These few days my IM could not open for some weird reason. Today, alas it sprung back to life after Internet connection went dead for almost 1 whole day. Yes, life in the village. In the village where convenience is something where you have to pay extra for.
Anyway, I do feel that I would miss my village life. Despite the meager salary and being away from people whom I know; I think the village life is ideal. Its slow, quiet, and there’s always a thing or two about the interesting, unasuming folk here. From being really careless motorcyclist to the number of small town gossip that can accumulate from 1 month being away from here.
Don’t get me wrong, Gemencheh is really a nice place. We have almost everything we need. A pasar malam, a wet market, banks, food stalls, Sunday market, petrol kiosks, a line full of mechanics, clinics, hospitals, etc. Everything is within reach. Almost. Nice hollow where its quiet most of the time where crime is almost frowned at. Its also about an hour away from Malacca and two to three hours away from Kuala Lumpur city centre (dependent of the jam).
Anyway, I am on a 5 day fruit fast where I just consume fruits and water. I feel that this is truly a time of peace. A time where I can truly have time on my own. A time where I feel less bothered of things happening around me. I think its in a blissful state like this can one appreaciate town living as opposed to city life. Simply because its just calm like the waves. There are no “surprises” and the hustle and bustle only lasts for a few minutes. By 9 pm, its all quiet. To a normal city dweller, this might sound like suicide but it grows on you. The stillness of the night save for the few passing vehicles. It brings a certain tranquil feeling, almost like the clashes of the waves.
I was just thinking about the ideal life that I would love to lead on the way back from work earlier.
This has been in my thoughts for a bit but I just felt that I should share it to all of you here.
An ideal life for me would be to have an apartment along Klebang beach. I am currently eyeing Klebang 8 Delima Condominium at Klebang Malacca. Staying by the beach with the sounds of the rustling waves. Having a swimming pool downstairs, a gym, 24 hours internet access, centralized Astro, and 24 hour security guards is ideal. Whats more, Klebang is about 5 km away from Malacca town, just a motor / bicycle ride away. It is not exactly in town or away from town. Malacca is just a town I grew to love. It feels so much like home. With the rustic buildings and the malls that makes me feel like I am in a miniature KL where things are moving my way, it just “feels right”. Its hard to describe the magic you feel in Malacca. Perhaps its just me. Perhaps its because of the scenic views, good free food and the great feeling of being somewhere where you don’t feel like a stranger.
Living in Klebang can be a weekend hideout or it can be a daily thing, the whole idea of living by the beach has always been with me since I was a kid. When I came to Malacca, it was as if my dreams have come true. I always loved the beach breeze and sounds of the waves. Magical.
I would love a job which is flexible yet pays the bills and affords me trips to different parts of the world. I am thinking consultancy of some sort, an author, a yoga instructor, a chain store boss, or just a professional international con artist vagabond with a heart of adventure. I think I am too free spirited to be too tied down to a normal job. I always knew I need a job with variety and lots of leg stretching yet I knew that I am not quite a sales person as I don’t believe in marketing in products I do not believe. Perhaps when I have a product of my own that I can vouch for, I might be able to market it.
I would start my day with my daily inner work and jog along the beach at 5 a.m. Followed by a workout routine in the gym downstairs before cooling off with fruit juices and some cereal perhaps. By 6.30 a.m, I would take my bath, do my prayers and meditation get ready for work. By 5 p.m, I hope to finish my work (and having a job which focuses on work-life balance, allow me to take off by 5.10 p.m) and head for the dojo for Karate lessons. Lesson will end about 7 p.m. Just in time for free vegetarian dinner in Malacca town. I will go back to my condo to either surf the web or watch Astro. I will do some light reading and prayers before retiring in for the next morning.
The occasional Toastmasters meeting in Semabok will provide a good distraction away from life and will keep my mind sharp at the same time develop my speechcraft skills. Fridays would be the day I go for movies in Mahkota Parade and perhaps drop by one of the pubs for some fun. Fridays would also be the day where my good friends from KL can drop by for the weekend and share my little piece of heaven with me. Maybe someday Karen would appreaciate Malacca for the unique place that it is and decide to move in and settle in. I can go to Jonker and the Jetty for a walk before retreating back to my nice cozy condo in Klebang for the weekend.
Weekends can be either in cozy, quiet Klebang condo where I just watch the waves and count girls passing by while listening to bossa nova, jazz, chill out music, beach music, house, take your pick. I just take walks around the beach to watch the sunset and chill around to watch the sunrise. Walking in the beach at night is also nice, seeing waves settle in to greet the moonlight and moon shining so brightly on the velvet skies. I can also take a slow drive to Malacca and just watch the old shops open. Take my time to just see old items, perhaps buy an item or two to decorate my loft. Then I would make my way around town and discover tiny pockets of lesser known food outlets and have a bite there. I can also go to cafe’s by the sea and have tea while I meet random tourists and talk about our shared journeys and travels, swap travel tales, take photographs, exchange pleasantries, and just perhaps be a little more cultured in a unique way. If I am lucky, get a contact for my next trip abroad.
I can also take a bus ride to KL and meet my friends and hang out for as long as I want to. Staying in a 5 star establishment for the weekend.
I can also play host to my friends by taking them around Malacca and just chilling with them. From having nice sumptious meals in 5 star restaurants to road side culinary delights to tease our taste buds.
I can also take a flight to Langkawi, Penang, Tioman or any part of the country to chill out in the various locations in 5 star comfort, take some shots, go fishing, try out the local cuisine, try out various activities like scuba diving, go kart racing, jungle trekking, etc.
Once a month, I can indulge in a spa session to just melt my worries away and keep a good blood circulation and keep my libido in check. Three months once, I can go on fasts, food or fruit fasts. Every six months, I would like to go to different parts of the world to see the world and its cultures and to meet up with friends from different countries, near and far.
I guess with the life I just described, its as close to what I can get to ideal at this point of time. The vivid images of leading a purposeful life with meaning. It just makes me want to reach out for more each time.
I have a few action plans at the moment to reach to that. But they all still seem quite far out of reach at the moment. I think the main factor is getting the “ideal” job that balances it all at the same time be situated in Malacca or close to Malacca. The other more sensible approach will be to start a business in the area. Even that, I am still unsure of what and a bit sceptical of my current lofty ideas.
I don’t ask to be a millionaire (although having that tidy sum would be more than welcomed, those interested, please email me to donate it to me), I just ask to have a balanced, comfortable life, doing the things that really matter in my life with the people I care about. I think ultimately that is what happiness can be summed as. I kept thinking about the theme about being happy. What is being happy?
What is happiness? Is it about others around you? But wouldn’t that mean that if one is alone, happiness is impossible?
What is contentment? Is it about having enough? Wouldn’t that lead to being too complacent being in the comfort zone?
I still seek these answers as they still elude me. Each time I probe further, its like an onion peel, there are many layers to it, some are fine yet they are more complex than they some, others might be thick but they can sting to the very core.
Thus, here I am in this highway I called life seeking for answers and the path to a balanced, fulfilled, meaningful and purposeful life.