Hey all, esp to my sec 4 class:
Know that it isn't much time that we are actually spending in school, so heres some postings to allow reading at your own free times.
Today's topic is on keeping sanity; that we are all trying to keep in this mad rush of examinations. Today was at the Junior College Talk conducted by xxx Junior College and i was quite surprised that their cut off point was whooping 13 points already at the January intake of students!
The presentation wasn't much and i think all of us were not really impressed by the poster boys and girls of xxx Tay and Tay xx (alumni of xxxJC), but what really struck me was the charisma of the Principal.
He's unlike the average school principal who talks a lot on academic achievements and the harsh harsh world outside (i know i do it too.. haha) but instead, he talks about unforgetable moments in JC. He talks about crazy experiences that young people might want to do and he encourages them. Let me quote him by saying this, "one of my students went on to become a doctor and when he was asked about something that had really impacted his life, he wrote about his experiences doing CIP with the Orang Asli in Malaysia."
It was not studies or getting the best teachers (yeah they do exist) and it was not planning a perfect solution to get to the university but rather about life and experiencing it, and this principal is actually indirectly implying that xxxJC could be the school to achieve it all for those who dared to dream.
Now i am not here to sell the JC, but it is really important to enjoy life in JC in order to do well in it. Everything links and everything will fall in place when we are in sync with the school that we are studying in. This might sound vague but then if i were to make a definition about studying well in JC, it has got a lot to do with the school leadership and management of students as well as the hard work of the latter to achieve something. Effort must also come from both sides in order to attain success and i think this particular JC might not be a bad start for a successful life in the future.
Whatever it is (i know i am gettng very long in the posting), make full use of your to-be JC life or any other life in your tertiary institution of study. Study hard, join a CCA and go all out for it. You will realise that you will learn more than you've ever imagined.
I am going to end with a quote again, by a friend who said,"My life in JC was really a big regret now when i look back at it. I had missed so many chances that it really hurts me to even think of it today."
So what do we want our experiences to be in our next place of study? Only we can tell the answer.
30 September 2005
26 September 2005
Eric Khoo's "Be With Me"
A very strange movie title; wasn't really attracted to the title until after i have finished the movie actually. Was dragged there by friends and found myself in the movie theatre without really knowing why.
Then the opening scene: "depressing" music was playing and a scene of a old and traditional provision shop of the 70's era came into our sight. I was thinking, "not another depressing show i hope?"
And so the story goes, bits and pieces of small stories comes inter-mingling together as a big one; all talking about the different kinds of love and how people handle them. Some chose despair, some chose escape. Yet amongst them a single story shone through them all.
The story of Theresa Chan.
A lady who lost her hearing as a little girl. Just when the world was slowly growing to accommodate her, she lost her sight as well, one eye following the other. And she was just a little girl. Imagine the pain and the suffering, not being able to hear or see. What would our world be?
My first instinct? Suicide.
Yet that was not what Theresa chose. She decided to face it all. She went through the long and arduous journey, a world without sight or hearing and overcome it all mostly by herself. She stays alone and she became a teacher for the blind. Brings me to tears when I was watching the movie, the thought of it was painful enough. I wonder how it must have been to go through it, and through many years.
She said she fell in love once and lost her only love whom she was supposed to get married to. He was blind and he developed nose cancer. So for the 30 over years of Christmas nights, Theresa’s tears would flow freely. Yet she feels the love strong and that life is a blessing. She was told of the hordes of people whom she had heard of being homeless and starving from hunger in the streets of India in the 1960s and she thought that her plight was nothing compared to these people who faces death. She thought that she had everything in the world.
It also came to mind that although she was blind and was to do without the many beautiful sights that everyone else had the chance to see, she felt that heaven was fair in that she was also spared the atrocities of life, by also not being able to see or hear them. “God works in mysterious ways”, that was what Theresa said.
So how about the old man who had lost his wife of many years? How about the girl who committed suicide because of a love who has deserted her? How about the man who grew up hiding from love that he was supposed to fight for? How about love that was seemingly unreciprocated from a man who has difficulty in relating to his father?
