Chasing daylight – The roaring big “C”.

“ Your father only have 3 to 6 months to live. If he takes the chemo treatment, he would be living a better quality life and maybe longer as a bonus” the Doctor told the wife, son and daughter. These words kept ringing in my ear as I heard it loud and clear. The same thing was said when my MIL, Maggie died 8 years ago but she lasted almost two years and if there was no negligence on the part of the Doctor, she could have live one or two years more. Cancer patients do not actually die from cancer but out of complications arising from cancer and sometimes, the wrong treatments.

Everyone around the Doctor sink in silence and despair. Yeah, life is going to be shorter now and it would be moving even faster as very second counts and ticking. How can provide our father with a better life ? Are there an alternate cure ? The question of the best option continued to be debated  among the family but the Doctor say that the final decision lies with the patient. What do the patient want ?

At mid eighties, the choice is limited.  It is not so much about the curing the disease but what is the best way to give the patient  a better quality life for his remaining days in life. It is known that chemo treatment have side effects which could be uncomfortable to the patient but comparing with other treatment, there are also side effects like escalating pain and intense body aches. The Doctor recommended chemo as the best option as the side effects would  be less than other treatments.

At this juncture, it is full of confusion as some people survive cancer using the traditional herbal treatment or Ayurvedic method  and some survive after the chemo treatment. Some even claims that some herbal plants could help and others promote insects or reptiles or stem cells as a cure.  It will continue to be in a confusion state until a final cure for cancer is medically obtained. Just like leprosy or TB. Yes, I believe one day, there will be a break through and the medical advancement in this field is progressing very rapidly.  The chances of survival from the disease will be better in the future.

How  about now ? We should have hope and provide the patient with all the possible treatments ? Yes, the patient must decide but can the patient decide ? The patient will be confused and will not be able to decide under fear. Torn between the fear of dying and hope of survival. Time is running out , decision must be make soon and in the meantime, he should live instead of in despair.  The outcome cannot be certain or cannot be controlled, so the only thing right to do is to live and live in the way we want or close all the things that is open including relationships. So, when the day come, it is easier and lighter to go on a journey to the other side.

Namaste.

The words of wisdom

The nature of life, don't meddle with it .

The morning is bright and cooling , the afternoon is burning and the air is hot and come evening , twilight decent and the air gets cooling  and when night falls, it get dark and cold.  If you observe carefully, it is like the four seasons in a year. However, the weather could get rainy or cloudy but bearing the extremes, the day starts from bright to the brightest and dim and then gets dark.  This is nature and we should gracefully accepts the gradual change in the weather.

If we compare it to age, there is a lot of similarity.  When we are born, our skin is young and smooth and when we get into our young age, we grow taller , fatter or slimmer and our features change with time, when we are in our adult age, our features continue to change , wrinkles and eye bags start to grow  and when we gets old , our skin become coarse and dry and our hairs get white.  This is according to nature and there is nothing we can do about it.

Alot of people have spend their fortunes to keep young and beautiful including plastic surgery , SKII and also applying thin layers of cosmetics on their face to hide their age. After the process, all their facial or body parts do not match each other. The eyes is wide but full of wrinkles by the side and the face is stretch but the skin below the neck sags, etc. The whole body is out of sync and out of tune. It looks weird and ugly , looking like uneven patches of youth and old age mixing together.  Well, that is life.  What else can they do with the money?

It is best not to tamper with nature as the body will age evenly and in a balance way, we look more natural and graceful. However, we try to delay aging , it will only for a brief moment and finally, we have to face age itself. If we let nature takes its natural course, our body and mind is prepared to accept the aging process. If we look young and yet, we come to face death, it seems so unnatural becomes we can live a thousand years more.  People who look after their age and appearance expects to live longer because their appearance mislead them and make them think that they can do what the young people can do.  This is a very serious issue and people out do or out play their physical endurance because they think they are still young. A 60 years old man , playing at the speed and intensity as an 18 years old adult.

Well, let nature take care of it self and we can lay back and let age balanced our body and mind until  the day when we are 100  years old , we look like a 100 years old  fella.  Not like an alien from space or a monster from the lab.

Namaste.

Metta - loving kindness

Metta is a Pali word meaning loving kindness. Metta chanting is the radiation of loving-kindness towards all beings: May they all be happy, peaceful. The music is soothing, uplifting, joyful and a great healing for the world, pervading it with waves after waves of love. Truly, may all beings be happy. May they live always in peace and harmony.

Some light humor to make your day

In an office:
TOILET OUT OF ORDER...... PLEASE USE FLOOR BELOW

In a Laundromat:AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES: PLEASE REMOVE ALL YOUR CLOTHES WHEN THE LIGHT
GOES OUT

In a London department store:
BARGAIN BASEMENT UPSTAIRS

In an office:
WOULD THE PERSON WHO TOOK THE STEP LADDER YESTERDAY PLEASE BRING IT BACK
OR FURTHER STEPS WILL BE TAKEN

In an office:
AFTER TEA BREAK STAFF SHOULD EMPTY THE TEAPOT AND STAND UPSIDE DOWN ON THE
DRAINING BOARD

Outside a secondhand shop:
WE EXCHANGE ANYTHING - BICYCLES, WASHING MACHINES, ETC. WHY NOT BRING YOUR
WIFE ALONG AND GET A WONDERFUL BARGAIN?

Notice in health food shop window:
CLOSED DUE TO ILLNESS

Spotted in a safari park:
ELEPHANTS PLEASE STAY IN YOUR CAR

Seen during a conference:
FOR ANYONE WHO HAS CHILDREN AND DOESN'T KNOW IT, THERE IS A DAY CARE ON
THE 1ST FLOOR

Notice in a farmer's field:
THE FARMER ALLOWS WALKERS TO CROSS THE FIELD FOR FREE, BUT THE BULL
CHARGES.

On a repair shop door:
WE CAN REPAIR ANYTHING. (PLEASE KNOCK HARD ON THE DOOR - THE BELL DOESN'T
WORK)

Murphy's Law - The wonders of the Mind

Whenever I find the key to success, someone changes the lock.

To Err is human, to forgive is NOT a COMPANY policy.

The road to success??? Is always under construction.

In order to get a Loan, you first need to prove that you don't need it.

All the desirable things in life are either expensive or fattening or married to someone else.

Since Light travels faster than Sound, people appear brighter before you hear them speak.

Everyone has a scheme of getting rich, Which never works.

You can never determine which side of the bread to butter. If it falls down, it will always land on the buttered side.

Anything dropped on the floor will roll over to the most inaccessible corner.

He who has the gold, makes the rules ---- Murphy's golden rule.

If you come early, the bus is late. If you come late, the bus is still late...

Once you have bought something, you will find the same item being sold somewhere else at a cheaper rate.

If you have paper, you don't have a pen. If you have a pen, you don't have paper. If you have both, no one calls.

