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Other Inspiring Entries
Q? Do you know an Inspirational Woman?
I can think of no other woman or lady who deserves to win this special prize other than my wonderful ever loving Mum - Nafisa Kapadia.
She has been an inspiration not only to me but also to my two younger brothers who have seen her as our pillar of strength and a lighthouse always emanating goodness and love to us and all around her.
My mum has been such a great help to me in my growing years nurturing us, guiding us in all ways and in all fields and making us what we are now. She has toiled many laborious hours of her time in giving us the start up in our early school years and building a strong foundation around us for which we are ever grateful to her and are indeed blessed. My Mum encourages us not only in our studies, but also in our leisure and other activities. Spiritually, she guides and stimulates us in our religion too.
Nowadays, Mum spends a lot of her time involved in social and voluntary work as we are more independent. In this field too I have seen her given her time relentlessly at the Hospice where she cheers up and shares time with the day care patients who are in their last few days and years of life. She is active too in the Muslim Kidney Group where she helps to organise events and volunteer her services. She is also a member of the parent support group at the Dyslexia Association of Singapore. She joined this organisation ever since my youngest brother who was diagnosed as a Dyslexic. In order to learn more of this learning difficulty she mixed around with other parents in similar situations and helped in organising workshops, talks and taking the kids to camps.
I have seen my mum’s resilience in times of adversity and this was particularly evident when my youngest brother was born with a severe congenital heart problem
and through his three open heart surgeries. In her difficult periods too she never was once pessimistic and always kept on the positive side, never neglecting us and the home.
Besides this, Mum is also active in the Holistic line. She has done Reiki and does sometimes impart this form of Japanese energy healing to her charges. She often helps her friend who is a ‘Breathwork’ specialist when she conducts workshops.
Amongst her friends I notice she seems very popular and always is there to organise something or get friends together. In our childhood, Mum was also an active member of the parents’ support group in our school, Anglo Chinese School (Junior). She would sometimes help out in Malay classes and organise numerous school events, especially the annual Teachers’ Day function and school fund raisers.
Despite having worked in the family business, the hotel line and as an insurance agent, nothing has been more gratifying to her than what she is presently doing. She always tells us that the satisfaction she feels and gains doing all this is beyond words and she is truly happy, touching lives of her loved ones and all around her. Race and religion, age and youth make no difference to her; she only wishes to help.
Well we may not be like her but surely seeing her example we can emulate some of her fine qualities and her open minded thinking.
She truly inspires me…..my MUM!
Regards, Naeem Kapadia
I'll like to nominate my mother for the real women. Mum maybe the one that most people nominate and my mum do have her own story to tell.
I'm from a separate parent family. My mum & my dad does not stay together ever since my whole family left the kampong to the HBD. They are not divorce, they just can't stand each other and not staying together. All the responsible are down to my mum to take care of me and my sister basic necessary since then.
As a single parent, she had to work to support us a living, after work bought us dinner & help us in our schoolwork. She beside us when we were sick, used her little bit saving to buy me "Transformer" toy when I had good result in schoolwork. For those unforgotten memories of all the hardship gone through, she is a strong mum that never fall in front of us.
Now that I'm still writing this email, I had stop for a while to have my mum cook food before I have continue again. There are endless things tell. I just write a bit of those unforgotten memory since childhood time. From here, I'm greatly deeply grateful, just like every child. More than just a thank you to my mum, I give this written story to my mum.
For my mum and every mum
Jackie Tan
The person I would like to nominate to have this very special diamond is my wife of 21 years - Chia Puay Chai.
She has been my partner, companion, confidante, mother of our autistic son and have 'hung in there' through thick and thin.
Our son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder when he was two (he's now almost 20 years old). My wife has been his main caregiver and had to look after him without family support as we were posted overseas for 15 years (between 1989 to 2002).
Two years ago, I underwent two neuro surgeries for my Syringomyelia and have been unable to work since then.
She immediately picked up a new skill and went back to work at the age of 43 with blinking. At this point of time her cup is overfilled as she has to look after two 'handicapped' persons in addition to having to work. Thank you for your consideration.