How about embracing love itself and accepting it for what it brings?
A Tribute to Miss Theresa Chan, who has bravely faced desolateness with determination and faith.
Then the opening scene: "depressing" music was playing and a scene of a old and traditional provision shop of the 70's era came into our sight. I was thinking, "not another depressing show i hope?"
And so the story goes, bits and pieces of small stories comes inter-mingling together as a big one; all talking about the different kinds of love and how people handle them. Some chose despair, some chose escape. Yet amongst them a single story shone through them all.
The story of Theresa Chan.
A lady who lost her hearing as a little girl. Just when the world was slowly growing to accommodate her, she lost her sight as well, one eye following the other. And she was just a little girl. Imagine the pain and the suffering, not being able to hear or see. What would our world be?
My first instinct? Suicide.
Yet that was not what Theresa chose. She decided to face it all. She went through the long and arduous journey, a world without sight or hearing and overcome it all mostly by herself. She stays alone and she became a teacher for the blind. Brings me to tears when I was watching the movie, the thought of it was painful enough. I wonder how it must have been to go through it, and through many years.
She said she fell in love once and lost her only love whom she was supposed to get married to. He was blind and he developed nose cancer. So for the 30 over years of Christmas nights, Theresa’s tears would flow freely. Yet she feels the love strong and that life is a blessing. She was told of the hordes of people whom she had heard of being homeless and starving from hunger in the streets of India in the 1960s and she thought that her plight was nothing compared to these people who faces death. She thought that she had everything in the world.
It also came to mind that although she was blind and was to do without the many beautiful sights that everyone else had the chance to see, she felt that heaven was fair in that she was also spared the atrocities of life, by also not being able to see or hear them. “God works in mysterious ways”, that was what Theresa said.
So how about the old man who had lost his wife of many years? How about the girl who committed suicide because of a love who has deserted her? How about the man who grew up hiding from love that he was supposed to fight for? How about love that was seemingly unreciprocated from a man who has difficulty in relating to his father?
How about embracing love itself and accepting it for what it brings?
A Tribute to Miss Theresa Chan, who has bravely faced desolateness with determination and faith.
23 September 2005
话题
“The most important thing in all human relationships is conversation, but people don't talk anymore, they don't sit down to talk and listen. They go to the theatre, the cinema, watch television, listen to the radio, read books, but they almost never talk. If we want to change the world, we must go back to a time when warriors would gather round a fire and tell stories”
A quote from a book of which i had just read, and the paragraph was telling of the exact answer that i had been searching for these few days, all in a leisure reading of a book.
I was talking to 2 cadets about the quality of our unit and apparently both parties learnt things that we did not thought of or did not even want to find out. One party was concerned about why the other was "finding excuses" not to come for activity and the other party was wanting to finally catch hold of an avenue to "vent their frustrations". The officer wanted a closely knitted unit whereby everyone would just fit into the puzzle but the cadet wanted a conducive environment whereby he would come to a CCA and be able to enjoy like what he saw in the other uniformed group.
Then I pondered and I pondered and I began to wonder: did we lose ourselves in the rules of the world? Did we get so lost in the pre-arranged layout of the big society that we are barely living our own lives in the way we wanted them to be? Things had to go because they had been going the way they were for so long that no one bothers to change them. We all want stability, we all want the formula of success, but when it comes to the end of it all, I really do wonder how many of us ever get real success, or even ever thought about it at all?
I do not want to be a person who will die an eventual death and to go about it boringly. Life should be full of colours and life should be living each and everyday with a single tingle of regret. Though I am still far from my ideal life, it is with slow and steady steps that I will embark onto this journey.
Likewise, I will carry on the long journey for 4C and for the “leftovers” in the unit. Hold on to everyone, be true, stay true and not be afraid to face hardships, that will be at least what I am aiming towards.
The future is never up to us to predict or arrange but how it will appear to be will be dependent on our efforts to make it so. We may fail but then we must never forget that we may win too. Take the gamble and let the game of life roll on!