The door bell or your mobile will always ring when you are in the bathroom.

When in a queue, the other line always moves faster and the person in your queue and in front of you will always have the most complex of transactions.

The difference between Complete and Finished.

Complete and finished - An English Lesson for All
No English dictionary has been able to explain the difference between the two words 'complete' and 'finished'  in a way that's so easy to understand:

Some people say there is no difference between COMPLETE & FINISHED,
but there is:

When you marry the right one, you are COMPLETE....

And when you marry the wrong one, you are FINISHED.....

And when the right one catches you with the wrong one, you are
COMPLETELY FINISHED !!!

                        

LIfe is a journey, not a destination.

In our daily life, we are focus. We set destination after destination. Continuous moving between destinations. When we drive, we also look for the shortest route to our destination and within the shortest time.  We are hooking up all the spots in the map  from the moment , we wake until we sleep.  Joining the dots in our life become our main agenda. Living but actually not knowing how to live.

From Monday to Friday, on our working days : We rush to work, we do our work , we eat our lunch and we continue to do our work until it is time for home. We eat our dinner , we watch our TV and we do some of our office work and we sleep. The routing repeat the next morning until Friday. On Friday, we thank GOD, it is Friday and we will have time for our self on Saturday and Sunday. We wake up and we go for morning walk , we eat breakfast and we watch TV or read newspaper and it is lunch time already and we rush to eat lunch and in the afternoon , we take a power nap and watch some TV programs and Oh, it is dinner time already and we rush for dinner and after dinner, we watch more TV or read more news and finally, it is about time to sleep.  On Sunday , the routine is almost the same as Saturday and soon, we are back to work on Monday and history repeat itself over and over.  So,why thank GOD on a Friday?

During the holiday break, we travel to a distant place and from morning to night, we go shopping , shopping and shopping. Why are there so many things to buy?  We are slave to our cravings. End of the holiday, we are exhausted and we rush home to rest and prepare to catch up with our work which is piling up during our holidays. More work and more busy after a holiday.

Actually, we should slow down and re-look at life. Life is a journey and we should enjoy the process and the time between the destinations. Absorbing the freshness  and the strange things on the way. Free and easy. Lay back and  relax. Moving with the rhythm of life. If we so wish, we can travel within our self , enjoy our beautiful breath ,  slow down our  heart beats and explore the stillness of our mind.  The journey to our inner "self " will replenish us  with energy and a new look in life. Understanding our self more and enjoy the simple things within us  and playing with our breath and enjoying our food at slow pace and more chewing could bring enormous happiness to us. The feeling swell from inside will be reflected in our outer appearance. A new aura will surround us  if we are  blissful and  happy.

So, don't rush from destination to destination and neglect the time , space and process between it.  We need not find our treasures at the designations but it is available all along the way if we are alert and focus, we will be  aware of the smaller dots linking all the  bigger dots. Every small dot is a fulfillment by itself.

Namaste.

Facing with pain and fear.

People who is stricken with serious illness is fearful and uncertain.  I have seen my MIL suffered in silence after she was diagnosed with the big C. She would sit near the window and stare far ahead into the ocean and yet what she is looking at is a blank. Looking but yet not seeing. She was deep in thoughts and still struggling with what had happen. Her face motionless and her eyes narrowed as if adjusting her long vision focus. She suddenly burst out " why it had to happen to  me ? I have not done anything wrong or evilish? " . I was speechless and do not know how to answer her and just keep quiet, sitting next to her and also staring into the open space, without anything in focus. She has passed away almost 8 years now.

Now, seeing my FIL going through the same journey. It was almost fearful and hurting. The memories of my MIL came floating back into my mind and the events leading to her passing surfaced again.  The enormous mental pain and stress and upteem time of self questioning routine, thousands of thoughts floating through the mind , switch on and switch off , draining the energy from their body and mind. Well, from outside looking in, it is easy. Just shut our mind and don't think about it. How to do it if you have not been trained to still your mind and not re-acting to your thought  Even experienced meditators also finds it difficult to manage  when they are under stress.  Not an easy task.

Words of wisdom can be easily said but the patient will be struggling to understand it when they are confused and agitated. Pain can be disturbing and uncomfortable especially when you are faced with sharp pains and without any pain killers . A small movement could be like a ton of  metal clashing down on you or a sharp knife piecing your flesh or a good tooth been pulled out from your gum raw.  Sometimes, even a strong man will weep.  If it is just pain, it maybe manageable to certain extent but coupled with the mental torture arising from fear even GOD will cry.  Fear will intensify the pain and vice versa , pain will bear fear. The more painful the feeling , the more fearful one will become.

In such circumstance, we have to tackle the fear first by acknowledging it and not re-acting to it. We cannot do anything about the situation , so why we need to fear.  If we get rid of one enemy, the other enemy will be weaken and it will be more manageable.  This is the only logical way to break up the pair and play singles with the remaining one. We become more focus.

It is easy said than done but no harm trying as it will not get any worse. Conquering the body and mind needs a lot of practice , patience and wisdom.  If you are prepared , it will serve you well but if do not have any experience, you should take the first step.  In times of fear, spirituality can help. Chanting the heart sutra and mantra will help to take the focus from the pain. The more focus you put on the pain, the stronger it will become. If you pay less attention, it will not be so arrogant and fearful.  Giving pain attention is like giving water to a plant, it will get stronger ,bigger and will hurt you more.

For those who have accept fate and knowing we cannot change fate, they will be more capable to handle fear and pain.

Namaste.

I am finally retired. What a bliss...

My first job was working in an Orange Juice factory,

but I got canned. Couldn't concentrate.

 

Then I worked in the woods as a Lumberjack,

but just couldn't hack it, so they gave me the axe.

 

After that, I tried being a Tailor,

but wasn't suited for it -- mainly because it was a sew-sew job.

Next, I tried working in a Muffler Factory,

but that was too exhausting.

 

Then, tried being a Chef,
figured it would add a little spice to my life, but just didn't have the thyme.

 

Next, I attempted being a Deli Worker,
but any way I sliced it.... couldn't cut the mustard.

 

My best job was a Musician,
but eventually found I wasn't noteworthy.

 

I studied a long time to become a Doctor,
but didn't have any patience.

 

Next, was a job in a Shoe Factory.
Tried hard but just didn't fit in.

 

I became a Professional Fisherman,

but discovered I couldn't live on my net income.

 

Managed to get a good job working for a Pool Maintenance Company,
but the work was just too draining.

 

So then I got a job in a Workout Center,
but they said I wasn't fit for the job.

 

After many years of trying to find steady work, I finally got a job as a Historian
until I realized there was no future in it.

 

My last job was working in Starbucks,
but had to quit because it was the same old grind.

 

SO, I TRIED RETIREMENT
AND I FOUND I'M PERFECT FOR THE JOB!

