What's in your mind

A baby is born

The delightful news about the birth of our first grandson, Rahul purported my wife to add a few notes on the congratulatory card she had bought. When I protested that there were enough well written wishes in print and the fact that my wife had already crowded the side of the page  with many words of her own, she insisted I should add my own words. Reluctantly I wanted to add another congratulatory note to my son, but I thought I should a bit original. So I wrote,

“When a baby is born,

So is a mother, and a father & .....”

I submitted my share and then I learnt that what I had written was not new!

It took us over two months before we could cuddle the new addition to the family. After getting acquainted with not only the newborn  but also the new mother and father, the short spells when I was able to cuddle him evoked new feelings and experiences. Trying to exclude all medical knowledge of child development I wanted to remain a grandfather and continuously awaited the correct signals from the new ‘mother’ as the baby was being exclusively breastfed. Fearful of breaking the routines lest the infant becomes fretful, I waited my turn to retain him in my arms.

The time did come, not very long after, and there was that short communication when he maintained his focus on me feeling delicate and appearing thoroughly innocent. It was at that point that I pondered as to what was going on in his mind. The eyes were bright and there were no distractions except for the blinking of his eye lids. I could recognise at least five differing expressions on his face , other than that due to his his cry. His tongue shot out rapidly as he tried to get a taste of his clenched hand. It lasted perhaps five minutes before he got bored and started exploring around. What was clear was the maturity of the muscles of the face and the uniqueness of the mind. He would never be able to tell me what went through his mind during the five minutes and I will never know his thoughts.

The brain is an amazing organ that continues to be explored. It develops so fast and remains active for a greater part of our life. What is astounding is the difficulty we all have as to how it works to coordinate the rest of the body. We are clouded by the functionality of the brain and the exhibition of its attributes as behaviour, mind and feelings. Is the mind a separate entity? The controversy will always invite intense discussion. The working of the mind has been the subject of research contributing to the development of a new field called psychology, originating  not some 200 years ago
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The Locked-in Syndrome

The cuddling of our new infant and the attempted exploration of his thoughts brings me to a novel I read based on a Frenchman, chief  editor of ‘Elle’ who unfortunately suffered a catastrophic stroke that affected his brain stem sending him into a coma for 20 days. Although he drew himself out of the comatose state, he was a total neurologic ‘vegetable’ requiring mechanical support and total nursing care. Jean-Dominque Bauby was totally paralysed except for his ability to see the world through the window of one eye and being able to respond by blinking.

The ‘locked in syndrome’ Bauby suffered illustrtaes  the frustrations of a 45 year old man who had been a writer all his life, wanting to portray the inner strength he has in expressing his feelings to the outside world. He articulates these feelings through Claude Mendibil who ‘painstakingly translates Bauby’s inner feelings and thoughts into works based on the flicker of his eyelids. Clearly Claude retains  an amazing understanding of his past life and his present predicament. Alive he is, but he fears the loneliness and suffers the frustrations of his invalidity. The book composed by Claude entitled ‘The Diving Bell and the Butterfly’ clearly reflects on Bauby’s isolation as if confined under an impenetrable metallic bell despite being aware there is a huge wide world out there. The brightness of the butterfly is one to be admired but as Bauby feels, while one knows about its beauty, its life is rather short.

Although Bauby did not suffer his entrapment for long (he died) the earnestness to share his feelings with care givers and others makes the book good reading. One can’t deny the compartmentalised way patients are treated nowadays and this is well portrayed in the book. He has sufficient time to reflect on the days he spent giving his aged 93 year father a shave and the unplanned trip he makes to the 'Lourdes' in Rome  with Josephine , his wife who spends a greater part of the drive to the Holy Land reading about the life of Charles Sobraj in ‘The Trail of a Snake’. He relents his poor understanding of religion when he is reluctant to wait in the half mile queue outside the Basilica when he is curtly told off by Josephine ‘it would do a sinner like you good!’ He also recollects the wink he gives a waiting invalid devotee who responds by  sticking his tongue out when he blushed ‘stupidly scarlet'.

The systematic way he dissects the nursing care he gets at the naval hospital in France is worthy of note and would be a motivating factor in teaching the novices in the medical field about empathy and holistic care. The daily daily he goes through, as if being processed like some dirty laundry, is poignantly portrayed rather melancholically. He has little embarrassment to contend with as his carers turn him on his special bed, clean everypart of his body, change his urianry catheter, transport him in wheel chair and at times ,leave him alone for hours on end permitting him to watch  TV where the channel is not changed although he prefers to watch documentaries. He describes the ugly side of an ophthalmologist who comes to stitch up his ‘lazy eye’ not realizing the benefit of it in avoiding the eye drying up and developing corneal ulcers. The fear of having the good eye (the only window to the world)  stitched up similarly   shows the lack of communication between patient and doctor.

Exuberating humour Buaby observes a demented woman who bites nurses, seizes the genital of orderlies and screams 'fire' invoking unintended fear in the ward. She is often left screaming her lungs out. He dreads Sundays when his visitors fail to arrive, no physiotherapists, no speech therapists and no psychiatrists. He feels Sundays are like crossing a desert. Even the nurses on duty are pre-occupied with their own gloom and lethargy recovering from their visits to the pubs on Saturday night. He sees how time gallops away and yet no one is around to read him the books that are aplenty in the ward.

