods from local Chicken Hor Fun, home cooked sambal petai to organic homebred chicken eggs, our tummies were spoilt and our smiles widened.

“Aunty Jenny, aren’t you going to have some?” we would ask, and she would tell us that she is not be able to take rice and noodles because she is diabetic. She is also diagnosed with high blood pressure as well as some kidney problems due to her health complications, which means she eats a different diet from the people around her. Despite her own needs, it did not stop her from cooking us a delicious dinner, bringing us for supper and taking us on a walk around the beautiful Ipoh town. With the help of her niece, she strapped herself up on her electric wheelchair and called for her van to take us all out that evening. We sang songs, danced about and strolled about town, having fun like we had never imagined. She could never feel the path beneath our feet, the uneven tiles tripping us, yet she did not hesitate to let us experience that part of Ipoh.

• Let laughter and family be your cure

Stepping into the household, you’ll often be greeted with howls of laughter and playful banters being exchanged amongst her family members. A sincere warm glow is always present in those who are in the home as they pull jokes at each other about themselves. It keeps things lively, it keeps communication open and everyone is always happy. “Hey, don’t mind us, we’re always joking like this… that’s just how we talk to each other. We’re very open minded people”. It seems as though its a scene for Chinese comedy at home. “At least when you come home, you make jokes, everyone is happy. What’s the point of being upset in life? You cannot enjoy anything like that.”

• Be yourself

“Some people have told me that I should be like Nick Vujicic and to talk like how he talks. Follow all his videos and imitate him. But that’s not me because I’m different from him”. According to Jenny, many people along the way have tried to convince Jenny of what she needs to do, who she should imitate, how she should do it. But of course, she knows who she is and doesn’t let those comments influence her and how she thinks about herself. She knows herself and what she wants; she does not try to please or conform to the whims of others.

It’s simply amazing. She has gone through challenges, one after another, yet she keeps her head held high like a true champion in life. Jenny is one person who is more alive than any other people I’ve ever met. Her spirit and just her very being is refreshing and infectious. There’s so much to live for and so much to see, but sometimes it we forget that all we really need to do is to make everything an adventure and to appreciate life without making too big of a fuss. Jenny has done it and is doing it. Sometimes, you don’t even need legs to go far in this adventure called life.