By Yohanna Abdullah
It is 19 minutes past 5 pm and I am aware that I need to post something on this mentallyblessed.blog before I leave at 6 pm. I will meet my friends from Club HEAL and we will be travelling for five days and four nights to Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia with pit stops at Johor Bahru and Malacca.
Indeed it promises to be a back to basics living in a kampung house. We will learn to slaughter chicken to cook into rendang chicken and we will learn how to make lemang, a glutinous rice cake baked in bamboo. The highlight of the trip will be playing in the waterfall near the kampung in Rembau.
I look forward to having extraordinary fun every day. Often, the highlight of the day is being with friends, new and old and getting acquainted with their joys and sorrows. Last week a dear friend passed away at the age of 50. We were close in college and kept in touch rarely as we aged and each have our families and vocations to care for and grow with. Last year one friend from college also passed away at a similar age. We can expect many more deaths amongst our peers as we all approach the golden years.
I remember talking about death with my daughter Ayesha, 21 when she was just 19 years old. She said, “I am not afraid of dying. I am afraid of not living.” I think we will die with regrets if we did no live a full and purposeful life. Life is a beautiful gift from God, cherish it and make the best you can of this GIFT.
mentally blessed 
I feel like not living a life right now… It striked me when I read Ayesha’s comment of worrying of not living… I find my life simply dissatisfied as of now… I m still feeling sore for not attending the peer support group… I feel I m constrained physically but I would like to be of some help to others… In shaa Allah of those suffering from mental illness, maybe thru social media. Online platform perhaps… That would be easier for me
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My dearest friend, when there is discontent it signals a need for change. You can only change yourself and others can’t change you either without your will. Pursue the things you love and charge forth. Be in the moment and savour it. Yes connect with people especially those that you can empathize with and inspire.! – Yohanna
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