Decision making and the Working of the Mind

The decision to treat terminal illness and those who find no quality in life is fraught with much controversy and disdain. Theologians leave the answer to divinity and the pragmatists profess assisted euthanasia as a way out. Doctors are ever in a quandary when the mechanical respirator should be disconnected. Albert Einstein was suffering from severe abdominal pain towards the end of his career when he was diagnosed with impending rupture of an abdominal aneurysm. When surgery was being contemplated he declined retorting that he has had a good life and that he be left alone with some papers and pen so that he could put his mathematical thoughts till the end. Although admitted to a hospital in Princeton he passed away on the 18 April 1955 without further intervention having completed some 10 pages of mathematcial formulae
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The saints and sages contemplate working on the soul  to move to an ' upper level of conscious state', to Nirvana, devoid of the working of the ‘monkey mind’. Self realization is a state of mind that keeps one at peace with oneself. Again one questions what is the 'mind' and if there is an anatomical location for it. The pineal body was once thought to be the seat of the mind. Without going into any controversy I am reflecting on what my grandson was thinking as he focussed his eyes on me for that short five minutes, as the eyes were intense and deep thoughts were inevitable. Bauby was consciously expressing his feelings though trapped within his ‘mind’. He was not meditating but if he had been taught the elements of meditation he may have been able to detach him to a state of conscious that would have made his existence less painful. He may not have to bear the pain of seeing the less than empathetic treatment he alludes to. Indeed it is perplexing how the mind  works!

Sivalingam N

31 Dec 2011

The Games We Play

The Games We Play

When I was in New York some 10 years ago my colleague asked me if I was game to go to the Letterman’s Reality Show. My first question was how much it would cost and when he replied that he could get a cheap ticket for  less than US$ 50/= , I reluctantly agreed. He had asked the Malaysian UN Representative’s office staff to assist us. The officer  whom he had approached had laughed at him as we did no know that one would have to book at least six months ahead for the show!  However, we  were pleasantly suprised at  alternative arrangements made to see the ‘Beauty and the Beast’ play which had been running for over a month.

Plays, Concerts and radio-TV shows are popular means of entertainment and they play to full audiences every night they open in the US, UK and Europe. I am reminded of U-En Ng’s comments in the NST (December, 11). He commented on the lack of enthusiasm and patronage in Malaysia when it comes to exhibitions and performing art in Malaysia as they don't run long enough for the sponsers to make enough profits. He comments on the excellent  facilities  we have in the Petronas Philharmonic Hall and the numerous cultural centres in this country. But performing art, the fine arts and exhibitions appeal to but a small segment of our society. Neighbouring Singapore has made it more attrcative or is that more Singaporeans are taken up by the these concerts and plays.
U-En Ng  laments that Bridges’ Project ‘Richard 111’ with Kevin Stacey is not playing in Malaysia  and one would have to travel to Singapore to catch it.

The Art Theatres in Malaysia are kept alive by small groups of interested actors. Tiara Jacqueline has come on bravely in making some successful shows. The Instant Cafe was a hot when it brought on the best of stand up display by a few actors like Indie Nadarajah. We do see several plays being staged though they don't run for weeks on end as in the West.  I am told that several Chinese troupes are reviving the art and we do see the occasional Taiwanese plays. Ramli Ibrahim’s Indian cultural dance shows appeal to a selected group including expatriates.

Performing Art, Literature and Language will play pivotal roles in crafting a new populace that can’t be compared to education acquired through the formal syllabus preparing one to pass an examination. The ‘cultural desert’ we survive in needs to be watered down with elements of fine arts and the wisdom imparted through literature and the human expressions seen through play acting. Learning through parables has been in vogue from time immemorial. Greek mythology and Shakespearean tragedy send home clear signals relating to ethical and moral principles of life. The Aesop’s fables taught us, as children, the social norms and morals that should be incumbent within. Religious instructions and the verses of holy books all teach us to be good and be humane through stories and verses. 

I was asked to deliver a lecture recently on ‘Pregnancy in  the Advanced Age’. I was wondering what new can I say to the audience who would be largely professionals who themselves are not new to the common problems surrounding the woman who gets pregnant late in her life (after 35 years). The oldest woman who had conceived by assisted conception ( IVF) was 70 years !  I had but 25 minutes to convey my message. After doing so research and completing my power point presentation, it dawned on me that instead to adding the last slide with a ‘Thank you’, I should pen a short poem about the ‘aging egg’. I thought I shall share this poem (if you consider it to be so) so that I can include myself as having contributed to the work of ‘ART and Living’.

The Aging Oocyte

Trapped , I was   for  43 years

In the ovaries of my Egg Bearer

I was not recruited to join the other oocytes

As I was to remain as primordial

I was told that that my colleagues, fellow oocytes

Were mature to go onto to the surface

Of the ovary , to join in the race,

To find a suitor, the ideal sperm

My Egg Bearer thought otherwise

As she postponed her reproductive function

For a career as a professional

Though she was already 30.

When she found the right guy

I was still destined to remain dormant.

Suppressed, oppressed  and depressed

Surrounded by  hormonal contraception

At 43 , I heard that My Egg Bearer was ready

To permit the ‘release’ from my confines

But then I was already old

ATP and  vigour , I had but little

My ‘egg mother’ went to an IVF centre

I was bombarded with FSH, LH and Hormones

I remained unmoved for a while

Till the fourth attempt, I got out from imprisonment!

I pulled out of my slumber

Too weak to make

The passage all the way to the ovarian surface

Of the right ovary where I had resided so long.

I made it to the site

Where I was destined to be rescued

By a directed metal  probe,

They called it 'Egg Retrieval'!

They dropped me  into a petri dish,

Surrounded me with nutrient media,

Poked my skin with a micromanipulator

Trying to get my 42 year suitor in , a sperm.

We are now in union

As an ‘embryo’ they say,

Waiting for our turn to be transferred

Again we have to wait till the other attempts in embryo transfer fail!

We hope we don’t have aneuploidy ,

Or breaks in our life string, the chromosome.

