Running on empty in life

THERE was actually a movie with that title "Running on Empty" back in 1988. Since then, the line has been adopted by different people for different reasons.
Today, I am using this phrase to mean our conduct in life. To many who presently a "life of quiet desperation", this line means they are currently put on automatic mode in their daily lives.
Not many people bounce out of bed, head straight for the bathroom, and then race downstairs to the kitchen to have a hearty breakfast. Chances are, they would drag their feet, wear long faces, and a desperate wish in their minds for an easy life where they can wake up whenever they want, eat whatever they want and do whatever they want.
If only life is so simple. It actually is but very, very few individuals have discovered the secret. In the meantime, life just keeps on chugging along for the masses.
The ordinary Joes who are running on empty are the ones without a clear vision of their future. They exist, period. They go to office, do their work in a robotic way and come home to sit in front of the TV and fall asleep after that. That's not exactly living but at least three quarters of the world's population are stuck in that mode.
Those who are on "running on empty" are the ones who generate energy from within. They see the potential in their lives, and get all fired up by their own dreams and visions. Are these people crazy? No, they are just as normal as the slightly cranky ones which the world has plenty of.
What does it really mean to be described as "running on empty"? Originally, the phrase was taken on its literal meaning whereby a car continues to move despite the fuel gauge indicating that the petrol tank is empty.
A human being has an endless supply of energy which will astound the smartest of all scientists if they really know where the source of energy comes from.
All of us have this inexhaustible energy. We need not run on empty on anything.
Notice how single mothers can carry on despite being laden with responsibilities that would break the spirit of any normal man. We all can dig deep into our inner reserves during emergency situations in our lives. But we are on a normal life cruise all the time.
Not many of us are called upon to reach deep into our hearts and souls to maximise our potential. In reality, as human beings we are capable of doing great things in the most extraordinary ways. Most of us gripe about doing the simplest chores of life. We really complain too much and all the time. We are constantly indulging in self-pity.
It's time we give ourselves a big kick on the butt. Running on empty is for those who have given up on life. In the end, we all give up our earthly forms but why not make the most of it?
If only we have the enthusiasm. If only we have have "fire in the belly". If only we have the confidence and joy in our hearts to dance, sing, and shout for joy in every waking hour. That's the way, it should be for all of us.
If you don't believe me, you can try this tomorrow. When you wake up tomorrow morning, decide to be happy, enthusiastic, hopeful and happy. Make up your mind, just for 24 hours, that this day will be your greatest day of your life. Don't let anything or anything get your down. Tell yourself just for today, you will walk right through the heart of fear. For today, you will have a permanent smile on your face and you show kindness to everyone regardless of the circumstances.
Be good even if that is against your nature. Be supportive even if it goes against the very fibre of your being. Be nice to others, even if they spit in your face.
And then, watch the fun. You will notice that your positive thoughts and deeds will change the lives of those affected by them.
The greatest reality is that you will begin the changes in yourself. You will notice that perhaps for the first time in your life, you will feel REALLY great. You will realise that life indeed is worth living, and since it is worth living, it is worth living well.
Now, the secret of the universe has been unravelled - there is no such thing as running on empty in anybody's life unless they allow it. SO DON'T ALLOW IT. You are not meant to be running on empty. This phrase is a trick to introduce hopelessness into your life. It is designed to kill your enthusiasm. It is engineered to puncture your balloon of joy.
Re-inflate your balloon of happiness. Increase your aura of love and brighten your light so that the shadows of the sickly, sad and sorrowful will vanish in the path of your shining light. Sounds religious, doesn't it? Well, it is not even a religious aspect but it applies to you in that way, accept it.
You are the light. You are the way and you shall never die. Believe it, revel in it and be eternal forevermore.

Now, who's a clever boy?

ARE you one of those who has been invited to join the Mensa Club or someone who is afraid to sit for a Mensa test? Being classified as a person with a below average IQ can be quite daunting.
This world is slightly obsessed by the word "intelligent". Most of us seem to think or believe that if a person is known to have an IQ of 140 and above, he can do a lot of things that the ordinary people can't.
An ex-US president is reported to have an IQ of about 160. That would put him in the brilliant category. Unfortunately, his presidential dossier doesn't put him in very good light. It is another example of high IQ doesn't equal success.
Parents are wont to think that their child or children are among the smartest of the lot. They can be heard or seen telling relatives and neighbours: "My son just scored nine distinctions in nine subjects in a recent major exam." This litany of successes is a way of keeping score on how some clever genes have maintained their run in the family tree.
If you are one of those who may be intimidated by the so-called clever people, please be reminded that in this life, in your time and mine, intelligence is measured differently and is seen spread generously over seven basic categories.

LINGUISTIC: Notice how some people are just naturally good at learning languages? Well, this is one form of intelligence that renders things equal in life. A man may not hold a PhD in nuclear physics but if he can converse quite eloquently in Spanish as he can in Mandarin, his personal value as an employee goes up three notches.
Personally, I would like to master about five languages - Mandarin, French, Spanish, German and Japanese - besides English, of course. And I am sure I can do it too. The only problem is the opportunity and time. These are actually lame excuses but I am trying to get around the target I have set for myself without looking or sounding like an idiot.
If you have children, it would do them a world of good to encourage them to master (read and write) at least three major languages. Most Chinese families in Malaysia have set themselves this target and a lot of them are achieving the desired results.

MATHEMATICAL-LOGICAL: There are just some people in this world who are naturally good at maths. It's really quite irritating to those (me, for example) who simply can't figure out the simplest of maths equations, and challenging problems like "if X was travelling at 90kph and Y at 60kph from the opposite direction, both started at 3pm, what time would they meet?"
I have been unable to solve this since high school. Today, I am still stumped. Since I am no rocket scientist in the making, I quickly decided to embark on a "safer" profession.
Those who are naturally endowed with grey matter that can tackle mathematical issues quite easily, theirs is the kingdom of science and engineering." But fret not you who are not invited to be part of this camp of logic, there are indeed other intelligences which may be fit you to a Tee.

BODY-KINESTHETIC: Individuals who fit quite nicely into this category usually end up as dancers, basketballers, footballers, carpenters or tailors. All these jobs involve body co-ordinations.
People with body movement efficiency are natural born athletes. From statistics, we know that really famous athletes earn tonnes of money, much to the chagrin of scientists and mathematicians.
If you are not well endowed in the grey matter department, your body may be your biggest selling point. Isn't that good? The idea here is to find out as early as possible whether you have a natural inclination towards sports. If you do, develop it to the ninth and cash in on it in the later years. For example, look at Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Carl Lewis, Maria Sharapova, Steffi Graf, etc.