A quote from a book of which i had just read, and the paragraph was telling of the exact answer that i had been searching for these few days, all in a leisure reading of a book.
I was talking to 2 cadets about the quality of our unit and apparently both parties learnt things that we did not thought of or did not even want to find out. One party was concerned about why the other was "finding excuses" not to come for activity and the other party was wanting to finally catch hold of an avenue to "vent their frustrations". The officer wanted a closely knitted unit whereby everyone would just fit into the puzzle but the cadet wanted a conducive environment whereby he would come to a CCA and be able to enjoy like what he saw in the other uniformed group.
Then I pondered and I pondered and I began to wonder: did we lose ourselves in the rules of the world? Did we get so lost in the pre-arranged layout of the big society that we are barely living our own lives in the way we wanted them to be? Things had to go because they had been going the way they were for so long that no one bothers to change them. We all want stability, we all want the formula of success, but when it comes to the end of it all, I really do wonder how many of us ever get real success, or even ever thought about it at all?
I do not want to be a person who will die an eventual death and to go about it boringly. Life should be full of colours and life should be living each and everyday with a single tingle of regret. Though I am still far from my ideal life, it is with slow and steady steps that I will embark onto this journey.
Likewise, I will carry on the long journey for 4C and for the “leftovers” in the unit. Hold on to everyone, be true, stay true and not be afraid to face hardships, that will be at least what I am aiming towards.
The future is never up to us to predict or arrange but how it will appear to be will be dependent on our efforts to make it so. We may fail but then we must never forget that we may win too. Take the gamble and let the game of life roll on!
22 September 2005
The Numbing of Senses
Just when we thought that things would gradually go their peaceful courses, and who knows that we were to be struck by the terrible news of Jasper's passing.
It was an arduous 9 months of journey. The pain and the loss; who better to know other than the protagonist himself: The first few weeks of going through the exams before he got to know about the illness, the next few painful months of chemotherapy, weeks and weeks of excruciating radiotherapy and almost an entire year of suffering, of not being able to go back to school, of being alone in his preparation for his studies and of the hope of being able to continue a normal life again.
It was just a small and simple dream. Perhaps a dream that will still carry on in his heart no matter he is now.
I remember the times when we visited. The seemingly carefree face and wholesome good-naturedness... the light in his eyes whenever he talks about life and how he faced its challenges; these are not what everyone of us can handle. And i admire you, Jasper, for your courage and determination, against all odds and never ever giving up.
I still remember the fateful dinner that Miss Leong, Miss Koh, you and I had enjoyed together. Now the table of life is half-filled with the passing of you two, i am beginning to wonder what more painful challenges will life want for me to face again?
Nevertheless we all know, that the memories that we have ever had, no matter how small, will always forever be etched in our hearts, no matter how far any of us may be.
May peace and happiness always be with you.
Goodbye, Jasper.
It was an arduous 9 months of journey. The pain and the loss; who better to know other than the protagonist himself: The first few weeks of going through the exams before he got to know about the illness, the next few painful months of chemotherapy, weeks and weeks of excruciating radiotherapy and almost an entire year of suffering, of not being able to go back to school, of being alone in his preparation for his studies and of the hope of being able to continue a normal life again.
It was just a small and simple dream. Perhaps a dream that will still carry on in his heart no matter he is now.
I remember the times when we visited. The seemingly carefree face and wholesome good-naturedness... the light in his eyes whenever he talks about life and how he faced its challenges; these are not what everyone of us can handle. And i admire you, Jasper, for your courage and determination, against all odds and never ever giving up.
I still remember the fateful dinner that Miss Leong, Miss Koh, you and I had enjoyed together. Now the table of life is half-filled with the passing of you two, i am beginning to wonder what more painful challenges will life want for me to face again?
Nevertheless we all know, that the memories that we have ever had, no matter how small, will always forever be etched in our hearts, no matter how far any of us may be.
May peace and happiness always be with you.
Goodbye, Jasper.