We hope we will survive the transfer

The implantation into the uterus

We promise   to behave , not produce some rejection

In our destined place , the uterine cavity,

As we are old in years; between us we are 85

Pray, don’t let this happen to others  please !

Dato Dr Sivalingam Nalliah (10 Dec 2011)

Penned for the lecture on ‘Pregnancy in the advanced age’ at the O&G Congress, College of O&G Academy of Medicine

Sivalingam Nalliah

11 Dec 2011

Age related disorders in writing skills

A rather odd title for sharing this short missive- a good friend of mine who is past 65 years retorted that his reading habits had been curtailed by the difficulty in focussing on the script appearing in the law journals he used to read. That is a shame but you can’t fight macular degeneration that affects your eye sight with advancing age, though he was blaming the ophthalmologist who, not very long ago, had performed a rather successful cataract surgery on both his eyes.

As a senior citizen one has to be prepared for the eventualities of aging and society needs to be mindful of this in assisting the old in improving the quality of life of those who had contributed enormously to society when they were in the prime of age.

My lawyer friend’s lament was not being able to summarize the facts of cases he was working on as well as some ten years ago; memory has been failing and patience has been affected largely due to the time taken to perform research to prepare his cases for the courts. This has also affected his ability to put his thoughts into words. Another good physician friend of mind said that the mind must be kept busy; although he is reaching 80 years he makes it a point to write, putting into words his thoughts, lest they be lost forever. This same person introduced me to the section on writing novels in the month of November. Although I started the first page (one had to submit a portion of the proposed novel everyday of the month eventually ensuring that at least 50 000 words are completed) I failed to go beyond the third day!

As I was glancing through two books that I read recently (‘Churchill’s Empire’ and   ‘Writing’ by Catherine Hilton & Margaret Hider) it dawned on me the power of writing despite the SMS designed Generation Y with the use of the mobile phone. Winston Churchill, the war time Prime Minister of Britain was a voracious reader and eminent journalist. He wrote extensively on his travels in India and Africa from the late 1890s as he saw action in the North West Frontiers of India (what is now the Afghanistan-Pakistan Border), the Boar War in South Africa and the English occupation Egypt and Sudan. In his earlier years and when he served as Secretary (Minister) in the Colonial Office and later as Home Secretary he firmly believed in the superiority of the whites and in Imperialism. The desire to rule as colonial masters was a notion he upheld for several decades. The nasty relation with the Blacks of Africa and Indians of India are well portrayed as he upheld his loyalist attitude to the English crown. However, he triumphed over Nazi Germany and played a pivotal role in ending the Second World War. But history will relate the problems that were created after the war in the birth of a new nation in Israel, the plight of the Palestine’s, the nationalism of the Egyptians and President Nasser’s nationalization program in developing Egypt and controlling the Suez Canal.

Churchill was a prolific writer even in his old age, and the power of his pen can only be evaluated from reading his chronicles and books, clearly reflecting on his views of dominant role of Great Britain. It brings me back to the subject of encouraging writing as a means of communication, and in the process writing correct English (what our colonial masters left behind). Undeniably English is now a universal language and we continue to be baffled by the changing policies in the country about the use of the language in the formative years of school education. I firmly believe that children have the capacity to learn numerous languages when exposed early in life. It should not damper the learning of other subjects. Anyway we could continue to discuss this controversial statement for ever without reaching a consensus!

Catherine Hilton & Margaret Hyder contend that the ‘aim of writing is to communicate ideas, thoughts, feelings or put messages across’; it does not matter who the audience is. Writing skill is unlike speaking as some formality is involved, one needs to place ideas in place, such ideas must flow in a logical fashion and there is time for one to construct the entire passage by reading over that which is written.

The differing point of writing when compared to speaking is that no interaction takes place. When there is interaction response are immediate and both the speaker and the audience are engaged. (Hilton & Hyder). In writing the writer holds the audience (or loses) depending on how the message is drafted. I wanted to begin by saying that my old lawyer friend who is clever fellow with a broad foundation in the English language would have spent the better part of his senior years writing. However, with age comes not only wisdom but disabilities as I have alluded to above.

Unlike the writings that appear in print, where the reader /audience are silent, the multimedia including blogs permits the audience to respond and put their views together and respond to the writer. This interaction is different from that one engages with  a live audience but the writer has  the opportunity to feel the ‘pulse’ of the unseen audience though comments sent in by readers (in blogging).

Use of the computer has had a positive impact on writing ( the font size can be increased at your whim and fancy) and spell check gives us confidence in moving on at a faster rate especially we old ones who are still down to ‘two finger typing’. The dictionary and thesaurus are at hand and corrections are easily done. Many senior statesmen continue to write till their ripe old days. The former Indian President Radhakrishnan was an exponent in writing as he was recognised as a great philosopher. Mahathir Mohammad, the former Malaysian Prime Minister was not only an astute statesman but a prolific writer and continues to pen his thoughts.

Writing skills develop with continued use of language to express one’s thoughts and feelings. One should not be afraid of using his writing skills to express views and beliefs. The reader can judge and decide to accept or reject views expressed. The aging mind must be occupied and expressions through writing are one effective way, I believe.

Sivalingam Nalliah 20 Nov 2011

Am I getting the message across......?

It is often perplexing when students don’t respond to a question when learning in a group. This often lends to reactions by the ‘initiator ’-the lecturer who asked the question expecting an answer as in a normal conversation between two persons. The complex relationship in a classroom setting is evidently quite different from a conversation in the corridor.
The situation in this complex relationship is rather unnatural as we have to factor in several interactions , the group that is watching the expected response, the confidence the student has in getting the answer correct, previous experiences with the same lecturer or with other lecturers which may have resulted in a traumatic outcome and the student’s own ability to communicate, to articulate his thoughts, his ability to organize his answer based on how he has understood and analyzed the question thrown at him.

