The higher up you go ....................

WHY is it that when a person climbs up another rung on the ladder of success, his head swells a bit more. More often than not, by the time he reaches the top, he becomes an irritating snob and arrogant to the point of being an obnoxious cad.
This sad phenomenon happens to the best of us. It has happened to people I used to like. I am one of the lucky few, I guess. I haven't been "booted" to the top like some of the snobbish few.
At the risk of being called a sour grape, I would like to point to the fact that human beings generally cannot handle success and fame. Or rather, very few of us can handle ably all the trappings that come from sudden fame and fortune.
Notice how many famous movie stars and tycoons came to a sad and tragic end. If you are a reader of newspapers, gossip magazines and TV viewer, you would realise that seemingly very sane famous people have taken to drugs, reckless living, meaningless sexual affairs and driven to suicide by the very world they had earlier craved.
If you can recall, the greatest among us always stoop to serve. For greatness, unsought for, unclaimed and unwanted by those who are enlightened, always comes when we do not ring its doorbell.
The Catholic Pope washes the feets of ordinary people every year as a ritualistic practice and reminder to the masses that humility is a virtue cherished by the Almighty. Even as we are elevated, perhaps without our consent, to the pinnacle of success, we must be mindful of the pitfalls that threaten our simplicity and humility henceforth as we ascend the altar man calls greatness.
Greatness in the spiritual realm is not defined as being haughty, proud and arrogant. It is the very anthesis of it. It is being genuinely humble, kind, compassionate and generous.
For is it not greatness when the lowliest among us do not feel threatened by the so-called greatness of another? We walk among kings and leaders and yet feel no different even as we follow in the footsteps of people who come from the wrong side of society.
The similarity of all people from all walks of life is the true picture of our kind. We realise that success and failure are two sides of the same coin. We recognise the illusion of greatness and lowliness, for in reality none is higher or lower than another.
Therefore, humility should increase proportionally to each measured elevated status achieved by any of us. It is in humility that we soar above all that is ordinary. The spiritual side of us does not recognise the self-importance that often is mistaken for greatness.
There is no greatness without simplicity and humility. This is the truth and the joy that open the gates of heaven to all who are deemed worthy of walking on its grounds.

Mother Nature Strikes Back

OKAY, will somebody please say something totally logical and reasonable with regard to global climatic conditions. This is being written on Aug 29, 2005. As you all know, Hurricane Katrina is bearing down on Louisana Mississippi and heading inland for some serious damage.
Europe is battered left, right and centre by floods. India is drowning in waters too high and haze is choking the life out of the Malaysian peninsula.
Weather scientists are so far keeping mum about the weird conditions that this puny earth is being subjected to. CNN is reporting every hour on the hour on the natural disasters which are becoming anything but natural.
Whoever heard of typhoons and hurricanes on a weekly basis? Is anybody thinks this is normal then I am from another planet. The only logical and scientific explanation came from a scientist recently.
He said storms and hurricanes are occurring with increasing intensity because of the global warming effect. Apparently, in the most simple terms, the heat is causing these upsurges of air and sucking in forces that are assaulting earth with great ferocity.
These will continue with great swiftness and mounting frequency until someone on earth knows what to do. Telling the earth's population of six billion that we are being beaten from one corner of the earth to the other is not the solution.
The bottom line is heavy casualties. If Mother Nature is not appeased or amused by the reckless machinations of humans with her siblings like soil, rivers, mountains, air and trees, everybody has got to pay, even if their lives are laid to waste.
Somehow, all the course of events is not comforting to us ordinary people. Before it is all over, I reckon most people are going to suffer the effects of an angry Mother Nature.
As in most things alive and has a life-force of its own, adverse reaction is expected when the balance is disturbed. Man has for too long been tampering with the ground on which he walks, with the air he breathes and with the vegetation that has given him food.
Nothing lasts forever, as they say. Humankind is now beginning to find out what it's like to muck around with forces they cannot control.
The joke's over, folks. I think it's time to say sorry to Mother Nature and her spouse Father Earth for all the waste and unkind deeds carried out by us for the sake of modern convenience and our own reckless greed.

