We stopped the car and waited. First, the driver of the other car alighted. He did not seem to walk with a limp. We waited for the passenger. She did not look crippled either. We, the occupants of the two cars, stared at each other for what seemed like a long time. I pressed the button to wind down the window and pointed to the driver that the parking lot was reserved for the disabled. The signboards and the disabled logos painted on the wall stated the obvious. He said that the other cars were also parked there. I do not know if the other cars parked there had disabled drivers or ferried disabled passengers but I told him pointedly that I am disabled.

He grudgingly moved his car and stopped a short distance away, allowing Peter to drive into the space that he had occupied. When he saw my wheelchair being taken out from the car boot, he drove away. These are the people who will never think twice about parking in space reserved for the disabled. These people have absolutely no conscience. As long as it is convenient for them, it does not matter that the physically challenged are having a hard time because of their inconsiderate actions. They possess this herd mentality that if other people are doing it, they are entitled to do it also without thinking about the consequences.

If you are one of those drivers who often occupy parking spaces reserved for the disabled without a second thought, think again. Most normal parking lots are not spacious enough to fit a wheelchair for the disabled driver or passenger to alight and board. We are not asking for anything more than a little convenience. We are not asking for sympathies and we certainly are not asking for more than what we rightfully deserve. We are just asking that you are thoughtful to our plight. You can park your car in the many other lots available. We only have a handful reserved for us.

To the drivers of the two cars featured here, if you are not physically challenged, then I can safely assume that you are intellectually and visually impaired, meaning you are morons or blind, or both. Either way, you both do not deserve the driving licenses that were issued to you. The signs posted by the Management of the Kompleks Bukit Jambul clearly stated that the designated space is reserved exclusively for the disabled only. The four logos of the disabled painted on the wall are unmistakably visible. If you can prove that you are physically challenged, please send me an email and I will remove the respective images. Otherwise, they remain to show the world what inconsiderate humans you both are. So, which are you?

This is the season to fatten the doctor�s bank account. Everybody I know knows of someone else who had fallen ill. With the weather so erratic, hot during the day and raining and cold during the night, it is difficult not to succumb. It is no fun being unwell. I was struck down by fever since Monday. And adhering to the popular grandmothers� advice of �Starve a fever, feed a cold,� I went ahead and starved myself. One slice of bread and one cup of milk for lunch and half a packet of instant noodles for dinner was what I had for meals for the past three days.

Thinking back, that was a rather extreme fasting. No wonder I felt even sicklier after the fever went away. Anyway, I am feeling better now, well enough to join in the Third Scrutiny during the Sunset Mass just now. Included in this Scrutiny was the Presentation of The Lord�s Prayer.

One time, after Jesus had finished praying, one of His disciples asked Him to teach them a prayer.

�Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.�

He said to them, “When you pray, this is what to say:

Father, may your name be held holy,
your kingdom come;
give us each day our daily bread,
and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive each one
who is in debt to us.
And do not put us to the test.

Luke 11:1-4 (NJB)

And Jesus gave them that which has become known as The Lord�s Prayer. This basic Prayer is one every Christian knows by heart. This is one prayer that had humbled me every time I recited it. This is one gift that came straight from the mouth of the Christ, one that He Himself had used. This is one prayer that all Christians treasure.

After the Rite of Election, catechumens are now known as the Elects - those selected to be initiated into the Catholic Church during the Easter Vigil. The Elects enter into an intense period of purification and enlightenment. During this period, the Elects participate in several further rites, chiefly the Three Scrutinies.

These Scrutinies are celebrated at Mass on the third, fourth and fifth Sundays of Lent. They are rites for self-searching and repentance, to heal all that is weak and imperfect within and strengthen those which are positive and good before the Elects are baptised.

Together with the other Elects of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, I participated in the First Scrutiny in last Saturday�s Sunset Mass and the Second Scrutiny today. Among the rites that were performed during the Scrutinies were the Invitation to Silent Prayer, Intercession for the Elect, Prayer of Exorcism and the Laying On of Hands. Those rites were all carried out to ask for God to protect us from temptation, deliver us from evil and to give us strength in Christ.

Today�s Scrutiny also witnessed the Presentation of the Creed to the Elects. This is where the Church hands on to the Elects the Nicene Creed, after which the Priest together with the congregation and the Elects recited the Creed to profess our faith in God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and all that They encompass. The Nicene Creed is essentially the basic tenets of the Christian belief that was put together in 325AD in Nicea by the first ecumenical council attended by all the Christian Bishops of the time.

* Click on the image above to see the full copy of the Nicene Creed.

