Joie de vivre [zhwaduh-vee-vruh]

I've heard this phrase, word in a couple of movies and tv series I was watching, and I got curious to its meaning. I have never used it before, and I wanted to know the context for its usage. In simple terms it means a delight in being alive, carefree enjoyment of living. And it seems apt seeing the title of my blog is Living the Moment.

Obtained from https://montasepikiran.wordpress.com/2016/03/30/joie-de-vivre/

In the past I tend to stew over anything and everything getting perturbed about things beyond my control. If I share what went on in my life in the past few months and years, your toes will curl, I may share it someday, very few people know about it. One day guided by my dearest mother I just stopped getting bothered. Instead, I started to enjoy life in more ways than one. She never tires sharing and sending various advice and good practices from Islam. I don't listen to hear or read about everything, but those that I do it changed my life.

In an earlier post, I shared that I started listening to podcasts because of Only Murders in the Building. The podcasts themselves are powerful snippets that continues to put me in new perspectives. In the past I felt like the walls were caving in where there was extraordinarily little that can be done. But now even if the walls collapse around me, I just look around for a new wall just making sure that they are sturdier. Learning from the past, making sure it is not repeated, and if they are repeated hoping that I've learnt enough to skirt around them.

I can also attribute my new sense to the environment I am in. I currently live and work in Kota Bharu. At the same time, I also live and work in Kuala Lumpur. It's the best of both worlds and the focus is towards people's well-being instead of just mine alone. Everywhere I go in Kelantan, my mind is racing a billion miles an hour looking for things that would be able to make a difference to people's lives. From there I try to incorporate into my day-to-day work or a longer-term strategy that may be able to sway or influence the management or the State Government.

Our world is still reeling from the impact from the Covid-19, the Movement Control Order, the crippling changes of Prime Ministers, we had 4 Prime Ministers change in a span of barely 5 years. And it is impacting us in many ways. Yet even as we speak there are those goons out there that is already plotting yet another change ignoring the impact it will have on the economy, investments, and the people.

The economy is in dire straits. Our debt is ballooning. Our currency is tanking, almost a free fall with very little action or reaction by the government. Foreign funds are also exiting our market, with our stock exchange also tanking. Foreign Direct Investments is a little slow in coming in. And there's not that many construction jobs either. Talk to anyone from the construction industry and they will give you the unfettered sordid detail. Costs is increasing and with our currency tanking it is not helping. The right jobs are not being created. Cost of living is rising yet salary bills remain stagnant for a very long time. When they got rid of GST, the single most damaging action the government can do, they lost a huge opportunity to generate revenue. The current tax bill will not be able to generate much and with the various (I will use this term) casually employed, they are not touching the right sources. Instead, they are flogging a dead horse from the wage earners, which isn't earning much and have been facing stagnant growth anyway.

And this is what everyone is seemingly ignoring, especially the goons that want to create more uncertainty and instability.

For God's sake, work with what we have right now. Get the economy on a firm footing, support controversial means to generate more revenue and then later fight to death if you must. At the same time stop putting up old fogeys with outdated ideas. Allow the young ones to take centre stage with fresh novel approaches and ideas. This is a new generation that many have no idea what's going on in their head. They are called many things. The Tik Tok generation. The snowflake generation. The cotton wool generation etc. Yet, I believe these labels don't do them any justice. I don't consider my children to be any of that.

For that, my keen sense of living is about opening up to the young, not even my generation. My generation has passed their prime. With what I can I hope to influence changes where I can. To make a difference where possible. And to live the moment as they are meant to be.

In the meantime? I will enjoy where I am, live here until I am no longer needed impacting lives wherever I can.