Holy Week

I love Kahlil Gibran. While I do not read his writings religiously, I have found that coming back to his writings during the Holy Week always resonates strongly.

Holy week this year will be exceptionally significant. For the first time in many years, I will not be involved in any aspect of music making at my church. Ugly politics and disgusting work ethics have seen the untimely exit of R, our music coordinator and a man whom I have the greatest respect for. His exit has also marked mine and I’ll be moving parish very soon. It was inevitable, I guess, given how things were already stacked up.

Thankfully, I’m not too sentimental. I just want to move on, start afresh. And to stay away from toxic characters – they do no good to my emotional health.

****

Pilate’s Wife to a Roman Lady

I WAS WALKING with my maidens in the groves outside of Jerusalem when I saw Him with a few men and women sitting about Him; and He was speaking to them in a language which I only half understood.

But one needs not a language to perceive a pillar of light or a mountain of crystal. The heart knows what the tongue may never utter and the ears may never hear.

He was speaking to His friends of love and strength. I know He spoke of love because there was melody in His voice; and I know He spoke of strength because there were armies in His gestures. And He was tender, though even my husband could not have spoken with such authority.

When He saw me passing by He stopped speaking for a moment and looked kindly upon me. And I was humbled; and in my soul I knew I had passed by a god.

After that day His image visited my privacy when I would not be visited by man or woman; and His eyes searched my soul when my own eyes were closed. And His voice governs the stillness of my nights.

I am held fast forevermore; and there is peace in my pain, and freedom in my tears.

Beloved friend, you have never seen that man, and you will never see Him.

He is gone beyond our senses, but of all men He is now the nearest to me.

~ Jesus, the Son of Man, Kahlil Gibran

Due to current circumstances (I’ll elaborate when I find the energy and time) the new car will be arriving at the end of this week.

I’m anxious, excited and queasy…I bought a car! I consider it Financial Responsibility Step 1.

I have decided to call her Jolie II. In memory of the spirit of Jolie I.

Jolie part deux?

Source

After many weeks of pondering, researching, weighing the pros and cons and tearing my hair out (all in that order) I finally placed an order for a Toyota Vios 1.5E. A basic model. No flashy stuff.

I will be able to pay for the full loan, which is great. Although it is a little over my budget and I will be paying the loan over a longer span of time, I figured in the long run the car will be ideal seeing how much traveling I’ll be doing.

The only fight I had with Mum was over the colour of the car. She wanted a conventional silver but in the end I held on to the greyish-blue metallic I had my eye on. Images of the blue Vios on the net didn’t do justice to the colour in real life so I’ve just put up the silver coloured one.

The car will be arriving in January 2008 and it needs a name. Any suggestions?

Yesterday we sold off our old Toyota, Jolie (that is her name, I kid you not).

It was a rather sad day. The story goes that Mum and I sent Jolie in for a service. Our service manager Desmond kindly explained to us that Jolie would not be able to live for very long if we went on driving her around – long distance or otherwise.

Basically, we had to make a decision. Keep Jolie and repair all the parts that needed repairing (don’t even get me started on the amount) or value her at the service centre.

We valued her 3 times. The first offer was just over 20k but the last offer, a salesman, wanted her for 26k, which was a very good deal considering Jolie’s age and condition.

We said our sad goodbyes yesterday. She has been so good to us, served us well and has carried almost anything and everything, from durians to dogs. We are really going to miss her.

After that depressing outing Mum and I had a strong cup of coffee and debated (see image above) over the new car that we will be getting next year. We ruled out many cars and it’s down to a Myvi (a national car) or a Toyota Vios.

We argued. Hands were flying. My mother wrote down notes. We calculated costs.

I still don’t know. I’d go for the national car any day because it’s a car within my range and reliable for town driving.

Mum wants a Toyota. It’s a little out of my range. She has volunteered to contribute a sum but I still feel bad. And another factor that I cannot deny: safety. Much as I would like to be completely financially responsible, I don’t know how reliable the national car would be, given that I have never owned one. At the same time I know I will be doing long distance travel over the next few years, at least (more on that later).

Toyota? National car?

I feel so grown up suddenly.