SPATIAL: This word means you can "see" designs in your mind's eye. Have you ever come across motor mechanics who can diagnose your car's woes by simply listening to the engine sound?
People who have this special ability will score high in spatial intelligence. If they don't end up as excellent mechanics, they can become architects, or transform their day-dreaming into lucrative ventures.
Spatial intelligence allows a person to touch something and form three-dimensional images in their heads. It is not something awesome or even scary. It is just one of those things that most of us don't have.
Those who have it are often considered to have special gifts. They may even end up as above-average plumbers and electricians. These professions are top money-spinners in countries like Australia and England.
Next time, you child plays with the lego set, watch how fast he does it or whether he can manage the pieces easily. If he makes it look easy, he may have more spatial intelligence than you.

MUSICAL: Sitting among the high-falutin audience of bow-ties and evening gowns, one tends to show appreciation and to a large degree envy, of talented musicians who weave impossibly good music from violins, pianos, trumpets, trombones, etc.
There are many mortals among the masses who can play good music on various kinds of musical instruments. Being good at making music is a much coveted skill or intelligence among the intelligentsia. Musically accomplished individuals are always admired by members of the upper crust.
Since most of us are vain and greedy for attention, we often try our best to sound polished on some silly musical instrument of no particular importances. From drums, to bongos, the young and old have displayed their half-baked skills to mildly annoyed crowds the world over.
I have often been asked to play "drums", meaning my little bloated belly. Since I have a great sense of humour, I have not punched the daylights out of anybody yet. I also like to believe that having a sense of humour is another sign of intelligence but I have been unable to locate that category if intelligence on the Internet.
By and large, musical talents are good.

INTERPERSONAL: There are some among us who have a way of communicating with others that make us look like a newly discovered race of people fresh out of an uncharted territory. These public relations extraordinaires have an innate skill at communicating with the most stubborn or introvert characters.
The moment they open their mouths, they put the other party at ease. I am not sure if they are born with such a skill but it always seems to be so. We have met these people at school, in the office or in church. Somehow they are on good terms with everybody, even our enemies like them.
These are the humans who excel at interpersonal relations. We all hope we can learn something from these special people. It is our wish. It is a skill that we can cultivate.
Interpersonal communication is a skill that can be developed by just anybody. It is one type of intelligence that will make us all into better human beings. It is really not that difficult.

INTRAPERSONAL: Individuals in this category are normally are self-propelled. They are very much in touch with their own feelings very well. They can end up being great artists or famous artistes. It is the art of self-expression that they excel in.
So that could mean that they may just end up in Hollywood or Bollywood, depending on which side of the ocean they are in. Or, they may become great painters, or dancers.
This is one of the seven intelligences that have been found and categorised. Most of us may have, at most, one or two out of the seven. Very, very few have all seven. But life is fair, even if you have one,and you maximise your potential on that singular intelligence, you can become quite successful, and maybe even famous.

An intelligent man once reminded me on the subject of Mensa: "Those people who score high on Mensa tests can just be people who are good at doing Mensa tests. So don't fret. They could very well suffer the same kind of problems you do, or worse, they don't have answers to their own problems, and they know it, and they are supposed to be the clever ones. Can you imagine how frustrating it must be for them?"
In conclusion, we can only say that intelligence is a game that some humans play to befuddle other members of their own species. In the end, it does not mean much. Being brilliant can mean high marks on tests but every else being equal, they would eventually end up in the grave just like the rest of us.

D.I.Y. - Doing It Yourself

TODAY, I discover something interesting about myself. I am a small time handyman around the house but that leaking tap in my kitchen has stumped me for several years.
For some time now, it has been leaking despite my best efforts. I have called a plumber but he was so busy that he turned up once to assess the situation and promptly concluded that the job was so uncomplicated that it was beneath him.
Meanwhile, my wife has been complaining her kitchen chores have been aggravated by the unusable sink because of the leaks and that faulty tap.
Well, I finally got mad enough today to come to the conclusion that I will fix the whole thing myself. So I went to the neighbourhood DIY shop to scout for a replacement. The whole tap fittings cost me a cool $107.
It was the latest super duper tap. There was a similar set which resembles the old one which costs only $56 but I thought since it was going to be a major project on my part, I might as well buy the best.
I returned home filled with supreme confidence that I could do the entire thing. In fact, I was so sure that I told my wife that I am 95 per cent sure I can "conquer" this mountain of kitchen woes.
So I promptly got to work. In due course, I had it done. I was so proud of myself that I got a "high" just seeing it work.
The lesson here for me is that I must walk through the heart of fear. Once it is done, I can see it was surprisingly easy. Thank God for that little "anger" on my part. What a rush for me.
The moral of the story is JUST DO IT, like Nike's slogan. From now on, I will try anything because I know in my heart I can do anything once I set my mind and heart to it.
And it all began with a little leaking tap. Sometimes in life, success comes in drips and draps.

The Devil didn't make you do it!

