Skip to main content

"I owe you a great debt of gratitude"

Say a prayer of gratitude

The folks at NST received their productivity bonuses last Friday. Some were happy while others felt that they had been cheated out of their share of the profits.

Their year-end appraisals were excellent; so, why? I have no intention of going into the whys and the wherefores of the situation.

I am more interested in the expressions of gratitude or ingratitude that emerged on the day NST employees checked their bank accounts.

A Facebook post by journalist Suzieana Uda Nagu stood out as being more meaningful than the rest.  She told Facebook friends what was on her mind at 5.34am on February 25 when she posted this cryptic message: "Are you smiling now warga  NSTP (or NSTP denizens)"?

Several friends responded to Suzieana's status update with all kinds of comments. And it went back and forth.

Suzieana Uda Nagu

Those who work for the company would know what Suzieana was alluding to. The bonus payments which were promised to all staff with high levels of productivity were paid directly into their bank just before dawn broke on February 25.

Apparently many were online at the time to view their accounts. Suzieana wrote: "While most will be smiling ear to ear today, remember that some aren't getting their fair share of the pie. Some got more than they deserved, while others didn't get anything at all. So be thankful for what you got."

Wow! That blew me away! Those simple sentences encapsulate the positive emotions that emanate from the feeling of being grateful or thankful.

It serves as a timely reminder of just how easy it is for me to forget to say "Thank you God for allowing me to live another day".

Comments

Popular Posts

Happy Father's Day

June is a significant month for fathers and those who have acted as father figures: stepfathers, uncles, grandfathers, big brothers, teachers and mentors. It is the month when some countries including Malaysia celebrate Father's Day. As American poet Anne Sexton put it: "It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was." My own father, who was a major influence in my life when I was growing up in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia, passed away a long time ago. Since then there has been one major father figure in my life: my mentor, who is also my uncle, and he has helped me through difficult times. Fathers teach by example. You learn important values from them and you acquire some of their tastes for things. It could be anything: a love for English literature, words and books, among others. Sometimes you did not agree with their viewpoints but realised later that they were right about many things. As a child, growing up in a hometown known for its laid-back wa

Rediscovering the traditional Malaysian Indian kitchen

I love this artwork (acrylic on canvas) by Jayashree Ramasamy @Jay, who has captured the mood of the traditional Malaysian Indian kitchen. Jay recalls her grandmother preparing meals for the family in a room which was equipped with ancestral cooking utensils and that was the inspiration for this painting. For more of Jay's creations head for the National Art Gallery where 'The Story Telling' exhibition is now being held (April 14 to May 15, 2011).  'The Story Telling' is a group exhibition showcasing the creations of four emerging artists including Jay from the Symbols Art Club . The other three artists are Kathiravan Subramaniam, Rohini Indran and Mohana Kumara Velu @ Mona Kv. Each work of art is a story that the artist tells about his or her personal experiences and observations of daily life. The launch this afternoon was in conjunction with the Tamil New Year today. 'Food is Served' by Kathiravan Subramaniam. The rationale: 'We may have diff

Dealing with death of a loved one

Today marks the end of Rabiaa's mourning period. She had completed four months and 10 days or 130 days of grieving, the stipulated period for expressing sorrow for Muslim widows.  The death of her husband on Dec 30, 2020 was expected  but it still came as a huge shock to her. It was too sudden, she felt. Yet  observers would not agree. Her husband became bedridden in mid-November after a collision between his big bike and a car which had come from the opposite direction after taking an illegal turn.  In addition to being bedridden, Anwar, lost his voice which was the direct result of the  brain injury he had suffered after the accident. He was diagnosed with traumatic brain injury. How does Rabiaa feel now? The pain is bearable but the memories remain as vivid as ever. She is still unwilling to clear up all of her husband's things and some items remain in their original positions as before he became bound to the bed. His belongings connect Rabiaa to Anwar and she basks in the w