When we talk about communication we are so very familiar with the ‘new millennium’ kid, the so called wired kid or is it ‘wireless kid’! It is a familiar scene now that it is no longer possible for one to have a conversation for more than 10 minutes without an interruption as the other party fumbles for his hand phone and breaks off the communication to answer the call, which could not be that important. The person on the other line had made the call without a single thought as to what the receiving person would be doing at that point in time.

Ironically we see these at all levels of society, not only among kids and young adults. It was amusing when I saw a leading politician recently, coming out of his car as a huge group was waiting to greet him. He had his mobile phone ‘attached ‘to his left ear being held with one hand, while the other hand was systematically outstretched willing to shake the hands of large group of willing supporters. Would this be civil or is part of the ability to multitask!

I often lament that the next generation would be lacking that bit of empathy and would fail to have the human touch if the electronic media transacted through our society without any respite for human communication.

‘Communication in a changing world’; that is what I wanted to address. However I thought I should digress and discuss the elements of communication as well elaborated by Bethami Dobkin & Roger Pace, (2003). The model sited in their book reminded me of the Artkinson and Schiff’s ‘memory ‘model. Although communication can be verbal and non-verbal we are mindful of the visually challenged and those who have hearing impairment who lead meaningful lives utilizing their skills in communication, verbal or otherwise.

Whatever message is transmitted during the communication involves several channels and media, they go through a sieve like barrier, so that the listener has the option of not registering it (encoding) or decoding it. Clearly one would want to be engaged in the complex situation to be communicating, otherwise the message gets thrown away.

The ‘working memory’ , according to Atkinson and Schiff last but 20 seconds and if the message transmitted is not captured to be encoded after analysis, it just gets brushed off, like raindrops falling on the wind screen of your car. Should there be some enthusiasm in wanting to be engaged, then all the factors like meaningful language, interest and active learning, need to be in place before there is a reaction to complete the communication loop. The latter could be a verbal expression immediately after or non-verbal expression of understanding and acceptance.

The SMS that one uses with mobile phones has had a lasting impression of how communication has changed. All the processes as to how the mind reads is explicit in the SMS. If one types ‘I would prefer face to face learning’ it may take that much longer. An alternative would have been ‘I wld prefer F2F lerning’. Is this correctly written? That would be another arguing point but the message is understood and communication is complete, if that was the original objective of communication.

It is a changing world and new communication skills would have to be accepted as we move to another generation of people. Initiation and interpretation are all elements of the mind, the maturity of thought and the makings of our alignment to understand each other. The ability to vocalize is intrinsic to the human race and as to how to use it to communicate should be left to innovativeness, flexibility and practicality, I believe, though it is rather difficult to fathom in totality as we become unfamiliar with the language of the new millennium kids and the Y generation.

People contend that messages are indeed the thoughts and ideas expressed by others. It may have an emotive context especially when expressed in the first person. The charismatic leader exploits this aspect to the maximum to reach out to his listeners and supporters. Music icons and preachers are great communicators. Intonations and hand expressions, facial expressions and specific movements which are all non-verbal enhance verbal communication. Communication is multidimensional and the man on the street is always learning newer and newer media that is used. The means of communicating will not abate with the conventional e-mail, video conferencing, face- book and twitter as long as innovations and appeal go hand in hand. It is a dynamic world that we live in and we have to keep track of the rapid changes to be able to communicate. There is now a huge move to make education virtual and computer mediated learning will mould the future generation to begin learning and working using communicational channels which have less and less face to face communication.

The context of communication is an often misunderstood area because of the meaning behind the message. If we have an invitation to a wedding addressed to couple and a dressing code is required, it is only civil that the invitation is accepted or declined and the dress code is adhered to. In the context of the modern world it is clear that one expects just the two people at the wedding. However, in the Asian context, the message (invitation) may have a deeper meaning and may permit the entire family to come! The diversity of culture does play a big role in considering the context of communication.

It is a peculiar truth that communication is irreversible especially when vocalized. There is little way we could retract a statement once made and that makes it so important to be careful what is said. An apology after a harsh statement can be difficult to mend, we all know that. At times we use such a strategy to close a discussion or to drive home a point.

Conclusion
Communication is integral to interpersonal relationships and is a complex subject. Most arguments centre on poor communication and peace reigns when communication is at its best. Cultural diversity and the context of the environment will impact on communication whether it is verbal or non-verbal. As good humans we need to be civil in communication and be mindful of the sensitivity of the message as once it is communicated it is irreversible.

Further Reading:
Bethami A Dobkin & Roger C. Pace. Understanding the Process of Communication in Communication in a Changing World. 2003; Mc Graw Hill, Boston