HELL! A lot of people always blame the devil for making them do mean things. Rubbish! It's not Lucifer, Satan or that Fire King of Hades. It is actually you but your ego won't let you admit it.
For example, you are not supposed to play golf on a particular Sunday because you promise your wife that you are taking her to church. But at the last minute, the call from the golf course was too strong. You gave in to your inner urging and took out your golf clubs.
Of course, this act on your part doesn't earn your any brownie points with your wife and family but you don't really care. All you could do was utter (much later) with a guilty tone: "Oh, the devil made me do it."
Yeah, once again that hellfire lord gets the blame. Actually it's you and nobody else. There's no devil behind you, inside you and on top of you. Everybody is responsible for his own actions. You do what you want to do.
If everybody knows the logic and power behind this line, they would do a lot of astounding things but generally, individuals tend to believe or follow their inner voices.
"The devil's talking to me," they say. Hogwash! Nobody's talking to you except your misguided conscience. When a mind dwells on undesirable things, it creates a breeding ground for unsavoury thoughts.
If you persists on thinking only good stuff and generating kind thoughts, sooner or later your mind will develop a fragrance of its own. They say that what's good will blossom into beautiful things.
All things of virtues can only projectlight and peace. That begs the question: why are people so afraid of being labelled as goody-two-shoes. Really, what's wrong with being described as a good chap, a nice guy, a kind bloke. I simply can't comprehend the criticism that is heaped on those who are naturaly kind-hearted and compassionate.
Frankly, we need more good people now than at any time during the past 100 years. The devil is not responsible for terrible things that happen in our lives. It is us. We want it. We work for it. We engineer it. If that sounds shocking, you will be jolted to numbness to learn that you are also a creator of heaven and hell.
Heaven is within you, as it was said two thousand years ago. If you meditate on it long enough, it will dawn on you that you are the heaven that you have been searching for.
Yes, my friends, heaven is here. There is no other place, and now is the time. Those are not my words. I borrow them from another who found the answers a long time ago.
Actually, there's no time but that's another story.
Forget about the devil and he will lose his hold on you. Fear him, and you will add to his strength. Pay him no heed and he will slither away. You are the light that chases away the shadow. You are the paradise that transforms all kinds of hell into fading dreams.
The devil has too long been able to sink his claws on our backs because we invite the idea of him into our minds and let him occupy the rooms in our hearts. It's time for some spring-cleaning. Let the devil begone. You don't need him. He's not real.
You are real. You are alive. You are the holy one who walks, talks and moves with the celestial wind. You are the one whom God talks to.
Who's talking? God, of course. You can only hear him if your mind is silent. Suddenly, he's there, and everywhere. Listen with your heart. See only the light. Forget about the self-created horned one. He's not there. The light is what it's all about.
Follow the light, see the light and bathe in it. Then you will in need of nothing else. You will then be complete.

Be careful what you wish for

EVERYBODY has a secret wish or a really big wish, and that wish usually has to do with his or her own well being and satisfaction. Very few people get what they wish for, but most of them get what they deserve.
It is told that a long time ago, a man wished to be rich and famous (like everybody else on this planet). He got his wish, much to his shock and delight. The first thing he did was to have a great time and threw parties for everybody he knows.
For a while, he was the toast of the town or rather the neighbourhood. Everybody knows that they can rely on this new rich guy to feed them.
The fame that came with wealth soon became a bit of a chore. Our rich friend got tired of organising parties for everybody. It dawned on him that many begin to treat him like a gigantic charitable event. So he stopped giving away gifts and free meals.
As expected, his popularity dove. He found that riches cannot buy friendship after all. He became suspicious and slightly bitter because no one seems to be grateful or thankful for his overt generosity.
His relatives drop strong hints about getting a bail-out or handouts. Mr Rich here of course is no fool. He knew they didn't really love him with no conditions, so he quickly showed them the door. Like all greedy people of no scruples, his relatives left him alone rather quickly, but not before cursing him to high heaven.
Mr Rich proceeded to live in fear of his life and his family's as well. This is a direct consequence of having something to lose and all your instincts are on high alert about not giving them away. It is an ailment common among the rich and famous. The more you have, the more you are afraid to lose them.
Since fear began to rule his life, he gradually became a recluse. Now he is relatively alone. The only people he trusts are members of his own family. Sometimes when he is in a paranoid state of mind, he's even suspicious of his own family.
One cold morning, Mr Rich woke up and suddenly realised that he has lost his "freedom", his sense of freedom and his joy of life. He now realise that very few people love him for what he is anymore. His personal hell is he can't differentiate between the genuine friends and the false ones, so he slips into a hermit-like existence.
Yes, he still have loads of cash but he no longer cares very much for wealth. It's really a shame when a rich man reaches this stage but truth be told that there are many tycoons around the world today who will trapped like Mr Rich.
That's the truth.

Grandmother's stories

AS my children would say when they hear anything that is slightly short of incredible, "those are grandmother's stories".
Yes, there are quite a number of these granny's tales that have some iota of truth in them if we have the wisdom and patience to hear them right to the end. For example, in the old days, as they say, people don't take vehicles as often to places when they could just as easily walk.
Where's the fun in that? you may ask. Actually, walking turned out to be as therapeutic as it was healthy. Mothers, fathers and their children walk whenever the distance is not too great. It helps in generating conversations among family members, it builds stamina and it keeps the heart healthy.
Notice, these days people take the car even if their destination is just around the corner. Now why do they do it? Plainly, the modern generation (a large portion anyway) is just lazy. They complain about the sun, they complain about aching muscles and they claim there are muggers at every corner.
Then, middle-class folks tend to be thrifty. The simple reason is money is not meant to be spend recklessly. Your grandparents have fresh memories of what it was like to be short of money or putting food on the table because edibles were hard to come by when hard cash was in short supply.
In those days, there was no plastic cards or credit cards, as they call them these days. People only spend what they could affort and what they have in their pockets. To be caught in a financial jam means the bank can hold your house at ransom. Not a very nice thought but your grand-pappy knows the shameful consequences of that kind of predicament.
Your grandmother's tales also include the precious issue of holidays. Only the very rich or the filthy rich were members of the holiday club. Back in those days when bicycles were more common than cars and lorries, going on holiday could mean that it happens once or twice in your growing years.
Because sensible families don't make a big issue out of it, they don't really miss those holidays. These days, if a yuppie couple miss their twice-a-year vacation, they feel as if they have been deprived of a great privilege and their lives are going down the tube.
And people also make a big deal out of going to church on Sundays. Somehow, God was a much more personal thing. All those children, even if they were reluctant, were made to go to church and listen to those homilies which they had heard about 300 times before.
Parents say the "grace" before meals and somehow the family seemed grateful they have something to eat, and God played a big role in that. Fast forward to modern times. People eat whenever and wherever they choose and they thank nobody for it, even if the meal sponsor is sitting next to them.
They are grateful that somebody was generous enough to treat them to a meal. They certainly don't think God is behind the whole thing. Heck, they don't believe in God anymore.
Churches are places where old folks go to pray, usually for their children's and grandchildren's continued well being. Young adults and a growing number of youngsters feel that God is too far away and too foreign an entity that could be identified with.
Priests, pasters and Elders seem to be running out of spiritual responsibilities. Few people are interested in spiritual matters. These things, they happily conclude, belong to my grandfather's time. Who got time for God and heaven, earthly matters take up too much time, they remark.
Life-long marriages are a thing of the past these days, as indicated by the mounting number of divorces. Modern couples sign pre-nuptial agreements if one or both partners have much to lose in the eventuality of irreconciliable differences.
Your grandpappy as well as mine never or dare not entertain thoughts like this. Hell awaits them if they even thought about the prospect of marriage failure. It was not a joking matter. Nobody takes a marriage lightly.
If a couple quarrels, they settle it among themselves and not through their lawyers. If there was a misunderstanding, they let the tension dissipate before they resume talking again. Usually they just forget about who's more stubborn.
Those grandfather's stories held the family together even if they made children uncomfortable and daughter-in-laws unhappy. It was one of those olden day stuff. Nobody lives for himself alone. We are all one big family, as they say, and which they all believe.
What has happened to those grandfather's tales as we all grew up. Somewhere along the way, we thought we knew better, so we decided to form these rules for ourselves and our families. Are we happier then, than our forefathers? I doubt it.
We have merely made our lives more complicated and create new and easier ways to get out of unhappy marriages. Divorce lawyers make a lot of money and children become delinquents as a result of broken homes and the single parent syndrome.
Grandmother's stories, huh?! If only we had listened more and absorbed more, we wouldn't make such a big mess of our modern lives. We would not be greedier, nor more selfish. If only our grandmothers or grandfathers were still alive to give us a piece of their minds.
Only God knows we all need more of their home-grown wisdom.