13 September 2005
如愿以偿
今天终于如愿以偿，得以到学校外头跑步！
回想刚过去的假期，好像都没有好好地休息过。学校在一周的假期中就安排了2次的大活动，而每次都要耗上一整天那么久，真是要命。虽然时间方面很难安排举行如此大型的活动，但一小部分的我却总是希望能够好好休息。也许平常工作效率特别低，以致到了假期还是无法顺利解决繁杂的职务。
仔细想一想，工作永远都是做不完的。只要每天都能好好地出去跑一圈，那日子就会过得好一些！
回想刚过去的假期，好像都没有好好地休息过。学校在一周的假期中就安排了2次的大活动，而每次都要耗上一整天那么久，真是要命。虽然时间方面很难安排举行如此大型的活动，但一小部分的我却总是希望能够好好休息。也许平常工作效率特别低，以致到了假期还是无法顺利解决繁杂的职务。
仔细想一想，工作永远都是做不完的。只要每天都能好好地出去跑一圈，那日子就会过得好一些！
09 September 2005
Updates to the Day
Yes it does sound so common-man and cliche but i am going to do it nevertheless.
And yes i am still up at this deadly-hour as i am quite vexed over what's happening in my cca. I guess i cannot discuss this online as it will hurt people and perhaps cause irreparable damage so here i am, writing updates on my own life.
Maybe perhaps to write to myself so i can read it? Or does anyone read this blog? I guess it doesn't really matter. Maybe when i am dead and there are people who wonders what kind of a person i am, then the blog will get its readings. (hmm is this hint that i might die soon? i hope not.)
Anyway i have digressed so here's back to the main point. (I hope i am not getting crazy) I woke at ard 10am on sunday and was supposed to get ready to meet Miss Lee & company for lunch at suntec for a teochew porridge buffet. But then the lazy side of me took charge and i pig-ed around in bed till i was late for the meet-up.
Chatted with them over their humour course and was told it was not that bad. Some of you might be wondering why i did not attend the course? Or perhaps the defensive side of me wants to explain that i am overworked and even when i am on courses, the work will not get siphoned away even when it was supposed to. OOpss.. i am digressing again... but anyway, i was a bit affected when Miss Lee told me that she saw chee keong and company and that they responded "negatively" when she said she was meeting me.
Okie now Miss Lee did not really say anything or made any comment but just merely re-enacted the situation. Then Mr Kan said that maybe the boys were just thinking that meeting Mr Chew is a really boring thing to do. But then, i can't help but feel that i must have been really a monster to warrant such a reaction from them. Sadz...
Then it leads to me thinking... why do kids behave the way they do to you especially when you are trying to do some good with them? Or perhaps i was over-reacting. Or get over-agitated as some of my friends tell me of the type i am.
Maybe i am just being straight-forward and staying true to myself? Can it be that i am behaving this way?
Then i get people kicking me in the face when it was help that i wanted to give them by being nasty. They think of me as some monster and an inconsiderate and selfish person when i was doing things that upset them.
In the end this led me to thinking if all those things that i was doing all these while were worth it. Why can't people think in the big picture other than getting immersed in their own worlds? Why are people unable to step out of their comfort zones just to make things better? Why are people so nasty when they know all that it takes was a little effort on their sides? Why are people misunderstanding that all i wanted to do was to help and not putting them off or down?
Perhaps i am just another stupid singaporean behaving in his average complaining way.
But then how not to be a complaining singaporean when the last i heard in the radio broadcast was that some govt-related organization was organizing fast-track dating to singles and hoping that they will help to increase the birth rates?
And yes i am still up at this deadly-hour as i am quite vexed over what's happening in my cca. I guess i cannot discuss this online as it will hurt people and perhaps cause irreparable damage so here i am, writing updates on my own life.
Maybe perhaps to write to myself so i can read it? Or does anyone read this blog? I guess it doesn't really matter. Maybe when i am dead and there are people who wonders what kind of a person i am, then the blog will get its readings. (hmm is this hint that i might die soon? i hope not.)
Anyway i have digressed so here's back to the main point. (I hope i am not getting crazy) I woke at ard 10am on sunday and was supposed to get ready to meet Miss Lee & company for lunch at suntec for a teochew porridge buffet. But then the lazy side of me took charge and i pig-ed around in bed till i was late for the meet-up.