The Heart of the matter

What have Picasso, Leonardo da Vinci, Rodan, Monet, Rembrant, Tchaikovsky and Paganini have in common? Answer - their hearts are all in their works. And so unravels the secret of all great artworks or works of genius.
Those who put their heart and soul in things they love, almost never fail to shine through their works because the heart of the matter is the heart of the human.
We all love great works of art. Some of us can understand and decipher the intricacies that go into the making of a masterpiece but very, very few of us really understand what makes an art great.
One of the greatest facts governing any creation that comes from the hands of man is the heart that he brings into it. Remember E.T. - that masterpiece of a movie by Steven Spielberg? That movie rocked cinemas worldwide when it was screened.
Somehow, it found the right chord that resonates across the wide belt of human population across the oceans and over the continents. Spielberg's success was triggered by something he remembered in his childhood.
That sense of wonder, the bewilderment of fantasy and the ever-elusive charm of a Peter Pan world. It is something that is in the heart of every child on earth. Spielberg was able to translate his heart's desire into a movie that caught the imagination of all cinema goers.
In my years growing up, I have always derived the greatest pleasures from dreaming wonderful dreams, and aspiring after my greatest heart's desires. Some people say being a dreamer has its drawbacks. I say being a dreamer has rich rewards.
Imagining the unreachable doesn't mean going after the impossible. It is often said that what the mind can imagine the heart can achieve.
The heart is the gateway to the soul. And the soul is that elusive, fleeting path to heaven and the misty shadow of its pearly gates. The closer we are to our heart, the clearer is the view of heaven. What we finally arrive at the heart of the matter, so to speak, we behold what few men on earth have accomplish. We see the impossible, the unreachable, and the unattainable.
The human heart is that shining beacon that lights our path as we journey along the avenue of life. It makes clear what seems murky and brings a sense of peace to troubled circumstance.
If you have family problems, woes with your spouse and rows with your children, use the strongest weapon in your human arsenal - the gift of your heart. Ask yourself: what does your heart tells you. When you hears it message, heed it and then apply its wisdom on the circumstance that troubles you so. Then watch miracles happen.

Tears are a human expression of heavenly proportions

ALL of us cry at one time or another. When we were babies, we cry incessantly, often for no valid reason at all.
Honestly though, babies are the most honest of human beings. When toddlers are hungry, they cry. When they are uncomfortable, they howler. When babies are hurt in any small way, they cry. That's why people always say: "Don't be such a baby!"
In the years entering teenage-hood and early adulthood, we shut off the tap of our tear ducts. For men, it is extra hard. We try not to cry all the time. We are such macho idiots that it is painful for our system.
Have you ever resisted shedding tears till it hurts? It is detrimental to our bodily functions not to do the most natural thing in an extremely emotional moment. We are born with the capability to shed copious amounts of tears and the ability to cry incessantly.
But what do we do? We defy nature. The men are most guilty of this "crime". We think it is not manly to express ourselves through tears. We think and feel that women will think less of us if we cry.
Actually, women think not less but more of us men if and when we men cry for good reasons. They think it is our sensitive side that is most appealing.
Women cry all the time. They cry when they are happy. They cry uncontrollably when they are hurt or sad or frustrated. Tears are their greatest weapon. Men can't stand it. When women cry, most men surrender.
Tears may just be water but tears are the most powerful weapon in the woman's arsenal. Can you ever resist a beautiful woman's tears? I tell you the sight of a beautiful woman crying (because of you) can break down the resistance of the most macho of men.
Tears are an expression of heavenly proportions. Eric Clapton knew what he was singing when he penned those words "tears from heaven". It is a tale of a father's love for his dearly departed infant son. It is a divine way of saying everything will be all right in the end.
Tears tell us that it's all right to be human; that we have emotions; that we are not unfeeling cads who deserve to be guillotined; and that we are most expressive when we are crying with great emotion.
The source of human tears can be traced all the way to heaven. It is God's way to reminding us that we are linked to one another by the connection we truly feel when we unlock our tear ducts.
So cry, if you feel the need to. It cleanses the soul, soothes the heart and unburdens the mind.