Learning from children

HAVE you seen children play? All of us do, at one time or another. Children play with an abandonment that can only be gotten from their innocence. Toddlers laugh and smile at the slighest gentle teasing.
Children's laughter is like the ringing of chimes during a windy day. It creates a freshness that we adults have forgotten while we were on the road to adulthood. We have lost our innocence and hence our ability to be "like children again".
To be like children again doesn't mean that we should lapse into child-like behaviour but more of wide-eyed, innocent curiosity. Happy the person who knows how to look at ordinary things with a fresh pair of eyes.
You notice that children never judge. It's because they don't know how to. If they are pushed into a corner, they just cry. We adults react in a different way. We either get angry or we will start plotting vengeance.
The next time, you go to a children's playground, be sure to watch the children at play very carefully. They are oblivious to time, they do not care about the condition of their clothes. They often forget that it's time to eat and they are totally absorbed in their own activity.
Children respond quite readily to kindness, love and compassion because it's their kind of world. Children can sense sincerity and they have a strong intuition for friendliness.
Adults can learn to "let go" from the tiny tots. Most of the time, we take things too seriously. We really must learn to let go. We are afraid of what people think of us. We are forever on guard against gossip or bad publicity.
Children never care for these unimportant intangibles. It doesn't not affect them in the least bit because they are too busy climbing up the see-saw.
When children are hungry, they just run to the kitchen to find anything edible. Adults want to choose the place, easy parking and cuisine that suits their palate.
As big people, we are quite a bunch of fuss-pots.
We should be like children. We have to recapture our innocence. We have to regain the world of wonders that is devoid of the pretensions that currently envelop the adult world like a shroud.
We have to learn to see the world, society and people through the eyes of childen. When we learn to think like a child and react like a children on important things, we would begin the process of finding out the real purpose of our existence.
Is it not said 2,000 years ago that "unless ye be like children, the gates of heaven shalt not be opened unto you".
Have you not heard the line: "Sleep like a baby!" Only an infant can drop off to sleep the moment his/her head hits the pillow. Thus, it is imperative that we be like children. If there are no impure thoughts in our head nor grudges in our hearts, we will have no worries and our lives will be filled with joy everyday and hour on hour.
This world needs more people with child-like behaviour, not childish adults. There's a huge difference between the two. Truly, unless we sit down and relearn to behave like children on the important stuff, sorrow and misery will continue to dog our heels.

Let's talk about the wonderful things

TOO many of us dwell for too long on unhappy things. Why do people do that to themselves?
For a change, let's jump into the pond of happy things. There's such a pool but people are frequently turn their eyes away from this shining jewel.
At the first light of dawn, when little pencils of light pierce throught the curtains of your room, you get a sense of new life stirring. Isn't that wonderful?
You brush your teeth as soon as your legs wake up. That should be soon. Aren't you glad that you still have a pair of legs in good working order? There are lots of people who don't have legs, or have one leg or legs that don't work too well. Count yourself lucky that your legs aren't complaining about anything.
Then you clean your mouth. OK, all the teeth are still there, or most of them are. Isn't it a happy occasion to know that your still have teeth to sink them into the juiciest morsels of food. A lot of people don't have teeth anymore. Even if they want to eat, they can't, or they do so very slowly and with great difficulty.
If you don't have teeth, you will soon find out that the areas around your mouth will develop lines due to lack of skeletal support, meaning your teeth. So you are indeed one of the lucky ones.
Hey, while you are thinking about all this, it may suddenly dawn on you that you are not suffering from one of those dreaded brain diseases which you hear or read about that happens to other people. You are not autistic, you are not retarded, neither are you suffering from any unnecessary migraines or mysterious headaches.
Now, isn't that a pleasant thought? No head-connected ailments of serious consequences. Mark that one as another blessing that has gone unnoticed for too long.
You proceed to prepare breakfast. Today, shall it be cereals and oats, or fried beehoon and sambal belacan. Stop, and think. You actually have food in the ladder and your kitchen is well stocked with food of your choice. Isn't that another great blessing.
Perhaps it's time again to pause and reflect on the starving millions in Sudan, North Korea and other poverty-stricken regions around the world. It is no fun to wake up every morning thinking how or what can you find to eat before the sun sets. It actually happens around the world in quite a number of places. Sounds terrible if it turns out that you are one of those stuck in that kind of predicament.
Breakfast over, and you turn on the ignition of your car with hope that maybe the roads be relatively free from heavy traffic. A car means modern means of transportation. Another plus for you. Elsewhere in the less inhabited parts of Asia, you could be sitting atop a water buffalo, donkey or a skinny horse. There would be no roads but trails which betray signs of human travel.
You will be subjected to the elements of unpredictable weather. That means rain, snow and scorching sun are your constant companions. Flashback to you in your modern car, protection comes in the form of an enclosed vehicle. Airconditioning adds to the comfort. Music from the built-in hifi system smoothens the journey and a mobile phone gives you unrestricted access to a two-way communication with your family and business colleagues.
Life is wonderful, to say the least. You park your car in sheltered surroundings and away from natural predators like poisonous snakes, bears and tigers.
Your office or workplace has all the conveniences that comes with a modern and sophisticated workstation. Pencils, pens, stapler, coffee machine, ergonomic chairs, proper lighting, etc. These are some of the things that make your job easier.
Imagine if you live out there in some remote part of Africa where you have to hunt for a living. There is a chance you may be eaten by your prey, or you could be a fisherman and be lunch for a hungry crocodile. Now, that would be a bit of a nuisance, wouldn't it?
In between the nine or 10 hours in the office, you will probably find time to have tea breaks with friends and colleagues. Time passes relatively fast for you. You will have gossip to listen to, nice people to share information with and bosses who may be very understanding, although the last one could be a matter of luck. It would be great if you ARE the boss yourself.
By 6pm or at the latest 7pm (OK, let's make 8pm), your work day should be over. In truth, you should leave your work and worries behind in the office. Of course, not everybody does that. Anyway, you leave for home and your maid or your wife, or even your mum who's staying with you prepares dinner for you and the family.
Another great blessing, but most people take that for granted. They think it is compulsory, somebody should be looking after their meals. Not really. A lot of people go without food for hours, even days because they just don't have the means or people to do that on their behalf.
I have seen young and old people sleeping on well paved streets of London. Shocking when I first witnessed it. Surely not in London, I told myself but there they were, sleeping like the countless homeless we read about in newspapers.
As you retire to your queen-sized bed, spare a thought for these vagrants. They are not so blessed like you. When you switch on the aircon in your room, think of those who have to bear the chill that sinks into their bones as they desperately try to slip into oblivion when they close their eyes.
You have so many wonderful things happening to you right now, and I have only touch on just a few. You are so blessed, and these are some of the countless wonderful things in your life. You may not have realised them until now. From now on, don't ever forget.