Chatted with them over their humour course and was told it was not that bad. Some of you might be wondering why i did not attend the course? Or perhaps the defensive side of me wants to explain that i am overworked and even when i am on courses, the work will not get siphoned away even when it was supposed to. OOpss.. i am digressing again... but anyway, i was a bit affected when Miss Lee told me that she saw chee keong and company and that they responded "negatively" when she said she was meeting me.
Okie now Miss Lee did not really say anything or made any comment but just merely re-enacted the situation. Then Mr Kan said that maybe the boys were just thinking that meeting Mr Chew is a really boring thing to do. But then, i can't help but feel that i must have been really a monster to warrant such a reaction from them. Sadz...
Then it leads to me thinking... why do kids behave the way they do to you especially when you are trying to do some good with them? Or perhaps i was over-reacting. Or get over-agitated as some of my friends tell me of the type i am.
Maybe i am just being straight-forward and staying true to myself? Can it be that i am behaving this way?
Then i get people kicking me in the face when it was help that i wanted to give them by being nasty. They think of me as some monster and an inconsiderate and selfish person when i was doing things that upset them.
In the end this led me to thinking if all those things that i was doing all these while were worth it. Why can't people think in the big picture other than getting immersed in their own worlds? Why are people unable to step out of their comfort zones just to make things better? Why are people so nasty when they know all that it takes was a little effort on their sides? Why are people misunderstanding that all i wanted to do was to help and not putting them off or down?
Perhaps i am just another stupid singaporean behaving in his average complaining way.
But then how not to be a complaining singaporean when the last i heard in the radio broadcast was that some govt-related organization was organizing fast-track dating to singles and hoping that they will help to increase the birth rates?
07 September 2005
About Giving Ourselves
Many a time i will always ask myself this question: is it worth giving part of yourself away for the benefit of others? Perhaps even giving everything of yourself away?
I first asked myself this question when i became a NCO at the age of 15. This was not the normal help brothers and sisters affair, nor did it make any compulsory obligation out of myself. I was just put in charge of a job, and i would be fulfilling my responsibility if i do my job well.
In the end i chose the less traveled path; that i will do everything within my means to help this group of juniors who were younger than me and i will do everything in my power to ensure that whatever good that was transferred to myself was going to be in turn transversed.
In the end when it was time for me to graduate, i got this green grasshopper and a present, a handmade one, and a little note that expresses the gratitude that my juniors have for me.
And so today all of them should already be holding their own jobs and most probably have forgotten that the very grasshopper for which they had made that very year still lingers and takes up a very big part of my heart. And that while they might have soared high and far, they will forever be in my heart.
I first asked myself this question when i became a NCO at the age of 15. This was not the normal help brothers and sisters affair, nor did it make any compulsory obligation out of myself. I was just put in charge of a job, and i would be fulfilling my responsibility if i do my job well.
In the end i chose the less traveled path; that i will do everything within my means to help this group of juniors who were younger than me and i will do everything in my power to ensure that whatever good that was transferred to myself was going to be in turn transversed.
In the end when it was time for me to graduate, i got this green grasshopper and a present, a handmade one, and a little note that expresses the gratitude that my juniors have for me.
And so today all of them should already be holding their own jobs and most probably have forgotten that the very grasshopper for which they had made that very year still lingers and takes up a very big part of my heart. And that while they might have soared high and far, they will forever be in my heart.
06 September 2005
Okie So I am Boring
Hi there!
Alright today i am going to talk a bit of my life, as Kais say that my blog is so so boring. All philosophy and cheem cheem stuff, like very bad hor... or in short, boring?
But the fact is hor, i think i am a boring person la.. haha...
Yeah oh well so it goes that i have not much social life in the past few days out. Teacher's Day celebrations were a bore (I'm sorry Mr Jeremy, i know you tried very hard) and i actually stayed back in school to do marking with miss lee sp and mr lim sc.
