Dear...

  Dear Malaysians,               How was your Teh Tarik today? Did you get stuck in traffic when going to work or school? Did you wake up at an ungodly hour just to avoid traffic jam? If yes, then our lives are not that different. It is not a surprise since we live in a collectivistic country. Collectivism is the belief that the interest of the group prevails over the interest of the individual (Scott, 2018, para. 14). This is probably the reason why we are acting the same way since there is a lack of individualism which is the belief that the interests of the individual prevail over the interests of the group (Scott, 2018, para. 15).               Is it bad that our country is a collectivistic one? Not really. As a collectivistic individual, we tend to prioritise our community more than ourselves. For example, we are more likely to take care of our pare...

  Dear lecturers,               When I was still in school, many of my teachers always told me that when I go to university, the lecturers won’t care about my attendance and behaviour. They told me that the lecturers won’t teach anything, and they will only lecture about the topic very quickly. So, I’m surprised to see some lecturers who are always caring about the students, and not just reading the slide every class. Well, there are some lecturers who just read the slides, but they still give breaks so that the students can rest after listening to the audible.               Firstly, thank you to all the lecturers who take their time to explain everything to the students so that they understand everything clearly. Every time my result comes out well, my lecturers have played a huge part in them, because without them, I could not have done it. Self-studyi...

  Dear abusers,               Why abuse? Does it bring you joy? If it really does not bring you any joy, then why do it? Do you  have  to abuse someone? Is it out of love that you hurt someone, so that  they  can become a better person? If you think that hitting someone will make them a better person, it is you who needs to become a better person. There are a few common justifications that abusers use to justify their actions; however, none of them are strong enough.               Firstly, it is said that hitting someone is to discipline them. If a child does not complete their homework, they get beaten with a cane, so that the child completes their homework the next time in fear of getting hurt. However, is this method any effective? Does the child never forget his or her homework after that, or does the parent beat the child again w...

Dear God,               There are many times where I have questioned your existence. However, if Satan exists, then you exist, too, right? Although I keep doubting your existence, I still cannot bring myself to side with the atheists who deny your existence. No matter how many times I question your existence, you are the one whom I seek the most when I need assistance. Your help is what I need the most in times when I am in misery. There may be people who do not believe in you, but I am not among them. The more I question your existence, the surer I am that you are here with me. So here is a letter for you, letting you know that you do not have to come in front of me to make me believe that you are always right next to me.               You make me feel safe when I am afraid. When I am walking alone in the dark, it is you whom I pray to so that you will keep ...

Dear Mom & Dad,               East or west, you guys are the best. Parenting is a really hard thing to do, and there is no specific formula or method that will guarantee success when it comes to parenting. However, both of you have put great efforts when it comes to raising me and this letter is just to remind you both that you guys are the best. There are three reasons why you are the best which are you have never neglected me, you have taught me to be good and you’ve always done what you think is the best for me.               Firstly, you have never neglected me. This may sound like bare minimum, but there are so many missing children out there, as well as children who get lost in the malls or crowded areas. Both of you have protected me from the dangers of the outside world when I was kid and I have never experienced anything dangerous in my entire li...

Dear Past Self,               Why are you so stressed about your future? Are you afraid of becoming a failure in the future? If so, what does it mean to become a failure? Is people looking down on you considered a fail? Why does success and failure revolve around how people perceive you?  What about you? Will you be happy in a 9-5 job although it pays well and people say, ‘She’s successful.’?                While you are too busy mulling over the future, what is happening to your present? Why are you thinking about future, instead of doing something that will make you happy now? Instead of wondering how you are going to study a subject that you don’t want to in the future, why don’t you go watch that movie you’ve been wanting to watch? Don’t think about whether studying science is more important for the future than arts. Study science if that’s...