When the sun rises, another chance at life

LITTLE do individuals realise that every morning when they wake up, they have another golden opportunity to do right in their lives. Imagine, you could have died in your sleep and all your dreams and do-it-alls have perished together with your biodegradable body.
When you wake up tomorrow morning, be very aware that you are still breathing, talking and walking without much physical effort. Yesterday's mistakes, errors, bad judgment, sorrows and unfulfilled plans have vanished like last night's dreams.
Today, this morning, you are once again on earth, taking another dig at life. You have been given another chance to be good, embark on a quest to be rich, make others happy, call your parents to show that you care, hug your wife before you leave for office, say a big friendly hello to your children, tell your girlfriends how much you miss them.
So many wonderful things you can do and they have fallen on your big, fat lap. Now, that's what I call wonderful second chances.
Unfortunately, a lot of people drag themselves reluctantly when the rays of the sun hit their faces. They sulk as they walk through the kitchen to make breakfast. They drive slowly or quickly like bats out of hell to office. They growl at their office colleagues.
Little do these sad people know that they are once again on the threshold of happiness. Humans are the only life forms on earth given this type of opportunity. We get to say sorry to those whom we may have hurt through word or deed the day before. If we are wise enough to make amends, friendship once again blossoms, ties are strengthened and bridge of friendship solidified.
We can walk confidently through the streets of our existence with optimism and joy unrestrained. Why do people think they are persecuted, that fate is being cruel to them, and they are victims of circumstances.
Actually, nothing has happened to make your life miserable. Misery is a matter of choice. If you die right now, all your earthly problems will vanish in an instance.
All the emotional and physical problems that you are experiencing are earth bound. They do not follow you beyond this dimension.
So all the challenges you face while there's still breath in you are really lessons for you to improve as human beings. You are the one chosen right now to learn. What is life, if not to learn to be happy and to help others to be happy?
We are not born to be desperate people living lives of quiet desperation. We are spirits given bodies to inherit and inhabit the earth. We are here to learn and find out for ourselves how pleasant a couple of decades of life can be.
We are masters of our own fate. We are descendants of conquerors, saints, leaders, champions, inventors, rulers, and discoverers. In a word, we are Eternal.
Therefore, tomorrow at the break of dawn, make a vow to yourself to do all you can, the best you can, as long as you can and as much as you can. Frankly, it's because you actually CAN!

Lucky, brilliant or rich?

IN this world where financial success is often the benchmark for success, almost nine out of 10 people will opt to be rich. But life is almost never a straight, wide road. Very often, it meanders when it shouldn't, and it continues when it is supposed to be a junction.
Hence, the perennial question of whether one should choose to be born lucky, rich or brilliant. OK, let's suppose you are born brilliant. Of course, you would breeze through all your exams and answers to difficult questions come easy to you.
You would be the one, everyone turns to when seeking the right answer. So what is there to gripe about, right? Wrong. Clever people often end up working for others. The smart ones frequently think they should sell their intellectual skills.
In other words, the rich buy your mental talents. You have a commodity which in high demand. The bottom line is you often end up as a salaried worker. That might not be true in exceptional cases, but generally that is the trend.
What about being rich? Yes, almost everybody wants to be rich. Being wealthy means you can have all the material comforts that money can buy. You won't be in want of anything. You can own as many fancy cars as you want.
You can buy homes in Paris, Switzerland, Hawaii, Barbados, etc. Now, what is there to complain about?
The downside is rich people are often afraid. They are afraid of kidnappers, robbers, burglars and cheaters. They are afraid for their family. They are frightened of their own safety. They may walk around with bodyguards and their homes are often marked by high fences and heavy security.
In one word, they are described as insecure. Rich people are afraid of losing everything or part of their wealth. Often, they don't sleep easy at night. They are frightened that their peers will look down on them.
They try hard to upkeep their status and at most times be seen as people with great means. So you see, being wealthy has its drawbacks too.
Most rich people won't be caught eating at roadside stalls. It's five-star restaurants for them most of the time. Can't be seen mixing with the lower class, you see.
Sounds kind of tough being a rich person, isn't it?
Now the third category - being born lucky. Here, there's a big difference. Being lucky means, you don't have to be rich or brilliant but luck is forever on your side.
If an airplane which is destined to be tomorrow's tragedy, and you have booked a ticket for that fateful flight, you would probably miss the flight. That means you are just plain lucky.
If a building collapses and you are supposed to be in it, you would probably arrive late for the meeting. If there's a promotion available in your organisation, the right candidates will be dropped for one reason or another, and finally the choice will be narrowed to just one - YOU! That's being lucky.
Being lucky means you can be anywhere in the world, and nothing sad or bad will happen to you because you are just plain lucky. Being lucky means even if you don't have a sen in your pocket, you will have friends willing to buy you free meals. It also means the girl of your dreams will see something good in you despite being pursued by other handsome, wealthier young men.
Lucky is the best of the three options. Not many people are born lucky but those who are, are always the ones with the biggest smiles on their faces. It is said that the luckiest people in the world are forever loved.
Love somehow generates luck. Believe it because it is true.