Then Miss Yvonne Chin came into the staff lounge and saw us and gasped:"omg! And i thought i was the only loser in the school! Why are you guys not going out to celebrate, or at least go home for a good rest?"
"well we are so behind in our assignments... so ... ermm... here we are."
Then it was teacher's day! (Though i dun feel anything as its like just a rest day? okie i rewarded myself by going to kushinbo for dinner but gasp... its not very nice to me.... not that the food is not nice but just not to my taste, but i still think that it is a lot of food to choose from)
maybe i shall post the lobster and crab on the other blog (http://ms4c05.blogspot.com -- sorry guys i dunno how to embed in original msg.) so that you guys can take a look.
Then it was friday and there was a Parent-Teacher-Meeting and then was forced to go home by my kakis (read above) for the teacher's day dinner.
The food was good (like 大鱼大肉 everyday hor) and we went home after that. Saturday was back in school again (Yes i know i very no life) and there was an interschool meeting from 1330 - 1700 hrs. It went on better than expected (thanks to very good and detailed planning by CI Paul) and i feel that the area people were quite united for a start. Hope that this will also be a very good start for the 400-people camp to come in november.
After a meal at mac's in bishan i was home again. Was so tired that i missed a stop when i took the bus back. damn! so walked back one bus stop lor... then realised that it was the last day of the 7th month. Time really passes by real fast.
Then a friend called in the late evening and i just went out to have coffee at starbucks at compass pt. It was just a short coffee session and i was home .... well... to blog again... haha come to think of it now... i think i really have no life.. man... must do something about it... . :p
of cos there were other things happening... like out with 2 of the teachers for a meal at little india on sunday night... then marking the whole of today.. .but then again not very productive as usual... when will i ever be able to finish... . hiaz.... okie... that's me... or a snippet of my life...
hope that it's not boring u to death already? But sorry if it did la... dun mean it... haha... :p
Alright today i am going to talk a bit of my life, as Kais say that my blog is so so boring. All philosophy and cheem cheem stuff, like very bad hor... or in short, boring?
But the fact is hor, i think i am a boring person la.. haha...
Yeah oh well so it goes that i have not much social life in the past few days out. Teacher's Day celebrations were a bore (I'm sorry Mr Jeremy, i know you tried very hard) and i actually stayed back in school to do marking with miss lee sp and mr lim sc.
Then Miss Yvonne Chin came into the staff lounge and saw us and gasped:"omg! And i thought i was the only loser in the school! Why are you guys not going out to celebrate, or at least go home for a good rest?"
"well we are so behind in our assignments... so ... ermm... here we are."
Then it was teacher's day! (Though i dun feel anything as its like just a rest day? okie i rewarded myself by going to kushinbo for dinner but gasp... its not very nice to me.... not that the food is not nice but just not to my taste, but i still think that it is a lot of food to choose from)
maybe i shall post the lobster and crab on the other blog (http://ms4c05.blogspot.com -- sorry guys i dunno how to embed in original msg.) so that you guys can take a look.
Then it was friday and there was a Parent-Teacher-Meeting and then was forced to go home by my kakis (read above) for the teacher's day dinner.
The food was good (like 大鱼大肉 everyday hor) and we went home after that. Saturday was back in school again (Yes i know i very no life) and there was an interschool meeting from 1330 - 1700 hrs. It went on better than expected (thanks to very good and detailed planning by CI Paul) and i feel that the area people were quite united for a start. Hope that this will also be a very good start for the 400-people camp to come in november.
After a meal at mac's in bishan i was home again. Was so tired that i missed a stop when i took the bus back. damn! so walked back one bus stop lor... then realised that it was the last day of the 7th month. Time really passes by real fast.
