About being thankful and satisfied

3 days of rest have done a world of good to my body.

I could feel the healing. I could slowly go further in my range of movement. Pain subsided slowly and surely.

I did not touch the painkillers at all. I felt that I didn't even have to take them. Yes, there was pain, but it was bearable. By the second day, the pains were reduced to nagging aches, dull and throbbing.



In the hours spent at home, I continued to work, refining the plans for the massive Teachers' Day Games, reading up on my book and comics, and getting plenty of rest in-between.

I've been obedient, doctor.



Just so you know, I'm gonna make sure I recover from this. I still want to complete that marathon in December.



I thank God for my parents who have travelled the inhibitive distances between our homes to bring me dinner. I cannot express enough how thankful I am of them and their kindess and generosity.

I must thank my wife, who also laboured to ensure I was well-rested and met my needs, while I was confined at home. She has been absolutely great.



So complete was my recuperation that, 3 days after the injury happened, I was back to school on Friday, to oversee the Teachers' Day Games. It is no exaggeration to say that this was one of the biggest projects the school has embarked.

Planning for the orderly and coordinated movement of 37 classes in one morning is no mean feat.


It could have been a potential nightmare, had planning been any less meticulous.

Countless meetings with the planning committee, numerous revisions to the movement plan, plan B (for wet weather), deployment of teachers, deployment of student leaders, safety considerations, venues, logistics, a workable scoring system etc - there were so many variable factors we had to consider.


Funnily enough, I relished taking on this massive task.

I think we did well. There was favourable feedback from various quarters.

The best feedback that gave me the deepest satisfaction came from teachers who came up to me and said that they had fun.


This is bacause, at the end of the day, what we've worked so hard for, is not so much for the students.

It's Teachers' Day, after all.

Instead of staging a concert, we broke out of our comfort zone and decided to have a day where teachers could play with the kids.






Teachers are a cool lot of people, don cha think.

With all due respect, lawyers, doctors, engineers, CEOs - these kind of jobs pay well and are well-respected.

But I think no other job commands more respect than that of a teacher.

Think about it. My life has been changed because I have been blessed by the words of inspiring teachers in my schooling life. No doctor or lawyer could have ever done that.

By being a teacher today, I am stepping into gigantic shoes. Teaching and imparting knowledge are crucial, but I see imparting values and a love for learning as even more essential aspects of my job. It's my responsibility to groom the youths under me to be imbued with the right character traits and values.


The teachers in my life had shown me the way. Now it is my turn to do the same in Fajar.