Sivalingam Nalliah 30th Oct 2011

The Language We Use

The Language We Use
Colonialism left us with the English Language and that was the lingua franca for many years in schools and university. As we were taught by locals who were not native English speakers we often held on to their philosophy of making the discussion brief. To curtail having to read long assays, I believe, this was a ploy by our teachers. More than 100 words for précis or 350 words for imaginative composition invited severe reprimand and a drop in grades! A second mute point was to ensure the language you used was simple without ‘flowery language’. It bored me writing the same style to get the point across so long as it was grammatically correct that I attempted an essay with enough adjectives to cover most of the terms found in Collin’s Pocket English Dictionary culminating in getting 45 % for the paper! That moved my confidence that much lower that I never attempted deviating from the safe zone thence on!
Using bombastic words has its value in showing your peers that you are that bit higher in the use of the language. Though you did not favour such words or what I surmised as meaningless communication I have found that it did sound different. I recall the English book ‘Tom Brown’s Schooldays’ where the opening statement ‘by the pen of Thackary and pencil of Doyle’ or some such statement in introducing the Brown’s ; I thought that was a novel way of starting the page. The mundane ‘it was a sunny day and we were preparing for the picnic we had planned’ sounded so routine that I thought reading the work of others does influence you to some extent.
The word ‘bombastic’ is an oft repeated word that invites equally unfamiliar meaning as being ‘pompous, pretentious, grandiloquent and overbearing’. However when one wants to make life easy for the unintended reader alternate terms for ‘bombastic’ like ‘ostentiously lofty in style and orotund’ takes the cake.
Surfing the ‘net’ for ‘Trilogy of Life’ I came across a feature article written by Leo Goldsmith (http:/notcoming.com/feature/triologyoflife, 17th July 2004). The author was portraying the wonderful works of Pier Paolo Pasolini who was a complex person of very high calibre and a great intellectual who met his untimely death in 1975 in Italy. Apart from writing numerous novels and poetry he was a great filmmaker and activist. The Trilogy of Life related to three famous works; Chaucer‘s Canterbury Tales, The Decameron and The Arabian Nights. I was familiar with the last, had heard about the Canterbury Tales when I was exposed to Medieval European History at the age of 13 but had not heard about The Decameron. The poetical works in the Canterbury Tales was indeed unfamiliar territory and I refrained from reading the book although there is hard copy lying in my home for the last 40 years.
Goldsmith has a smudge of bombastic language, at least to my mind but the articulation is so meticulous that it sends out the message so aptly about the works of Pasolini as a great film director. ‘Pasolini produces feature films where nudity, casual sex and naked flesh are integral to his works’. That sentence by Goldsmith is easy to comprehend. However the subsequent terms like ‘rustic, libidinous pursuit of casual sex’ was a tardy bit too much for me to clearly understand till I reached for my English dictionary. Google’s has made it easier by having the Thesaurus icon just above this page. What do I see in Thesaurus; rustic refers to ‘rural, country, pastoral and bucolic.’ Bucolic’ is unfamiliar to me so I go back to Thesaurus! I return with ‘rural’ but what happens to ‘libidinous’? No results are found! Perhaps my English teacher was right in correcting me that simple language would suffice for communicating the issue , all that is said is ‘ Pasolini often portrayed scenes using naked flesh and loose moral values’. Having said that, I marvel as to how columnists waken me up by infusing such euphemism. “The air of naiveté with which Pasolini infuses this trilogy is entirely calculated’ adds Goldsmith. Such meaningfully placed words spell a deeper understanding of Pasolini as having construed well ahead , the viewer and underscores the craftiness of the man.
Bombastic or simple language, the colonial masters of this nation have left a lasting legacy.
Sivalingam
16th Oct 2011

The Poetry Reader

I am no poet and many attempts I have made often lacked the impact required of good peotry. My primary school days remind me of Nathianile Hawthorne and a book we had had to buy 'An Anthology of Poems'. If I did not get anything from the subject at least I learnt about the word ' anthology'.

My school teacher had all the characteristics of a dramatist as he lived the words of each poem we read. Some were related to those maimed at First World War, others were philosophical and yet some were just comedy. We did not read about great poets of the day but Hiawatha is vivid in my mind, it was about the a Red Indian in the USA, if I remember right!

It dorned on me then that I should put some words together and see if I can re-live the days when I was not yet nine, being read poems in school. The note below potrays a Poetry Reader and his young audience.

The Poetry Reader

Children have come from far and near,
With enthusiasm, curiosity and plain fanfare,
They come in droves with parents and carers,
As they hear that the poetry reader is here.

Assembled in planned rows, they sit on the floor,
In the huge hall, that could accommodate more
Prim and proper they look, the clothes they adorn,
T-shirts, pants, sports shoes and all.

They await the man they have heard about,
Impatient they get, the curtain is not raised.
An announcement comes, what they had longed for,
‘The poetry reader is ready, to read to you more.’

A stocky man he was, not to be raved over,
Kind he looked, balding head, nothing to cover.
He wore a long robe over his attire,
Gave the impression that the colours were on fire.

‘Come forward my children, come hither’,
His voice was soft but became firm and louder.
Moved forward they did as ordered,
Like the waves of the sea, before they retired!

‘I am the poetry reader, you all gather,
But I am more a story teller.
I read poems, prose and all you desire,
So children, be silent lest my voice, you don’t hear’.

‘Silence must prevail if you want to listen,
To the messages I send through bards and tales.
Many are the values I want to share,
Gather the meaning; you must lead life with care’.

‘Poems have changed so very much,
As experimentation with writings became a norm.
Differing ideas impact the mind,
More freedom to express, imagination of any kind’.

‘Herbert expressed ‘Easter Wings’ in the shape of a wing,
Poems took shape in the form of star, wheel and string.
Baffled will you be if you thought of poems in patterns,
As writers became bolder, penning their thoughts to denote contents’.



‘There is a message in all one writes,
The way it’s expressed, meaning is concealed ,
Read on and on, till you come to the end,
Clearly you may see what the writer has penned’.

‘Words are joyously said, intertwined with earth, soil and till,
Keep close to the style, and decipher what is said,
Look hard at the plight of the writer as he expresses,
Is he sharing a deep thought, idiom or life’s messes?’

‘Listen to a poem, Finnegan’s Wake from Joyce,
Written so long ago, but still gives voice,
The line is long, but intonations I include,
Pause I shall, at every full stop and comma’.

‘His consciousness, he expresses and puns, uses
The English is old, but meaning so rich,
Joyce is good at his choice of words,
But I won’t read his passage lest you insist’.

‘Poems are to be read for joy, they portray,
Love and feelings, misery and tales.
Rhythm and rhyme, vocabulary and words,
Are poems written in unorthodox ways?’

