Chance or Purpose?

Natalie Shobana Ambrose (29 January 2009 – theSun)

SOMETIMES we can be at the right time, at the right place and magic happens. Other times we might find ourselves at the wrong time at the wrong place – like when I parked my car legally along a street lined with beautiful trees.

Lucky me I thought and headed to the restaurant. When I got back to my car after a lovely dinner – it was covered in bird poop. Not so lucky after all – free parking but an expensive car wash and an embarrassing drive home. My punishment for being cheap I suppose ... Sigh. Not so lucky after all.

It’s the season where everyone’s wishing everyone luck. And it’s got me thinking – is it luck that I’m here in Malaysia, is it luck that I’m female in this age and not the 1600’s. Is it luck that I’m able to write this column and is it luck that you’re reading it? Perhaps all luck.

There are people who have all the luck and some that just don’t seem to have luck. When I look at people I admire, who seem to have it all, I do stop and wonder what their childhood was like. Who their parents were, and how they were brought up, what experiences shaped the person they have become and what their story is. It might be anyone from Miley Cyrus to Tun Mahathir Mohamad. What experiences did they have and opportunities they seized that got them to where they are today. Was it pure luck?

As a child I used to have many thoughts about my existence. At one stage I found myself wondering why I wasn’t born a fish. I thought being a fish would have been much easier. As I grew up, I realised that there was a reason to be here at this time, at this place, at this moment in history. It was not just luck.

These are exciting times to be alive. Last week during the inauguration of President Barack Obama, people repeatedly said "it is exciting to be part of history". The hope and excitement of something big could be felt even in my little corner of Malaysia. I started to wonder, did Obama’s parents know they had a future American president in their midst? And I wanted to know what his experiences were and wondered – if he had been born in another time would he be the person sworn in last Tuesday? If his upbringing was any different would he be the 44th president of the United States? Was it all chance, fate, luck?

I’d like to think it was a combination of opportunity and inheritance. It was his ability to seize the opportunity of his time and the history of his upbringing that shaped this president. I might be wrong, but I believe that his success thus far is not only a personal achievement but a product of the world he grew up in – and not just chance. He was at the right time, at the right place but he also used what he had, to follow his dream and took the path less travelled. The difference: He had purpose.

Sometimes we might get discouraged thinking our world and our circumstances are not ideal. Right now the world seems to be falling apart while life just continues at a high speed. Nothing is safe, morals are disarrayed, there is a lack of solidarity and nothing is sacred. So what do we do?
There is a reason you are here, right now in this generation to make a difference. It’s not easy but it’s not impossible. You’re not too old or too young or the wrong skin colour to do so. If you don’t like the world you grew up in – change it for the better.

I’m glad it’s not just luck that’s allowed me to be in Malaysia and not a war-torn country, and I’m glad it’s not just luck that gave me the opportunities that I have to stay out of police custody, and I’m glad it’s not just luck that has made me who I am. But perhaps, besides counting my lucky stars – I should be doing something about it.

We should take charge of our future and be the ones that command our dreams. But our dreams have to be the right dreams – of peace, and a prosperous, polite, secure nation.

Is it luck that you picked up this paper? I hope not.


Natalie is glad she’s not a fish but believes that we’re all here for a reason at this time of history to fulfil our purpose and that it’s not by chance.

Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

Paw Print Lessons of Humanity

Natalie Shobana Ambrose (15 January 2009 – theSun)

GROWING up we always had dogs running around the house. I remember Tommy who had such an affection for us kids even though I screamed every time this towering dog stole a kiss or lick. O… the stories I could tell about them.

Sheena was a dog every kid should have. She followed me around when I was sad, she kept my secrets and was extremely loyal and protective. My dad used to pretend to beat me and Sheena would squeeze her head through the grill biting the curtains until he stopped. Sheena was the kind of dog that brought in her motley crew of stray friends to share her dinners when the family went to bed. There was an innate ability to love within her, and she did not care one bit what species, breed, colour or upbringing they were; she just cared.

A few months ago, our two mutts Kiki and Tag were barking incessantly at the fence. I peered out to notice that they were barking at the neighbours who were disciplining their dog. Kiki and Tag obviously didn’t agree with rolled-up newspapers and made plenty of fuss over this injustice. It didn’t matter that ZipLee was an imported top breed dog while Kiki and Tag were both former street dogs. They barked for justice and embarrassed the owners, till the beating stopped.

My sister told me of how their giant German shepherd, Kaiser has become best friends with their neighbour’s tiny fluffy dog and will do anything to have him over for a play date. Dogs just seem more colour-blind than humans. There’s no "O you’re dark" or "You’re a different breed" or "We can’t hang out because you’re too fluffy" or "I only care for those that look like me." They just see another dog and want to know more. Dogs just have an inherent ability to speak up and love more than we humans seem be capable of.

We all have our prejudices and our affections toward what is familiar and similar. So we fail many times to speak up for an injustice on things that do not concern us. I do it and maybe you do too. Of course we wear ourselves thin if we keep disagreeing and speaking up. After all who really wants to hang out with someone who brings to light unpleasant happenings?

It would be nice to perhaps adopt that dog solidarity for humanity across the board and not just countries we have vested interest in or those who have a similar belief system to us. It’s a tough ask. On a different extreme, sometimes even our own kind decides to do something unspeakable and evil. How then do we respond? Silence in any language is still silence, and perhaps dare I say a form of agreement.

Injustice is not just about war and crime. Injustice also happens where there is a huge disparity between the rich and poor. There is no crime in making oodles of money but when the bus fares are increased across the board and salaries haven’t, the ones that feel it the most are the ones who actually use the bus.

I applaud the Malaysian government and many other governments that have spoken up against the atrocities of Gaza. I hope the same as Israeli director Ari Folman of the animated film on war, Waltz with Bashir, who in his Golden Globe acceptance speech said that in years to come he hopes that the movie "looks like an ancient video game that has nothing to do with their lives whatsoever."

I’m sure all of us can’t bear the horrendous images plastered in the media of Gaza. Just as we condemn the injustices overseas, I hope that we can speak up about the atrocities in our own land instead of pretending they don’t exist. Perhaps we should acknowledge the vast numbers of refugees, respect their lives and give them dignity by agreeing to help them and sign the UN Refugee Convention. Aren’t these children dying too?

I woke up to Kiki and Tag wanting to make friends with the expensive puppy next door. I do hope he doesn’t snub them because they look like strays.


Natalie is still thinking about her goals for the year and needs to also think about goals as a global citizen instead of individual goals alone.

Comment: letters@thesundaily.com