Distilled Moment

  Whenever I felt like I was going out of my mind, I walked  along the Swan River.  I walked alone, mile after mile, at times for the whole day.  There was a secluded spot that was somewhat a sanctuary and at the same time an enticing place to just walk deeper and deeper into the water and not look back.  Death seemed so blissful then. I forced myself to stay away from the place and sought refuge in the library instead.  Three books provided significant roadmaps to help me move out of my confusion: Alan Watts. The Meaning of Happiness: The Quest for Freedom of the Spirit in Modern Psychology and the Wisdom of the East  Erich Fromm. The Art of Loving  Viktor E. Frankl. Man's Search for Meaning  I plucked the courage to major in psychology.  I was always curious about the underlying mechanisms of people's behaviours.  I managed to enroll in three subjects: psychology, anthropology, and basic philosophy.  I had to take another cla...

Even though I often infuriated my mother when I was little, she tended to  bring me along if she wanted medical attention.  Due to the lack of care when she gave birth to the twins, she had many health issues.  Hospitals and clinics in those days were not the friendliest of places for a village lady.  I guess she brought me along for "borrowed" courage.  There were very few Malay staff members and being insulted and screamed at were the norm?  It made me seeth inside and I promised myself that one day I would become a compassionate doctor, especially to the Malay village folks. After my matriculation, I started medical school.  I ended up missing the first month of school.  My ulcers acted up and I was hospitalised.  I blacked out in biology class.  The tutor, a giant sturdy lady, carried me to the clinic.  I probably was allergic to the formaldehyde in the dissection specimen?  The chemistry tutor was mad at me because my gogg...