‘Does it matter the way they are said?
The poem and prose is read as it is made.
I read with respect for those who wrote,
I share the meanings, poems or prose!”

“Watch I shall, at your faces for grimaces,
Pausing at commas, scanning eager faces,
At full stops I shall longer, wait,
Looking at you, ensuring you are in the correct state’.

‘Ask me a question, my children and friends,
But not before I have stopped to pause,
Then I would know you want me more,
Remain I shall, a poetry reader.’

Sivalingam Nalliah

12th Aug 2011

Midlife crisis -is it for all ?

The 'empty nest syndrome' is for real as I sit to pen these few words. It has been a busy weekend minding the house and completing my task in view of the coming 'high stake MBBS examinations' and preparing the the lectures I am scheduled to give to professional bodies till the end of the year.

Sustenance and mental drive are essential to complete the job; both of which I seem to lag behind as I touch 63 years of age. Vivid flight of ideas seem to percolate through my mind severely disturbing my focus. My mind runs back to the early years at the university and I am reminded about the infatuation with a university mate for a few months; work schedeule and the lack of finances helped me keep those thoughts remain 'virtual' till she moved on to more reponsive parties!

Viewing old Indian movies on TV brings me back to the days when I used to fall in 'love' with every other actress from the time I was eight years of age till early secondary school! The intense emotive cry of the lead lady and the sterotype dressing they adorned made the saree remain an unmatched garment impacting me so deeply that I built within my mind the ideal wife I would want!

Time has flown by and I am still trying to keep the mind intact by actively being involed in intellectual activities. Apart from the daily work at the medical college I am reminded of the joy of reading , a habit both my daughter and son seem to find joy in. Last year William Dalrymple's 'City of Djinns' was sent to me for my birthday.

Quoting the author's very words' if poetry, music and elephant fights were the preferred amusemnets of the court, the humbler folk of the age of Safdarjung had their patridges'. Basically the story depicts the life of the last Moghul ruler of India.

Poetry is indeed a means of communication through words which have within them rhyme and rythmn. Like an artist trying to display his thoughts and perceptions in colour, the poet uses vocabulary and sentences to express his views and feelings. To keep my mind from idling and to relax it in times of stress I too try to write in poetic words, but clearly I can see the limitations and frustrations.

What is the relevance of quoting a Scottish author writing a fiction based on Indian history and attempting to explain what poetry is in simplistic words? Well, such thoughts makes us ponder on differing means of communication, the spice of life is in making presentations complex so that the hidden meaning can be explored.

As I read the newpapers, books and scholastic articles in medical journals, authors appear to express their thoughts and views, skewed or otherwise. The point is made and thoughts expressed. The reader is left to surmise and contend with the conclusions and information. Won't that awaken the idle mind? It is with that primary purpose I started this blog.

I tried to complete a task given to me on ' the overactive bladder' a malady postmenopuasal women suffer from, last week. The job got more complex when I was also assigned to lecture on the same conditon to some professionals. Two weeks of power point preparations, writing an abstract at short notice to the organisers of the confernece and generating a full scientific article for another scolastic journal exhausted me so much that I allowed myself to drop the urgency in submitting last month's article for the blog.

Father's day last week was spent with my wife giving me a lunch treat with another couple in a nearby hotel. That same day phone calls from the children expressing their good tidings followed and a wonderful card from my daughter from Edinburgh , appropriately entitled "Lord of the Manor" - I left to water the plants in the garden after reading her message!.

The next day a gift followed and this time it was Michael Fitzgerald's 'Adolf Hitler: A Potrait'. My keen interest in biographies of leaders made this timely gift appropriate so as to complete my collections over the years. Although Hitler is the most hated human after the Second World War, few would deny the rise of an Austrian having failed to get into the Art Academy in Vienna to lead modern Germany, having left school at the age of 16 ( wanting to be an artist!) The book puts in perpective what leadership is about and what it means to be a team builder. Although Hitler never had any formal education beyond the said age , he was a ferocius reader and compensated his intllectual deficiency through listening and undersatnding the principles of socialism. What made him what he grew up to be, has to reflect on the hardship of his early life (see Mein Kempf). He is probably the earliest of national leaders who promoted the 'green environment philosophy and ensuring agriculture should be a sustainable project in Germanay (and that saved many from shortage of food).
Always a shy person in private and with several failures in his personal relationship with the four women mentioned in the book, he proved to be a great orator who used this asset to the best in moving the crowds. I am in no position to speak more in glorifying him, as the holocaust that was seen during his days cannot be forgotten and will always remind us that when power overwhelms an individual common sense fails to prevail.

The growing unrest in the Middle East appears not to be aborting as people cannot tolerate leaders who fail in maintaining democracy. When Egypt saw the fall of Hosni Mubarak, I am reminded of the role of 'guided democracy' prophezed by Indonesia's Sukarno. State control does little to keep peace and involving the people in the management of the goverment is paramount.

The midlife crisis is not about one's self and his abilty to cope with the daily tasks and stresses alone, but his concerns if the world is a safe place to live in. Responsible goverments will gauge the people's needs and that's what makes countries 'developed'. I should not be concerned about the welfare of my family and the healthcare of me and my community after years of paying income tax as that becomes the responsibilty of the establishment. If that is so, I will need to develop strategies to deal with my emotive and coping abilitites through senior ciizen's facilitites that are made available within the community.

Let's pray the govenment of the day would make education, healthcare and the wellbeing their people their responsibility the world over.

Sivalingam Nalliah

4th july 2010

Life is complicated or do we complicate it?

