Brewing Coffee

Friendship

2011-12-04T20:42:00.008+08:00

When I was in Primary Three, I used to look forward to "Seyyul" (Proverbs) during Tamil lessons. During the lessons, my teacher would introduce a proverb and tell us a story to explain its meaning. I had enjoyed those story-telling sessions and it's probably the reason why I have always been quite a story-teller.

Among the stories she told me, I've always remembered the story of two friends who went to the forest together. While crossing the forest, they were confronted by a bear. In an attempt to save himself, one of the friends climbed a tree, abandoning the other to fend for himself. The latter who could not climb trees pretended to play dead to save himself. After the bear left, the friend who played dead accused the other for abandoning him. Thus, concluding that a friend in need is a friend indeed.

Often, I have pondered over this proverb because it has certainly not been proven true in my life. I have people who have come and gone in my life; often those who have helped me but expected to have their way at my expense.

To me, the meaning to the proverb stands only if we help one in their time of need without expectations. Often times, we do expect something in return. It could be something as intangible as loyalty, sincerity or a sense of satisfaction by feeling needed. So is a friend in need a friend indeed? Maybe not. Especially not if your need boosts his/her ego.

I have learnt from experience that friendship break-ups can be somewhat like relationships break-ups, though the latter can be more intense. I believe there is love in both heaven and hell. In heavenly love, there is trust, loyalty and sacrifice. In hell love, there's obsession, the need to possess and control.

Likewise, in love there is infatuation and true love. When infatuated, there are tendencies that one would feel jealous and insecure in some instances. True love sans all that. It's a commitment; a bond bound by trust.

In the same way, in friendship, you have two kinds of friends. The ones who are with you because they know who you are and the ones who are with you because of what you are and what you have to offer. As I would put it, genuine love vs needy love.

In my opinion, a friend is someone who is transparent and you feel safe being around. And a friend is someone who genuinely accepts you for who you are, and will always be with you and work it out with you if there is a glitch in the friendship.

Friends who stick around because of their own needs, will fade away along with our contribution.

There can be no friendship without confidence, and no confidence without integrity. - Samuel Johnson

Paradox

2011-06-27T23:36:00.011+08:00

The ancient Sanskrit epic, Ramayana tells the tale of Ravana, the demon king of Lanka who abducted Sita, wife of Ram (Prince of Ayodhya and also known to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu). With the help of the monkeys, Ram killed Ravana and saved his wife. Lanka, on the other hand, was reduced to ashes.

It has been widely established that it was Ravana's lust over Sita that had led to this destruction. Sita, however, has been heightened as the epitome of chastity for effectively preserving herself and not succumbing to Ravana's demands.

Hence, Sita's role in the story was carved as an image of an ideal woman in the society. Curiously, little has been said about Surpanakha, Ravana's sister. Surpanakha plays a pivotal role in the drama that unfolded thereafter.

Was Ravana the only one responsible for the plight? Was it not Surpanakha's lust for monogamist Ram that led to all that hadhappened? Had she not pushed the boundaries and spun a tale to instigate her brother's wrath, Ravana wouldn't have gone in search of the two brothers to teach them a lesson. He would not have seen Sita and become enchanted by her beauty.

Critics have concluded that Ravana's ill intentions to possess a chaste woman against her will proved to be a curse that led to his eventual end and that of Lanka's.

Given the laws of Karma, I wonder what could have led to the end of the king and his kingdom.

Was it the tears of a virtuous woman, the anger of a woman's unfulfilled desire or the senseless love of a brother?

My Journey

2011-04-23T10:42:00.007+08:00

Joseph Campell said, "The heroic life is living the individual adventure. To refuse the call means stagnation."

As inspiring as it sounds, an individual's adventure is a rocky (Should I say thorny?) path that takes a lot of resilience before reaching the respective destination.

A "gap" is a phase that takes place between transitions. During this phase, one learns to adjust and embrace. It is a difficult phase because you often find both your feet in two different places and it may seem almost like you belong nowhere. Finally, when the right time arrives, you see light at the end of the tunnel and begin redeeming yourself.

Last year, I was experiencing the "gap". As hard as I tried to seek job opportunities, nothing came my way. After a hundred futile attempts, I began to wonder if I was destined to be in the same situation for the rest of my life. However, life is full of surprises. When the right time came, I got a job offer and in less than 10 days, I became a teacher in an International school in Medan. My adventure had begun.

The changes have been astounding and in seven months, I have faced various challenges; I had to adjust to the new environment and wrap myself around the language barrier, the friendship that I valued the most fell apart in three months, my lodging is still tentative and
the school is recovering from a flood that took place not too long ago.

I have been facing challenges since the age of 16, hence most of the time, I appear unfazed. The most difficult trial amidst all, is accepting the end of the friendship and working my way around it. It's a huge challenge to cut the only familiar tie you have when you're starting life anew in a foreign land. It is even a greater challenge when you realise that tie is just not meant to be.

However, I have been successful in renewing my strength in each passing day by telling myself that I am being "fired" to be made into the best China. I know that I am going through a process for betterment and to become the best version of myself.

On hindsight, my world has already opened up and I'm beginning to embrace the positive changes. I have got to know a few wonderful acquaintances and I have a clearer perspective on the things in life that truly matter.

There is some unpleasantness that I need to let go in order to embrace the new world wholly. Instinctively, I know that that day is not too far away. Each time when the pain gets too much to bear, I tell myself this story that reminds me that my halcyon days are not too far away.....

Once, there lived a king who was extremely rich and prosperous. The kingdom was doing so well for years that he wondered whether there could be anything in this world that could make him sad. Hence, he summoned his minister and commanded him to find a property that would make a happy man, sad and a sad man, happy.

The minister spent several days combing the kingdom but to no avail. He was running out of time and he was becoming increasingly worried. He feared incurring the wrath of the king. As days passed, the minister grew increasingly unhappy, just worrying about this.

While continuing his search, one day, he chanced upon a white smith and asked him if he knew of something that could make a happy man, sad and sad man, happy. The white smith gave him a ring with a few words engraved on it. A wide smile spread across the minister's face as he read it. He brought it to the king and showed it to him. Upon seeing the words, engraved on the ring, the king's smile vanished.

Those words were, "This too shall pass."

Where is God?

2010-05-14T21:41:00.006+08:00

I would like to share an account by Nobel laureate, Elie Wiesel that I found inspiring and hair-raising. I am unable to explain the effect it had on me and I leave it to my readers to feel for themselves.

Wiesel was a prisoner in his adolescence and he survived four different concentration camps during World War II. However, he lost his parents and youngest sister while he was transported to another camp. He reconciled later with his two other sisters.

I shall write as it is adapted in the book:

Author's (Beth M. Erikson) script:

Rather than trying to control God or becoming cynical because of the events he witnessed daily as a young boy in the camps, he chose to believe, as I now do, that God suffers when people suffer. In that sense, people do not need to wait for their "final reward" to experience the presence of God. In his autobiographical account of life and death in prisons, Wiesel wrote of his conclusion, eloquently voicing the anguish of millions who grieve over or rail about the seeming absence of God in the Holocaust.

Elie Wiesel's account:

One day when we came back from work, we saw three gallows rearing up in the assembly place. Three victims in chains - and one of them the little servant, the sad-eyed angel. Three victims were mounted together onto chairs. The three necks were placed at the same moment within nooses. At a sign, the three chairs tipped over. Total silence throughout the camp. Then the march past began. The two adults were no longer alive. But the third rope was still moving: being so light, the child was still alive. For more than half an hour he stayed there, struggling between life and death, dying in slow agony under our eyes. And we had to look him full in the face. Behind me I heard a man asking: "Where is God now?" and I heard a voice within me answer him: "Where is God?" Here - God is hanging here on this gallows.

To Understand and Accept

2010-04-19T13:10:00.004+08:00

No matter how much times have moved forth rapidly, some things simply don't change. Especially, when it comes to human mentality.

Some of us still laugh at people who are different. We can go on endlessly on the various nicknames for fat people, skinny people, short people, tall people, punk rockers, the mentally unstable and sadly, even those who are physically challenged.

Though some of us have tried to evolve by keeping our comments to ourselves on differences in physical appearances, we have crossed over to being critical of people's lifestyles instead.

We comment if people not married, if they do not have children, if they are unemployed, if they are gay, if they are not educated enough, if they are not rich enough, not gracious enough and what not....The list goes on. No one ever seems to be good enough.

For once, if all of us just step back and try to understand the picture, we will realise that everyone has a story behind to explain why they are the way they are. Not to be mistaken for excuses. Excuses are when you know you're wrong and you're giving reasons. Most of us just simply have different lessons to learn and we're given different predicaments to learn from them.

I'm not sure about the rest but I'm a firm believer of fate. And yes, I also believe that we have choices. To cite an example, let's put it this way.

Today, a woman's position in most societies is still questionable though we're thankfully growing with times. Nonetheless, we still face limitations due to some societies' mentality.

Hence, being born as a woman is my fate. I can't change that. But I have a choice as for how I accept and grow gracefully as a woman in any society.

Therefore, my call to everyone is to not laugh at anyone for their fate. Something I wish to remind myself as well for I have my moments which I am not very proud of.

And as always, my opinion shall follow with a story to explain that some things happen as it is fated.

Long time ago, there was a scholar in China who had turned 25 and he was still not married. He sought a fortune-teller who told him that it's his fate to get married at the age of 40 for his bride has just been born!

The scholar did not like what he heard. He was not prepared to wait that long. He learnt the whereabouts of the baby girl and one fateful night, he sneaked into her home and stabbed her in the chest.

The scholar got away scot-free, feeling contented that the obstacle in his path has been removed. Years passed by and marriage was not possible for the scholar till he was 40. His newly wedded wife was a young bride of 15 years of age.

On their wedding night, the scholar noticed a scar on his wife's chest and enquired. She narrated the story that was told to her by her parents. When she was a baby, an assailant had sneaked into her room on a fateful night and stabbed her. By God's grace, she survived it. The scholar's face turned livid.

Some things are meant to be. Best to accept them and accept others for them. The rest that can be improved, we should only seek to improve in ourselves.

