Wednesday, September 28, 2005

You are so blessed


In many instances, we believe that the greener pasture always falls at the other side of the fence. We feel distressed because we do not get what we wanted. The clock is not at our end, the globe does not rotate at our wish, winter comes before the spring, in the morning wake up from the wrong side of the bed...

Wait a minute. Think hard enough, appreciate what is surrounding you. Life isn't that bad after all. My friend from England sent me a blessing. Please read. If you are feeling blessed, repay the blessings bestowed unto you and do something for others. Share your joy with others. Show compassion to others. You can make each other's day a better day.
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If you woke up this morning with more health than illness,
you are more blessed than the million who won't survive the week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle,
the loneliness of imprisonment,
the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation,
you are ahead of 20 million people around the world.

If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment,
arrest, torture, or death,
you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world.

If you have food in your refrigerator,
clothes on your back,
a roof over your head and a place to sleep,
you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank,
in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace,
you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

If your parents are still married and alive,
you are very rare,
especially in the United States.

If you hold up your head with a smile
on your face and are truly thankful,
you are blessed because the majority can,
but most do not.

If you can hold someone's hand,
hug them or even touch them on the shoulder,
you are blessed because you can offer a healing touch.

If you can read this message,
you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world
that cannot read anything at all.


You are so blessed in ways you may never even know. A blessing cannot be kept. The blessing will only keep working if it is continuously passed around.

Keep the blessing working by being the source of blessing to other people.

Sunday, September 25, 2005

中秋月


Mid-Autumn.

There are so many fascinating tales created for the moon in the Chinese history. By far 嫦娥奔月 is the most popular story. 嫦娥應悔偷靈藥﹐碧海青天夜夜深。Chang-er could not resist the temptation of being forever young. She stole the magical medicine from her husband and finished them all. Her body became lighter and lighter and eventually floated to the sky.

Her wish was fulfilled but she also had to stay lonely in the moon, forever. She missed the happiness in life, forever.

Life is a fine balance. You gain some, you lose some. There is no free lunch. There is always a price to pay for. This is about Ying-Yang, about Dao. Happiness arose deep from the heart, deep from the soul. It is all in your mind. Happiness can be very simple but rewarding as long as you perceive your life positively. By appreciating small little things happening around you could brighten your days.

For example, have you tried waking up 15 minutes earlier and send your daughter to school instead of leaving her to the school bus? Have you tried to talk to her during that little 15 minutes journey, Let her shares with you her encounters in school, her sadness and joys? You would possibly feel the differences of her yesterday and today. She is growing up day after day. One fine day she will leave you to pursue her dream. But you will remember the little moments that she spent with you and you spent with her. You will remember the unconditional love between you. This little time, this little share of love that you are together shapes her life.

On the night of mid-autumn festival, the lunar calendar of 15th day of the 8th month, 2005, I strolled with my 11 years old son and 9 years old daughter in the Tampines Tree Garden. There were other families around. The garden was brightened up by the mid-autumn lanterns, hanging on the trees, swinging around with the delighted faces. They lightened the night and brightened the hearts. Life can be as simple as it can be.

Near mid-night, the moon was shining high up in the sky. How many times we really devote a little moment in our life to appreciate what are surrounding us? How many times we know that Chang-er doesn't exist in the moon but just let our own imaginations flow?

藍藍的天空銀河里有只小白船﹐船上有棵桂花樹﹐白兔在游玩。Peaceful life is also a form of happiness. You know the truth but by hiding the truth with right and kind intention can also bring happiness. Why not just let the Chang-er's story last forever rather than revealing the moon is just a piece of vacant land without air and life? Art and science co-exist. don't they?

海為龍世界﹐云是鶴家鄉。The universe is built on relativity and integrated as a coherent whole. Everyone serves their respective lives and stays where they belong. Once we know the balance, lives will no longer be as complicated as they used to be. Happiness will arise from your heart. You can then appreciate life with a totally different perspective. You have elevated yourself into an entirely different context.

Life is beautiful. Just as the mid-autumn moon.