A recent article in the New Straits Times (April 6, 2011) makes interesting reading. It was written in plain English and lived up to the title ‘How to live a simple and peaceful life’. It pains me to see how people in middle class and upper income bracket travel miles and spend enormous effort, time and money seeking the ‘truth’ and yearning to live in peace through soothsayers and instructional leaders. As the teachers part with their wisdom, the followers must find solace and the solution to what they were yearning for. Do all attain what they set out for?
The belief system and value added interactions have benefited numerous followers, many who have imbibed that learnt during the interactions with sages and coaches, while many more continue to seek the ‘SOURCE’.

It is undeniable that among us there are many who need a ‘guru’ or a teacher. Socrates was a great teacher who instilled in his followers to enquire and question the facts of the ‘matter’. Socratic thinking is now advocated as a powerful means of nourishing the inquiring mind. Gautama Buddha left the comforts of palace life to enter years of learning about life far from that of the material world. He achieved Nirwana, the ultimate of but few!

In order to closely follow these great teachers is an arduous task in the present day. Getting detached from family and work is near impossible. The tasks ahead and the duties of the husband, son and daughter are enormous. Perhaps one could allocate a few hours for self improvement and instructional classes. Under these circumstances, the article above rang a bell. Hey, here is a compromise!

Try to make life as simple as possible! Imagine that one cannot complete all the tasks within a specified time without getting stressed. The boss won’t know about that, he just wants them done! So the advice is prioritizing and performing those that are relevant. Have a discussion with people at work or family members, depending on the list of tasks; if all the assigned jobs have to be done? Could the list of tasks be short listed? One will be surprised how little is missed when one drops 2 out of the original 6 tasks!

The day should be begin ‘yesterday’. Otherwise planning is not possible. When the day’s work is done, pondering over what needs to be done the next day allows for space and valuable time for you to reflect and review. Reviewing the list of tasks would permit cutting down redundancy.

Currently public hospitals in Malaysia have a surplus of house-doctors. If one was to audit what they do, one would be able to appreciate the amount of redundant documentation with little benefit to the care of the patient. In other institutes where there is a lack of delegation of work, the ‘mandor’ concept prevails. I continue to see this in commercial banks where there is a delay as some processes require a supervisor to go through the request. If we do less by reviewing the processes, more quality time is created.

Tasks and the job we are at need to be ‘savoured’ and enjoyed. If one gets up in the morning, moaning that he has to go to work, the going will be tough and trying. A positive attitude and being proud of the job are assets for good living. After graduating from medical school, nothing is enjoyable than to show one’s prowess at healing the sick. That is the job of a doctor or a nurse. That is what medical graduates worked for. So by accepting this unique responsibility and performing the tasks required of you, less stress is experienced. One would find joy in the encounters and the ‘lark’ within you will leap in excitement and good health.

Learning and re-learning the processes of the day contributes to making life simple and enjoyable. Being happy at what one is doing is likened to the endorphins released in the body by the obsessive road runner-it can be invigorating and addictive! Love yourself by loving what you do.

The ‘SOURCE’ one looks for can be in the very place where you are, whether it be at work or at home. Re-look at what is already there, at yourself and what you do!
SLingam
7th April, 2011

The Human Mind- Evolution and Exploration

Charles Darwin inspired scientists to accept his theory of evolution. He was convincing in explaining the current concepts that has contributed to the evolution of the human brain and mind. Adaptive to the environment, the human mind has certainly achieved a degree of complexity that it remains a ‘mystery’, a mystery that is in need of exploration and understanding.

Human psychology was popular in the European states as scientists and philosophers attempted to understand the workings of the mind through study of behaviour. As far back as 1879, a German, Wilhelm Wundt opened the first exploratory psychology school in Leipzig.

Learning about the mind from scientific principles can be difficult. Language, memory, the conscious and subconscious states are presumed to develop through forces unknown. Why do some acquire skills to speak in various languages so quickly while others don’t? How do children learn the mother tongue as their brain develops in a way different from adults learning a second language? Why does the memory of the child become more complex as they grow ? These are questions that need exploration of psychology of the mind.

The human is a social being and has enormous capabilities in thought processes and planning. The human mind can be both devious and forgiving, emotive and melancholic. We use different terms-the criminal mind, the kind person and psychotically depressed person!

We know, through Charles Darwin’s evolution theory that random inheritable changes have contributed to survival of humans who can adapt as the environment changes. Such an evolutionary process is necessary for existence and generation of the next set of humans. The term ‘natural selection’ becomes relevant and appropriate.

The theory of adaptation for survival is now well demonstrated in the pregnant uterus. Barker, an epidemiologist in the UK observed that survivors of the great wars (First World War)in Europe beget children who were destined to develop chronic diseases when they became adults. Barker’s theory is now accepted and now labelled ‘ fetal origin of adult diseases’. Mothers who were afflicted with conditions that affected nutrition and oxygen supply to the fetus were seen to deliver ‘growth restricted fetuses’. Such affected babies were light (smaller) for their age and gestation. Long term follow up revealed that they were more prone to diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease.

What we see here is an adaptive process where the fetus has to make changes in its metabolic and bodily functions to survive in an unfavourable environment-the poorly nourished uterus. Such changes come with a permanent change in their organ function. How does this tie up with the development of the mind and behaviour. Although differences between such babies and those born to normal mothers do not show a great difference in cognitive functions in the short term, more needs to be done to see the effects on the mind in later life.

Memory is a rather complex subject to study but theorist have been explaining the way memory develops. We are clear that memory is not static. The dynamic status is seen in all of us as we grow older. Memory declines after 30 years and that is worrying. Alzeimer’s disease and organic brain disease are debilitating and affect adversely quality of life. Are we wary of why these develop? What is the capacity of our memory. How do we ‘hide’ our loss of memory when we grow older. Do we repeat ourselves –have we been told that they have heard about that which you thought you were conveying for the first time?

