忍

忍 忍 忍
人家氣我, 我不氣
我若氣, 中他計
要是氣死 沒人替
想想還是 別生氣

Fabric of Life

Fabric of Life

I want to say something to all of you
Who have become a part
Of the fabric of my life
The color and texture
Which you have brought into
My being
Have become a song
And I want to sing it forever
There is an energy in us
Which makes things happen
When the paths of other persons
Touch ours
And we have to be there
And let it happen
When the time of our particular sunset comes
Our thing, our accomplishment
Won’t really matter
A great deal.
But the clarity and care
With which we have loved others
Will speak with vitality
Of the great gift of life
We have been for each other Anonymous

Act, not React

Sometimes if dealing with naughty children, parents gets emotionally affected or angry and reacted to child behaviour and punishes the child much more severe than if the parent is calm and act in a way of guiding the child.

Therefore remember to act (controlled) than react (uncontrolled) when dealing with important issues and regret afterwards.

Salt and Bread

It is said that war and peace comes from the word of salt and bread in ancient arabic and hebrew.

This points out that salt could be the first thing people fight over and if people shared bread it is a sign of peace.

Quote from history of salt.

Not only did salt serve to flavor and preserve food, it made a good antiseptic, which is why the Roman word for these salubrious crystals (sal) is a first cousin to Salus, the goddess of health. Of all the roads that led to Rome, one of the busiest was the Via Salaria, the salt route, over which Roman soldiers marched and merchants drove oxcarts full of the precious crystals up the Tiber from the salt pans at Ostia. A soldier's pay—consisting in part of salt—came to be known as solarium argentum, from which we derive the word salary. A soldier's salary was cut if he "was not worth his salt," a phrase that came into being because the Greeks and Romans often bought slaves with salt.

Perhaps i will be more grateful for the salt i come across knowing how precious it was in ancient time.

愛 or 爱

This is really interesting study into the meaning behind the changes in chinese character.
For the new character and the old style is only missing a heart character. main point is to make it easier to write but people have assign deeper meaning to this change.

海誓山盟何足凭,爱到无心见真心

love without heart, (in this case heart refers to self) means selfless love. so if one love until forgets about self and only think of others it is true love.

While the explaination for the character in old style is more interesting. It is symbolically means to capture one's friend hidden heart. to do this one must first open own heart. only heart can capture heart. just as only love and repay love's debt. It seems being happy (open heart) together in chinese is path towards love. =)

在上古，“朋”和“友”是有区别的： 　　
“同门曰朋”，即师从同一个老师的人称为“朋”； 　　
“同志曰友”，即志同道合之人称为“友”。 　　

综上所述，“爱”的字义就是要抓住“朋友”的“心”！ 　　

然而，这个“朋友”的“心”是被“冖”所“覆盖”和“掩饰”了的，而要真正做到能够抓住这个“朋友”的“心”，就要让这个“朋友”对你不要“覆盖”和“掩饰”其心，让这个“朋友”对你“敞开心扉”！ 　　而要让这个“朋友”对你“敞开心扉”，你就必须“以心交心”。 而“以心交心”首先你自己就必须向你的朋友“敞开心扉”，让这个朋友对你有完完全全的了解。让他（她）了解你对他（她）的“情”，让他（她）了解你对他（她）的“关怀”、“关心”、“体贴”。要做到这一点，你就必须“细心”、“无微不至”、“细致入微”， 你就必须“倾心投入”、“倾情付出”！ 　　

这些，就是“爱”的实质内涵之意义！

Quote from http://baike.baidu.com/view/3516.htm

Tao of Badminton

I come to realise the mental part of badminton by playing double. When team up with someone, there is teamwork and communication. During fast pace, knowing your partner is more important and knowing the opponents. Encouragement from partner to steady my thoughts and readiness to take the next exchange.

I like to think that like tai chi, badminton have flow. Go with the flow will keep the practise smooth. In competition then need to break the flow. Have and don't have in the mind will translate into have and don't have in the score.

