The Cooling Stream

A teacher couple is suing two headmasters and a state Education Department officer for a huge sum of money for allegedly victimizing them, resulting in them suffering mental distress.

The couple claimed that the three had conspired to cause them mental torture and abuse.

They claimed that the officer who was responsible for the transfer of teachers in the area had prevented their transfer.

But with the help of the then state government, they were able to get a transfer. This resulted in the officer feeling challenged, they claimed.

While at the new school, they claimed that the two headmasters conspired against them, resulting in them not getting salary increment.

They claimed that the officer had conspired with the two headmasters to continue with the "attack" on them.

They claimed that they were asked to teach subjects they were not trained in, prevented from training the school sport team and were not given a salary increment for 1.5 years.

I read and read, again and again.

Then I penned the details, in my own words........

I was interested in the story, not the incident.

All too often, incidents like this happened and many people got hurt.

Many of us would side with the couple.... they were really hurt....

• The officer-in-charge had prevented their transfer.
• The officer had conspired with the two headmasters to go against them.
• They didn't get salary increment.
• They taught subjects that they were not trained in.
• They were prevent from training the school team.
• They were being attacked..... tortured..... abused.... blamed
  
• They had suffered mental distress...... emotional troubles..... hesitations and interferences.....
  

And the list was endless.......

The officer got hurt too.... And some of us might pity him.......

• He had to consider and reconsider the personnel needs and requirement of the various schools under his jurisdiction.
• He had to compile, arrange and decide on many transfer applications based on certain standards and priorities set by the Education Department within such short notices.
• He had many other official duties, and functions too....
  
• He had also many personal and family obligations and commitments....
• Then the sudden backstabbing.... bringing the whole issue all the way to higher authority.... and many many more..... discrediting him... emphasizing his inefficiency, inability, negligence, incompetence, cruelty, insensitivity....
• Then the many others complaints, appeals, disputes....cases in hand.......
  
• Then his own request for transfer....
  
• And his grievances and problems in the department....

Oh! Get me out of here..... I'm not a robot!!!

He screamed and cried.......

And the list was endless.......

*******

When incidents like this happen......

That night when we parted.... it was drizzling.

We were walking on a short narrow trail....

The wind was blowing.... chilly cold.

The night was very dark.

.... But the street lamps were strangely dim.

And very few houses in the neighborhood had their lights on....

In a distant I could hear the dogs howling....

But I didn't remember hearing the sound of bullfrogs croaking....

I extremely missed them at that moment

.... to break the silence of the night.

*******

We walked in silence for a long, long while.

Very few vehicles were moving about... though the night was still young.

Very few people were on the sidewalks... though it was Chinese Valentine's night.

*******

It was an uneasy silence....

Both of us knew that this conversation was our last opportunity to speak and hear from each other's voice....

No...No...It wouldn't be easy to break the silence....

How can we say we miss one another when we are not going to see one another anymore?

How can we say we love one another when we have decided to part?

And how can we continue to make promises that we can't keep?

And how.......

*******

It was a long walk on a short narrow trail....

Nothing more in words and in thoughts....

Just the holding of hands, the touching of shoulders, and the hearing of one another's breathing and heartbeats....

Just enjoying the precious moment before turning to say goodbye....

******

It was reaching the end of the short narrow trail....

The gate lights of your house were especially bright....

You looked beautiful with your long flowing hair...

I especially loved to hold your silky and smooth hands, and feel your touch upon my heart....

And that look in your eyes and smiles, speaking louder and stronger than any word....

We stared at one another for a long while....

More than words.... More than words....

We finally parted with a smile.... and a hug.... and a kiss.... another hugs.... another kisses.....

God willing.... God willing....

*******

Time passed....

The neighborhood had changed....

No more chilly night....

No more housing estates....

Shopping complexes mushrooming at all corners....

I couldn't see your house anymore... or your bright gate lights...

Many people.... Many vehicles....