There are ways to sustain a good quality of life through mind training and adapting to memory loss as we age. The mind has a huge capacity and we continue to learn about the mysteries surrounding it. We need to exploit this capacity through various strategies whether it be meditation, completing cross-word puzzles or doing one SUDUKU a day!

For a free assessment of memory go to:
http:/www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/memory/
SLingam
2nd April 2011

Rule of Law

Hi,

President Clinton was one of the most astute and smartests of the Presidents USA has had. Unfortunately the term of office being limited to two terms did not permit him to continue in office beyond eight years. As a developed country this ruling has limited Heads of States overstaying and becoming despots and dictators.

While the economic divide between developed and developing countries has prevailed, the practice of democracy has suffered in the former with both loss of live and limb. The political turmoil in the African and Arab countries have had their origins in the inability to communicate and tolerate one and another. Leaders of developing countries have found the confusion ideal to move their own agenda to the fore front.

Such was the situation in the 16-18th century. The colonization of Africa, Asia and Americas allowed the plunderers to rule by default. Changes were inevitable and new languages were infused into these countires. Devlopment was seen and many benefited from the opening of mines, plantations and tourism. Education and health care were formalised .But inspite of the benefits of colonization and improvements in health and education, progress has been hampered by geo-political and religious factors after many of these countries became independent states. The Ivory Coast is going through yet another impending civil war, not long after, what one thought was a settlement of the political agenda (after Liberia and Sierra Leone had recovered from internal conflicts and border wars).

One wonders why is the world not coming to terms to live harmoniously. Presidents like Bill Clinton was described as a 'clever', but did it not matter if the President was clever when the influence and involvement of such developed countries like USA, UK, and France did not have a far reaching effects on troubled countries of Asia and Africa.

The Chinese have been agressive in penetrating the developing countries though economic aids and transfer of technology. However, their impact in bringing socialogical change benefitting the people of the under-developed countries has yet to be realised.
Untold damage by natural disasters and man made errors is contributing to the loss of live and stock. Reconstruction of cities after calamities, wars and averting climate change have been relegated to second place while conflicts sustain the arms race, world-wide. The United Nations has been largely ineffective in mainting peace worldwide accept in providing a forum for ventilation and inept communication among participitating nations.

Crime and human errors have compounded the problems of the world while corruption and inflation have become catchwords. While the gurus capture the interests of a few fortunate humans and the mantras of economists has permitted the wealthy to become obscenely rich, the troubles of the world have come to stay.

Democracy, feudalism and despotism, call what you may, have all failed in creating a safe environment for the next generation. The top down leadership approach to rule the world is no longer relevant. We cannot trust the charismatic leader to rule, in fact he is no longer relevant in this technology driven world.The citizens of the world have to rationalize in adopting a formula where religion, culture and social mores blend well so that a tolerable society evolves.

SLingam
1st April 2011

Rationalization does not equate to acceptance

Alternative Philosophy of Life: Alternative philosophy of life: "Hi Readers It is a very puzzling world and information overload, rapid technological changes and  personal development related to..."


Hi Readers

When one does something that destroys life, guilt feelings accompanied by an element of depression prevails. A normal morning walk culminated in stopping at a mango shrub. I wanted to break of a branch of manago leaves as I had need for them. I did not seek permission from the landlord of the house the plant was growing as it was growing outside the house. In the process I tried to avoid some red ants that were resident on the tree from getting on to my hands. However, after I had sucessfully broken the branch, I had to crush a single ant that had caused me severe pain as it bit me through the skin.

Can I then rationalize that:

1.I was justified in breaking a branch off the mango tree as it was growing outside someone's house.
2.The red ant that bit needs to be killed as it caused me pain.

I am not sure if both these acts are rational or justified. Why did I decide to take away someone's 'property' that rightfully does not belong to me? And the consequence of that illogical act was a destruction of a life-the ant that bit me had to be put to death. Further rationalization went through me. One was that the life of the ant was short and that it would have died of natural death not long after!

Quilt is an appropriate emotive in- built feeling that makes us think and re-evaluate ourselves. I need not have taken the mango leaves unless I needed them for survival. There was ample opportunites for me to seek permission from the owner before taking the leaves. I could have organised myself using a proper utensil to break the braanch without causing any disturbance to fauna (ant).

SLingam
15th March 2011

Alternative philosophy of life

Hi Readers

It is a very puzzling world and information overload, rapid technological changes and  personal development related to the environment one lives in coupled with the tragedies and crises posed by both nature and individuals have placed immense pressure on one and  all. The young need to be nurtured while the adolescent has to cope with life through those  difficult years. The working adult is confronted with  having to thrive in a competitive environment. Physical sickness  and psychological ailments have to be contended with as one matures and reaches old age.

Conventional teaching dictates social mores to be followed by both the young and the old. Today, many find it difficult to follow because of selfishness, self gratification and loss of purpose. When good values are pointed out , often such remarks are met with  confrontational responses  and plain protest. Sending children to day care is seen with pride among the well-to do while the not so privileged remain uneducated. Religious instructions and personal experiences have their merits but may be misinterpreted or lend to extremism,

Perhaps there is a need to look at an ALTERNATIVE PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE that would question Darwin's Theory of Evolution and at the same time make it difficult to accept 'Special Creation' as an alternative option.

This blog would attempt to interpret approaches to life in  a reflective way using unconventional and conventional means to communicate with people of all ages and from all walks of life.
The ultimate aim is to live in peace, find meaning to ways people see life and provide some points to contemplate . I hope to receive comments from readers providing us with reasons for taking laternative views and still prepare us to live in harmony with each other, with mother earth and contribute to sustaining a safe environment. Life needs to be lived  happily and meaningfully.

Regards

SLingam
14th Mar 2011