A Winner Among Us

2010-04-09T14:49:00.007+08:00

My apologies for posting this almost a week later. I have been caught up and on top of that, I have fallen ill. I'm still in the process of nursing my cough.

Coming to the point, last Saturday, 3rd of April 2010, my niece, Kavitha took part in a singing competition along with her two other friends, Vidthiya VM and Akshaya Krishnamachari. (Hope you girls don't mind my posting your names :)). I would like to congratulate Kavitha and her friends for winning the first prize.

I have reserved this space for Kavi for it was not a smooth ride for her to have made her presence on that stage and to have won that prize. She has followed her heart and fought against all odds to arrive at where she has today. Hence, this would be my dedication to Kavitha Kannan (on the extreme left) for her perseverance. :)

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Pampering is not an Act of Kindness

2010-02-16T21:39:00.005+08:00

After a casual chat at Teh Tarik, we were walking back to my friend's place when we spotted a stray cat near her block. It was standing in a distance, at close proximity to a stack of wooden planks that were arranged haphazardly.

Just then, my friend who is usually apprehensive in the presence of cats, surprised me by stomping her foot so hard that the cat withdrew from the planks and stared at her.

Thinking that she was being playful, I asked her the reason for deliberately attracting the attention of the cat that was minding its own business.

I realised my folly when my friend explained that the cats are fed regularly by one of the nearby storekeepers. Since the store is closed, the cats have no food. She was afraid that it might try to chew on the plank and hurt itself due to the splinters.

I am not sure about a cat's defense disposition. Whether it mistook the planks for food or not, I was moved by my friend's concern and notion to save the cat.

She felt strongly that strays should be allowed to survive on their own and if care givers do want to feed them, they should be committed. The animals suffer as a result of the dependency.

The incident instantly transported me back to Oklahoma as I recalled a story told to us by Nick, the guide of Wichita Mountains.

He reminded everyone not to feed the animals in the reserve and related a personal account on how he had learnt it the hard way.

Once, while on duty, he became aware of a family of racoons that were watching him from their hideout. They acted on their natural defense to keep away from humans. He lured them with food and fed them. It became a regular practice and soon, the racoons became accustomed to his presence. They came out of their hideout regularly and expected to receive food from him.

Then, on a fateful day, he was replaced by a colleague. Later, he overheard the colleague boasting to another that he had put down a family of racoons that showed up before him. Nick was very upset and he felt responsible for the death of the racoons. They trusted another human being, believing that he would feed them like Nick did. From that day onwards, he chose not to interfere with the survival of animals.

Everyone wants to be nice but it helps to be mindful that there is a fine line between helping and hindering.

Other than animals, this reference could also be made in nurturing children. When everything is done for a child, he/she grows to become useless to himself/herself. Hence, I hope to convey through my account the importance to teach to fish, rather than to fish.

A Tale on Friendship

2010-01-31T22:45:00.010+08:00

At a time when I was trying to figure friendships among women, I chanced upon a book by Liz Pryor, "What Did I Do Wrong? When Women Don't Tell Each Other the Friendship is Over." In her book, she had written accounts of women who had run through troubles with their friendships with other women. Of all the accounts, I was deeply affected by the tale told by her grandmother who was 88 years old and fondly called, "Grams".

(It has been some time since I read this story. Hence, the following account is based on the best of what I could recall.)

Grams spent most of her youth with her best friend. They did almost everything together and settled down at the same time as well. They lived close by and together, they raised seven children; her best friend had four and she, three.

One day, while Grams was on her way back from the grocery store, she lost her balance and fell flat on her face. Just then, she felt a tug on her waist and before she knew it, a strong arm lifted her and she came face to face with a man with the gentlest eyes. For the first time in her life, she knew what it felt like to be in love. For a year, she battled with her emotions and finally, she decided to pursue her heart. She told her best friend, knowing too well that she would not hear of it. Just as she had predicted, her best friend disapproved and told her to reconsider it. When Grams explained it to her husband, he accepted it graciously and gave her a divorce. Thereafter, together with her three children, she left with the man she loved.

They got married and a year had passed. He got a transfer and they moved to another state. Just then, she received a letter from her best friend. Grams was hesitant to read the contents of the letter. She was afraid that her friend would continue to try to change her mind. Hence, she told her husband to throw it away.

After 60 years of a wonderful marriage, Grams' husband passed on. While looking into his prized possessions, she found a letter that he had written to her expressing his love and gratitude. She learned that he had saved her best friend's letter. Sixty years later, she finally opened the letter and read the contents.

In the letter, her best friend had apologised for not being supportive. She attributed her behaviour to the insecurities of losing a dear friend. She had understood and managed to reconcile herself with her friend's decision. She also hoped to visit her and hear from her soon.

It was too late. Grams' friend had died a year before.

Looking at the larger picture, no one is to be blamed. People come into our lives for seasons and there are many reasons as for why it becomes such, even if they are dear to us. We set apart when we have different lessons to learn.

Life is short and when time is lost, we don't get it back. Hence, it is important to treasure friends and the moments we share with them.

Once, I had experienced a strain in a friendship dear to me. Grateful that the values are mutual. I am glad that it had weathered the test of time. I hold close to my heart certain fond memories and I am still collecting my thoughts and reflecting in my little black book that would be read when I am 60. :)

Hence, with my mother's golden words, "All these years, I never gave up on mine....," I would like to give thanks to all my girlfriends and I hope that everyone treasures their friends and friendships. Bearing in mind that once the moments are lost, they would never return.

Glad to be "Cracked"

2010-01-31T22:12:00.007+08:00

An elderly Chinese woman carried two large pots across her neck, each hanging on the ends of a pole. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.

At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream.

"I am ashamed of myself. This crack on my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.'

The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table.Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

I received this story via email. It was timely and I liked it instantly. Isn't it true for most of us? Each of us has our own unique flaw. But each of these flaws have their own purposes that make life complete and wholesome.

The past month has been eventful and unexpected. A time for me to learn a lesson about myself for the great teacher I am. I have learnt never to let anyone doubt myself or my capabilities. And today, I had an opportunity to see for myself as for whether I had learnt that lesson. While imparting my knowledge to my student, I realised that I was good and I have become better.

Language Sans Barriers

2009-09-29T00:31:00.014+08:00

My friend and I are fond of word debates. I would create a word and she would challenge its existence.

Once I said, "honeymooning" and she argued that there was no such word. For which, I responded, "If Shakespeare could coin new words that we apply in the English language today, so can I!" In return, she would jest that I'm not Shakespeare but Thachayini. (Well....one could never guess. "Thachayini" could become a household name someday. ;))

Often, I told her that it reminds me of a story that I never got to telling. An unforgettable story that has always been one of my favourites. It's titled Kavi Chakravarthi (Emperor of Poets), a story about a Tamil poet, Kambar who wrote Ramayana in Tamil.

The accolades of a young poet, Kambar was widespread and it reached the ears of the King of Chola, who invited him to his court. Ottraikoothar, an old poet and also the well-acclaimed Kavi Chakravarthy (Emperor of poets) was among the subjects in his court.

The King of Chola, a poetry enthusiast, requested both poets to work on the Tamil version of Ramayana. Upon his request, both poets worked separately on their versions. Ottraikoothar, who initially welcomed Kambar became bitter towards the latter, due to differences in opinions.

One day, the eager king suggested to them to read to him whatever they had written thus far. Kambar read his prologue first. He cited the scene in Ramayana where the monkeys were led by Lord Rama to build the bridge to Lanka to save his consort, Sita.

In his narration, Kambar described that drops of water splashed when the monkeys dropped the boulders into the deep sea. Instead of the usual "thuli" (drop of water), he had used "thumi" to describe the droplets. Ottraikoothar expressed his violent objection and informed the king that there was no such word as "thumi" in the Tamil language. However, Kambar maintained that "thumi" referred to a spray of water, which was smaller than a drop. The old poet was not convinced and he insisted that the young poet was pulling a fast one.

The King of Chola intervened to mediate between the men. He suggested going into the town in disguise to find out whether common folks used the word.

As planned, the disguised men set out to the town. They came across a group of men who spent all day engaging in idle talk under a shelter. The three men joined them and enquired about the weather. The men lamented that it has been pretty bad for there has not been a drop (thuli) of rain for months.

Ottraikoothar was smug for no one seemed to have used the word "thumi". The king and the poets persisted to several other streets, coming in contact with the common folks but none mentioned the word, "thumi". The old poet brought to the king's attention again that such a word does not exist and he requested that they return back to the kingdom. Kambar, who was silent all the while, suggested exploring one more street before returning. The king obliged.

As they walked into the street, the men noticed a woman standing at the veranda of a house, pounding some mixture. She seemed to be the only one in view while they could hear the thundering footsteps of little children running about in the house. Just as the men were getting closer to the house, she turned to the entrance of the house and exclaimed, "Dear children, please do not come here for the spray of liquid (thumi) could get into your eyes." The men froze on their tracks.

The old poet saw red and stormed off. He returned home and tore up his work. Kambar made an attempt to stop him and questioned his behaviour. The old man exclaimed, "The one who appeared was none other than the Goddess Saraswathi (Goddess of Learning and Knowledge). And she would maintain whatever you say as Tamil. I have no place in here."

As years got by, Kambar became the Kavi Chakravarthi.

There are many aspects to this story but I would like to focus on the language debate.

It is said that sankrit is the first language. Over years, many languages were born from this ancient language and have gone through a myriad of changes. It goes without saying that language has no limits and the changes are inevitable. Though purists find it a little hard to digest, the truth still remains that the English language will continue to change in years to come, especially, in this technological age, when new words are coined for convenience. It's a part of life that we need to accept and grow.

The most important aspect of communication is to be understood and it is not always that it needs a language.

Love - The Language of God

2009-09-28T23:49:00.004+08:00

An amazing video that questions the limits, our understanding of the world, and the way it works.

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Our task must be to free ourselves... by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty. - Albert Einstein

Purpose Driven and Balanced Lifestyle

2009-08-28T15:07:00.022+08:00

Just when I was looking forward to another session, I received an invitation to the second talk on a purpose driven and balanced life by Vision Plus++.