A profound answer from a teacher.

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life.

 

One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued,” What’s a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"

 

To stress his point he said to another guest; "You're a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?"

 

Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, "You want to know what I make? (She paused for a second, then began...

"Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could

I make kids sitthrough 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 without an I Pod, Game Cube or movie rental

You want to know what I make? (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table)

 

I make kids wonder.

I make them question.

I make them apologize and mean it.

I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.

I teach them to write and then I make them write.. Keyboarding isn't everything.

I make them read, read, read.

I make them show all their work in math. They use their God given brain, not the man-made calculator.

I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know about English while preserving their unique cultural identity.

I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.

Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life. (Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.)

 

Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with me knowing money isn't everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant. You want to know what I make? I MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

What do you make Mr. CEO?

His jaw dropped, he went silent.

 

Even all your personal teachers like mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, coaches and your spiritual leaders/teachers.

A truly profound answer!!!

 

Teaching is...the profession that makes all other professions possible!

To be and not to be ... Shakespeare

I told my daughter about Shakespeare's writing and she instantly told me " to be and not to be". Ow! Young people of this generation also know the famous quote. Yes, just six words and the meaning is very deep.  When it mend to happen, it will happen and if it is not going to happen, it will not happen. I have written an article on this subject.

Life is very fluid and it is constantly changing and it is  very unpredictable and uncertain. If you think tomorrow is sure to come, it may not be and if you think that you are dying , yet you will not die because the time have yet come.  Maybe Shakespeare have read about Buddha's teaching of impermanence  or Lao Tze's  theory of  constant changes. I believe Buddha and Lao Tse was before the time of Shakespeare.

This deep wisdom is to advise us to live in the present  and do not interfere with nature or force a change in our fate. Let things happen naturally and according to its timing.  Birth, age, sickness and death is the four ages in our life and the circle of life will turn according to each individual fate.  We have to learn to acknowledge , accept and be aware of the changes coming before us. So, many great teachers and  great man have preach this wisdom and yet a lot of us is ignorant or refuse to accept the unfolding of nature.

So often, we asked our self why is this or that is happening to us ? We continue to seek an answer that is already there before us. We  just refuse to accept it and fight against it.  Yet, we have no control over the outcome and it caused a lot of turmoil in our heart and mind. We asked those close to us and yet , there is no answer. It is not that there is no answer, we just refuse to accept that it is happening to us.

I have said it before, if worries can make you happy , keep worrying and if not, shift your focus  and think of the happy things and let nature takes its course.  If we do not have control over the events, why do we attempt to change it and caused unnecessary  unhappiness for us. The time is limited and we should use the limit time to settle our  lasting matters and prepare to close the chapters with the people around us.  Yes, to accept the end is scary and difficult and needs a lot of courage.  What is the use of fear if the end is certain.

Yes, to be and not to be. Live with this wisdom and you will be blissful and happy.

Namaste.

Georgetown festival 2011

Georgetown Festival  2011 - Georgetown Penang is celebrating its 3rd anniversary as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the whole month of July 2011.  A month-long “George Town Festival” is inaugurated in conjunction with this year’s celebration, featuring over 30 programs throughout the month of July! This is a concerted effort to promote ARTS and HERITAGE in Penang by the Penang State Government, Municipal Council of Penang Island, George Town World Heritage Incorporated and Penang Global Tourism.

Scheduled to be an annual event, George Town Festival opens as a feast of theatre, music, dance, film, arts, food, fashion, photography, inspirational talk and visual spectacle on the streets. By bringing together different artistic communities from local and abroad-schools, amateur groups, cultural groups, professional performers-George Town Festival thus becomes the stage for local and international artistic exchange. It is a guarantee to treat the audiences with both traditional and contemporary artistic trends from around George Town.

Georgetown Festival  2011

George Town Festival 2011 Programme Booklet Download
George Town Festival 2011 Summary Calendar Download

Click to enlarge the image

http://www.georgetownfestival.com/

My lunch with KH - a good discussion

KH  is a Guru in SunTzi , the Art of War. The Art of War is a very old book written by Sun Tzi , a Great General on military strategies. One of his most famous strategy  is " to now your self and to know your enemy, the battle is won a thousand times over". This means that if you know your own and your enemy's strong point and weakness, if you go into battle with your enemy , you will surely win.  It is because you use your strong points to attack your opponent's weak point and strengthen your weak points against the attack from your enemy who will be attacking your weak point using their strong points. If you understand this strategy, you will be able to switch your positions to defend and attack at the same time. However, lets not going to this lengthy subject as this is going to be a big subject and a hot one as well.

During the lunch, KH told us a joke which make us laugh out loud and embarrass as well. He told us that recently, he stayed in a 5 star hotel and in the morning , he received a call from room service. On the other end of the line was a lady, who apologized for not breaking up his bed and she forgot to stock up his bathroom.  She told him that she will bring the Loti-on later . KH was surprised and asked her again what is she bringing , She told him " Loti-on" . So , he was puzzled and just wait for the room service to come. There was a ring from the door bell and KH open the door and there stood a young lady with a bottle of lotion. KH told the lotion and quickly closed the door and have a good laugh after that.  The Loti-on is lotion. All of us could help LOL and also wondering what is happening to our education system.

Next subject , KH talk about is answering to GOD.  KH is a Christian and he lost his wife about two years and is still grieving and is surrounding himself with all her good memories. This may not be good for him but if he is happy, why bother? He said that recently , there is alot of evil acts been committed in our society and finally, all of us have to answer to GOD. There is no escape. The truth , half true or lie is between a person and GOD. Come judgement day, these bastards , cohorts, liars and dogs will need to face GOD and account for their sins. It does not matter whether it is the creator, GOD or Allah, all those lowly characters will be or their sins, In Buddhism, they will be accountable for the bad karma and will become the dog reflecting their role in their present life.

There is a limit to tolerance and if the limit is exceeded , more and more people will feel offended by the shits that have been thrown to the fan. Enough is enough before all of us stink from the acts of a few lowly characters.

KH expressed is appointment with the current events and he feels that our society is going down the tubes and gutter. So, lets hope and wish for something good to happen where the sunlight push back the darkness and we will be happy again.

I shared the same concern as KH. Change must come from external and from within. The choice is ours.

Namaste.

The changing skyline - a worrying trend

Once, I attended a dinner and at the end of the dinner , there was a stand up comedian act. The comedian was a very famous person call Sham. Lets not mention his race but he was very skillful and his theme was to portray, the  Malaysian behaviour in society. One of the act was portraying Malaysians crossing the road with only their hands sign stopping the on-coming traffic and another scene of Indian actors dancing and suddenly hiding behind bushes or tress,etc. These are the comedian side of the Malaysian society at large.But, what is very serious is the changing Malaysian culture and it is getting very  worrisome.