This nylon and Velcro wallet has been with me for twenty years. I got it from Metrojaya in Bukit Bintang Plaza in 1984. That was my first trip to Kuala Lumpur. I have been using it for as long. It is exceptionably durable. After two decades of use, there are little signs of wear and tear. I paid RM49 for it then, quite a handsome amount for a nylon wallet. However, it is worth every sen that I paid for it as simple arithmetic will prove.

While rummaging through it the other day, I found Mum�s silver ring in one of its compartments. She had given it to me for safekeeping when she was in the hospital. As I held it, memories of Mum came rushing back. The pangs of missing her and the gnawing emptiness filled my heart once again. She had worn this ring for a long time, having bought it during one of the Chinese calendar�s leap months. The Chinese believe that it is very auspicious to buy and wear jewellery during leap months.

This ring will continue to reside where it has been. It exudes more than just a sentimental value; it is Mum�s very personal effect, one she was fond of. It is one of the few treasured trinkets that I keep close to me. The other is the Sacred Heart of Jesus pewter pendant. Wuan and I bought a pendant each from one of the many stalls that sold such items during the Feast of St. Anne in Bukit Mertajam in 2001. I choose the Sacred Heart. I think Wuan selected one of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

At that time, I never thought I would accept the Christ into my life. Among the other items that dwelled in my wallet then included several Taoist talismans that I had been keeping since I was a teenager. We got the pendants as a souvenir of our trip there. There was no religious connotation to it. We tagged along with Mum and Peter and his family on their annual pilgrimage of thanksgiving, penance and intercessional prayers to St. Anne.

Very often, the keepsakes that we treasure most are not the most expensive possessions we own but the little items that bring back beautiful memories. They are ones that had meant something to us one time or another in our lives. Sometimes, they are big signboards that mark our passage through life. Other times, they are worn out marker stones hidden amidst overgrown shrubs by the road we seldom take. Most times their monetary value is negligible. Nevertheless their sentimental value is priceless. I shall always treasure this silver ring like I treasure all the other things that Mum has passed down to me.

Every time I put food into my mouth, I have to be mindful that they are renal-friendly. A visit to the dietician last week has radically changed the way I eat. The visit was recommended by the urologist who wanted me to eat sensibly and reduce food that will put more stress on my impaired kidneys.

The kidneys perform several important functions to keep us healthy. They remove waste products by filtering our blood. They maintain the water balance by removing excess fluid. They maintain a healthy chemical balance in the body by removing those that are not needed.

Kidneys also produce two hormones and an enzyme. Erythropoietin stimulates the bone marrow to produce red blood cells. Calcitriol is the active form of vitamin D and helps the body absorb calcium to keep the bones healthy and strong. Renin is the enzyme that helps regulate blood pressure. I am slightly anaemic because of my renal impairment. The kidneys are not producing enough erythropoietin to stimulate a healthy growth of haemoglobin. However, that is not a cause for concern as my anaemia is mild.

A daily diet of two servings of protein is recommended. One cup of dairy milk or soya bean milk, one half cup of beans or nuts, and one matchbox-size portion of poultry, fish or meat are considered one serving. A high-protein intake produces waste in the blood. This puts a strain on the kidneys by forcing them to work harder in cleaning the blood.

I am also to go on a low-salt and low-purine diet. Food and ingredients with a good amount of salt include most sauces and preserved meats. I am one who likes a little saltiness in my food. This one regime will need a lot of self-control. I am going to miss my hams and bacons. Anchovies, prawns, roes, shellfish and sardines are among food high in purine content. I am advised to avoid high-purine food because of my higher than normal uric acid level.

However, I can eat as many servings of carbohydrates and fruits as I like. There are some vegetables that contain purine such as aparagus, dried beans, cauliflower, cabbage, lentils, mushrooms, spinach and tomatoes that I am allowed twice a week. Mushrooms are one of my favourites, especially shitake. This one needs a little discipline to adhere to.

As for fluids, I am drinking 3 liters of plain water daily which is more than sufficient. However, the dietician advised that the water intake be spread out over the entire day. I used to go on a water binge, gulping down more than 500ml of water at one go. This is another no-no as it puts a sudden strain on the kidneys which is not a good thing.

All said, this change of diet is one that I can keep to. The taboo foods will be like a luxury, one that I will recompense myself once in a long while. Although I am fond of char koay teow (fried rice noodles) and Hokkien mee (prawn noodles), I can live without them for an extended period, all for the sake of my own health. Hopefully, this will arrest, or at least decelerate, the deterioration of my kidneys.