On Thursday, 27th August 2009, I arrived at Jalan Besar CC along Jelicoe Road at 7.30pm after getting lost and being led on a detour. The talk had begun at 7pm and thanks to Mr Guna, I managed to catch up on what I had missed.

The first speaker, Uncle Yadav, touched on Living the Dash to a purpose driven life. We were told to fill out two boxes in the handout that he passed. We were to indicate the personal and professional differences we wish to make. He encouraged us to keep our goals specific and a sentence long followed by a date and measure.

He guided us through six processes and we had to rate from 1 to 10 for each of the processes. The steps are as follows:

1st - Define a good reason for the purpose
2nd- Write it down
3rd- List the ideas that would help to achieve the objective
4th- Involve people who could help to achieve the objective
5th- Level of confidence
6th- Taking personal responsiblity towards our goals

It is interesting to note that the people we could involve need not necessarily be living. We could derive guidance from the works or books by late authors. He added that we know a lot of people indirectly. We could just be a few steps away from a prominent personality who could help us with our goals. Through networking, we could know someone who knows someone else and the link continues. He told the audience to not be afraid to ask and of course, when receiving a favour, there should be an exchange when the time is appropriate.

As a common person's concern, I asked about the fear of failure when he spoke about the level of confidence one should nurture in their pursuit. He explained that failure is inevitable. We need to learn from our mistakes but we must also know that when we fall, we can pick ourselves up.

After defining all the processes, we had to do a small calculation to estimate our proximity to our goals. The formula was to multiply all the six ratings, divide the result by 1 million and convert it to a percentage.

The next speaker, Mr Guna touched on the "U-turn". An unusual topic that turned out to be an enlightening one. He drew a sketch of a man on the board and attached stars to the different points of the body marking the seven chakras. He mentioned that the development of an individual begins from the top. He explained that babies have very delicate crowns for they absorb the energy from the top. Then, the developments move down till the sacral plexus where the individual attains puberty. Ironically, with age, the cycle reverses and heads upwards to the crown again. Thus explaining the senility that some old people experience. Hence, the "U-turn".

Certain things in our lives are pre-destined. We cannot change the time, date and star we were born under. We cannot change the place of birth, parents, family, features or bone structures. However, we have power to choose.We have the power to overcome certain patterns in life and transform it to work in our favour.

Mr Guna also explained that when energy combines with emotion, it equates into matter. Hence, positive emotions will result in positive results. It is needless to say that negative emotions reap negative results.

The last speaker, Mr Komal, our ayurveda expert explained how the five elements influence and impact our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. He gave the audience a handout on the list attributes that individuals would have if they were a part of the structures; Vatta, Pitta and Kappa.

The structures are based on the elements; space, air, fire, water and earth. Space and Air combined would be Vatta. Fire and Water makes Pitta and Water and Earth makes Kappa. An individual could also fall under a combination of these structures. When one identifies oneself with these structures, they would be able to tell the gems, diet, seasons, time of inactivity and many more that is suited to them. Mr Komal also added that these structures are also based on the Chakras and he did not include two of the seven.

I recognised myself to the Kappa structure. Kappa people emphasize a lot on relationship. The subsequent priorities goes to individuality, love, expression, communication and vision; in their respective order. I asked him if it is possible for an individual to make a transition from one structure to another, and he replied that it is possible for them to adopt the ways of the other structures to strike a balance.

The knowledge of the our body in association with the elements answers a lot of questions that boggles us. Knowing that we have been bestowed with a specific vitality that has specific needs emphasizes on the uniqueness of every individual. It helps us to understand and accept the way we are. I have come to realise that everything that has been bestowed upon me has been for a reason.

The 3-hour session ended at 10pm and I returned home with my handouts and once again with the feeling that I had explored a deeper and different region of a known dimension.

We were meant to be masters of destiny, not victims of fate. - Ronald Reagan

Strength In Adversity

2009-07-26T14:53:00.005+08:00

Once the principal of the keyboard school told me, "Remember, if you fall, it is for you to get up."

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We Can Be Invincible

2009-07-21T19:51:00.020+08:00

In his book, Man's Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl wrote about his days of incarceration in the concentration camps where starvation and humiliation became a way of life.

The prisoners' daily diet was a bowl of weak soup. Even the smallest piece of bread or sausage that was no longer than an inch was great luxury. Chamber pots were used as crockery. Personal hygiene was the least of one's worries.

Stripped of their possessions, the prisoners had nothing to call their own. Their education did not matter and their families were taken away from them. Many mulled over the misery and unfortunate fate, and eventually succumbed to the brutality.

It is during these times, that a realization dawned upon Frankl. He knew that no matter what was taken away from him, no one could take away his freedom to choose. He had the freedom to choose his attitude towards his surroundings. Frankl found strength in his love for his wife. He focused and visualised on the good things in life, and his optimism kept him alive till the day he was freed. The brutal conditions that were inflicted upon him could not break his unfathomable spirit.

Like Frankl and the others, mankind has been led into the "captivity" of evolution. Changes are inevitable. In this new age, Man has begun to play God. Scientific breakthroughs such has cross-breeding, gene transfers, cloning and stemcell research are making waves in the new world.

The introduction of Genetically Modified Food has spurred controversy. Debates continue among the concerned advocates who fear the impact these changes may have on health, the environment or even human existence. Amidst these, new found viruses have been razing societies and becoming worldwide pandemics. Much has been said and yet, the exploration continues. The more we fight it, the more energy and publicity we give to the cause. As a result, we become the latent propagators.

Today, it's a wonder whether the food that we call "organic" is purely organic. With crossbreeding and changing conditions, we may have unwittingly become accustomed to the changes our food has gone through that we no longer remember what it used to be like.

What are the reasons behind the experiments?

Researchers who debate that it is for the benefit of the 3rd World countries.

Huge companies who sponsor the projects for great profits.

Scientists who believe that mistakes need to be made for the greatest discoveries.

Whatever the outcome or effect, it is us civilians who bear the brunt. So what do we do? Should we run or protest? Neither is necessary. Change begins with us. We can't stop the world but we can build our will.

The power of the human spirit is far greater than any force in the world. Even amidst the greatest catastrophe, we could come out unscathed.

Let the world do what it wants to do. Let the viruses go on a rampage. It can't shake the human spirit. As Viktor Frankl says, "We have the freedom to choose."

What choice have you made?

To fight the little things, let them manifest and consume you?

To choose your destiny, focus on a positive world and thus, build your resilience?

Man never made any material as resilient as the human spirit - Bern Williams

Words Can't Describe This

2009-07-19T13:32:00.004+08:00

I shall not spoil the suspense. I leave it to the individual to perceive from viewing this video. Thanks Shoba for the video :)

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The Need for Communication

2009-07-02T22:56:00.008+08:00

"Silence is Golden"

"Children should be seen, not heard"

"Empty vessels make the most noise"

We've heard them all. I grew up on these idioms. I believed in them so much that over time, I spoke less. The lesser I spoke, the more I held within myself.

Is communication really such a bad thing? The recent events in my life have taught me that it is not. Communication is essential. It becomes detrimental only when we commit more than we should. Isn't it not for everything in this world? Anything that is indulged in excess becomes poison to the soul.

Today's entry is not about moderation. It's about the importance of communication, even if it's for a few seconds.

A few weeks back, I was going through a rough time. Circumstances led me to stand firm on what I believed in. My mother was unhappy with my indifference and she refused to speak to me. I have no other kin or kith. My friends had their own problems. I had no one to speak to. The pangs of loneliness I felt those two days were beyond words. To keep my sanity, I had to call two of my friends to just have a 5-minute casual conversation. I did not speak of my problems or my anguish but those 5 minutes were precious to me. They were suffice to keep my sanity. It was then I realised the importance of communication, even if it is gibberish.

Do I have story for this setting?

Yes, I do. :) And it's a true story.

During the Vietnam War, many American soldiers were held captive by the enemies in prison cells. The soldiers were deliberately isolated from one another so that they could not communicate and plot an escape. Hence, each prisoner was confined to a lone cell. It was difficult to communicate with a fellow comrade in the next cell especially with the wardens watching over them like hawks. It became maddening and depressing for the soldiers who were unsure whether they would ever go back home.

One day, an American soldier came up with a brilliant idea. He created his own code language. With each tap on the wall, he communicated a letter of the alphabet. Each different alphabet was determined by different number of taps. The message got passed on from cell to cell and every prisoner learnt the code language. It became easier for them to communicate. Over time, they got so good at it, that they began communicating faster, as if they were talking to each other.

The code language helped the prisoners-of-war find comfort and encouragement in each other's 'words'. They had found a way to keep their sanity in the most trying time of their life.

Communication is not only the essence of being human, but also a vital property of life. - John A. Piece

It Pays to Serve

2009-06-13T15:59:00.005+08:00

Singaporeans are ardent shoppers. They will locate any shopping outlet even if it is at the corner of the earth. It is a truth that I realised when I travelled to the States with my classmates.

Singapore is a shoppers' paradise. Unfortunately, we don't have stores that boast the best service. It's a wonder whether the sales staff are even trained before they are appointed.

Shopping in Singapore can be very claustrophic. As soon as you enter a store, you will either have a salesgirl staring at you or tailing you around. Many times, I have exited a store without browsing because I could sense a salesgirl watching me at arm's length. My friends have also complained about similar situations.

It is understood that sales people have a duty to watch over the stores from shoplifters but I'm sure this could be done discretely.

When I was in U.S, I recall receiving the same kind of service, no matter which store I walked into. The sales girl would greet,"Hello. How are you doing today?" and they would proceed to, "Let me know if you need anything." Then, they would continue with their work. (Another thing that I would like to point out. Our sales people are extremely free!)

Now could this scenario be viewed as the salesgirl not doing her job and that she is going to let a shoplifter get away scot free?

No, she is still keeping a watchful eye but in her own space. Trust me. These people know you. Once I walked into a store for the second time and the salesgirl went, "Oh! You're back again," and she smiled. You wouldn't want to mess with them.

Another notable trait in our sales people is that, they have NO product knowledge. ZILCH!