In my younger days, I have friends from all races and I used to play with them in the football field and after that , we drink at the coffee shop and they will come to my house and I will go to their house. There was so much peace and freedom. Yes, to enjoy complete freedom, there must be peace.  Freedom with peace is useless but the more important factor is peace. However, I am seeing a widening gap in the racial line and it must be patched up fast before it go into the extreme.  But, luckily, with the wide spread use of the Internet , communication is travelling very fast and the news spread far and wide to dispel any rumors or half truths and prevent any manipulation of the situation by certain groups of people.

Another serious changing mannerism is the "over kill" behavior. In boxing, there should be no hitting under the belt and if the boxer do it three times, he will be disqualified.  In boxing, when the opponent is down , the winning boxer have to stop and step back until the referee check out his opponent and certified whether he is fit before letting the fight continue. Now, I have seen the rule been change by certain group of people who implant the culture of "over-kill".  That is , they continued to hit below the belt in the glaring eyes of the law  and when their opponent fell on the mat, they continued to hit their opponent continuously until he faint several times over until he die. This extremist is scary and should not be encourage in whatever circumstances. When they is a fight, it should be equal and fair and we should resort to gutter techniques. This is really a sad scene.

These are only two aspects of the many issues coming out today.  I hope to plead for the society not to test the extremes and widening the range of conflict. Let the events  unfold naturally and play by the professional set of rules instead of using gutter techniques. I must emphasize " Freedom without peace is meaningless " and to have absolute freedom , there must be peace and freedom.  Suppression will breed discontentment and sequent reactions.

Namaste.

The world is a big stage.....

William Shakespeare is the most widely read of all Authors and the popularity of the works of Shakespeare, in English speaking countries, is second only to the Bible. He intrigues other authors. It is, therefore, not surprising that there are many quotes and quotations about William Shakespeare by his peers. 

William Shakespeare, who was an English poet and playwright widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist has this to say about life and acting.
Quote:

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages.

Comments: 
The few words above sum up our life on this earth.  We are just actors and script have been prepared and we just act it out. We are also impermanent , coming on stage and on-going of the stage when we are finished with our role. The script is all about us and we are the main actor in our life. But, at the same time, we act in multiple scripts as we play husband or wife in another script or lover  or father , whatever role is defined in the script and all these scripts run simultaneously until we finished our main role in our life.

William Shakespeare's understanding of life is very deep and he can expressed at such great precision of what is actually life. Some people say that we determine our destiny but others said we are just puppets on the string and everything is pre-destined.  Nobody knows exactly but the basic philosophy of life is the same. We are just actors.

The seven ages refers to the different stages in a man's life : infant, schoolboy, lover, soldier, justice,  pantaloon and second childhood.

Frankly, we should not take life so seriously as one great Buddhist teacher, Ajahn Brahm once say " life is like watching a concert in a stadium.  You go in and watch and enjoy the whole concert and when you come out, it is the end of it. So, when you are in the stadium, you should enjoy yourself to the fullest because there is not going to another concert like this". 

Namaste.

My friend, PH is retiring

He is heck of a person. I have known him for more than 10 years and he is an easy going guy and invest generously in many unsuccessful ventures and have many directorships in various private limited companies. He is coming to 55 and he chose to retire and venture into some business.  I have seen him time and again failed in his ventures and has advised him to be careful and leave some money for his retiring years.

He has been working in a large public listed company which recently have been taken over by another big group . These big boys are playing big games and he feel that he has enough of it and he chose to ease out and live a more simple life. Working for an employer is different from becoming your own boss and running  a business. These are two different animals and they behave very differently, A good worker need not necessary be a good business man and vice versa.  In business , you have to heartless and cruel sometimes , otherwise people make use of you and keep your funds with them as if you owe them.   To these bad guys, you need to be heartless  or else you become penniless.

Because of his directorship in so many companies on volunteer basis , things are turning bad and the companies are running into trouble and he has been receiving so many SOS calls from this companies. History repeat it self many times over and he is fire fighting the cases. It is truly a troublesome affair.

My advise to him is to cut the roots one by one and untangle  all the knots slowly and gradually , otherwise, these matters will come back and haunt him over and over again. It is never easy but he has to take the first step.

To all my readers, I am sharing this experience with you is because I want to sent a message and the message is to be kind to yourself. Take care of your affairs first before taking care of others. So, never stand as guarantors or participate in the business of others especially friends. Open your eyes wide to see what you are signing or going into. Make sure anything you do , you have an exit clause somewhere and also a limit to your financial exposures.  Exercise these triggers heartlessly like a robot and with precision. No hesitation to cut loss if things are not going right.  I have seen many people been entangle in all sorts of financial problems and spending their time running around managing their debts. This is not a nice way to live your life.

I have seen normal people living like devils and mad man if their ability to serve their debts has been compromised by all sorts of reasons. People can do crazy things when they are desperate. Their mind is so disturb and choppy until they could not sleep , lost their dignity and talk nonsense. They became illusion. These desperate people even resort to loan sharks and borrowing on credit cards and finally, using one card's fund to cover other cards and running round as their loans escalate.

My message here is do not be greedy or soft hearted , be kind to your self and take care of your welfare first. Good friends are hard to come by but to have a peaceful and good life , you need to preserve your strength for them and not be drag down by your good friends. If you are able, you still can help or provide some advise or small financial help . If you are with them, nobody will be able to help either one of you. Remember when it rain, do not go into the rain together and get both of you wet. If either one of you go to get the car in the rain, at least one of you is dry and fine and can help the drenched one.

Be kind to your self and do be careful when you are young and do not litter so many problems in your twilight years. This is the time to wind down and go off into the sunset.

Namaste.

Have a good laugh ....

*Be**tter than a Flu Shot! *

 

Miss Beatrice,
The church organist,

Was in her eighties
And had never been married.

She was admired for her sweetness
And kindness to all.

One afternoon the pastor came to call on her and she showed him into her quaint sitting room.

She invited him to have a seat while she prepared tea.
As he sat facing her old Hammond organ,
The young minister noticed a cute glass bowl sitting on top of it.

The bowl was filled with water, and in the water floated, of all things, a
condom!

 

When she returned with tea and scones,
They began to chat.
The pastor tried to stifle his curiosity
About the bowl of water and its strange floater, but soon it got the better

of him and he could no longer resist.

'Miss Beatrice', he said,
'I wonder if you would tell me about this?'

Pointing to the bowl.

'Oh, yes,' she replied, 'Isn't it wonderful?
I was walking through the park a few months ago and I found this little

package on the ground.

The directions said to place it on the organ, keep it wet and that it would

prevent the spread of disease. Do you know I haven't had the flu All
winter.'* *

Straits Quay flea market on Sundays.

Down memory lane with songs like Rose, Rose , I love you.

Fashion and clothings for sale.