Then a friend called in the late evening and i just went out to have coffee at starbucks at compass pt. It was just a short coffee session and i was home .... well... to blog again... haha come to think of it now... i think i really have no life.. man... must do something about it... . :p
of cos there were other things happening... like out with 2 of the teachers for a meal at little india on sunday night... then marking the whole of today.. .but then again not very productive as usual... when will i ever be able to finish... . hiaz.... okie... that's me... or a snippet of my life...
hope that it's not boring u to death already? But sorry if it did la... dun mean it... haha... :p
05 September 2005
一刹那的感动
今天待在家中批卷，在闲余中无意看到了‘联合晚报’的头条：“绝对 superstar 比赛冠军伟联获胜靠的是毅力。他的同情票只占 1％。”
虽然我没有看该节目，但我却对阅读头条新闻而感到思潮起伏。伟联是一个身带残缺的参赛者，我想大家是众所周知的。
之前他打进了初赛，除了才华以外，也难免争取到了观众的“同情分”。如今报章报道他获胜的原因为“毅力”；这让我觉得为之一动。
试问我们现今的社会中有多少人靠毅力从事或至少秉持这样的信念？我们是不是碰到了挫折便不再抗争、不为奋斗？多少人因为学业不理想而自暴自弃，多少人又总是沉沦于痛苦的深渊？我们是否肯愿意检讨自己的过失，是否曾想方设法去挽回或补救？或者是事业不如意的我们、或者是面对感情问题的情侣，我们又是否曾看得透彻？
很多时候，我们也许都不曾做到吧？
伟联的例子也许能让大家看到这一点：面对困难时与其自我封闭，倒不如坦然接受挑战，勇敢对抗！
伟联眼睛见不着，与对手相比他在表演多方面都不能占到任何优势，但他却也能够、也只能孤注与把自己的歌唱好。也许也就是这样的一股劲儿、这样的毅力才能让他把诸多的不变转为优势。
原归正传，成功有时靠的就是这么一股毅力。对伟联而言，毅力就是大家认为帮他大忙的因素。那我们自己问题的药方又是什么呢？
虽然我没有看该节目，但我却对阅读头条新闻而感到思潮起伏。伟联是一个身带残缺的参赛者，我想大家是众所周知的。
之前他打进了初赛，除了才华以外，也难免争取到了观众的“同情分”。如今报章报道他获胜的原因为“毅力”；这让我觉得为之一动。
试问我们现今的社会中有多少人靠毅力从事或至少秉持这样的信念？我们是不是碰到了挫折便不再抗争、不为奋斗？多少人因为学业不理想而自暴自弃，多少人又总是沉沦于痛苦的深渊？我们是否肯愿意检讨自己的过失，是否曾想方设法去挽回或补救？或者是事业不如意的我们、或者是面对感情问题的情侣，我们又是否曾看得透彻？
很多时候，我们也许都不曾做到吧？
伟联的例子也许能让大家看到这一点：面对困难时与其自我封闭，倒不如坦然接受挑战，勇敢对抗！
伟联眼睛见不着，与对手相比他在表演多方面都不能占到任何优势，但他却也能够、也只能孤注与把自己的歌唱好。也许也就是这样的一股劲儿、这样的毅力才能让他把诸多的不变转为优势。
原归正传，成功有时靠的就是这么一股毅力。对伟联而言，毅力就是大家认为帮他大忙的因素。那我们自己问题的药方又是什么呢？
04 September 2005
Happiness - Extracted from The Zahir
‘I don’t know if everyone is unhappy. I know they’re all busy: working overtime, worrying about their children, their husbands, their careers, their degrees, what they're going to do tomorrow, what they need to buy, what they need to have in order not to feel inferior, etc. Very few people actually say to me: “I’m unhappy.” Most say: “I’m fine, I’ve got everything I ever wanted.” Then I ask: “What makes you happy?” Answer: “I’ve got everything a person could possibly want – a family, a home, work, good health” I ask again: “Have you ever stopped to wonder if that’s all there is to life?” Answer: “Yes, that’s all there is.” I insist: “So the meaning of life is work, family, children who will grow up and leave you, a wife or husband who will become more like a friend than a real lover. And, of course, one day your work will end too. What will you do when that happens?” Answer: there is no answer. They change the subject.’
‘No, what they say is: “When the children have grown up, when my husband - or my wife – has become more my friend than my passionate lover, when I retire, then I’ll have time to do what I always wanted to do: travel.” Question: “But didn’t you say you were happy now? Aren’t you already doing what you always wanted to do?” Then they say they’re very busy and change the subject.’