Yours sincerely
Harold Koh
I would like to nominate my mother as a recipient for the diamond.
My mum was born in 1954. She has struggled all her life. First, to feed her family of four younger brothers and sisters and mum, since her Dad died early making her co-breadwinner. Then, she had to support my own family when my Dad was less than responsible and later walked out on her. All this has taken its toll on her health and spirit. I myself am struggling and have not been able to give her much yet. There are grand plans but they have yet to come into fruition. I hope to give her a little something to sustain her spirit for now, until I can give her all that she deserves.
Incidentally, What Womean Want... Really should feature some older generation women as well. I've caught the 'sporty lady', the 'free spirit'.. How about the 'middle aged lady who just wants what's best for her family'?
As they say, 'Good guys need a break' (-Click!) right?
Yours,
Jaslyn Tan
I would like to nominate my beautiful wife, Patricia Lau to be the deserved owner of a diamond ring!
WHY
My wife always sacrifices herself for others. She works hard to provide for our family as well as for my in-laws’. When we are dating, I met with a bad accident and got disfigured; she stayed with me and was a pillar of support. A year after marriage, I went for an operation and she again healed me back to health. When I married her, I couldn’t afford a diamond ring and promised her one. But I changed my job recently and got a paycut; after more than three years of marriage, I still owe her a diamond ring!
Rayner Wee
The Women than I am nominating is a very close friend who is an inspiration to all. In April 2005, (when she was 24 years of age) she was involved in a road accident when she boarded a taxi (taxi driver was sleeping behind the wheel and crashed into a trailer).
Upon reaching the hospital she had to undergo an immediate surgery which the doctor said could cause her to be paralysed (95% chances of being paralysed) and as all the family members was still in shock she hds to sign the approval form herself as she was still conscious. But through her determination she
started to walk slowly again just after two weeks (all the doctors were very surprised at how her determination make her able to walk again) and now after more that one year she is walking again even though it's a lot of pain for her.
I have never meet anyone young or old with the determination like this young women, I am so proud of her for wanting to walk again so she can take care of her very old and sick mother who lives with her. (At the time of accident she told me while she was in pain but she has to be okay as she has not fulfilled her dream to take her mother to Paris.) Even in time of tremendous pain she is thinking of her mother.
I salute her courage, determination and her loyalty to her mother.
Before the accident she was a part time model and also an owner of a thriving business that she built with lots of passion and hard work.
Even though now she can no longer model or continue with her business (as her physical condition doesn’t
allow it) she is still cheerful, and always thankful that she can walk and move again.
I think she deserve this beautiful diamond because after all that this beautiful young woman has gone through, she is still very positive and very strong.
She has taught me to have a positive outlook on life, to never give up and always look on the brighter side of life. She is truly an inspiration.
Azzy C.H.
I would like nominate my wife, Zarinah Bte M Zin for this special Destinee prize for her determination and focus.
It's not easy being a corporate shark and yet maintaining a fine balance between working life and social life. There's always a trade-off and sacrifices are plentiful for this relationship to work. You've certainly proved it on your edition on "The Corporate Shark". It's sad when to hear when relationships fail due to work commitments.
I'm going through that phase right now. My marriage of seven years, which bore fruit to three beautiful kids, almost went down the drain due to my wife's working commitments. Needless to say, her long working hours and "troubled" mind, greatly affected our relationship - both towards me and the kids. Though we spent time to discuss this over, it's just a matter of time when she falls back to her usual routine working ways.
Thankfully, your episode on the "Corporate Shark" opened up her mind and helped ease the situation. It made her realise the consequences and she's mending her ways to patch up our sour relationship. But it's still a "Work-In-Progress" at the moment.
While the person portrayed in that episode has admitted and hardened her mindset towards future relationships, I give credit to my wife for trying to salvage this matter. Likewise, I'm grateful to you and giving my best to get back to our courting days. Our destiny has yet to be set, but we are working towards a happy ending.
What do women want... really? I don't have the answer to that. But "What do I know and want...." is that I really love her and hope that our marriage and family to be happy all the way through our golden years.
M. Hisham Dari |