You could walk into a store and ask them about a product and the first reaction would be to look around to see if their colleague knew the answer to your question. How do you sell something when you don't even know what it is all about???

That's exactly what happened today when my classmates and I went to the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve to find answers for a small segment of our assignment. We could not find information for one of the questions and my classmate approached the "ranger" at the information counter. She asked him if there were any invasive species that affect the forest. The guy shook his head. He did not know the answer. The next thing he said was that we need to register if we're exploring for a school project. My classmate enquired about the registration and he replied, "Through the Internet."

So were we supposed to go back home, register through the Internet and return to the Reserve? Do these people realise what they're saying??

We told him that we were not on a school excursion. We were simply looking for answers for the questions that our lecturer gave us. Anyway, he was no help.

Back in Oklahoma, our lecturer brought us on an excursion to the Wichita Mountains. Nick, the guide, also the ranger shared with us all that he knew about the mountains, including its history. Nick also helped us answer our quiz questions.

I do not understand Singapore's priority when it comes to service. Especially, when tourism is so important to us.

Forget that. Whatever happened to job commitment? It doesn't matter which job we do but shouldn't we make an effort to know what it is all about before we carry out a task? How do you sell or promote when you don't even know what your product is about?

The sales people may not care for they are not the ones collecting the profit. But wouldn't it be nice to do a job well and not just for the incentives? This is something to think about.

I have just the story for the situation.....

Once upon a time a very strong woodcutter asked a timber merchant for a job, and he got it. The pay was really good and so were the working conditions. He would receive commission for each tree he brought down.

His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work.

The first day, the woodcutter brought down 18 trees.

"Congratulations," the boss said. "Go on that way!"

Very motivated for the boss’ words, the woodcutter tried harder the next day, but he could only bring down 15 trees. The third day he tried even harder, but he could only bring down 10 trees. Day after day he was bringing down less and less trees.

"I must be losing my strength", the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on.

"When was the last time you sharpened your axe?" the boss asked.

"Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees..."

That's how our sales people work. They have been busy watching over the bosses' property that they have forgotten to hone their skills and help their bosses double the sales.

Never work just for money or for power. They won't save your soul or help you sleep at night. - Marian Wright Edelman

DD's - Detach and Delegate

2009-06-11T21:01:00.007+08:00

A myth that I read some time ago comes to mind.

Once Sage Narada (the troublemaker) approached Lord Vishnu and asked him, "Why should one be a sanyasin (celibate) to attain enlightenment? Why can't the espoused attain enlightment?"

The Lord simply smiled and replied, "I'm thirsty. Get me a tumbler of water from the River ______ (sorry I can't remember the name)."

Narada withdrew from the Lord and went to the river to fetch some water. Just then, he saw a lovely young lady on the other side of the bank and fell head over heels in love with her. (Naradar is a celestial being, however this could be taken into context that he was an avatar.) Hence, he met up with his lady love and took her hand in marriage. Soon, they had two children and he was living in bliss with his family.

One day, he received news that the river was going to rise and flood the village. Narada tried to flee with his family. However, he was too late for the river had begun to rise. He struggled to get across with his family. The current proved to be too strong. He could barely keep afloat, let alone save his family. Feeling defeated, he finally surrendered to his will and called out to the Lord.

Just then, he heard a gentle voice call him. He looked behind and it was the Lord gracing his presence in full divinity. "Narada, I asked you for a tumbler of water. But I see a stream running in here!" he jested.

Narada understood the message the Lord had meant to convey; It is not impossible to attain enlightenment as an espoused but it is easier when one is free from attachment." He left his mortal life and followed the Lord back to the celestial world.

I would like to make reference to my life with this story. No, I'm not a sanyasin and I'm not planning to be one.

Unbeknownst to me, there are lessons that I need to learn through my current role. There are times I feel overwhelmed for I have to assume several roles in one incarnation. I am the breadwinner, home-maker, parent, child, student and dreamer (or should I say dream achiever?)

What ever my lesssons are, I will learn them in time to come. However, through my experience, there is one lesson that I have learnt,

It is within human limits to do anything but we're not meant to do everything.

Talk on Total WellBeing

2009-06-07T23:35:00.013+08:00

I received an invitation to a free talk by Vision Plus++. The objective of the talk was to promote Total WellBeing; to a live a life of balance, ease and holistic wellbeing.

It did not take me very long to decide whether I wanted to attend it. It was a topic right in my alley.

Hence, on Saturday, 6th of June, I was at Sunlove Neighbourhood Link along Chai Chee Avenue ready to bask in the wisdom that was to be bestowed upon me.

The first speaker, Mr Shatrughan Yadav (fondly known as Uncle Yadav) touched on Holistic Wellbeing.

He began his talk with the code E.P.M.S. It stood for Emotional, Physical, Mental and Spirtual. He explained that the emotional state is fundamental to total wellbeing. When emotions are straightened up, everything else falls in place. He also shared with the listeners, methods and practices for emotional wellbeing.

He went on to explain the function of the conscious and unconscious mind. As the first step to remove the clutter from the mind, he suggested removing the clutter from our households. I found this particularly interesting and hopeful. Cleaning the house would definitely be much easier than containing the mind.

Uncle Yadav also suggested writing down on a piece of the paper the anger we hold towards one. Then, burn it. (Another consolation. I feared that he would tells us to mail it.) He guaranteed that the exercise would free us from any form of derogative attachment.

As it has always been preached, he also emphasized on the need to love. Gifting and forgiving are the two natures of love.

As a finale to his session, he got the listeners to sit in a circle and close their eyes. He got us into the meditative mode and told us to visualise a person who has angered us. He, then told us to forgive that person. The objective of the exercise was to release the anger and learn to forgive. Amazingly, I saw myself in my vision. I guess we all have our days when we feel that we're responsible for everything that happens around us. I did feel slightly better after the exercise.

The next speaker, Komal had an interesting and insightful knowledge to share with the audience. He touched on the ayurvedic knowledge about the body. He advocated that the body is linked to the five elements; air,water,fire, earth and space. Two of each elements are combined and structured into three segments; Varta, Pitta and Kappa. Individuals could fall under either one of the segments or a combination of any of the two.

This was new knowledge to me. I never realised that we were so connected to the elements. It was amazing to know that the fundamentals of the human structure, characteristics and diet can be determined by our connection with these elements. It brought about an understanding to the diversity in the human nature and that each individual is designed to carry out a specific task. Personally, I felt that my attributes were a combination of Pitta and Kappa. More of Kappa, in fact.

The last speaker, Mr Guna presented on the Art of Giving. I believed that I knew the basics of giving but it turned out to be an eye-opener, or should I say, a "mind-opener"?

He touched on giving to receive. He emphasized on the importance of detaching ourselves from the gift when we give. He engaged the audience, particularly me, to explain this theory.

He also mentioned the need to give others what they want rather than what we think is best for them. Though, the principle appears to be the obvious, through his examples of humourous events, I realised at times we can be insensitive to others' needs when we choose to give.

An example, he quoted was during the Tsunami relief. People donated high-heeled shoes and bikinis to the victims. When giving, the intention is important.

It made me reflect on my personal encounters. On the occasions that I had given, it made me think whether I had done so wholeheartedly. It is important for the intention to be noble when giving.

Mr Guna, also touched on the dilemma that most of us face in our daily lives. This was particularly important to me for when I'm approached by people for monetary help, often I'm caught because I'm not sure whether they are being truthful.

He explained that it is not up to us to judge the individual. If we feel that he/she will spend it on booze instead of food, then buy that individual food or share your food with him/her. He also emphasized on the need to listen to the heart to know whether it is right to help one and not be duped. Not an easy feat but not impossible either. :)

The talk was enriching and it opened up my mind. These plain-clothes yogis, as I would call them, touched on a different angle on each of the topics. Not something that I had commonly known or considered.

Hence, it goes without saying that, "The known is just a drop whilst the unknown is the ocean."

The True Meaning to Practicality

2009-06-05T10:28:00.007+08:00

Hailing from a society that is economically driven, I've always been advised to take a practical approach to life. These kindred souls give themselves credit for using their heads more than their hearts. It seems more practical to do so. And I must admit, there have been times when I'm just like them.

As interpreted by them, practicality is taking the safe route. Is that practicality? Or has it been misconstrued? As it appears, choosing the safe route is being pragmatic, not practical. It means to do what has been already tried and tested.

Ponder over this. If everyone chose to repeat what the other had accomplished, we can hardly evolve.

I would like to share a little story my best friend, a teacher told her class. And I hope to explain through this story what practicality really means.

She asked her students if they were in a life and death situation with their loved ones; particularly parents and grandparents, and God said they could only save one, who would it be?

Before I go on, think for a moment. Who would you save?

Her students responded with the particular loved one that they would like to save. Most of us would have chosen to do likewise.

However, their teacher said that she would save herself. Her students were surprised.

Hence, she explained.

When given a choice, her parents and grandparents would definitely choose to save her. If she chooses her grandmother (whom she is the closest to), the lady could probably have another 10 years ahead. In those aging 10 years, she will have to deal with the agony of having lost her beloved granddaughter.

The same would apply to her parents. Compared to their daughter, they may not have that many years ahead of them and they'll definitely choose her too.

She, on the other hand, is still young and will have the will and strength to go on. She would be able to deal with the loss better.

This is what I call a practical decision; one made with the head and heart. On first thought, it may seem selfish. But in fact, she is selfless for her heart is willing to take the pain of loss instead of subjecting her loved ones to it. And yet, her head is able to rationalise the one who should go on would be the one with the years ahead to fulfill a purpose. Think. Why else are we here? Not just for us. For everyone.

Thus arriving at my conclusion, I would say that when the head and heart synchronises to make a decision, it is the mind that makes it and only then it would be deemed as practical.

Letting it Out

2008-12-14T16:48:00.004+08:00

As I get older, I find myself getting more expressive. From observation, I have noticed the same for others as well. As a discrete person, I have bottled up more than I had let out. Now, I'm learning to open up through my writing or by sharing my thoughts with my close friends.

I have also suggested to those who confide in me to write it down. Writing down our feelings, the events in our lives and our dreams, help to remove the burden in heart and the clutter from the mind. We are able to reflect, see our problems from a different perspective and overcome them. A clearer mind allows us to get closer to our goals.