What are you good at, anyway?

EVERYONE of us is good at something. This piece of knowledge has escaped most people. A lot of us think we are actually good at nothing. Worse, some of us really think we are good for nothing. For some of us, our self-esteem is always resting at the seabed.
That's the crux of human problems. We are always selling ourselves short. In a way, we have been pre-conditioned since our toddler's days. Our parents (maybe), kindergarten teachers, so-called friends, relatives and strangers had been bombarding us with all these low-esteem messages.
"You will never amount to anything; you are good for nothing; you will be loser in future; you are a big, fat zero; you never do anything right; I can't take you anywhere with me without some problems cropping up; and you are a superachiever in the loser department." These are some of the remarks that have been force-fed into our minds since we first learnt to walk.
It's amazing that some of us actually overcame all these negative remarks and became decent citizens and wholesome and useful members of the society. I guess there's no accounting for human resilience.
Since, there are a large number of people who are convinced by all this "useless" talk, this article may be of some benefit to those who may be lucky enough to stumble onto this article.
NOBODY, and I mean nobody is useless. All of us are good at something. Even if we talk too much, we are good at that. In other words, you who talk too much are really good at shooting your mouth off. Talking is a skill. Some people can talk until their adversaries capitulate. Other orators can arouse an entire nation to take up arms (that's Hitler for you - no doubt, a bad example).
If you have harboured these doubts about yourself, it's time to chuck them all away. What's the point of going to the grave feeling that you are truly a loser. It's simply a waste of time living on earth.
If you are suffering from low self-esteem, there's one surefire way of getting rid of it. Take a walk in the busiest part of the neighbourhood you are living in. Look at the number of people who are worse off than you. Do you want to end up like them? Surely, this world has already enough of people who are "down on their luck", "don't get all the lucky breaks," "born on the wrong side of the family," "god forsaken few", etc.
Those are all excuses by people who have given up on life. You are one person with unique attributes. You are capable of doing anything you want as long there's breath in your body. There are people a thousand times worse off than you who have made it, and done it well.
Always walk on the side of sunshine. See the bright side, no matter how many times silly people tell you that's it's a cliche. Who cares? You are you. You decide which path to take in life.
Remember, you too have a right to exist on earth and to do well. If you can fold a napkin better than all the others, then let that be your advantage. Hell, if you can fold napkins, you can also arrange the cutlery to everyone's satisfaction.
Have fun in anything and everything you do. Enthusiasm do make the difference, as Norman Vincent Peale says.

Listen to Your Heart, my friend

NOW and then, you get the feeling that your "gut feeling is telling you this" or your intuition is on overdrive. Actually, most of the time, it's just your heart watching out for you.
Sometimes, as you are travelling home from office, and the image of a relative or a friend suddenly "pops into view" (in your head). You feel a sudden urge to send him a message, give him a call, or just drop by at his house.
Frequently, you just ignore that instinctive desire and proceed home, without giving it another thought. It's another chance missed. Life on earth is simple and yet strange. We are called upon to do a lot of things. Most of the time, we may heed just one per cent of what comes through the "air waves."
Some people call it psychic bolts. Others laugh at the notion and continue with their ordinary routine.
I have heeded such urgings on several occasions. Almost a hundred per cent of the time, I got a kick out of doing it "instinctively". I call it "my heart dials home". Why it happens? Who knows?
Every thought is another jolt of energy across the heavens. Perhaps someone is thinking of you then, or even right now. Your left eye twitches? Perhaps someone is talking about you at that moment.
Friends used to say it all the time when they suddenly cough. "Oh dear! Someone is gossiping about me". It may be more true than you think.
The heart knows things the mind does not comprehend. There have been times in my life when I felt a strong urge to do something nice, randomly, for some people I know. I have rejected such notions but there had been moments when I heeded them.
Those instances when I "gave in to my heart" were some of the happiest moments of my life. I was glad I did it. Somehow, years later I find out that I was requested by my heart for some inexplicable reason to perform that deed.
The events that followed years later, maybe even a decade or two later, revealed that my deed laid the foundation for an occurrence that was ruled in my favour.
Such are the mysteries of life.
You read it in books, you hear it in movie dialogues, perhaps you even hear it uttered in church: "Listen to your heart." Sometimes, when you hear it, you are oblivious to its true message.
In truth, it is another telegraphic signal from beyond the human realm, urging you to walk down that path that favours you. If you listen to your heart more and your mind less, perhaps your life may be happier. Surely, your friends and loved ones will enjoy a stronger relationship with you.
What is the criterion that indicates that it is the right thing to do? The rule of the thumb is that the intuition is always asking that you perform a good deed. It is a gesture that triggers a chain reaction of random kind acts. It is the celestial wind that awakens the soul and puts you in communion with the Almighty.
Even if you are in despair, you can "hear" such "callings." Do not be cynical. Listen to it with an open mind. It could be the valve that unleashes all the frustrations within you and resolves your existing problem.
The heart knows where it should go, even if you don't.
Our lives are simple and good. It is just us who make things complicated for ourselves.
So just for today, listen to your heart closely. Hear every word uttered. Develop the patience and confidence that all should be fulfilled and walk down the avenue of knowledge, enlightenment and happiness.
If you have doubts, just try it. There's really nothing to lose.

