Grateful, Grace.

I am grateful for all the people especially people in authority who still deals with us with humanity meaning still treats us as humans instead of cows, pigs, chickens or whatsoever, machines.

Went out to get the chop and signature of approval from the higher authorities of college aka hostel. Approval to stay in the coming year. Separated according to different blocks. Then when lining up, you can see all kinds of faces at each counter. My counter, the three people there, don't look at us as we came up to them during our turn; calculated our merit points; mentioned that we do not have enough points (when they calculated wrongly); calculated number by number, strictly, rod-stiff; chop and signed for disapproval, do not support us staying next year without batting an eye. If you look at them, their faces are hard, downcast and unfriendly. But they were people we knew, our friends. But you know, when they are on duty, they cannot be friends. They became robots, almost like ruthless army officers or ruthless slave drivers. I knew it wasn't a place to plead as a friend because they are already so ruthless, hard, stiff and cold.

Looking at another counter, the fellow was friendly, smiling, cool. The MTM was my coursemate. Certain little things are just waived and let go. They look at each person, consider them and care for them when they found out that their merit points are not enough. If they are only missing a few points, they are just waived and approved. For those who are missing a lot of marks, they would try as much as they can to help them. They did not meticulously counted and recounted the merit points (as if it was so important that it concerns life and death) and they... treat everyone as humans, even family rather than an army or even more ruthless than that.

And it is more than college higher authorities. Normal bus drivers, faculty canteen workers, I see a lot that can be so selfish and so inhuman. I understand that they need to do their jobs but can you do it in a nicer way instead of being cold, aloof and hard? Do you have a brain or you work like a machine? If others start to treat them like that, what would they feel? At least show that you care. It's not like you're in the military.

So lately I have been standing up for myself, for people who are being wronged. If there's opportunity, I will stand up for them. I do not stand up for things foolishly. I have also been very thankful for the wonderful people that God has placed around me. Wonderful passionate tutor who took over the place of that lecturer who swears and talk porn in class. The kind and humane higher authorities mentioned above. Random strangers that I met along the way who were kind and caring. I still remember the ones who helped me when I lost my phone at the train station. Total strangers but really warm inside to have them help me. To list them, the girl I asked to lend me her handphone to contact my friend whom I am meeting; the digi person who let me use the office phone (although they did not let me use at first but they did anyway and through that I managed to call my friend) and that wonderful guy at the customer service at MPH who lent me his own phone to contact my friend whom I can't find. I am forever immensely thankful.

I find myself filled with that fuzzy feeling thinking about the existence of these beautiful people. The fact that they still existed as compared to the others who are rigid, ruthless, inhumane and cold. I feel loved somehow. There is hope for humans after all.

As for the ruthless, cold, hard, heartless and rigid people, God bless them. They have not encountered grace thus have no grace to give people grace. May God bless you with grace.