Casual players can imitate swordsman style, more specific the mental game like a warrior. Enjoy the exercise.

敢问路在何方

Recently i listened to this song from Journey to the West. Really touched me about the journey when compared to journey of life. Where is the path that i should walk? Answer The road is beneath your leg. Just step and Keep Stepping.Step by Step one can achieve anything even going to the west 18000 miles by walking and faced with 81 disasters. Dare we ask where is the path?

你挑着担，我牵着马，
迎来日出送走晚霞。
踏平坎坷成大道，
斗罢艰险又出发，又出发。
啦……啦……
一番番春秋冬夏。
一场场酸甜苦辣。
敢问路在何方，路在脚下。
敢问路在何方，路在脚下。

Hold my Hand till I die

I had a dream about the death of a old man lying in a hospital bed. I am there to see him right before his death. He is suppose to be a famous taiost leader and led a life of giving. Right at his death bed i wanted to ask him for lesson in life. Instead he asked me to hold his hand. Then he passed away.

Even though this is a dream, but i experience it vividly. The lesson for me after sometime thinking on this is that i would like to have someone to hold my hand on my death bed as well. At that point in life, what else is there that is important? On this thought i am grateful for the work of Mother Teresa and Missionaries of Charity.

The Star Thrower

The Star Thrower by Loren Eiseley

Quote from wikipedia
"In a pool of sand and silt a starfish had thrust its arms up stiffly and was holding its body away from the stifling mud.
"It's still alive," I ventured.

"Yes," he said, and with a quick yet gentle movement he picked up the star and spun it over my head and far out into the sea. It sunk in a burst of spume, and the waters roared once more.

..."There are not many who come this far," I said, groping in a sudden embarrassment for words. "Do you collect?"

"Only like this," he said softly, gesturing amidst the wreckage of the shore. "And only for the living." He stooped again, oblivious of my curiosity, and skipped another star neatly across the water. "The stars," he said, "throw well. One can help them."

..."I do not collect," I said uncomfortably, the wind beating at my garments. "Neither the living nor the dead. I gave it up a long time ago. Death is the only successful collector."
”
—The Star Thrower, p. 172

I am inspired by the work for the living. Each star thrown back is a life. Perhaps it will make a difference. This is one of the belief that can keep one doing charity work. Of course at the end Death is the only successful collector, who is to say we cannot enjoy ourselves until then?

Passion Passion Where are you?

I was having hot chocolate with my friend discussing about passion when i decided to find out what is passion.

Quote from wikipedia
"Passion ( from Latin verb patior meaning to suffer or to endure) is an emotion applied to a very strong feeling about a person or thing. Passion is an intense emotion compelling feeling, enthusiasm, or desire for something. The term is also often applied to a lively or eager interest in or admiration for a proposal, cause, or activity or love. Passion can be expressed as a feeling of unusual excitement, enthusiasm or compelling emotion towards a subject, idea, person, or object. A person is said to have a passion for something when he has a strong positive affinity for it. A love for something and a passion for something are often used synonymously."

I like the explanation to suffer or to endure being the root where passion comes from. It is through doing and keep doing that i can say i am passionate about something. It is not always that i am passionate about something that i go and do it. Rather is because i jump in and do it that along the way i suffered and endured then i continue to do it making it part of my life like breathing that i would understand i am passionate about this.

Where is my passion? Where can i have the heart to suffer and endure?

Listening to my heart

People like to say listen to your heart and you will know what is right.

I took this literally by buying a stetoscope to actually listen to my heart. I didn't know what does lup dup dup lup sound tell me what is right. So i thought it is just crap.

Then realisation hit me that the heart keeps beating for me to keep me alive. It doesn't care whether i am sad or happy, positive thinking or not but just does it's best to keep me alive.

That realisation really make my day that no matter what there is my heart still beating for me until i die. If the heart does not give up why should i?

So perhaps there is something to this listening to heart thingy or i completely miss the idea haha.

It is because I love you that you are beautiful

It is not because you are beautiful that I love you. It is because I love you that you are beautiful.