Remembering friends

From the our first day in school till the day we die, we make new friends. How these friendships will develop or affect us is up to us. I can recall my school friends from way back about four decades ago.
We were always looking for excuses to laugh and I was designated as the joker in the pack. So for years in primary school, I was teasingly labelled as the Jester. I can still recall the faces of my young colleagues in school.
They were all fresh-faced, naive and mostly innocent. Those were the days when our only responsibility was to ourselves. If we can make it to school, we would be all right, so to speak.
As the years passed, friendships formed in school faded away. Years later, when some of us meet, we can no longer remember each other's names, even though our faces bear a fleeting remembrance of some kind.
As I entered my teenage years, my friends came from a slightly different world. We were no longer so carefeee. We begin to wonder more about life and what the future had in store for all of us.
Some of us didn't make it past secondary school and had to chart their future under different circumstances. Years later, the rift had widened to such an extent that memories of the past were not strong enough to hold together those ties that were formed during teen years.
Well remembered faces become fleeting visions and from slight recall, the friendship slips into the deep recesses of one's mind.
When I was 21, a good friend also aged 21 was killed tragically in an accident. All of us felt extremely sad for him. Six of us were pall-bearers on the day of his funeral. It was as if part of us had died. And indeed, well did in a small way.
Now as I graced my fifth decade, I glanced back and see those well remembered faces and wonder what had become of all of them. Of course, I can't remember all of them but those that I do, often bring a smile to my face.
About 30 years ago, I found myself sharing an apartment with two frieds. One of them was a varsity mate, and the other was the close friend of my friend. We bonded for a while. We were all bachelors.
They understood that I was looking for a job, thus had to count all the pennies to ensure a trouble-free existence till I landed a job. I can stil see vividly in my mind, those two friends making it a regular practice to pay for my meals. The fact that they were almost as poor as me, shocked me.
The one I remember most was later in skid row himself. He has since slipped into obscurity. I miss him. Sometimes I think of whether I could repay him for all his kindness but I realise it was chasing after a rainbow.
The friendship that was formed in those years, made me a better man. Now I know what it was like to share a meal with those who have less than me. Nowadays whenever I come across a guy who needs a break, I am reminded of those times when I too needed a helping hand. These are some of the valuable lessons I learnt from the School of Hard Knocks.
Life sometimes teaches her most precious lessons when you least expect it. For example, when a close relative of mine was admitted to the hospital and she needed blood, two office colleagues called a taxi and proceeded to the blood bank in the hospital to do the needful. They did it during office hours. I was most grateful. I remember their faces up till today.
When my father died, several colleagues drove more than a hundred miles to attend his funeral. Again, I am humbled by that fact.
Friends died suddenly now and then. Each time, I lose one friend, I remind myself of the fragility of our existence; that our mortality is all too real. I think of all those nice things which I want to say to people but held them all back because I was either too shy, or too afraid.
Incidents like death and grave illness tell me I have tallied too long on unimportant things when other more valuable experiences await my decision. How silly we all are when we were young. We hold too dear and too near to our hearts all those minor stuff that bore us no good.
I remember all those friendships which almost never made it. I recall the faces of those friends who passed away in the years when we had not met, only for me to discover too late later on that he or she had died. And I moved on with my life, with the single thought that life's too precious to be wasted on ego, self-importance and material pursuits.
Friendship cheers the faint and weary
Makes the timid spirit brave
Warns the erring, lights the dreary
Smooths the passage to the grave