This, however, is a lesson that I had learnt from a 4 year old.

My student, nine years of age, shares her room with her four-year old sister. Once, when I went over for tuition, I noticed a tiny handwriting on the board,"I am angry."

Amused by the solitary statement, I asked my student the reason behind those words. She explained innocently that her sister had written it because she was angry with her teacher.

The more I stared at the statement, the more I adored the ingenuousness of the little child to have let out her emotions. We have so much to learn from the little ones.

"When you assume responsibility for what you experienceand share what you experience in a spirit of companionship, that is the same as forgiveness. When you hold someone responsible for what you experience, you lose power." - Gary Zukav from "Seat Of The Soul".

To Be The Best

2008-10-12T23:34:00.006+08:00

A couple of weeks back, my cousin was upset that she did not do well for her assignment as she had expected. However, her friend, with whom she did the assignment, got an A for it. In her moment of despair, my cousin sent me an email pouring her heart out. She did not understand where she went wrong. In my reply to her email, I sent her this story and urged her to reflect. With her permission, I am dedicating this post to you.

Emperor Akbar was fond of music and he had a court singer to entertain him. On one such occasion, Akbar was immersed in the song sung by the court singer. At the end of the song, the emperor praised the singer for his magnificent voice and declared that he is incomparable. However, the modest singer maintained that there is singer greater than he. Akbar was curious to know this singer. He could not imagine anyone better. He expressed his wish to see such a splendid singer. The court singer told him that the singer is none other than his Guru; the one who taught him. He also added that the latter will not come to the court. In fact, he does not leave his humble home. Hence, they would have to visit him instead. Akbar agreed.

On another day, Akbar, his minister, Birbal and the court singer set out to the Guru's house in the woods. They came across a small hut in the woods. The court singer told them that they would have to observe from a distance. Therefore, Akbar and Birbal found a spot and waited for the Guru to appear.

A while later, the Guru appeared and said his morning prayer. He settled at the porch and began singing. Once again, Akbar was immersed in the song sung by the Guru and he agreed that the latter was the best. The court singer introduced Akbar to his Guru and the emperor expressed his appreciation.

On their way back, Akbar had a nagging question that he had to ask Birbal. "The court singer is a good singer and so is his Guru. But why is the Guru a better singer?"

For which Birbal replied, "The court singer sings for what he receives but the Guru sings for God. And any dedication to God is always the best."

So my friends, need I say more? The best are those who do what they do with dedication and devotion.

True strength lies in submission which permits one to dedicate his life, through devotion to something beyond himself. - Henry Miller

A true story during China earthquake - Mother's Love

2008-06-24T13:40:00.005+08:00

It was the third day after the quake already.The rescue workers were still looking for survivors.They knew with each minute passing by, the chance to find someone alive gets slimmer.

"Come here, come here! There is a body! " shouted a rescue worker.

His fellow workers rushed to the spot. Under a big chunk of roof was a woman. She was lying with a strange pose - she kneeled on the ground with her upper body stretch forward. Her head was on the ground as well. As if she was praying for her survival. The nurse in the rescue team struggled to reach her through the debris. It was difficult. There was no space. The woman was not responsive to any call. However, just to make sure, the nurse still tried to test her breath, to see if she was still breathing. Not really. She was breathless, and her body was cold. She was dead. Praying or not, it did not help.

The team moved on. There were other people buried.They could not afford to spend time in retrieving a dead body.When the team reached the next collapsed building,the captain suddenly ran back to the woman, as if he realized something. When he reached the spot, he lay down, put his head next to the roof, and stretched his arm to touch the space under her abdomen. Once,twice. His forehead was locked, just like he was solving a mystery.

"There is a baby! And he is alive!!!" He cried out to his team members. It was a newly-born. He was neatly wrapped in a red blanket decorated by yellow flowers. Miraculously, he did not even have a scratch in his body. When he was taken out from the rubble, he was sleeping, peacefully sleeping.The nurse took the baby from the rescue worker and started doing routine exams. When she unwrapped the blanket, she found a cell phone tucked between the baby and his diaper. It had a text message written on the screen, read" My dear baby, if you can survive, please remember mom loves you."

Holding Hands

2008-05-20T14:07:00.005+08:00

A little girl and her father were crossing a bridge. The father was kind of scared so he asked his little daughter, '"Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river.'"

The little girl said, "No, Dad. You hold my hand."

"What's the difference?" asked the puzzled father. '

"There's a big difference," replied the little girl. "If I hold your hand and something happens to me, chances are that I may let your hand go. But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go."

In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond. So hold the hand of the person who loves you rather than expecting them to hold yours... This message is too short......but carries a lot of feelings.

Bus Ride

2008-04-27T17:55:00.007+08:00

On Friday, in a conversation with Mom, she was telling me about some people whom she had encountered in buses and bus-stops. They turn away their faces when she arrives. Such behaviour has often baffled her. What grudge could an unknown person hold over her? I was silent throughout the conversation for I had not observed enough to have noticed such behaviour.

Coincidentally, on the same fateful day, I took the bus in the evening to my tuition. As I got into the bus, I could not help noticing a lady, probably in her fifties who turned away suddenly when she saw me. I was amused by her behaviour. I hadn't the slightest clue who she was! Then she tried to look in front and she got a sense that I was observing and turned sharply to the other side. By now, I couldn't help laughing. I spent the next 10 minutes of my journey entertaining myself. I continued to observe her while she maintained her little act. I was grinning throughout the journey. The funny thing, however was that she refused to look me directly in the face or eyes! Some people never cease to amaze me.

Ok now, story time........

While Swami Vivekananda was travelling by train, in Rajasthan an interesting incident took place.

He was resting in a second class compartment. Two Englishmen were profusely hurling abuses at him. They were under the impression that the Swami did not know English. When the train reached the station. Swamiji asked an official, in English, for a glass of water. The Englishmen were surprised. They asked Swamiji why he was silent though he could understand them. Swamiji snapped back, "This is not the first time I have met fools." The Englishmen were enraged, but Swamiji's formidable physique silenced them.

The lady was clutching on to a bag and I must quote the words written on it, "Leave your cares and worries to me for I care a lot for you. - God"

Such is the irony of life! hehe

Scars of Love

2008-04-13T13:27:00.006+08:00

Some years ago on a hot summer day in south Florida a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went.

He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore. His mother in the house was looking out the window saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, she ran toward the water, yelling to her son as loudly as she could. Hearing her voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his mother. It was too late. Just as he reached her, the alligator reached him. From the dock, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard her screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator.

Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. And, on his arms, were deep scratches where his mother's fingernails dug into his flesh in her effort to hang on to the son she loved.

The newspaper reporter, who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, "But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Mom wouldn't let go."

You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. Not from an alligator, but the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret. But, some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let go. In the midst of your struggle. He's been there holding on to you.

The Scripture teaches that God loves you. You are a child of God. He wants to protect you and provide for you in every way. But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations, not knowing what lies ahead. The swimming hole of life is filled with peril - and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That's when the tug-of-war begins - and if you have the scars of His love on your arms be very, very grateful. He did not and will not ever let you go. Never judge another person's scars, because you do not know how they were made.

I Asked Krishna

2008-04-06T14:38:00.019+08:00

I had received this powerpoint presentation from my friend sometime back and I had saved it to share with everyone. Thanks Liju, for the email. :)

Joe and the Ermine

2008-03-24T13:04:00.004+08:00

A wise man once told me, "We're a network. Every action by an individual affects the Universe as a whole, like a ripple in the sea."

Joseph Jaworski got up early in the morning to fish in a stream not far from his camp.

As he walked along, suddenly in front of him a beautiful ermine popped out of the deep snow. She couldn’t have been more than ten feet from him. All at once she appeared with her almost black eyes looking directly into his. He stopped on his tracks. She sat there staring straight at him, moving not a whisker or a muscle. It seemed as if they looked into one another’s eyes for several minutes, but perhaps it was less than one. She turned to go but stopped, turned around again, and took another long look at him. Then she began.

She jumped up into the air and did a huge flip, and then looked into his eyes again, as if to say, “What did you think about that?” She did this same trick for him three or four times, each time cocking her head to the side and looking at him as if to ask for his approval. He stood there, held transfixed. Then he began smiling and cocking his head in the same direction as hers. This went on for the longest time. There together, he felt at one with that ermine. Finally, when she had finished, she turned around once more and looked at him, then went down into the snow again and she was gone.

It was a moment when Joe communicated with the ermine. He experienced what he could only describe as a kind of transcendence of time and a feeling of oneness with the universe.

A human being is a part of the whole, called by us Universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest--a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole nature in its beauty. - Max Frisch

Two Friends

2008-02-25T11:54:00.007+08:00

Joe found Manny Deitz the next day and returned his raincoat and umbrella. He treated him to lunch to express his appreciation.At lunch Manny told him a story.

In World War II, Manny was a fighter pilot for the American Air Force. During a dogfight off the coast of Italy, he shot down an Italian plane whose pilot managed to parachute out. Instead of flying off, which he probably should have done since he had a limited amount of fuel, Manny waited to make sure the pilot’s life vest was fully inflated and that he was okay.

Then he radioed for help for the downed pilot, and he circled around until it got there. When help finally reached the flyer, Manny made a low pass and gave him the thumbs-up sign, and the Italian returned it. As he flew off, Manny wagged his wings as if to say goodbye.

We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

When the war ended, Manny went back to Philadelphia.

One day, a letter came from the Italian flyer, who had tracked Manny down from the number on the plane’s wings. The flyer asked if he could come see him, and Manny said yes.

When they finally met, the Italian said, “You know, you saved my life, and I feel as if I would like to stay connected to you. I’d like for us to work together. My family has a leather goods factory that makes shoes and purses. Would you be my partner? We could start a branch over in the States.”

So ever since the war, this Italian and Manny have been co-owners of a successful manufacturing business in shoes and handbags made in Italy and marketed in Europe and the United States, and they’ve been the best of friends as well as business partners.

