Lessons I learned recently

What skills or lessons have you learned recently?

“The mind can be a person’s best friend
or their greatest enemy.”
— Bhagavad Gita 6.5

The lessons I recently received came through a series of events that happened close together and left a deep impression on me.

It began with a problem involving my car battery. A Perodua mechanic said that the damage to my car was caused by me, claiming that the battery acid leakage was my own fault. I questioned this, because I am a woman with no technical knowledge about cars. Earlier, on 27.11.25, I had already messaged the sales advisor, Syahmi, asking why the car battery was leaking acid. Instead of receiving a clear explanation or guidance, the issue later returned as blame placed on me. It made me feel that car dealers and sales advisors rarely accept negative feedback, and that customers are often held responsible even when a car is new and under warranty.

The second incident happened on 2.12.25. I needed money and was driving a passenger from Hotel Moxy to the bus terminal. It was raining heavily, and there was flash flooding. While driving, the car suddenly skidded. In that brief moment, I clearly saw what might happen next—the car going over the divider onto the highway below. I reacted instantly by shifting the car into park, pulling the handbrake, and the car crashed against the curved divider. Smoke came from the tires, and the front bumper was damaged, but the car stopped.

The passenger asked if I was okay. I got out of the car to check the damage. A motorcyclist stopped and took pictures of my car. I did not understand his reason for doing so, and it made me uncomfortable. I then continued driving and safely dropped the passenger at her destination. What surprised me most was that I did not feel shocked. I was calm and steady. In past accidents, I would usually need medical attention, but this time I recovered immediately. The passenger even gave me extra payment and asked me to take her back to the hotel because her stay had been extended.

After that, I contacted a family mechanic. He advised me to bring the car to his friend’s workshop. When the mechanic inspected the car, he opened the boot and noticed that battery acid had leaked and eroded the car body frame. He warned me that if I continued driving, the damage could become severe. I asked why the Perodua service centre had never informed me about this or advised me to change the battery earlier. He told me that if I continued servicing the car there, I might be charged more later and still be blamed for the damage, even though the car was under warranty.

I repaired the bumper and worked hard to save money. Eventually, I went to a battery shop and replaced the leaking battery with a dry cell battery. I traded in the old battery and chose not to keep it. I also noticed that the battery cover was damaged and asked where I could buy a replacement, realizing that this also needed attention.

The third incident happened after I returned from Kaishi feeling unwell on 15.12.25 and did not go to work. In the evening, I felt a sharp, needle-like pain on the left side of my neck, which disappeared quickly. Later, while talking to my sister and mother, I felt another sharp pain on the third toe of my left foot. I became cautious and more aware of my body.

That night, while sleeping, I experienced strong physical sensations. My body jerked repeatedly from head to toe, and I had vivid, intense dream-like images. The experience felt unusual but ended by morning.

The fourth incident, 16.12.25 came through another vivid inner scene. I saw myself trying to raise money with the help of a friend who was showing something on his laptop. I was carrying three laptops—two office laptops with work documents and my personal laptop. In the scene, I felt pulled away from a peaceful place. A schoolgirl in a white and light blue uniform appeared and took my personal laptop. I ran after her, begging for it to be returned, and folded my hands in a gesture of surrender. The scene then changed to show the shoplots where I live damaged and destroyed, with broken glass scattered everywhere.

In the final scene, I saw Syahmi, dressed in white, standing quietly and observing. His presence felt significant to me, not because of action, but because it reflected unresolved feelings and unanswered communication. It showed me how certain interactions can stay in the mind when clarity is missing.

From all these experiences, I understood my main lesson. My direct way of speaking can sometimes come across as arrogant, even when that is not my intention. I am learning that there is a better way to speak—one that is calm, humble, and clear, without losing honesty. I am still learning how to communicate firmly without creating distance or resistance.

These experiences taught me awareness, self-restraint, and the importance of refining how I speak and respond in difficult situations.

“One who is not shaken by fear or anger,
and remains steady in success and failure,
is a person of true wisdom.”
— Bhagavad Gita 2.56