Some people say power of love can affect one's perception or in this case eyesight. Therefore the saying Blinded by love.

Perhaps it is true that if I love you everything about you suddenly became "nice". If i hate you even if u give me $ it will be "blood" money according to my perception.

I think it is romantic to be able to say It is because I love you that you are beautiful. If the word beautiful is substituted by successful, handsome, confident, powerful etc it can work as well. Can this be the basis for saying behind a successful man is a woman?

Compassion

Compassion is letting other people live in your heart.

The chinese express joy as 开心. Which translates to open heart. Not open heart surgery but rather means open to people living in your heart. Who is in my heart?

The other word for joy is 快乐 Immediate/fast happpiness. this will be more modern happiness. Instant gratification. If i get that toto first prize perhaps i will be 快乐

Where does compassion comes into my life? Do i practice acts of compassion?

Live a life by what we give

We make a living by what we get, we live a life by what we give. Interesting saying that i came across.

Usually i will be asking what do i get if i give? perhaps i should be asking what do i give if i want to really live?
Give my time, give my concern, give my care, give my money, give my thought......

Someone told me that we know that we love only when we give. Can be a sacrifice, can be a joy to give depends on the way to see it.

Another nice quote:

There are two lasting gifts we can give our children. One is roots and the other is wings. Holding Carter

Roots to keep them stable and nourish them. Wings so that they can fly high.

围棋 vs Chess

In chess players accomplish victory by decimating opposing forces and capturing the king. While in wei qi the victory goes to the player that have more stones that the other thus focus on capturing position and converting opponents strategy to support one's strategy. chess have more tactics to get clear objective immediately. wei qi perhaps less apparent and will go for long term gain.

Life can be a game of chess to gain more power through eliminating others or it can be a game of weiqi, making a stand to advance ones influence regardless if the opponent is eliminated or not.

Where am i playing chess or weiqi in my life?

Why Buddha eyes look down?

I remembered a saying that the Buddha statues in temple always seems to be looking downward. I was told that those eyes are looking at the heart. Just as individuals should check their hearts before others.

What is your intention?

Our Deepest Fear...

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

長長長長長長長, 長長長長長長長

The beauty of language. This is taught to me by my friend chung yong to illustrate the same word with 2 pronounciations can mean different things.

The way to read this is Often Grow, Often Grow, Often Often Grow, Grow Long Grow Long Grow Long Long.Most probably a farmers' wish.

十年磨一剑

Certain things takes perseverance and commitment to create excellent results. Rigourous action is the path

悟空

悟靜

Have some quiet time..Repent (Think again) about what i have done or not done

5M of Manufacturing 5S Cleaning

1. Material
2. Method
3. Machine
4. Manpower
5. Measurement - Sources of Variation

1.Seiri 整理 Sort Everything is kept to the essential
2.Seiton 整頓 Straighten Things are placed in proper place
3.Seiso 清掃 Shine Clean and Neat
4.Seiketsu 清潔 Standardize Everyone knows what they are suppose to do
5.Shitsuke 躾 Sustain Maintain the standard

一命,二运,三风水,四积功德,五读书

1.出生时间
2.成长时代
3.居住环境
4.善有善报
5.知识技术

The Battle of the Wolves

An old Cherokee Indian Chief was teaching his grandson about life. "A fight is going on inside of me," he said to his grandson. "It is a terrible fight between two wolves," he continued.

"One is evil- angry, envious, sorrowful, regretful, greedy, arrogant, self-pitying, guilt-ridden, resentful, lying, full of false pride, superiority and ego driven," the Chief continued to say.

Then the Chief pause and said, "The other wolf is good- joyful, peaceful, loving, hopeful, serene, humble, kind, empathetic, generous, truthful, compassionate, and faithful."
.

"The same fight is going on inside of you, grandson, and in every other person," said the Chief.

The grandson thought about this for a moment, turned to the Chief, and said, "But, grandfather, which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee replied, "The one that you feed."

Make a difference

" It only takes one person, one moment, and one act to make a difference."