You lift me, and I'll lift you, and we'll ascend together. - Anonymous

The Grand Prix at Monza

2008-02-24T14:11:00.012+08:00

I would like to share in my blog, certain important accounts adapted from the book, "Synchronicity - The Inner Path to Leadership" that had a great impact over me and it changed the way I perceive.

The author, Joseph Jaworsky began his career as an attorney and cofounded the Centre for Generative Leadership designed to help companies and other organizations develop the leadership required to shape the future. And this is the first account from the book that I had picked....

Joseph Jaworski wanted to take up a short term challenge that seemed impossible. He decided to go to the Grand Prix at Monza, Italy and be there in the pits with Lauda and the Ferrari racing team.

A close friend recommended him to Dr Gotti, a senior executive of Ferrari. The latter told him that it was absolutely impossible to get any tickets to the Grand Prix. Joe was determined to go and he settled for the in-field tickets in spite of the predicted difficulties.

He spent the night at Milan and it began to pour at four in the morning, when he woke up. He was dismayed for he knew that it was a long walk from the train station in Monza to the Autodroma, and he had no raingear. There were no shops open at that time in the morning. He sat down and thought about his next step.
Just then, he spotted a man about the same size as he, walking over to the reception desk. He had a raincoat and an umbrella.

“Pardon me for bothering you, sir,” he said. “…but my name is Joe Jaworski; I’m from Houston, and I need your raincoat and umbrella for the day. I’m going out to the race at Monza, and I left my raincoat and umbrella in Switzerland. It’s really important that I get out there right away. Please let me borrow your umbrella and raincoat, and I promise you I’ll bring them back tomorrow.”

The man looked at him with a half-smile and said, “Sure, why not?” He introduced himself as Manny Deitz and told him that he will be around for a couple of days. He told him to give a call when he gets back. He gave his card and Joe expressed his gratefulness before setting off.

That best portion of a good man's life; his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love. - William Wordsworth, English Poet.

Finding Strength Through Adversity

2008-02-17T13:53:00.009+08:00

Author Scott walker was asked to help some friends dig through the ashes of their house after a fire.

When they arrived, all that was standing was a portion of the outer brick wall. Where the piano once stood, lay only a pile of ashes and twisted wire. Nothing had survived the blaze. But while sifting through the debris, Walker came across a tiny, china bluebird. He wiped away the soot to find that the colours were still bright. A few hairline cracks had formed in the glaze but beyond that, it remained intact.

Walker writes, "As I gazed down at the bird's small beak and two black eyes. I wanted to weep. If only this little bluebird could talk, what a story it would tell. A story of the heat of the night of terror, of survival against great odds. And then the crucial question hit me. Why did this china bluebird survive? It had survived the fire because it had been tested by fire."

And so it is with human beings who have been refined in life's raging furnace. They are tougher, harder, and more resilient than those who have never faced difficulty and loss. That understanding may help us cope the next time the heat is turned up on our tranquil little world.

I had sent this story, once to my friend, who found strength through adversity and picked up the pieces. Now, exactly a year later, she is facing the same adversity.

I wish to dedicate this story to her for her resilience. As far as I'm concerned, she is just like the china bluebird.

Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.

Granny Rapper

2008-02-10T19:45:00.000+08:00

A little light-hearted humour for a change........

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We don't stop playing because we grow old; We grow old because we stop playing! - George Bernard Shaw

Disability Belies Its Strength

2008-02-04T12:44:00.000+08:00

A 10-year-old boy decided to study judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident.

The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn't understand why, after three months of training the master had taught him only one move.

"Sensei," the boy finally said, "Shouldn't I be learning more moves?"

"This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you'll ever need to know," the Sensei replied.

Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training.

Several months later, the sensei took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged; the boy deftly used his one move to win the match.

Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals. This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced. For a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched. Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when the Sensei intervened.

"No," the Sensei insisted, "Let him continue."

Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake: He dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used his move to pin him. The boy had won the match and the tournament. He was the champion.

On the way home, the boy and Sensei reviewed every move in each and every match. Then the boy summoned the courage to ask what was really on his mind.

"Sensei, how did I win the tournament with only one move?"

"You won for two reasons," the Sensei answered. "First, you've almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. And second, the only known defense for that move is for your opponent to grab your left arm."

The boy's biggest weakness had become his biggest strength.

"Greatness lies not in being strong, but in the right use of strength." - Henry Ward Beecher

Me, My Mother and Stress

2008-02-03T12:57:00.000+08:00

Hello! I'm back after a stressful fortnight!

I wasn't planning to come online today. After days of staring at the computer, day and night to finish my assignment, the last thing I ever wanted to do is to be back staring at it.

Well, the only link to my passion is my computer, so here I am ;) And I haven't quite forgotten my promise to be back on the 3rd!

Today's entry would be the story of my life! Or rather, just a segment of it.

The last three days had been rather agonizing and I had not been able to start on my assignment, that was due on the day of my exam, for three reasons. Firstly, I fell ill and I was forced to take a break. Secondly, work took up my days and lastly, I did not know how to get started. On top of this, I had so much to read for my paper!

It was my mother's prized advice that got me through the ordeal, otherwise I would have crashed. She told me to not worry or think about how much I had to do. But rather, take each task, one at a time. Or else, it would become too overwhelming and I will get nothing done.

"Do the necessary," she said. "Worry about the rest later."

And that's what I did! I worked on my assignments one after another. I refused to allow myself to worry about whether I can get it done on time or feel sorry for myself. I believed I would get it done. I had to sacrifice two days of sleep but I got it done eventually.

Hence, today I have taken the opportunity to quote, not Socrates, Pluto or Mahatma Gandhi but rather the Gandhi (Mom's nick name) I know; My mother.

Footprints

2008-01-10T12:36:00.000+08:00

hahaha How often have we felt like that during our troubled times? Just where is God when you need Him???

One night a man had a dream. He dreamt he was walking along the beach with God. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints, one belonging to him and the other belonging to God.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life, there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of his life.

This really bothered him and he questioned God about it. "God, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I've noticed that during the most troublesome times of my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me."

God replied, "My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."

And that's what I do whenever I am feeling low and helpless; As I take each conscious step, I feel and imagine that God is taking it with me.

P.S I would like to thank all those lovely people in my life for their wonderful and creative birthday wishes. Each one of them had touched my heart and I feel gifted to be surrounded by love. Once again, thank you. :)

The Holy Man and the Harlot

2008-01-06T21:04:00.000+08:00

A holy man was living in a temple. Nearby was the house of a harlot. Noticing how men were frequenting her house for her service, he called the woman and warned her against the evil ways.

She lamented over her lot and prayed to the Lord for forgiveness although she could not put an end to her base profession.

The annoyed holy man now started recording her lapses by piling a pebble every time a libertine visited her. When the heap of pebbles grew large, the holy man summoned the prostitute to his presence and censured her severely pointing out to her the pyramid-like enormity of her sins.

The heart-broken woman died that very night appealing to the Almighty for deliverance from the tainted body. Strangely enough, that very night the holy man also departed.

The body of the former was cast away as food to vultures and jackals; but that of the latter was buried with due honours.

However, the development of this scene was quite different in Netherworld. The soul of the prostitute was escorted to heaven while that of the holy man was consigned to hell.

The excited holy man demanded an explanation for this injustice. The reply came that inviolable justice alone prevailed in the creation of the Lord. Although living in a polluted body, the prostitute's mind was ever fixed on the Divine, whereas the mind of the holy man was always wandering on unholy concerns. While the earthly remains of both were fittingly disposed, their souls as well were assigned their fitting regions.

Reputation is what the world thinks a man is; character is what he really is.

To Be Or Not To Be

2008-01-03T12:24:00.000+08:00

Ralph Nader is an activist and politician who ran for president in 1996 and 2000 as a candidate for the Green Party. Nader became the best-known consumer advocate in the U.S., lecturing widely and forming non-profit groups like Public Citizen, whose stated goal was to protect consumers against corporate carelessness and greed. And this is an account of his life that helped him make his choice on what he wanted to be.....

In the early forties, when Ralph Nader was a fourth grader, it was common for boys of 1st to 3rd grade to wear shorts while the older boys wore long pants.

There was a distinct difference between shorts and long pants. Boys wearing shorts were considered little boys or sissy. Young Ralph was teased mercilessly by the boys in his class for wearing shorts to school everyday.

Taunted by the constant ridicule, Young Ralph returned home from school, one day, looking miserable. His mother had noticed the difference in her son.

He told his mother, on the verge of tears, how all the other boys in the fourth grade were wearing long pants. "Why can't I? The boys are laughing at me," he said.

"Tell me why you want to wear long pants?" she asked gently.

He thought for a moment and answered, "Because all the other boys are wearing long pants."

That obviously was not the answer his mother wanted to hear. She stood up from the ktichen table, "Ralph, are you going to grow up to be a leader or a follower?" she asked and walked out of the kitchen before he could say another word.

Young Ralph was pretty savvy for his age and he understood what she was getting at. As much as he wanted to be a leader, he just wanted to be one wearing long pants.

The very next morning, things were not very much different when he went to his school in his shorts.

That afternoon, on the playground behind the school, a group of boys was having races to see who was the fastest in the class. Ralph lined up for the race to the chagrin of some of the boys. They were all in their long pants but he was the only one wearing his shorts.

When the race began, Ralph ran as fast as he could. He had a distinct advantage in his shorts over the boys who wore the long pants. At first the only sound he heard was that of his heart pounding. Then the sounds of laboured breathing as the other boys closed in behind him, and then the yelling and cheering of the little crowd that had amassed on the side of the field.

Guess who won?

That was a turning point in Ralph Nader's life. He felt self-confident and began to see that being different could be a source of strength.

His mother had helped him to understand that a leader need not care about being mocked for his or her unique views, and that one person can make a difference. If you want to change the world, or just your community, you need to be the kind of person who is willing to run life's race in short pants.

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Focus 2008!

2008-01-01T00:42:00.000+08:00

2007 has passed in a flash and the new year has taken a peek. Time for a story to mark the start of the new year.....

Once upon a time, a young prince was captured by a king from the neighbouring state who threatened to take over the former's kingdom.