Imitation antiques and many variety of items for sale.

Who shout the loudest, win !

I read an impressive phrase from John F. Kennedy " We should not fear to negotiate and we should not negotiate under fear ". The meaning is very deep but it is almost a taboo in Asian countries and almost to the extent of disgusting. Our pride and up brings forbade us from demanding for our rights or accord the proper value for our job or self worth. For these reasons, most of the Asians suffer in silence or under abuse and choose to leave their jobs without any resistance if they are not happy. Fear is used to suppress human rights or demand for our rights and values.  Most of the times, the employers are the one who shout the loudest while the employees shake in fear. Shouting is to instill fear in most negotiations and the loudest always wins.

So, when I read the phrase from John Kennedy, I found the wisdom in the words. It is our basic right to negotiate. What is wrong saying what is on our mind and also questioning or demanding for more pay to correspond with our value in an organization. There has to be a systematic and fair evaluation using KPIs ( key performance indexes) or MBOs ( Management By Objectives) to measure one's performance and to remunerate them according to their contribution to an organisation and not just based on the whims and fancies of our superiors or employers. If without such tools to measure and evaluate, it will be based on superficial or bias judgements. Sometimes, there could be harassment and victimization in the evaluations. Hence, we should provide the platform by using such tools to negotiate on the rewards and awards in a fair and reasonable basis.

For some bad managements, they use intimidation to instill fear and compromise one's power or ability to negotiate a proper deal. Any negotiation under duress or fear  is unhealthy and bias. From an organization, it has been used to suppress the people , hence marginalizing the timid many and favoring the mighty few. Such behaviour will caused brain drain in an organization or a country and in the end, only those shout the loudest will stay and get rewarded or the powerful few suppressing  the many weak. It is a time bomb for disaster.

John Kennedy, could have been a very good US President if he was not assassinated early in life. He was a forward looking , young and dynamic President . Rebellious in many ways but that makes him different. Coming from the man of his calibre shows that he has enormous wisdom.

So, many of you would live to live in peace and comfort and do not want to rock the boat and rather suffer in silence. In Buddhism, you are advise to have kind compassion and loving kindness to your fellow human beings but it did not stop you to be kind and fair to yourself.  The westerners have expressed surprise at our tolerating and silent nature and it is high time, you be yourself and ask what is due to you and not wait for what is due to you. Never fear, for fear breeds more fear.  Stand up and be counted to demand and insist for our rights. In the end , you will find  your self , a happier person.

Namaste .

Take challenges to enrich your experience.

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well that the farmer had accidentally left uncovered. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the
well needed to be covered up anyway, so it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbours to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what
was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey
was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbours continued to shovel dirt ontop of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up.Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey steppedup over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

Moral of the story....Life is filled with challenges - somecan knock you down and bring you to your knees but it'snot how many times you get knocked down that matters -it's how many times you shake them off and step back up.

A wonderful dinner at Gurney

I had a wonderful dinner with my family, my BIL, SILs and nieces at a place called New Zealand Restaurant. It was a simple meal but it was a wonderful gathering with all laughs and serious talks. I told the gathering that it was the opportunity to sit together for a meal that makes it wonderful. How rare is the occasion for the relatives to gather together and catch up with each others' well beings.

We were joking and laughing while enjoying the food and drinks. My SILs were talking about goodness of stem cells and there had just attended a talk by a Taiwanese Professor who is specialized in the stem cell products. The Professor have advised them to follow three principle rules in life . Firstly, to smile more and make the world smile with you , secondly, chew on your foods for a minimum of 30 times and thirdly, be merry and happy. These three principles fall in line with the basic Buddhist teaching.

Smile is a reflection of your inner wisdom and beauty and it is a show of humility. Smile is contagious and it projects loving kindness to all. Smile and the world will smile with you...

When we talk about chewing our food , the Professor explained that if we chew our food long enough, our gums will excrete an enzyme which neutralized the toxins in our body.. In the Buddhist practice, chewing the food is practice your awareness of eating ,enjoying the breaking of the food in small particles and to enjoy its creation and dissolution. We are eating in meditation and awareness.

Be happy. Like I have say in my earlier articles. Everybody wants happiness and to avoid unhappiness. If we practice meditation , we will be able to still our mind and avoid re-actions to our thoughts and in full control of our actions. We will calm down and will be in  relax and slow down our pace in life.

The usage of stem cells are at its early stages and the benefits is unknown and uncertain. Our body re-actions differently as no DNA is alike. Any thing can happen and if it matches, then the treatment would be effective but if it re-acts differently , it will have no impact or usage.  It is a bet against uncertainties.

Hence, the basic three principle is more effective to our general well being.  Smile, chew longer and be happy. This is your choice and you can do it.  It is as simple as ABC and if we practice long enough , it will become part of our life style and a permanent part of your behaviour.

Namaste.

The circle of life

I read a message from the face book posted by my friend. It was a sad message talking about death, memory and love. I believe she have lost a close relative recently and I wish to dedicate this article to her. She is a staunch Buddhist and I want to advise her that nobody can escape the circle of life , that is, birth,age, sickness and death. Many billions of people have gone before us and how many more  billions will be gone after us. Nobody is special and this is the only path. Some can live longer ,some  shorter and others have shortest life on earth , this is part of evolution.

It is very easy to advise but to endure the lost is something very different. For people of my age, I have lost both my parents and several uncles and aunties due to old age and sickness and after each passing, my time seems to get nearer. I have written many articles about life but yet, death is still a stranger to me. It will come and where will I go ? There is no escaping and we will just have to face it and for the moment, we should live our life the best we can.

When I lost my mother, I felt very sorry and sad. Very sorry because I have not spend enough quality time with her or have not done my best for her. I blame myself very much in the beginning and gradually, I begin to understand that I cannot change the fact that she is gone. I have to accept it and manage the fond memories which constantly float up in my mind. Even recently, in my dreams or suddenly, the thoughts of her just came into my mind. I have to acknowledge , accept it and watch it go. I missed her very much but I have to live a meaningful and happy life. I take the thought of her as experience to enrich my life and I say praise about her or bring up her memory as part of my conversation with my brother and sisters. We have good laugh and also good thoughts about her. This is all we can do and we are aware that this will be part of our life.

To my friend, SB. Yes, the love and intimate conversation with your love ones will remain with you forever and no one can steal it from you. But, please do not get depress over this happening as this is the right time for her to go. You may think that you can prolong it abit longer but there is no "ifs" because when it happens, it happen and there is nothing you can do to change it. If you think you have change it , then that is not the time yet. Everything happens at the right time for a reason.

Whatever I say, it will take awhile for you to understand and through time, you will gradually understand the wisdom of life and the limited power in you to change your fate. Time stops for no one and you have a lot of things to do in near and distant future for love ones. Be a good mother to them and provide them choice in life and lead them to bliss and happiness in the future. Your job is not yet done.