Doing All You Can With All You Got

THERE comes a time in everyone's life when one will look back and assess one's own priorities. That's the time when you ask yourself whether you are proud of what you have achieved so far at that stage in your life.
I have asked myself this question on several occasions. And there has been one or two instances when I was slightly pleased with myself because on hindsight, I did a little more this time compared to the last time.
What are these notable achievements? To others, these stepping stones up the cobbled-stone path to success may be insignificant and minor, but individuals must only gauge their own benchmarks. Once, a long time ago, I hitch-hiked across two or three States within the country.
Hitch-hiking may not be a big deal to others but to me, it was. At that time, I was only 17 years old. Hitch-hiking was confined to those who can't afford express bus tickets or train fare. For me, it was a challenge. I learnt a lot from standing for hours by the roadside on the highway.
The hitch-hiking experience taught me a little about human nature. It opened my eyes to the different kinds of people I met on my journey through life. I learnt that sometimes the kindest people do not come in the flashiest cars. They are actually lorry drivers or people who are deeply embedded in the lower echelons of society.
Then, I initiated some small acts of desperation, like writing letters to the local newspaper because they paid $5 for every lead letter. Knowing that my countrymen are simply too lazy to write letters about subjects of no particular importance, I dove into this activity with the desperation of a drowning man.
I extracted every ounce of knowledge from my limited experience and fertile imagination to create the most "exciting" letter I could write. I was lucky at times. There were times when my letter would appear at least twice a month.
Those were "pocket money" to me, and I was deliriously happy. At 15 years old, any amount of money would look big. And it was a king's ransom to me. Those were my little successes. I am glad now that I embarked on that journey.
Since our time on earth is limited in so many ways, there is wisdom in those words: "Doing all you can with all you got." If we wish to make our time on earth worthwhile and worth remembering by others, then we have to do all that and more.
All it takes a commitment. A commitment to yourself that you want to do something and in so deciding, make a great effort to succeed.
During the Second World War, my father's friend was caught by the Japanese secret police and thrown into prison cramped with dozens others. Under such conditions, the carceration might as well be a death sentence but my dad's friend made up his mind to survive.
And so he did. Later he related that others who were not so fortunate preferred to die. They killed themselves by running and hitting their heads against the wall. Cockaroaches, lizards and other insects that slittered or crept on the prison floor were food to the prisoners. It was a horrible time of nightmarish proportions.
Survival under such conditions could only demand heroic efforts. My dad's friend was one of those WWII "heroes." He did all he could with everything he got and he survived, to tell the tale, even though he didn't want to be reminded of it too often.
We are all capable doing the impossible and the unachievable. Humans really have no limits. The only boundaries are the ones we erected for ourselves. We owe it to ourselves and our families and ancestors to leave a legacy that encourages them to follow our examples or better our records. That's the fun of it.
Life should be one big fun session, otherwise what's the point of living when you can't get any enjoyment out of it.