World's going to pot over Harry

JUST yesterday as I was watching the CNN channel, the ticker tape news ran the line saying that Harry Potter's 6th instalment entitled Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is expected to sell 10 million copies on its first day of release.
Now, if only the 2,000-year-old bible has such a reception, we won't be hearing anymore about suicide bombings around the world. Sorry, for getting religious over this issue.
Really, what's the breakthrough news about Harry Potter and its author J.K. Rowling? Personally, I am very happy that she is commanding such a worldwide attention. But honestly, it does say something about people around the world when they go ga-ga over a book that has no significant literature value, except for the fact that it makes lots of children want to keep up with a fascinating tale of a young wizard.
You would have thought that the communities around the world would have something better to pay attention to. If you were to wander off to Laos, Cambodia or maybe even Sicily right now and ask the question: "Read the latest Harry Potter book?" The person this question is addressed to will probably reply: "Who is he? Is he the new president of America?"
I have to take my hat off to Rowling's manager. Whoever that person is, she/he as well as the book publisher have really got book readers around the world by the scruff of their collars.
It's all a media-hype, you people. But then nobody is listening to me but never mind, Rowling is becoming even a bigger billionairess by the hour. Except that she's no Bill Gates or Bob Geldorf. I don't think Rowling is terribly keen to help the starving millions in Rwanda, Sudan or even North Korea.
Really, you chaps out there. A book is one thing, getting your priorities wrong only indicates how sad the state of affairs is the world now in.
I don't mean you shouldn't get excited over anything. You can, of course. That's part of the human condition but a Harry Potter book is just a book. It is not going to change the miserable conditions around the world.
If I sound like an NGO, I apologise but I really like to see people getting more worked up over famine, corruption, wickedness, wars, suffering. Am I the only one who is infected by this kind of syndrome? Surely not, I pray.
Get excited over the right things and this world will have a fighting chance, otherwise in the end, Hurricane Harry will come your way and wipe out everything that you own and have.

What kind of a man are you?

Are you a family man, a playboy, a scoundrel, an upstart, a predator or a just plain ordinary Joe? The kind of man you are today determines the happiness of others who live under the same roof as you.
If you are the type who goes to work, returns home when the day is over and takes the family out during weekends, then you are a family man. Some may call you boring but "boring men" like you are in high demand by ordinary women.
Most women rather have a family man than a cad who is totally undependable, unreliable and untrustworthy - no matter how good-looking he is. The world is full of family men. Not all are in the same category. There are men who behave like family men but lead double lives.
Men who live double lives tend to get found out in the end. The end result is not pretty.
A scoundrel is said to be one who cares only for himself. He comes first all the time. He doesn't care who knows about it, and he doesn't want to know. Strangely, some women find this kind of man attractive. They put the attraction down to "mysterious, moody and unpredictable". If that is the case, chances are that these women prefer rogues.
But we shan't talk about these women and their self-persecution instincts.
Playboys we all know. They play the field. Some of them have what it takes to be a playboy. They have the looks, money, cars, style and manners to sweep most women off their feet.
Playboys usually start young - from school. As they progress in life, they become more suave, dapper and sophisticated. Needless to say, most men envy them but do not have the attributes to join the club nor the courage to "love them and lose them".
Playboys are usually heartless. They may have a little conscience but they suppress it all the time. They avoid the incidence of tears. Bad for business, they say. And in the wake of their activity, playboys usually leave a trail of broken hearts.
In their twilight years, they dwell unhealthily on their past activities and reminise about their golden years. In a way, they are still immature. There are some like that, but not many. You will be surprised to learn that playboys can make very good husbands, that is after they have realised the foolishness of their ways.
A predator is the most dangerous of them all. Sometimes they don't look the role. They can have baby faces and gentle demeanor. But their sole mission in life is to look for the innocent girls, break their hearts and leave.
A predator deliberately goes out to make as many women as possible miserable. They see, they conquer, they destroy lives. They have a psychological scar which they cannot cure themselves and so they seek solace in bringing misery to women.
Sometimes, they take women's money and leave them scarred for life. Not many women can spot a predator. Some women's instinct is stronger than others. Those whose intuition are in fine condition save themselves. Others who are not so wise allow themselves to be used and abused.
Then there is a category of man which is quite rare. These are the ones who only bring joy to women. They are kind, compassionate and gentle. Most women think this kind of man does not exist. But they do, except they do not belong to you (women), or usually they don't.
Women who are extremely lucky or had done something good in their childhood or in their previous lives (as mentioned by Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music) will marry men like that.
I suspect men of this make are spiritualists or great teachers in their previous lives. They may even be saints. It is decided before-hand(though not on the earthly plain) who they would marry (you are allowed not to believe this) in this life.
Generally, most men are not rascals even though a lot of women would disagree. Some men are weak, so are some women. Some men are wicked, so are some women. Some men are immoral, well, so are some women.
The bottom line is men, like women, have faults. Whether they remain in a weakened state sometimes depends on their life partners. Spouses can change their mates for the better. I have seen at least one or two cases. So women can effect a positive change on some men who need to be changed.
Ultimately, all men can change for the better or be very good husbands, fathers, brothers, leaders, priests, etc. The choice is always theirs. It has been so since time immemorial.

Who are the biggest gossipers: men or women?

