Hard times

PD beach at low tide.















Port Dickson beach for wedding photographs.















The bride and groom being photographed at PD beach at low tide.







I was bored being cooped up in my apartment the other day - looking at computer screen. I need a breather, so I decided to take a short drive at the stretch of beach at Bagan Pinang, PD. to take some photos. I've been wanting to go there but the small stretch of beach is always packed with picnickers, especially during weekends and public holidays. It was a weekday, not many people around. I met a Malay lady sitting down alone enjoying the breeze and we chatted a while. She has a stall selling local food nearby.


We talked about her business, her struggle to meet ends meet, her hope for her 4 children and her ups and downs in her life. In that short span of time, I gathered so much information about her that I guessed she needed to talk. Our conversation made me feel more humbled and grateful to Allah for giving me the good fortune in my life, for not having to struggle so much, for having small needs to fulfill and for having the good health so far.

Her husband has lost his job and now doing odd jobs in the kampung and sometimes helps her at her stall. She can't afford to expand her business as her income is just enough to cover the family monthly needs. What I like about her was her aspirations for her children - she aims to educate them and willing to sacrifice her comfort. That really made me feel like shedding tears as I know how mothers would be willing to sacrifice anything for their children. I share the same feeling. Unfortunately many children take things for granted and forget their mothers' unselfish sacrifice as they succeed in life.

During this hard time she has to budget stringently, making do with what is available around her house for food. She grows some local vegetables in a vacant area by the road at her kampung to supplement her needs. As always, some rouges stole her bananas and vegetables, leaving her in despair. Sounds like life is unfair to her but she didn't sigh or complain - it was just a matter of fact and a conversation with me. In my heart, though I sympathized with her, I admired her strength to go through life raising 4 children with not much help from her husband.

It hit me that I, too, am learning to live within my means. In fact, these few months I have been struggling to cut down expenses to fit the small pension that I received. It's not much actually and I know it would be hard for me to budget. I found my money goes mostly to paying bills - electricity, water, Astro, telephone, service charge, housekeeping, credit cards, house assessments, etc etc etc. plus unexpected expenditure like my son's engagement. My food bill is minimal, mostly on buying vegetables, seldom on meat. Actually, I am struggling to get rid of impulsive buying which I always do if I go shopping. So, window shopping is no-no to me. At this time in my life, new clothes are the least important but impulsive buying always interferes. The only difference is, I don't go to boutiques for clothes now.

So what do I do to curb this unnecessary spending especially during this tough time? I avoid going out except to buy grocery and quickly drive home - no looking around!! I have to program my brain - buy what I need and scuttle home quickly, no look-see, no picking up things which are not in the list, no lingering at shopping malls - oh God, that's hard! I really understand how hard it is to break habits. It needs strength, determination and squashed all desires. So I do admire those people who are able to overcome their addictions like smoking, drugs, sex, alcohol, gambling etc. It is a million time harder than what I am facing.

Have I been successful? Yes, so far, for the last few months except when I went for holidays which my budget burst to pieces but that's another story. Hence, the opportunity meeting this lady. I count my blessings.