Off the beaten track - the Untried, Unexplored

THERE comes a time in everybody's life when a new path appears before our sight. We have not walked there before, have not seen it before but it looked inviting.
This happened to me many years ago, and the same feeling re-emerges at regular periods in my life. The first time it happened was when I was faced with the prospect of travelling more than a hundred miles on my little Honda motorcycle to another State.
For someone who hadn't experienced this kind of adventure before, it was rather daunting. The thought of the morning cold, the unexpected heavy highway traffic and other imagined problems splashed cold water on my sense of adventure.
But soon financial limitations forced me to make the decision to travel down the road not travelled. It began with a bit of trepidation and ended with an overwhelming sense of exhiliration.
I felt great. It was mission accomplished. I was so proud of myself. If it had been Mt Everest, I would have got the same feeling. When a guy is in his 20s, little things seem big, and big things almost insurmountable.
I am glad I had travelled down that road. Recently, a similar challenge presented itself. I was once again faced with the prospect of making a long journey, to an uncharted territory (at least to me). It involved a 10-hour journey with a possible back-breaking drive across the country and then back via another route.
This time, my family was with me. The journey began with high expectations. We were not disappointed. The fun that came almost unexpectedly added to the value of the experience. During that exploration and expedition, all of us learnt so much, especially me.
I found out that I am much tougher and stronger than I had thought. In the learning process, I had a lot of fun. I have since discovered that to make something which is seemingly difficult, one has to inject fun into it. Once there's a momentum, it is much like cycling. The movement just carries you with it.
These days, whenever I see a route I have not taken or a town I have not visited, I just go down that road of new experience. More often than not, new discoveries await me at every turn and corner. Life's like that. When you least expect it, strangers and new vistas spring more than a handful of delightful surprises.
Sometimes, we see a stranger. The initial reaction is to avoid eye contact. But what if we maintain that eye contact a little longer. I have tried that and on more than a few occasions, the other person smiles. Communication is established and a rapport developed.
I have met a number of strangers in my journey of life and became fast friends with these people. These are the things in life that are free. They serve as tutorials for us to relearn the art of living. Strangers will soon cease to be strangers. Places become fascinating and Mother Nature always serves her best desserts to new visitors passing her way.
I am glad I have made up my mind a long time ago to travel the unexplored path, do the untried, and taste the unknown. This sense of adventure gives life an edge. In a way, it develops character. It satisfies curiosity. It makes you want to get up and go.
There's more than what has already happened in your office which you entered and exit for years. There are worlds upon worlds waiting for that intrepid stranger. These are the challenges that have found few brave souls and even fewer takers.
Don't you want to taste the nectar of life? Won't you want to wander further than your own backyard? Do you not want to push the envelope and stretch your personal limits as far as your imagination can take you?
Life isn't life until you have "broken the rules". Next time, when you look at the night sky, do not seek out the twinkling stars, look for meteorites, shooting stars and UFOs!
Why look for the ordinary and the expected? Seek instead the new, the unexplored and the unknown. Go beyond the outer limits and see that life promises so much more. And in finding the new, you yourself are renewed.
When you are lost in somewhere over the new horizon, you will find yourself stretching your mind, imagination, experience and visions further than you can ever imagine possible only days ago before you experience all that.
Grab life by its jugular and hang on for your dear life for the greatest ride of your life.