EVERYONE loves to gossip. Gossip as an activity crosses gender lines and age groups. It affects everyone. If it is supposedly a big secret, it will be a big hit. If it concerns some dark, hidden secret, it shines like a torch in a dark tunnel.
Gossip is also one of man's most deplorable activities. It makes and breaks careers, relationships and families. What is spoken frequently, though often not substantiated, takes on a life of its own.
When repeated by a hundred mouths, rumour becomes truth and later "truth" becomes fact. The victims of a malicious gossip is usually the last to know because everyone avoids telling him or her.
Now, the $64 question: who is the bigger gossiper - man or woman? There are no statistics to proven it either way but the natural inclination is to blame it on women because women are allegedly always chatting away in the corridor, in the hallway, in your dining hall and by the roadside.
Apparently, men do the same thing except the subject matter is different. Men's favourite subjects are drinking, games (golf, football,etc), women, affairs. Not necessarily in that order.
Women have been known to accuse men of being the worst gossipers and vice versa. The jury is still out on that - who are the biggest gossipers. All we know at this juncture is all the blabblers are out in full force.
It has been said when men gossiped, they don't go on and on about it. All conversational gossip ends at the table where they are sitting. That means when they leave for home, they leave the gossip behind.
Women on the other hand carry the gossip wherever they go and pass it on. In time, the whole neighbourhood knows. That's the women's touch, as they say.
By now, you probably realise I am a man and I am bias. This gossip of a subject is transparent. I am not taking sides but I personally believe women feel that they are merely exchanging information when they indulge in gossip whether it be malicious or innocent.
But as we all know, no gossip in its essence is innocent. It is always at someone's expense, otherwise it won't be gossip.
What makes gossip such an addictive activity is the psychological thrill it creates and provides for participants. Those who partake in gossip get into a zone where they extract delight in other people's minor transgressions.
On a so-called higher level, big-time social faus pax elevates gossip to a level where its movement from mouth to ear gathers speed according to its fallout effect. Human beings are suckers for a good gossip if we can actually label it as such.
In the world of communication, a good gossip topic can travel at light speed. With Internet, it can go around the world several times over before the day is over. Even newspapers fall prey to this kind of activity.
There have been occasions in the past when newspapers of the lower order succumb to rumours and gossip in their attempts to ferret out good stories. When a newspaper is found guilty of spreading gossip, it loses it credibility.
The media is punished severely by the public if they are ever caught with their pants down on this matter. Gossip therefore should be left to languish in the land of idle minds and uninspiring individuals.
Truthfully, of course all of us love a good gossip but becoming obsess with this activity is detrimental to our development. Reason must always be the master. Gossip even though it is tasty, much like sugar floss, is stuff of no importance.
The less we indulge in it, the less contagious it will be. Gossip becomes a virus only when people encourage it. When it is given the "licence" to infect others, it will move at supersonic speed. The way gossip spreads is the embellishments that are add-ons by individuals.
A reasonably innocuous gossip can be a Godzilla-sized monster by the time the fifth person passes it on. Thus, gossip is a human creation of monstrous proportions.
One day, sociologists and mass communication experts will do a thorough study on the subject of gossips and dig deep into the ramifications and repercussions of the subject of gossip.
It is a fascinating topic which should draw the attention of the biggest mouths and the loosiest of all tongues among us.

Everything Must Go!

HAVE you ever thought of simplifying your life? It means instead of owning a Mercedes Benz, opt for public transport. This way, you save on fuel, maintenance, parking charges and constantly looking for parking bays.
Then you can just dress in the simplest clothes without looking indecent. No designer labels for you. No fancy clothes that cost a bomb. No expensive shoes. Sandals or slippers will do.
No need to go to Hawaii or Aspen, Colorado for holidays. Your own country has lots and lots of places which you haven't begun to explore. I am speaking from experience. Recently, I visited some parts of my own country which I haven't seen or been before. It was quite a revelation. So many nice things and great cuisine.
One of the things that clutter up our lives are material possessions. Take for example, cars. Most people are not satisfied with one. They want at least two or three.
Most women are dissatisfed with four pairs or shoes. They desire at least 20 pairs. As for clothes, one full cupboard is never enough. And so on and so forth, the list grows.
You can simplify your life by living and eating in the most humble place and the cheapest accommodation. Once you close your eyes and go to sleep, it really doesn't matter if you are sleeping in a seven-star hotel, your mind just goes to sleep, and suddenly all have become an illusion and only your dreams seem so real.
People are constantly on the quest for the best, the most expensive and the most unattainable. Why? Is it an ingrained thing? I hope not.
An inclination towards simplicity is a cultivated trait. It is said that simplicity is the natural result of profound thought. It is so true but its wisdom escapes the majority of us.
When a person dies, what remains? Nothing. All his possessions will be taken by the surviving members of his family or his next-of-kin. If he is an orphan, all that he had will be taken up by the government. Even his body will decomposed. After all, it is biodegradable.
Thus, simplicity is the path of the wise. It is the spiritual road to everlasting peace of mind. The simplest life is filled with rewards. You have the beautiful sky, the freshest air in the morning and the birds sing to you - free of charge.
You walk past a river and the gurgling waters greet you with sweet hellos. The night smiles at you from a million stars. Even darkness warms up to you with its gentle solitude and pleasing air of stillness.
You are not alone in this world. You are never alone. Close your eyes and see the galaxies presented by your mind. Shut your ears and listen to the music of silence. Eat little and digest the food that comes from heaven. You are never in want of anything.
Therefore, simplify your life. Get down from your oak-wood panelled office and walk across the highways and byways of other people's lives. See the "difficulty" of a cluttered life.
Take for example, friends. If you feel a compulsion to have friends and colleagues around you all the time, then you may have a problem. Too many friends spell one thing, you are afraid to be alone. If one day, for some reason, all or most of your friends desert you, you will be utterly lost.
Learn to enjoy being alone. Solitude has its own rewards. The mind takes on a quieter route. The heart slows down. Even the noise level dips a little. Embalm your usually hurried mind with good thoughts. Treat yourself kindly, even if no one else does.
Be simple, live simply and let simplicity be your own personification.