Namaste.

Indian spirituality - Great Wisdom

Weight loss - Maggie pig

My daughter came back from college one day and told me that she has taken a bet to lost 5 kgs in two weeks. I told her it is not impossible if you set your mind to it.  Her friends have been calling her Maggie pig, a fat piglet in a cartoon series. If she lost 5 kgs, then they will not call her that name and the challenger will have to sing in front of her  college and make a fool of her self.

When we sets our mind to it, nothing is impossible. We have to work on our mental habits regarding food. It has been our culture to eat three times a day and in Penang, as often a 5 times a day but not of lesser quantity at each meal. Is it logical to eat so much food in a day ? Actually, this is very wasteful but we need food on the table to have a choice of variety and to build up our appetite. Yeah, one or two dishes is enough but there is no choice and it makes our life miserable. We work for food and we die for food. Some live to eat and some eat to live.  For those eat to live, they will be slimmer and more healthy whereas those live to eat is normally on the fatty side.

My daugther is the "live to eat" type. She goes for her favorites , eat sizable quantity and it can be pricy . How can she lost 5 kgs in two weeks? This will be a big challenge and she is going to be in trouble if she diet in the wrong way.  In weight reducing program, everything have to be gradual and so, your body will get us to the weight lost and accepts your body conditions. If we lost weight too much and too soon, we will put it back in no time. Everything have to be gradual and systematic.  Another side effect is that we will encounter hunger pangs and we will be thinking, dreaming  and calling for food. It is a whole mix up feeling of despair and desperate.

At the beginning of the weight lost, the improvement is noticeable and great but as we move further , we will hit a plateau or even worst a desert. We can hardly notice any weight lost after the initial phase. So, there is a lot of patience and psychological dilemma  as your weight lost program deepen.

But , whatever is been said, each person is different from each other and our body behaves very differently. So, what we have to do is to be aware of our problem, watch the food we eat , acknowledge that  this is an impossible task but have a firm belief in yourself that you can do it. Meditation helps to strengthen the belief in our self , acknowledge our mental habits and break away from our mental control. If we are in control of our self, everything will be possible.  Not only 5 kgs , even 10 kgs is not a problem.

Nothing is impossible and impossible is nothing as I have mentioned in one of my articles. Just do it. When there is a challenge , Life becomes more meaningful and purpose driven.

Namaste.

4 worms and a lesson....

A minister decided that a visual demonstration would add emphasis to his Sunday sermon.

Four worms were placed into four separate jars.

 

The first worm was put into a container of alcohol.

The second worm was put into a container of cigarette smoke.

The third worm was put into a container of chocolate syrup.

The fourth worm was put into a container of good clean soil.

At the conclusion of the sermon, the Minister reported the following results:

The first worm in alcohol...Dead.

The second worm in cigarette smoke...Dead.

Third worm in chocolate syrup...Dead.

Fourth worm in good clean soil...Alive.

 

So the Minister asked the congregation,

What did you learn from this demonstration?

Maxine was sitting in the back, quickly raised her hand and said,

'As long as you drink, smoke and eat chocolate, you won't have worms!'

 

That pretty much ended the service!

Enjoy your life, there is no 2nd chance.

TO THOSE OF US WHO ARE ALREADY THERE 

AND TO THOSE WHO WILL SOON BE THERE

The Secrets of Old Age*

*Before middle age - Do not fear,,

After middle age - Do not regret

Enjoy Your Life While You Can

*Do not wait till you cannot even walk just to be sorry and to regret.
*As long as it is physically possible, visit places you wish to visit.

*When there is an opportunity, get together with old classmates,
old colleagues & old friends.

The gathering is not just about eating; it’s just that there is not much time left

*Money kept in the banks may not be really yours.
*When it is time to spend, just spend, & treat yourself well as you’re
getting old.

*Whatever you feel like eating, just eat! It is most important to be happy.
*Food which are good for health - eat often and more - but that is not
everything.

*Things whic are not good for health - eat less but once in a while
do not abstain from them totally.

Treat sickness with optimism.

Whether you are poor or rich,Everyone has to go through the birth, aging, sickness and death.
There is no exception, that’s life.
Do not be afraid or worried when you are sick

Settle all the outstanding issues before hand and you will be able to leave without regret.

The creator handles your life & loves you but be in charge of your own moods
If worries can cure your sickness, then go ahead and worry.
If worries can prolong your life, then go ahead and worry.
If worries can exchange for happiness, then go ahead and worry.

Our kids will make their own fortune.

Look After Four Old Treasures

1. Your old body - pay more attention to health,you can only rely on yourself on this.

2.Retirement funds-money that you have earned,it is best to keep them yourself.

3.Your old companion- treasure every moment with your other half, one of you will leave first.

4.Your old friends- seize every opportunities to meet up with your
friends. Such opportunities will become rare as time goes by.

*WITH FRIENDS, EVERYDAY YOU MUST LAUGH, DANCE & BE HAPPY !!!

Only a mother would know.......

One day my mother was out, and my dad was in charge of me.

I was maybe 2 1/2 years old. Someone had given me a little 'tea set'
as a gift, and it was one of my favorite toys.

Daddy was in the living room engrossed in the evening news when I
brought him a little cup of 'tea', which was just water. After several
cups of tea and lots of praise for such yummy tea, my mom came
home.

My dad made her wait in the living room to watch me bring him a cup
of tea, because it was 'just the cutest thing!' Mum waited, and sure
enough, here I came down the hall with a cup of tea for Daddy; and
she watched him drink it up.

Then she said, (as only a mother would know), "'Did it ever occur to
you that the only place she can reach to get water is the toilet?"

Pain and Meditation

When any part of our body is injured, we feel pain. The injury could be a flesh wound or due to the blockage of the blood circulation system or an interference to the smooth functioning of the nervous system or a tooth ache or sore throat, etc. There are many reasons which injured the body and subsequently the mind.  Doctors will prescribed us pain killers which blocks the flow of the pain  or numb the nerves which caused the pain. If the medication wears off, the pain will return.

If we get too use to pain killers and became over dependent on it which will reduced its effectiveness and impact in controlling pain, then a heavier dosage is given to ensure the same impact. Doctors have advised patients that meditation can help to reduce pain and control its impact. How can  meditation help in the control of pain.

In meditation, we use the mind to control of thoughts of pain. The body sent messages of pain to the brain and the brain interprets the message and sent out the signal of pain. If we can control our mind and intervene or intercept the messages and divert it or neutralized it before the message is sent back to the injured area which release a  message of pain.