Let the Sunshine In

THERE are people in this world who shun brightness in their lives. Everywhere, they go, they prefer the surroundings to be dark, gloomy and in the shade. Often, this reflects their perspective on life.
For these people, it is a path of loneliness, prolonged solitude and utter desolation at times. Do we need to feel sorry for them? No, not really. It is a personal choice on their part.
For the rest of us, we all need the sunshine in our lives, preferably for as long as possible, and as bright as ever. Letting the sunlight in means bringing cheer, joy, laughter and mirth in the lonely, pessimistic, and forlorn corners of your life.
Have you ever come across individuals who are forever happy and cheerful? I know that it can be frustrating at times to see enthusiasm in the face of your own unhappiness.
However, we need to break the cycle. Life can need up like pedalling on a stationary bicycle. We keep on cycling but we are going nowhere. Life in some measure is like that. Sometimes, you feel as if you are walking on the same spot all the time.
For example, for years, you take the same route to office. You walk along the same corridors leading to your workplace. You tap the sides of the walls along the way. You wave to the same people in the office, day in, day out.
One day while you are walking, doing the same things you do everyday, you suddenly ask yourself, "can life be more exciting?" Yes, it can. But you need to look at things differently from then on. You need to look at the same things with a fresh pair of eyes.
Life is simply this. You look at things differently when you are a toddler. Then you become a teenager. Life looks somehow more challenging when you are in your teens. As you enter adulthood, your experiences with the world of reality begin to affect your perspective on life. Thus, things which you took for granted all your life up till then, now look somewhat different.
As you zip past middle-age, ordinary happenings take on a different hue. With the decades of living under your belt, you begin to develop certain traits. You can become more cynical, sceptical and fatalistic. But somehow you know that's not how it was meant to be but you just can't put your finger on it.
That's the time to let the sunshine in. Time to enter the mansion of life through a different door. Life is meant to be one long happy journey of surprises and pleasant encounters. Sounds like something some a Disney movie,right? Well, yes and no.
Yes, life should be a cruise of delightful abundance. No, you are not designed or born to lead a life of sorrow. Sadness and misery are the luggage you pick up along the way. You really don't need to carry these heavy baggage. It does not bring any benefit to your life. In fact, it makes you tired and gloomy most of the time.
Letting the sunshine in points to a happier alternative. It pushes you in the direction that all of us on earth were meant to take, except a lot of us get distracted along the way.
The key ingredients for such a fantastic formula of successful living is to care for others. To cheer the dreary and the lend a hand to the weary. We must learn to be strong mentally, even if we are born weak physically. Strength is found in all of us but we are taught to believe that we are weak or useless.
Not true. You are stronger than you think, and more powerful than you can ever imagine. Don't belittle yourself. Don't sell yourself short. It is your life. You are ALLOWED to be happy, strong, powerful, kind, gentle, clever and holy. All these are at your disposal.
Why pick the useless, unwanted, miserable and sad items when you can have the alternative?

Breathe In, Breathe Out

THERE'S a sense of rhythem in everything in the universe. Once I came across a description of God. Everyone knows that galaxies expand at speeds unimaginable to humans.
Conceive a simple idea of how a balloon inflates and apply it to the galaxies. When God breathes, the universes known and unknown move outwardly at speeds yet undiscovered by man. Perhaps it may take zillions of light-years (according to our limited grasp of astro-physics). When the entire scheme of things has reached its zenith, if ever there exists one, the contraction begins.
Imagine it is just God's breath that moves all that exists. Now, imagine this in the scenario when everything expands outwards. Now, you are beginning to get the idea.
From this concept, look into your own existence. It is said by masters of yoga, qigong, tai chai and other martial arts, breathing is one of the most important human behaviours ever exists but few have discovered the "secret" of its function, and the essence of its origin.
Carried out properly, deep breaths - inhaling and exhaling - can bring great benefits to the human body. Deep breathing is a healing process by itself. It is like a washing machine, to put it crudely.
Breathing in and breathing out cleanses the body of waste in the form of bad qi. It somehow re-tunes the body, much like an expert tuning a piano which is out of tune.
Deep breaths recharge and revitalise internal organs. It transport vital oxygen to the brain; makes a person more alert; kickstarts the sleepy portions of your cerebral headquarters.
Deep breathing is one of the simplest exercises known to experts. It is completely free and exacts very little effort on your part. It lowers blood pressure and brings the colours to your cheeks. It sharpens your visual focus.
It has been authenticated that a martial art exponent underwent an operation. He was a keen health practitioner. Obviously, he can't do those dynamic exercises. The only option open to him was deep breathing.
He went into it with an admirable gusto. As a result of his diligent breathing, his recovery rate was astounding. Even his doctor was shocked, to put it mildly. The man later confessed that it was actually the deep breathing that did it. He was the living proof. Actually, initially he was sceptical but after he recovered, he became quite convinced that deep breathing was an art form which has benefits that are marvellous for everybody of all ages.
So if you are interested, just make deep breathing as part of your persona. The correct way to breathe is to breathe through your stomach. That means your tummy must rise and fall.
A lot of people breathe deeply by expanding their chest. That's a wrong approach. The right way is the way I explained earlier. It takes practice but after a while you should be able to get the hang of it. If you do it religiously, it is almost assured that you will always be healthy and less prone to illness.
Try it, follow it relgiously and watch miracles take place.