‘If I insist, they always do come up with something they’re lacking. The businessman hasn’t yet closed the deal he wanted, the housewife would like to have more independence, and more money, the boy who's in love is afraid of losing his girlfriend, the graduate wonders if he chose his career or it was chosen for him, the dentist wanted to be a singer, the singer wanted to be a politician, the politician wanted to be a writer, the writer wanted to be a farmer. And even when I did meet someone who was doing what he had chosen to do, that person’s soul was still in torment. He hadn’t found peace yet either. So I’ll ask you again: “Are you happy?”’
‘No, what they say is: “When the children have grown up, when my husband - or my wife – has become more my friend than my passionate lover, when I retire, then I’ll have time to do what I always wanted to do: travel.” Question: “But didn’t you say you were happy now? Aren’t you already doing what you always wanted to do?” Then they say they’re very busy and change the subject.’
‘If I insist, they always do come up with something they’re lacking. The businessman hasn’t yet closed the deal he wanted, the housewife would like to have more independence, and more money, the boy who's in love is afraid of losing his girlfriend, the graduate wonders if he chose his career or it was chosen for him, the dentist wanted to be a singer, the singer wanted to be a politician, the politician wanted to be a writer, the writer wanted to be a farmer. And even when I did meet someone who was doing what he had chosen to do, that person’s soul was still in torment. He hadn’t found peace yet either. So I’ll ask you again: “Are you happy?”’
01 September 2005
About Loneliness
Writing on a blog and writing what you really feel are definitely entirely different things. You cannot but wonder how people will feel when you write certain things too close to the heart. That is but one of the several risks that you must undertake when you choose this less traveled (yes it is with a single letter “L”) path.
A lot of people put it that the progress of the society pushes humans to become alienated. We become increasingly individualized because of the same gradual improvement to the ease of getting day-to-day tasks done. In the process of getting things done fast by technology and know-how, we unconsciously lose the interaction that we spend in doing it. (Or as gained as some might put it)
Thus we feel lonely.
We begin to ponder on how we can still reach out to people around us. We begin to feel a vacuum forming around each and every single one of us. We go to work and we go out to play. We see people and yet we are so far apart in our minds and our souls. We begin to express ourselves in different ways, in blogs as “experts” have pointed out to be, a device in which is a representation of our loneliness that comes about and along with progress.
When we become institutionalized (a measurement of professional development), we become less and less humane. We become efficient and we present a professional and effective image to all the people around us. We begin to want to be seen in a different light, we aspire to be perfect and we are above the rest. We lead and we desire people to follow us in our fashion.
But is that truly what things seemed to be running? Is that universal truth? Is that what certain religious individuals pertain it to be? Is that the true meaning to our very own lives?
Do we get in touch with our souls? Do we see the need? Are we connecting as we ought to be?
A lot of people put it that the progress of the society pushes humans to become alienated. We become increasingly individualized because of the same gradual improvement to the ease of getting day-to-day tasks done. In the process of getting things done fast by technology and know-how, we unconsciously lose the interaction that we spend in doing it. (Or as gained as some might put it)
Thus we feel lonely.
We begin to ponder on how we can still reach out to people around us. We begin to feel a vacuum forming around each and every single one of us. We go to work and we go out to play. We see people and yet we are so far apart in our minds and our souls. We begin to express ourselves in different ways, in blogs as “experts” have pointed out to be, a device in which is a representation of our loneliness that comes about and along with progress.
When we become institutionalized (a measurement of professional development), we become less and less humane. We become efficient and we present a professional and effective image to all the people around us. We begin to want to be seen in a different light, we aspire to be perfect and we are above the rest. We lead and we desire people to follow us in our fashion.
But is that truly what things seemed to be running? Is that universal truth? Is that what certain religious individuals pertain it to be? Is that the true meaning to our very own lives?
Do we get in touch with our souls? Do we see the need? Are we connecting as we ought to be?
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