It was another Chinese Valentine's night....

Then the drizzling rain and the blowing wind....

And there...

The lonesome short narrow trail, covered in thick bushes and trees....

Many of us speak with a voice just enough for our audiences.

But there are some among us who speak so loud that their speech travels and hangs in the air miles away.

Sometimes I wonder whether we have ever considered or reconsidered how we speak in public and in private, especially on issues relating to certain party or secrets to certain individual.

A villager living nearby once spoke in the village cooperative shop. His voice echoed in the air and traveled to my house, waking me up from my deep and sound sleep.

Oh! How I had a really bad day that day. I immediately rushed out of my room, bringing my towel, almost knocked against the door, virtually running all the way to the river nearby and soaked myself in the river water for a long long while.

I was told afterward that I was hearing thunderous voice from the loudest man in the village! And he had been doing that since young! Wow! some of us are given a really natural loud voice.

What I am unhappy about is to hear so many secrets from those loud voices....

Those loud voices are giving me more suspicions, mistrust, hesitation and hatred toward my fellow friends, colleagues and neighbors.

How I wish those loud voices can tone down a little or those concerned can speak from a distant.

It is just not easy to carry all these secrets along all days without telling anyone. And we can easily become an instigator of controversy, conflict, or war....

Oh, I just don't like those loud voices....

Some couples love to argue about what name to give their children. Sometimes they can't come to a common agreement. This causes much conflict, misunderstanding and frustration between them, and it affects their interaction, communication, and relationship with one another.

Sometimes their parents and other family members come into play and meddle into their affairs, causing even more heartache and trouble.

Arguments spice things up and get people to think.

It helps to clear our doubts and clarify the matters.

It helps to provide a wholesome solution to our problems.

But too much arguments can kill up love and relationship....

*****

Sometimes we come into disagreement because we are too keen on winning; winning is everything, to win is all there is.

Sometimes we are too set in our mind, too engage to our values and judgments.

Sometimes we are too full of emotions and personal feelings, easily get hurt and irritated.

Sometimes we are too insistent on our way of life and decisions, too resistant to change and too old to learn.

*****

Lately, there is also arguments in my country on how to address our God, with appropriate and great titles or with simple, clear, and straightforward titles.

I believe in serving my God with all my heart, all my mind, all my strength, all my soul....

It all comes down to sincerity, honesty, integrity, fidelity, trustworthiness, and love on the part of the believers.

All others are secondary.

I am not interested in arguments.

And I hope the future will hold true....

The start of a new year means to start anew and afresh to face life challenges and difficulties.

We may have felt depressed, discouraged, irritated and angry because of our past failures and shortcomings....

We may have developed the inner fear and hesitation to go on in life; we are really scared that we may fail again and cause much disappointments....

We may have been eaten up slowly by our guilt, shame, and embarrassment, that we are unable to stand up and face the scrutinizing eyes of the world at large....

But the start of a new year means hope, optimism, confidence, and healing to those of us who take short accounts of our failures, pains, heartaches, rejection, frustrations and depressions....

No.... I don't mean I condone the mistakes and errors we make, but I believe the spirit to recover, to live, and to continue to serve good causes and to touch the lives of so many must be instilled in us, especially in this new year of the Tiger....

We are to stand up strong and firm to the world for what is right, good, just, true, fair, proper, beautiful, and honorable.

We are not to turn around and back down to show our weaknesses, incompetence and inability.

There are too much of this going on today....

There are too many losers....

There are too many whiners...

But we need more winners....

And we need more fighters....

The year 2010 needs those of us who can see our future with hope!

Surely not 2012: The Doomsday Predictions....

The world is not coming to an end...

No... Not yet.... for the people of hope...

If only we were more contemplative, observant, and committed....

And can consider things deeper, wider, and richer....

We can make a better world....

And the world a better place for everyone....

No...no....

We will still have a better tomorrow....

Our future still holds....