HELLO.

My laptop is being extremely uncooperative.

IT'S NOT WORKING, AGAIN.

I'm annoyed, yes, but maybe it's a good thing. No more Internet to distract me from studies.

Oh, I've changed my mobile number, so if you haven't gotten it yet, drop me an e-mail or something & I'll send it to you.

Yesterday, I was at Bishan MRT and I saw this Malay lady sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall. She was dressed in a simple traditional Malay dress. Not the fancy ones you see Muslims wear during festivities. This was just a simple, one-piece yellow dress - the very type girls would probably don as pyjamas. On the ground before her was a small basket of pens, with a sign that read "1 for 30 cents".

She had a certain aura of sadness about her, and I couldn't resist stopping to buy some pens. After randomly picking up 3 pens, I handed her a $2 note.

To my surprise, she didn't react. I then realised that there was something unusual about her eyes, and it struck me - she was blind. I could have easily walked away with the pens without paying for them, I don't think she'd be any the wiser. In the end, I pressed the note into her hands (to which she reacted with a small smile, and a nod of appreciation). I didn't bother to take any change.

Yes, I know that swindlers are pretty common in Singapore. I know that she might be one of those cruel con artists who take advantage of others' sympathy & compassion in order to make a dishonest living. But I don't care. I just know that she might be truly in need, and that I can't simply walk past them without doing anything.

I'm just an 18-year-old, and my $2 contribution probably doesn't mean much. But at least I did something.

I just wonder why God can be so unfair sometimes.

While we're busy fretting over what to wear, or angry/upset that our parents won't buy us the latest gameboy (or whatever), there are people out there who be glad to live life like a normal person. They would be glad to have all that we take for granted.

It makes me feel ashamed, but it also reminds me of why I'm working so hard, and why I'm re-taking my 'A's.

So that I can finally have the ability to help these people in a very real way.