Seven Seven Two Zero Zero Five

July 7 is now Britain's Day of Infamy in the year 2005. At last count, death toll stands at 37, wounded 700. Casualties are expected to rise before the damage is repaired. But lives forever lost would never be regained.
Thus, it begs the question: whither terrorism? In the last couple of years, terrorism has reared its ugly head across the globe. No nation is now deemed safe. Terrorists do not respect boundaries. No race is too far from its reach.
There will always be victims. Terror is the commodity and its perpetrators are many and they wear many different faces. Their currency is fanaticism and their reward is allegedly heaven.
How do we the innocent reason with the insane? How does the world hope to understand the madness of terror? At this current hour, it seems hopeless to sit and talk with the leaders of this diseased group who plans for the destruction of all who stand in its paths.
Unfortunately for some nations, the danger signs are deathly clear. Terrorism breeds in the soil of poverty, desperation, despair and utter hopelessness. These conditions are rife in many lands on this beautiful planet.
One remedy is to extend a strong and willing hand to the weak and poor. At the same time, keeping away the spoilers of peace away from these desperate people with the other hand.
The mad cannot be reasoned. They cannot be pitied and they absolutely cannot be appeased. The solution lies in corralling these "wild creatures", and then zero in on the roots of the terror problem. Perhaps an honest, brutally frank look at the breeding grounds of terror will generate some clues why there are so many thousands willing to lend support for such an insane cause.
Until and unless we are brave enough to stare and admit that there are weaknesses in our system of governance and cracks in the democratic system, we shall never be able to overcome this prevailing and perennial problem.
People are the same the world over. They want happiness, security, food on the table, bright future for their children and to die happy at an old age, relatively free from sickness and pain. If we can give them some measure of all these wants, we would have gone a long way in ensuring a trouble-free society.
The abnormalies and discrepancies that exist right now in countries around the world with regard to income and modern convenienes are the detonaters of terror "bombs".
We can't have peace in our times and happiness at home if others are suffering unfairly and without hope elsewhere or even in our own backyards. These are the issues we must address most urgently.
Leaders of the world can only lead by conviction, by prayer, by concern and by sincere intention to do as much good for as long a time as possible. If there are enough good leaders who will pool together their resources and with the help of their populations, hope will spring eternal again.
Time is running short. The desperate ones are getting more radical. Fear is growing rapidly. Innocent lives are put on the auction block of death.
We do see the solutions but are we brave enough to do the necessary for the poor and desperate. The future is truly ours. It is not enough to kneel and pray because the time has come for all of us, young and old, rich or poor, to get off our knees and do all we can, as long as we can for all our brethern across the oceans, across the lands, in every corner of the earth.

Why so many different races in this world?

RACISM is a dirty word. However, it didn't start off like that. Many centuries ago, when some coloured people in some forgotten land bumped into another group of people of different colour, they just uttered: "Wow! Look at those strange coloured guys."
So curiosity sank its roots in humankind. Over the years, people of different hues began to be classified as strangers.
And mankind in general stupidly concluded that what they could not understand be held in suspicion. Instead of finding the best way of getting along with these people of different colours, one community after another began to practise prejudice, the alternative culture, so to speak.
So began racial prejudice. If only the bigoted ones know that genetically, homo sapiens are the same no matter which part of the world they are from. If you trace it right down to the last chromosome, the last atom is identical to the next chap. Only the genetic traits are different.
People have different features but they all have red blood. At last recall, that was the colour of their blood. Anyway, they all bleed if their skin is punctured.
So what's the rationale behind the different groupings? The answer is so simple, it is ridiculous.
Some guy somewhere thought it was a great idea for humans to learn to live together. That the answer to the greatest mystery of all time is that we belong to one family. That if we learn to get along with everyone else, peace will finally reign because it will suddenly become a revelation that we are all leaves, branches and trunks from the same family tree.
Notice how beautiful some offsprings are when they have mixed blood. The more bloodlines the better. Isn't that an indication of where we all should be heading?
But no, humans always need to do things a very different way. We must distrust everyone outside the family. In fact, quite often we don't even trust members of the same family.
Well, it's about time we find out that the different peoples of this world are like pieces of jigsaw that need to be put together to form a big, beautiful picture. Strange, how so few people don't know this. If only, someone knocks us on our heads to awaken the inherent wisdom that has been lying dormant in the core of our being.
Do we ignore the colours of the rainbow? Do we not all appreciate the beauty of the rainbow after a downpour? Why do you think there exist rainbows?
Surely, it is to make us appreciate the many facets of life. It is a lesson waiting to be learn. We the different races of this world are like the colours of the rainbow.
Seen individually, we are just one colour, living in isolation. However, when all the colours come together, they form one big beautiful family of different hues.
So now the secret is out. We must really look at this race issue as something that benefits us in the long run. So what if we don't like the look of some people. Do all of us like all parts of our own body?
Some of us think our toes are too big, or too ugly. Some of us think our thighs are too stumpy; our eyes are too small; and our stomaches too round. So it is with the human race. We are constantly bitching about ourselves, let alone the human race.
But if in our infinite wisdow, we realise how wonderful it is to "come together", then the Almightly will surely smile at us from somewhere.

Somebody loves you, baby!

IT IS a myth that there exist some people in this world who are not loved by at least one person in their entire existence. That one person is his/her mother. It is simply inconceivable that a woman who gives birth to a child does not have some feelings for the infant.
Therefore, it is safe to say that everybody is loved by somebody out there. It begins with your mother. And for every man, woman or child, there is somebody somewhere out there who is just waiting to love you for what you are, inspite of who you are and why you are what you are.
Some individuals go through life feeling as if they have missed their "love boat". That's not true. Even if you feel there's no love to be had, there's still that spark of love that is inherent in all of us.
It is said: If the whole world ends tomorrow for all of us who inhabit this planet, there is still love - and that's enough. In the end, it is all about love.
That may sound a bit cryptic but the whole notion is so simple it borders on being ludicrous.
Who would believe that love is the power that moves galaxies, controls the cosmos and is the breath of eternity? If it sounds like science fiction, it's because just for this moment, the light from love has temporarily escaped your inner eye.
Rest assured, it is there. It has always been there. It was there in the beginning, as it exists at present. In future, it glows forevermore.
If you want to get love, you must give it away, for that is the law of the universe. The current law that governs all that is on earth is - if you want more of something, you have to accumulate it, hoard it and work for it.
Wrong. Love is one of those intangible gifts that grows geometrically if you give it away. The more you give it to others, the more it grows. The faster you "throw" it away, the quicker it is returned.
It is the wonder that brings light to the Milky Way. It is the energy that moves life. It is the engine that propels animate and inanimate substances. It is what brings smiles to babies' faces. It is the bond that binds men and women, parents and children.
It is the force that brings peace on earth. Never, never, never believe or think that you are alone, that you are not loved or are the loneliest person on earth.
Even in your so-called loneliest hour, there is love in stillness. Because it is when everything else desists, God persists.
The phrase "see the light" has been uttered and used so often that its true meaning escapes the majority who repeat the line. Seeing the light simply means you understand once and for all that love is what life is all about. It is the ethereal energy that holds everything together.
It can't be destroyed. It can't be erased. It can't be forgotten and it can never disappear. It is the strongest force in the universe of universes. It is what God is all about.
If you truly believe in the power of love, you will never be without it. It will add a glow to your very being. It exudes a power and charm of its own. It is unending and ever flowing, for it is love without end, just like the spirit of our beings.