However, the king gave the prince a chance to save his kingdom by challenging him to carry a pot full of water over his head and walk a good distance without spilling a single drop.

The prince took up the challenge, hoping to win his kingdom back. He was given a pot of water that was filled to the brim, which he laid carefully on his head.

As he walked, balancing the pot on his head, careful not to spill a drop of water, the prince came across many people who cheered, whilst others jeered. But the prince did not bother about any of them and continued to walk steadily. Eventually, he reached his destination and won the challenge.

So my friends, the message this story conveys is that in our lives, we will meet many people who will put us down and others who will praise us to skies. However, we should never bother about criticisms or to give in to flattery. Instead, we should be very focused on our goal and keep going.

Hence, let's the begin the new year with steadiness that would lead to accomplished goals and victory!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

You must remain focused on your journey to greatness - Les Brown

I Want To See God

2007-12-29T12:42:00.001+08:00

One day a religious man set out to a nearby town. He did not anticipate the heavy downpour as he made his way through the forest. He accidentally stepped onto a trap laid for elephants and fell into the deep pit.

Torrents of rain continued to pour and the water in the pit rose to the man's knees. In the silence of the forest, he prayed to God to save him.

A painter arrived at the scene with a long ladder under his arm. He heard the prayer of the man and offered to help the man up with his ladder. But the religious man declined his offer much to his surprise.

"I want to see God. Only he should rescue me," he said.

The painter tried to convince him but to no avail. He left the scene, leaving the man to continue with his prayer.

The man prayed to God to appear in his magnificent form and rescue him out of his plight. By now, the water level had risen to his waist.

The huge pit was noticed by a locksmith who passed by carrying strong, metal chains in his hand. He, too offered to help the man up.

"I want to see God. Only he should rescue me," he maintained obstinately. The locksmith also left the scene, failing to persuade the man.

Now, the water in the pit has risen above the man's chin and he struggled to keep afloat. However, he persisted on his unwavering faith and continued to pray to God to rescue him.

Just then, a farmer stopped by at the pit with a thick rope hoisted on his shoulders. Like the other men, he too offered to help him but the religious man refused him too, citing the same reason. The farmer understood the potential danger and tried persuading the man but he remained adamant. As the others, he too, left the scene resignedly.

Eventually, the water filled to the brim and the religious man drowned. His soul drifted up to Heaven where he met God.

"You have forsaken me," he began, feeling betrayed. "I had prayed to see you and you did not come to my rescue."

A smile spread across God's serene face, "I did hear your prayer. I had sent three men to rescue you but you had refused their help. And yet, you had insisted upon seeing me and here you have got your wish," replied God in his detached, yet loving voice.

The religious man bowed his head when he realised how foolish he had been.

To think about : The religious man represents our ego and denial. The three men represent God's voice within us; each time we ignore one, he patiently conveys it again. How often have we denied our inner voice or instincts?

Moral of the story: Don't play games with God. He is a better sportsman!

Happiness

2007-12-26T16:33:00.001+08:00

For all those who have been dragging your feet to work after a long weekend, here's a story to enjoy with a cup of coffee to perk you up.

A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably coifed and shaved perfectly applied, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.

His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.

As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.

"I love it," he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.

"Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait."

"That doesn't have anything to do with it," he replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged . It's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away. Just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories! Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing."

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred.

2. Free your mind from worries.

3. Live simply.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less.

Heli, The Star of Bethlehem

2007-12-23T20:49:00.000+08:00

This is the story of the Christmas star that announced the birth of Jesus and directed the three wise men to see Jesus.

God decided to have lights in heaven and created the sun, moon and all the stars on the third day of creation. He loved each star very much and would invite them to his presence and listen to them.

Once, he sent a proclamation for all the stars to appear before him and he would select one for an important purpose.

With eagerness, all the stars gathered at his throne room.

Amanda, the smallest star of them all was mocked by its fellow stars who believed that she did not stand a chance.

God announced that he is sending his son into the world and would be selecting the star to announce his arrival. The greatest among them will proclaim his birth to the world. The stars were thrilled and dreamt of the great honour they would receive if they were selected.

The first star stepped forward.

Tariq : I give light and heat to 15 planets and 27 moons. I am one of the largest stars in the galaxy. I would be very proud to announce your son's birth.

God : Very impressive indeed!

Polaris : Humans know me as the North Star. I have guided many sailors to their destination and have been a constant beacon of light for all travelers. Who would be better to mark the birth of your son?

God : Well done.

Sirius : I am one of the brightest stars. My lights is seen all over this great galaxy. I can think of nothing more wonderful than to share my light with the earth.

God : Good job.

Every other star took turns to step forward and spoke to their greatness and accomplishments. The last star to step out was Amanda.

Amanda : No planets or moons revolve around me and I guide no sailors home. My much larger and brighter brothers hide my light. But I joyfully do your will to the best of my ability. I am what you say I am. I will be what you say I will be.

Silence befell the throne room. Astra, the wisest star stepped forward and withdrew. Followed by the other stars who also withdrew until only Amanda remained.

Amanda : Lord, I don't understand. Why did they all leave?"

God : They all came forward to announce their own power and ability. You were the only one that proclaimed faith in my ability. You truly are the greatest star.

Amanda thanked the Lord and he named her Heli, henceforth. She was assigned with the honourable task of proclaiming God's glory in the night sky for all to see.

Heli took her place in the night sky above Bethlehem. For many months, she was the brightest and most beautiful star the world had ever seen.

When her mission was complete, God gave her a very special place of honour in the night sky. On a clear night you can still see her. She is not the biggest or the brightest, but she is still there, faithfully obeying God. She is truly the greatest star.

To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity.

You Are Born With A Purpose

2007-12-20T12:04:00.001+08:00

Once I had an opportunity to work in a non-profitable organization for a short period of time. As a temporary staff, I was delegated a task by my Senior Manager to issue leaflets to the members for an upcoming seminar.

Single-handedly (and with the occasional help that my other colleagues from the other department sneaked in), I managed to post out more than 400 leaftlets. I was under a lot of pressure because I was running out of time but I had my task accomplished within the given time frame.

Next, I was instructed to call each of these members that I had issued the leaflets to and ask them whether they had received them.

Now, if their reply was "Yes", well good for them and if the reply was "No", I would not be issuing them another leaflet for I did not have the time for that. I could not rationalise the purpose of my calls to them. It was simply redundant work delegated to me by a higher authority. I had no other choice but to obey.

And one day in the privacy of my cubicle when everyone had gone to an AGM meeting ,I broke down. It was amazing how I was in a better state of mind when I had sent out those leaflets though I had to beat the time, than I was when I had to simply make calls. What was the reason for that breakdown? Here's a story that illustrates that......

During WWII, the Germans had imprisoned many Jews and kept them in concentration camps. These prisoners were tortured, not given enough nutrition, made to toil and some were even used for experiments.

Once, a selected group of prisoners were commanded to dig a huge pit and pile up the sand on the other side. The following day, they were made to return to the site and cover up the pit they had dug with the sand that they had piled up the day before. On the third day, they were made to dig a huge pit on the same spot and on the fourth cover up the pit again. They repeated the procedure for several days until many of the prisoners eventually succumbed and broke down in despair.

Henceforth, the Germans had arrived at the conclusion that they had wished to derive from the experiment........

Humans cannot do meaningless work. We're just not made that way.

The Meaning of Peace

2007-12-16T21:46:00.000+08:00

There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace.

Many artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures. But there were only two he really liked, and he had to choose between them.

Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace.

The other picture had mountains, too. But these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky, from which rain fell and in which lightning played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all.

But when the king looked closely, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest.There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest - in perfect peace.

Which picture do you think won the prize?

The king chose the second picture.

Do you know why?

"Because," explained the king."Peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace.

Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without – Buddha

A Classic Irony

2007-12-14T11:02:00.000+08:00

Last Saturday, while making my rounds in the temple, I arrived at the white statue of Lord Shiva. Attached to the grand pillar, he was sitting in a meditative pose with his palms clasped on his lap and facing upwards (Just like in the picture).

Then something caught my eye. There was a coin on his palm!

"Who had tried to reduce the mighty provider to a beggar???" I wondered.

I understood the good will of the individual for wanting to contribute to the temple. But that could be done at the allocated coin box, the office or the tray that is used to show the fire.

It is immaterial to shower money on the hands or feet of the Greatest Giver! What an irony!

I knew that the Merciful One would take no offence and I continued on my rounds.

Hence, for all those who believe that you're doing a great deed showering nickels on the Lord's feet and hands, here is a story on what God represents and where we stand....

Vivekananda paid a visit to his favourite Kali Temple, one day. While standing outside the altar of the Great Mother, he could not help noticing the ruins the once beautiful temple had become by its invaders.

"If only I had been born earlier," he thought. "I would have saved this temple from the ruins."

Just then, from within him, he heard the great laughter of a woman that belonged to none other than Mother Kali. "I am the reason why you can lift your finger. Would I not be able to protect my own temple?" she asked. "Nothing happens beyond me and everything happens for a reason," she explained.

Vivekananda had realised his folly and revered the Great Mother.

"Remember the Lord for it is He who is giving you the power to make wealth." - A quote that I found at the back of a truck.

Brewing Coffee

2007-12-12T10:24:00.000+08:00

"Brewing Coffee". Why do I call my blog "Brewing Coffee"? My cousin suggested that I call it "Kopi With Thach". Catchy! :)

But I have my reasons. And after I have narrated the story, you will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of figuring and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil,without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots and eggs out and placed them in separate bowls. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in another bowl.

Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see."

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.

The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity; boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffeebean?"

Hence, I hope that my blog inspires everyone to be fragrant and flavoured like the coffee beans. And that's why I have called my blog, "Brewing Coffee". :)

Winners Never Quit!

2007-12-10T13:25:00.000+08:00

Nothing is impossible to a willing heart. - John Heywood, sixteenth-century English poet

A little girl - the 20th of 22 children, was born prematurely and her survival was doubtful.

When she was 4 years old, she contracted double pneumonia and scarlet fever, which left her with a paralysed left leg.

At age 9, she removed the metal leg brace she had been dependent on and began to walk without it.

