The First Day of Ramadhan, 2009 (1430 H.)

22.8.2009.

This is the beginning of the annual ritual. I have determined years ago that I should make the effort at "moral cleansing" by observing deep into the external practices, and by reading deeper into the the teachings of the religion I profess. I don't know what progress I've made, but that's moot. Seriously, there's no golf for six weeks (serious because it's the mainstay of my daily constitutional since retirement). 

Yesterday was the last nine holes, after a terrible week of bad play since recovering from my little roadside misadventure on 13th. In fact when we saw a few pieces of cowdungs on the sixth fairway I remarked to Tiong Meng that's how we were playing - bull shit ! In forty days' time I can assure you I'll have to relearn everything. So what they say about learning to ride a bicycle doesn't apply to golf. They lie.

What I'm reflecting right now is the wisdom of holding one's counsel unless sought. You are at a table where there's lively discussions on all sorts of topics. So one lady says this is how her body reacts to the food she's taking, and I say you're not a nutritionist, how would you know, and naturally she's angered. 

This guy asks if the measure of the "gimme" putt is by the player's own putter or by any of the entire flight's, and I say by any of the four putters, and he's angry. In that case you can sleep with any of their wives, he retorts, and I say that's flawed arguement because we're talking about golf. 

And so it goes. And then I read Mahathir's blog about doctors, sworn to community service but brains still draining, and feel chastened. I also remember that group discussion on Wednesday about Malay leaders urging Islamic values but their wives go about with flying uncovered hairs. 

I'm conviced that if you have something worthwhile to say, then find a platform and say it. The trouble is the absence of the two main ingredients - something worthwhile to say, and the platform. Really, they are not hard to find, if you know how. 

Now, that's the trouble. So I think this Ramadhan I'll stick to last year's agenda. 

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