There is simple story which illustrate the effectiveness of mind control over the feeling of pain. Once, a young monk was meditating  and his meditation was interfered by the ringing of a church bell near by.  He was agitated and he ran to the senior monk to complain that he cannot concentrate.  The senior monk asked him why is he concentrating on  the sound of the bell.  The young monk was puzzled and did not understand the explanation.  The senior monk told him that if he stands in a highway full of traffic , what will he do? Will he go against the traffic or would he flow with the traffic and enjoy the flow. The young monk finally understand that it is our choice.  We can direct our mind to other more serene or beautiful sound instead of focusing on the sound of the bell.  Why can't we tell our mind to focus on other things.

Another point to illustrate the power of the mind is that when a car overtakes you from the left and cuts into your lane. Your immediate impact is to be angry with the driver because he threaten your safety and endanger your life. If you take the focus away  from the car and driver and instead look at the trees and flowers by the road, you anger will subside immediately and you will release that this is another mad man on the rush.  Similarly, when we can control our mind and move it away from the area of injury or pain, the pain will be very much reduced  and you will not need a heavier dosage of pain killers.

Our Mind is like a dancing monkey and if we can tame it  and control it  by stilling our mind and focusing our thoughts to stillness, we will have a lesser painful life irrespective of what type of pain it might be. Great meditators smile in the face of pain and dance in times of adversity.

Focus on your beautiful breath through meditation and draw rejuvenated energy into your body and enrish your mind.  The pain will disappear by itself.

Namaste.

Father's Day to all fathers :2011

Fathers Day 2011: Fabulous Gift Idea for Every Dad

Fathers Day 2011 will be here before you know it but finding the perfect gift for your Dad can be a daunting prospect. Fathers, whether they are biological fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers or father figures need to know how much you appreciate everything they do.

There is no better time than Father's Day to give your Dad a memorable gift. To accomplish this, you need a gift that is special and personal to your father.

A great way to spark your creativity is by looking through old photo albums for pictures that evoke happy memories and sentimental emotions. While you can easily find a favorite photo and stick it in a pretty frame, why not be a bit more creative this Father's Day and go for something that has a wow factor.

One of the best ways to capture beloved memories in a creative way is by javing a photo collage layout professionally created based on images of favorite times, events and places. A Kind of "This is Your Life!. oicture made up of photos with memories. The WOW factor comes from giving him a high quality Jigsaw Puzzle produced using this unique photo collage layout.

This really is a one-of-a-kind gift that is really two gifts in one. In order to see what the collage is, he has to solve the jigsaw puzzle first. It's fun and meaningful in one.

Life is full of surprises (news)

On wedding day, Hugh Hefner embraces single life.

LOS ANGELES - ON THE day he was supposed to get married for the third time, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner said on Saturday he was probably better off staying single.

Hefner, 85, was dumped by 25-year-old fiancee Crystal Harris last weekend after she got jitters about living a tightly regimented life among dozens of attractive young women at the Playboy mansion in Los Angeles.

They were due to tie the knot on the grounds of the Gothic Tudor-style residence on Saturday afternoon, and to spend their honeymoon there. 'This was going to be my wedding day, but life is full of surprises. After all is said & done, staying single is probably for the best,' Hefner said on Twitter. Instead he will spend Saturday night watching Runaway Bride, the 1999 romantic comedy that starred another real-life runaway bride, Julia Roberts.

For her part, Harris said she was leaving Los Angeles for a relaxing day trip with a Playboy public relations woman. After Harris left Hefner, taking his beloved cocker spaniel Charlie with her, old friends and lovers descended upon the mansion to offer condolences. They included his second wife, Kimberley Conrad, and her mother; and former girlfriends Holly Madison and Bridget Marquardt.

A heartbroken Hefner immersed himself in romantic comedies, hosting screenings of films such as Sleepless in Seattle and 50 First Dates for his coterie of Playmates. He also rushed out Runaway Bride stickers to be affixed to the new issue of Playboy, which features Harris - a.k.a. 'Mrs. Crystal Hefner' - on the cover.

Hefner said he was blind-sided by the split, and denied a tabloid report that there has been a nasty argument. Harris told Entertainment Tonight that Hefner's mandatory agenda of activities, strict 9pm curfews and his refusal to allow her to leave town to visit friends and family led to her decision to break up with him.


 
 
 

Education in life (ext)

Letter from death row: Education is life

• 2011-06-18 02:24:07 +0000
Sabahan Yong Vui Kong, 21, is on death row in Singapore for drug trafficking. Malaysiakini is publishing Yong's final letters to Yetian, a member of the Save Vui Kong Campaign, in the next few weeks as he faces death.

When I was in Primary 2, I had a classmate named Luo Yan. He once said something that is deeply embedded in my memory.

Young though he was, he said to me, “If you want, you should work to be the best, or you will be the worst!”

He said this because I was unable to get along with many classmates, and there were many misunderstandings among us.

At the time I was immature and misunderstood the meaning of his words. I thought he meant that “you should study to be No 1, otherwise you might as well just be the worst”.

I made the mistake of choosing the latter, thinking that since it was impossible for me to be No 1 in class, I might as well give up on my studies. That decision was my biggest mistake.

From Primary 2 until I ended in jail at 19, I never properly thought about how to live my life, and never thought about whether I should study. After coming to prison, I thought about what Luo Yan said. I grew wiser and that was why I started studying Buddhist philosophy.

An American report has pointed out that a large number of death row inmates have very low levels of education. Usually it is those who are lowly-educated who make major mistakes and thus more likely to be sentenced to death.

I was a rebellious youth who never had a proper education. Because I lacked education and knowledge, I was tricked by others into believing that smuggling drugs would not draw the death penalty, which is why I - in all my ignorance - made mistakes upon mistakes.

Although compared to others I might seem disadvantaged because I never received proper education, but I think that it is never too late to start now.

I do not want to make any more mistakes. Every day I read a lot of books, learning new things like English, and I keep meditating.

One morning I will be executed, but in case I am able to leave this prison alive, the correct outlook on life is what I need to re-start my life. If I can speak English, then I can spread the word about the harm of being involved with drugs to even more people.

How can you not care?

Of course, apart from education in school, guidance from our family is also very important. The future of a child is created by the people at home. If you are too busy at work or too caught up in your life, the chances of your child turning bad is high.

For me, it was because my relatives were all busy and did not have time for me, so I became more and more rebellious.

There is another story that I would like to share.

In ancient India, a death row inmate was suddenly told before his execution that if he could carry a full bowl of water and walk one circle around the palace compound without spilling a single drop, the king would pardon him. The inmate agreed to take up the challenge.

As the news spread, many people gathered around the palace to watch the feat. The path around the palace was uneven, and the inmate had to go up and down many steps. The people shouted, “You’ll drop it in three steps! Turn the corner, and the water will spill!”

But the inmate seemed not to hear them, he stared at the bowl of water and walked and walked before returning to his original spot. He had not spilled a single drop.

The crowd was happy, so was the king. He asked the inmate, “How did you manage not to spill a single drop?”

