My Eat, Pray, Love Moments (24 Oct - 7 Nov 2010)

Never did I think I will have my own version of Eat, Pray, Love. After watching the Julia Robert's show, I thought I would need to go back to work (which I truly enjoy) and my daily chores until a need hit me that I had to be hospitalised and be given 2-weeks MC. Never in my entire 8 years of working had I had more than a 3-days MC and all of a sudden I have 2 whole weeks! I have always thought of myself as invincible due to the fact that I rarely get sick despite all my colleagues falling sick and the unpromising weather conditions. I didn't eat very healthily but I felt that if I exercised more and remain excited and busy with life, I will be healthy.

This year (2010) proved different. I met doctors all over Singapore from dentists, to gynaes to general practitioners. I guess it all accumulated this year. At my lowest point, I was hospitalised for 4 days followed by 2 weeks of rest at home. Thus, I chose to rest in Malaysia where I am in the confines and comfort of my family with home-cooked food and familiar family voices. Yes, I am grateful I have a really warm and close-knit family. So, this is how I finally get to experience my own version of Eat, Pray, Love (and I added 'Laugh' for good measure).


Eat

As I lost a lot of weight one month before I was hospitalised (7 kg in 3 weeks!), I had to gain them back and get my health back on track. When I went for my pilgrimage home, I devoured so much home-cooked food and lovely snacks up to 5 meals a day. There is always an abundance of food and I ate as punctually as possible. What I love is I get hungry quite punctually too :). I even learnt to cook a feat neat dishes like ginger wine chicken that I felt so happily domesticated. I ate healthy as well, eg. I got my daily calcium through a full glass of milk (which I have not took for the last few years as I thought I was lactose intolerant) in the morning, a cup of milo in the evening and bread with cheese every day! I savoured my fair share of protein through healthily steamed fish, ginger chicken and flavorsome pork. Of course, vegetables was on my daily consumption list for vitamin and minerals. I feel so blessed to have a full stomach throughout the whole 2 weeks. I was so hungry I even enjoyed hospital food during my 4 days stay! Above is a picture of a vegetarian dish from my all-time favorite vegetarian stall in Suntec City Food Court.

Pray
As a Buddhist, I prayed in temples, burnt incense and made my wishes. I spoke to God everyday, like a friend. It felt like I had to compensate for all the times that I had been too busy and gave myself excuses from going to the temple. And it felt good. It fulfills my soul, lifts me to a higher ground and gives all of us hope to continue to be strong. Sometimes, you feel you are at one with God and that you can really have a conversation. Whenever I feel that God is listening, it gives me comfort. Maybe it is self-believe, but it works :)

Love
I had not spent more than 2 days with my family since I started working in Singapore, slogging day in and day out to put food on my family's table and to pay off loans. With this 2-weeks medical leave, I could enjoy the luxury of just being home and spending precious time with my family even though it means just doing nothing without feeling guilty about work. I chatted with my mom for more than 4 hours and she revealed some secrets we never shared before as she knew that that telling it then would make me and herself feel better. I hugged her when I realised how depressed she had been and was glad I could finally comfort her. I went for a long deserved lunch with my family and just chat. There was not a single quiet moment and we all sacrifised precious time for a well-worth family outing. When together time is rare, we felt the family bond from just one simple lunch, that is the beauty of food. It brings people together.

Laugh
I made it a point to be happy, thus watched and streamed tv shows that were so funny it made me laughed whole-heartedly. I also caught up with my galpals and chatted merrily and didn't expect that by revealing what was troubling me to them, they would make me feel so much better. I truly laughing and even crying from the bottom of my heart. That is what living is.

Never had I imagined that I would enjoy a 2 whole weeks of doing nothing but rest. I reconnected with my soul and bonded with my emotions. I went to work after that refreshed and ready to take charge of the world! With so much more passion and energy that my husband was shocked I woke up earlier than him to go to work! I really think everyone deserves a short "Eat, Pray, Love" moment be it out of necessity or just to reward yourself :)