"ARK A Random Act of Kindness"

"Paying It Forward"

"Leverage : Strategic Advantage; Power to act effectively"

It does not matter how slow you go so long as you do not stop. Confucius

Read this while taking mrt in singapore. I often reminded of this when i swim or jog. But what he is speaking is probably about life.Life with its ups and downs (according to how i see things) when down perhaps going is slow, this is the time to keep going and don't stop.Rest if you must but don't stop.Thanks kong zi for this gem.

Finding Forrester

Two quotes from this movie touched me.

"The rest of those who have gone before us, cannot steady the unrest of those to follow."

"Losing family obligates us to find our family. Not always the family that is our blood, but the family that can become our blood. And should we have the wisdom that would open our door to this new family, we will find that the wishes we once had for the father, who once guided us..."

The rest of those that go before cannot steady the unrest of those to follow after. May those to follow after, comfort each in their affliction. That same heaviness will be lighter if beared by many.

The Dash by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end.
He noted that first came the date of her birth
And spoke of the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years.
For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own,
The cars,
the house,
the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.
So think about this long and hard;
Are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
That can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough
To consider what's true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we've never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect
And more ofter wear a smile,
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.
So when your eulogy is being read
With your life's actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

春江水暖鸭先知

竹外桃花三两枝，春江水暖鸭先知。
蒌蒿满地芦芽短，正是河豚欲上时

I was swimming in the pool when i realise i can feel the changes of temperature in the water. Then i remember this beautiful poem. If the temperature in the river changes the ducks will be the first to know. Observe the surroundings?

Bis das si cito das

Twice give, if fast give. This is a famous roman proverb that means a quick reponse to a person in need is worth twice as much as if slow. i mistakenly thought this means twice do if fast do. Often speed does not means accuracy. so the fastest way could be the way that is accurate. how often do we rush through only to come back to the beginning and check on what we missed along the way?

Talking to Children

Science Teachers when asked by students why why why sometimes reply it is just like that. no one knows. This is the time to tell the curious child
" Perhaps someday you may be the one to help us understand more of this".

Parents sometimes keep asking the child to behave either in public or at home. But child does not understand behave. does it means being quiet and not moving or not jumping or running? Perhaps this is the time to tell the active child

" Behave in the way that will inspire us to follow you. "

Holy Spirit

Holy spirit is like the wind and the fire. It brings you peace. The peace of God. Not World Peace. What is the difference between peace of God and World Peace? I would offer Freedom to Choose. Free choice. only if every single person chooses world peace would be get world peace.What is peace of God? Can google for this. But i thought that this is personal peace. just being normal. all kids would have this unless they stolen from the cookie jar haha. for people not believe in existence of God can refer this as the Dao in chinese. Be on the path and peace will come.

"Le hasard ne favorise que les esprits prepares"

This is a quote from Louis Pasteur. Chance favors the prepared mind. Luck is when preparation meets opportunity. Sun Tzi would say Not loosing depends on your preparation and Winning depends on your Opponents giving you the opportunity. In the case of 2 strong opponents they will each make their own stand until one gives in.

Be Still and Know That I am Lord

This is one of the meditation I used before to calm down.
Say the words and breath

Be still and know that I am LORD
Be still and know that I AM
Be still and Know THAT
Be still and KNOW
Be Still
BE

Tangible and Intangible

Tangible and Intangible or visible versus invisible. What the eyes cannot see does not exists? Mastery is over the invisible to create the visible.
e.g. Love, Resilience and Faith.

Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero

Seize the day and put minimum trust in tomorrow quote from Horace a Roman Poet. As someone who likes to procrastinate this is really the quote for me. Seize the day and do what my heart desires for today. Tomorrow will come when it comes.

Somebody have to do it, might as well be me

I came across this saying from the book The Spook's Apprentice by Joseph Delaney. It is about having unpleasant jobs or issues that needed to be done. If there is no one else to do it, It might as well be my responsibility to take up the task. Example Leaving a place better than when I arrived.