The inmate answered, “I was not carrying water, I was carrying my life!”

I see my education in prison today as a bowl of water. If a person gives up on learning, then he has given up on life. Life is an education, and education is life - these two are closely intertwined. How can you not care?

 

YONG VUI KONG, a Sabahan, was sentenced in November 2009 to death for drug trafficking. He was 19. On April 4, Yong lost his final appeal against a mandatory death sentence. He will be executed in three months unless he is granted clemency by Singapore's president.

 

Letter 1: A letter from death row

Let Vui Kong live, he deserves a second chance

Letter 2: Me and my life

Contemplating life in the shadow of death

Letter 3: My changed heart

Letter 4: A missed Mother's Day

Letter 5: Seven more letters to go

Letter 6: My greatest hope

Letter 7: I made my peace with dad

Letter 8: I like Mondays

View Comments

A passing thought on karma

My friend,PH was travelling with me  this afternoon  and suddenly he asked me "Do you believe in karma? I told him "yes", I am a strong believer in the law of  karma. You reap what you sow. It could be in this life or the next or it could affect your family members. I told him that I have seen people who cannot sleep well or suffers great pains  or suffer in silence when they become lonely and old.

The law of karma behaves in it's own mysterious ways. Some people are temporary lucky that the payback happens in the next life but some can be immediate. You just can not choose when it will happen as it will happen if it is the right time. So , it is better to refrain from doing sinful things and do a lot of charity work  to negate your sins from your past life. Even if you are clean, there will be culmination of merits to offset the negative vibes,

PH told me that he has a friend, who is rich but his relationship with his family was not good. He heard that his friend have done certain things that could have hurt other people unintentionally or intentionally. Being rich is either a blessing or a sin and it depends on how you look at it. When you are rich and you go out to be richer through greed, then riches became a burden to you.  You need to spend time counting your money or checking your properties in order to ensure all your assets are under your control. On the other hand, when you are poor, some times for survival , you are forced to carry sinful work to earn money for your livelihood. So, enough is enough. Not too much or not too less  and just enough to just live a comfortable life. That is the middle path which Buddha have preach.

Lately, there is a trend for the Billionaires to donate most of their fortunes to charity. People like Bill Gates, Warren Buffet,etc and these people also went around the world on a mission to reach out to the billionaires of Asia to follow their footsteps.  In China, there are several billionaires who gave up a huge chunk of their money to charity and leave just enough for their family members. Too much money is not only a sin but the cause of weakness in character of a person.

Personally, I have seen a friend, Chin not knowing how to behave as he was a classic example of rags to riches. He told me that he has enough money to last his family a few generations and when he is drunk, he behaves terribly to the waiters and waitresses at the pubs.  Speaking foul language and using four letter words.  Later, his business fail because he was too greedy and bad luck fell on his family, his mother die and his wife was detected with cancer. But, luckily, he still have enough money to survive and skill to earn a decent living. I have downgraded him from a friend to the level of an acquaintant. This is not because he has become poorer but all my advises fell on deaf ear.

There are many more examples of people who do not realize the work of karma.  Some people asked why the Tsunami killed some many people at the same time. Is this because all these people have sins? No, my interpretation is because of  natural disasters and not so much about karma.  The evolution of people is the Universal system cannot be explained.

Live with a touch of Karma in everything we do.

Namaste.

Each minute is special, each breath is unique.

A friend of mine opened his wife's underwear drawer and picked up a silk paper wrapped package:

'This, - he said - isn't any ordinary package.'

He unwrapped the box and stared at both the silk paper and the box.

'She got this the first time we went to New York , 8 or 9 years ago. She has never put it on , was saving it for a special occasion.

Well, I guess this is it.

He got near the bed and placed the gift box next to the other clothing he was taking to the funeral house, his wife had just died.

He turned to me and said:

'Never save something for a special occasion.

Every day in your life is a special occasion'.

I still think those words changed my life.

Now I read more and clean less.
I sit on the settee without worrying about anything and just relax.


I spend more time with my family & friends and less at work. 


Money is to be spent not saved.

I understood that life should be a source of experience to be lived up to, not survived through.


I no longer keep anything.

I use crystal glasses every day.

I'll wear new clothes to go to the supermarket, if I feel like it.

I don't save my special perfume for special occasions, I use it whenever I want to. 


I go out with my friends whenever I want to rather than thinking I don't have the spare money or time.

The words 'Someday...' and ' One Day....' are fading away from my dictionary.
;
If it's worth seeing, listening or doing, I want to see, listen or do it now...

I don't know what my friend's wife would have done if she knew she wouldn't be there the next morning, this nobody can tell.

I think she might have called her relatives and closest friends.
She might call old friends to make peace over past quarrels.  
She might have told everyone how much she loved them. 

I'd like to think she would go out for Chinese, her favourite food.

It's these small things that I would regret not doing, if I knew my time had come..

Each day, each hour, each minute, is special.

Live for today, for tomorrow is promised to no-one. 
 

Treat praises like perfume, just a passing fragrance.

I have heard these wise words before and I understood the wisdom behind these words. In simple words, it is like do not expect anything after doing a good deed. If there is no expectation then there is no disappointment. It is easy said than done as we are self glorifying creatures and we want recognition and appreciation for all the things we have done well.  We need the inspirations and the rewards that go with it.

Why do we need to link praise to perfume?  A praise is like a good smell which hang on for a moment and it will fade off after a while. Like a praise, you feel motivated and inspire until the praise wears off.  You need to take the effort to spray the perfume again and this will need to be done regularly to maintain the good smell. In the aspect, you can very well link the praise to a perfume but it needs a small effort to spray the perfume on your body but it is very difficult to perform well to earn the praise of your boss or peers. If we do a lot of good work, we were will smell good but if we forget to spray the perfume at any time, the smell would n=be normal and plain. If we do nine good task but one failure that one failure will wipe off all the perfume that we are wearing. There is no permanence in the smell. A passing remark .

Do it need to be that superficial?  Why can't we appreciated and remark people who have done good. Instead of be superficial, can we go beyond the skin and give a permanent mark  of achievements. In history, we have seen a lot of generals who fought hard for the Emperor  and at last , to be banished to the woods or the frontier. If people work hard and die for us, we must not forget their support and good deeds and help them to recover from their mistakes if any rather than blaming him for that one incident and wipe off all his merits. Yeah, this is human beings, taking things for granted.  What you do is expected to be done and if you fail to do it, you are doomed.  Funny human beings.

Human beings are unpredictable creatures and their outcome is uncontrollable and unmanageable.  The thinking is self centered. If other people can do it, we can do it better and so, the appreciation is only skin deep. It has no permanent features in our heart or in our mind. Yesterday is gone forever and all the praise have gone with it. This is very real and practical. So, appreciate the perfume while it is still there and be inspired as the small is hanging there. It may not come your way always.

Namaste.