By 13 she had developed a rhythmic walk, which doctors said was a miracle. That same year she decided to become a runner.She entered a race and came in last.

For the next few years every race she entered, she came in last. Everyone told her to quit, but she kept on running.

One day she actually won a race, and then another. From then on she won every race she entered.

Eventually this little girl - Wilma Rudolph, went on to win three Olympic gold medals.

Kids Ask The Darnest Things

2007-12-09T00:40:00.000+08:00

My nephew was four when I read to him the story of a tiger cub that had trouble belonging to its streak because it was too kind to kill.

His exasperated mother, the tigeress sent him out in the wild and warned him not to return till he had made a kill.

The little tiger cub went on a hunt but ended up helping the animals rather than killing them. Eventually, he fell into a river and struggled to keep afloat. The animals that he had helped earlier arrive in the nick of time to save the tiger cub from drowning.

After which, I closed the book concluding that the moral of the story is when you help others, you will receive help in your time of need.

The little tyke had a bigger question for me. "Where was God when the cub was drowning?"

Totally taken aback for I had not expected such a profound question from a four-year old, I explained to him that God cannot be everywhere all the time and that is why he sends people to help others in his place.

Phew!

As for the story......later ;)

A Pet is a Lifetime Commitment

2007-12-06T12:54:00.000+08:00

My niece had innocently purchased a few baby turtles at a fair that she had found irresistably cute.

She had later developed cold feet and abandoned them in her neighbour's potted plant fearing that her mother (my sister) would kill her.

My sister went into a fit as predicted when she learnt about this, not because my niece bought those turtles but rather because she had failed to take responsibility for their lives. She returned to the pot but the turtles were no longer there.

My niece's eyes glistened as she narrated this account. It was apparent that she felt guilty and she was sorry about what had happened. She had learnt that she needs to take responsibility for a life and not just abandon it to save her own arse.

Hence, we just hope those turtles found a new home and they're probably swimming away happily in somebody's tank or pond.

I had sought her permission to put up this account on my blog for it reminded me of a tale.....

A man paid a visit to his Guru, a highly regarded Yogi, on his way to another town. The Guru received him with great hospitality and offered him a tumbler of tea.

The man was about to sip into the tea when he held his lips back. A fly had flown into the tumbler and it was struggling to keep afloat on the drink.

The man was in a dilemma. He could not drink the tea for it was unhygienic. But at the same time, it will be disrespectful not to, for he will upset his Guru who had offered him the beverage with such love.

The Guru, a wise man had noticed the confusion on the man's face and inquired. Still not being able to decide, he finally explained his dilemma to the Guru.

Astound by what he had heard, the Guru demanded for the tumbler. He witnessed the fly struggling in the tea, dipped his fingers in and gently picked it up. He laid it on a leaf for its drenched wings to dry and finally it flew away to freedom.

After which, the Guru pointed out to the man that what he had done was wrong. He ruled out that in both reasons, he had thought selfishly. On one hand, his health was his priority and on the other, he considered it would reflect badly on him if he offended the Guru. Unfortunately, he had failed to consider that the life of the fly that was at stake and try do something about it.

The man realised his mistake.

Love What You Do Or Do What You Love

2007-12-05T21:57:00.000+08:00

While a sculptor was chiselling a statue, feeling tired and bored of his seemingly unglamourous life, he saw a procession pass by.

Four guards were carrying a palaquin on their shoulders with a magistrate settled in it.

Watching the expressionless guards, the sculptor assumed that they were having an easier life than he did.

"How nice would it be if I could be a guard. They don't have to use great force to chip stones like I do and how difficult can it be to carry a palaquin and walk."

The next instant, the sculptor saw himself as a guard carrying the palaquin on his shoulder.

After travelling a safe distance in his new vocation, the hands of the ex-sculptor grew tired and he began to feel the pressure on his shoulder.

"Being a guard is not easy after all," he wondered. Seated in the palaquin, with the greatest of creature comforts at his feet, he envied the ease of the Magistrate.

"He gets to enjoy the best because he is powerful. How I wish I could be a magistrate?" he lamented.

Just as he had wished, the ex-sculptor found himself comfortably settled in a palaquin, carried labouriously by four guards who waited on him. Life never felt better.

While enjoying his new-found authority and power, the "magistrate" got off his palaquin and was exposed to the unbearable heat of the Sun. He had to take shelter in a nearby inn. Then, it dawned upon him that the Sun was mightier for even a powerful magistrate like him had to retreat from its heat. He desired to be the Sun and he became one.

As the Sun, he shone with his greatest might, gleefully making the lands parched. However, his supremacy was shortlived when the clouds covered him and his rays were blocked.

"Looks like even the mighty Sun has to succumb to the clouds," he moaned behind the clouds that bound him. "Then I shall become the cloud!"

With that exclamation, he became a cloud. In his new form, he basked in glory as he blocked out the sun rays as often as he could. His glory ended briefly when the winds blew at him. He drifted away from the Sun helplessly and struggled to find his way back.

Understanding that he was at the mercy of the winds, he transformed into the wind. He happily blew away everything in sight, feeling the potency of his new power.

Almost everything; living and non-living was blown away, save one. Summoning his greatest might, he blew hard at a mountain that just would not budge. Eventually, he grew tired and admitted to himself that the great mountain was mightier than he was. With that, he became a mountain.

He stood tall and mighty in the middle of the valley, feeling more powerful than he had ever been. He was stronger than a guard, mightier than a magistrate, the Sun could not melt him, the clouds could not hide him and the winds could not blow him away.

He had finally become the mightiest of all creations and he could not be swayed. Then, in a distance, he heard some tapping, followed by some knocks. He felt a miniscule part of him vibrate.

"What could it be?" he wondered as he gazed down perplexed. And there he saw on his great form, a sculptor chiselling a statue on him.

As an old Tamil adage says, "God is in Service. And it is through our profession that we serve."

Make A Difference

2007-12-04T13:01:00.000+08:00

"To know one life has breathed easier because you have lived is to have succeeded" - Emmerson

This quote was passed to me by my friend when I was there with her during her difficult times. I had saved it for it means a lot to me and I have just the story to match it. :)

There was a young man walking down a deserted beach just before dawn. In the distance, he saw a frail old man. As he approached the old man, he saw him picking up stranded starfish and throwing them back into the sea.

The young man gazed in wonder as the old man again threw the small starfish into the water. He asked, "Old man, why do you spend so much energy doing what seems to be a waste of time."

The old man explained that the stranded starfish would die if left in the morning sun. "But there must be thousands of beaches and millions of starfish!" exclaimed the young man. "How can you make any difference?"

The old man looked at the small starfish in his hand and as he threw it to the safety of the sea, he said, "It makes a difference to this one!"

The Courage to Care

2007-12-03T12:16:00.000+08:00

Not too long ago, during one of my defining days, I had an opportunity to work in a shipyard as a data-entry clerk for a brief period of time.

Situated at the far end of the island, abandoned stray dogs were a common sight on the reclaimed land.

On a particular morning, as I was walking purposefully towards my office, I came across a skinny brown mongrel pacing about the yard. As I got nearer to the dog, it was almost impossible to not notice a huge tumour on its rear that gave out a raw and pungent stench.

Disturbed by what I saw, I came up with my own diagnosis that the dog might be suffering from some kind of canine cancer. It made me wonder; it is typical of us to seek ailment from a doctor if we're unwell. What about these animals? Who will they go to and how will they express their pain?

That was the last I saw of the dog. Two days later, an unbearable stench of decaying matter wafted from the side of the yard where thin metal plates were decked (a favourite hide-out for the dogs). It was undeniably the decomposing of a larger animal other than a rat.

I had sensed that the dog was dead. Maybe it was better this way I thought. It need not suffer anymore.

The following day, I learnt from my colleague that the dog had died, not because of some tumour but rather the 'tumour' was actually an unborn pup that got stuck! The poor mongrel had been roaming about not being able to deliver completely and finally it had succumbed to the excruciating pain.

I was gravely disturbed by what I had heard. I began to blame myself for the end of the dog. "Maybe I could have done something?" I wondered. I could have called the SPCA or brought it to a vet. Why didn't I? Was it because my condescending mind believed that it was just a dog? Or was it because I did not have the courage to step forward?

As harmless as I had always believed myself to be, it made me wonder whether I am a good samaritan? Each time I pondered over this incident, I was reminded of the story of The Good Samaritan, a story that had been told and retold to me on several occasions by different people............

A man from Jerusalem who needed to travel to Jericho made his way on a steep and treacherous road, only to be attacked by robbers who took everything even his clothes. They beat him up and left him lying half dead by the road.

As the man laid there unable to move, a high priest from the temple in Jerusalem passed by. He was a very important person travelling on an important business. He saw the injured man but he did not go over to help him. Instead he moved to the other side of the road and hurried past.

The next to come by was a Levite, one of the clerks of the temple – not as important as the priest but still a very busy man. He, too, turned his head away and passed by on the other side of the road.

Then a Samaritan came riding along on his donkey. But this Samaritan stopped his donkey when he saw the injured traveler. He got off and went to see if he could help.

He attended to the injured man and put him in the care of an innkeeper till he regained himself.

Why didn't the two clergy men help the injured man? They were highly regarded men of great positions. Were they evil? Isn't good and bad ingrained in all men at birth? Why would God only create one man with compassion?

From my point of view, those men did not have the courage to care. It took a lot of trouble to help the injured man and that would put them in a tight spot, making them answerable to many. Neither was prepared to go through that.

How often have we behaved like those men in our daily lives? How many of us have pretended to sleep or remained oblivious to someone who needed the seats more than us on board a bus? What attributes to the nonchalance? Lack of compassion or mere fear? Fear of the looks that we might get from the others if we were to get up and offer our seats? Fear of embarassment? Or the fear of standing out from the crowd; a challenge posed to our 'herd instincts'?

From the demise of the dog, I had learnt a lesson. If I had wanted, I could have done something, regardless of the opposition. I had learnt that it takes courage to care.

Q: Who had the most courage? 'James Bond', 'Rambo' or 'The Terminator'?
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A: Mother Theresa had the most courage.