Pray for these wicked men

SOMETIMES in life, we have to do things even if it goes against the grain of our personality. Take for example, those misguided souls who happily sacrificed their bodies for the sake of a dubious cause.
In London on July 7, there were four explosions. The casualties stand at 53 dead and scores injured. The reasons were the same like all the other poor souls who cheerfully blew themselves up in various parts of Iraq.
Hundreds of innocent people have died as a result of these unexpected events and unpredictable happenings. I wish there's an easier way to explain this sad turn of events.
Tragically, suicide bombers are now the flavour of a very long and cold season that has affected the world. Spain had its share of pain not so long ago when nearly 200 of its citizens perished in a massive blast. Bali too harboured some very tragic memories.
Frankly, nobody is really safe. Newspapers are having a field day, running these shocking stories in all their pages. Governments are in a quandary as to their next course of action. Political leaders are trying to gain mileage out of this phenomenon, while at the same time, worried that the "disease" will spread to their shores.
What about the common people ekeing a life of desperation in cities which are marked as possible targets of the suicide squads? Theirs is an existence of chance. The rest of us can only pray for their safety.
More importantly, we have to pray for the potential bombers. We pray for a change of heart in these people. We pray that they can see a brighter future for themselves. We kneel for their sakes. We plead for their salvation, just as we wish for our own continued safety.
Why must we pray for these psychos, you may ask. Well, if we don't speak on their behalf with the Almighty, we will be failing in our duty to look after our own kind in the eyes of the Eternal Overlord.
Prayers are celestial bullets that can find their targets no matter where they are in the world. The spy satellite may not be able to locate thise evil men but our prayers will zero in on them in a single heartbeat.
Prayers are the lifelines that we throw to these people who live without hope. They are the ones who feel they have nothing more to lose. But we must convince them otherwise. We must look at them, as if they were us. If we can reach out and touch their hearts. If we can do that and more and be successful in our quest for peace among men then we would have saved ourselves, too.
If the chain of prayers goes around the globe as speedily and as earnestly as they are uttered, the cycle of violence will be broken, as surely as the sun will rise tomorrow.
Therefore, we must not lose hope. We will continue to give our prayers to the most undeserving in our mortal eyes. We must realise that they too are found worthy of salvation. If we can do it freely, we will create a light that will erase the dark shadows from the hearts of the potential bombers.
We must not be afraid. It is now time to walk among the dark ones. The dark side holds no fear for those of us who are also known as light bearers. For is it not said that the light bearers will pave the way for others to follow.
The path of light must be built and constantly be bright - an avenue set ablaze with our prayers. It is crucial that we do not lose faith in the goodness of men. Those who do wicked deeds will soon realise the futility of their struggle. When they are tired, we will soften their hardened hearts.
It shall be the death of wickedness. The time has come. The spiritual leaders are ready. Let the battle be joined for the sake of mankind.

Procastination is a long, long word

IF YOU are a bit like me (in the past), then you would understand what I am about to say. Procastinators are individuals who find it hard to lift their butts off the chair, lift their arms to call their loved ones and open their minds to new ideas.
If only life has fewer procastinators, then government departments would be more efficient, traffic lights would be on time and lawyers don't have to issue letters on behalf of angry clients.
However, being human (a much abused description), we all procastinate at one time or another. Now, why do we subject ourselves quite happily to this malaise? "I am just tired," say many.
Hogwash! Procastination is a habit born of self-imposed inertia and lack of self-discipline. For example, if you delay proposing to your girlfriend who has been going out with you for the past five years, she may just get up and find another hunk.
Notice that successful entrepreneurs are seldom procastinators. To these people, time is indeed money. If you are a bit slow, the deal goes to someone else. So speed is of the essence and procastination can only spell financial disaster if it is let to fallow.
When I was little, I came across the line "procastination is the thief of time". I didn't really understand its meaning until I had suffered its consequences. Now, I know only too well what it's like to be caught on the wrong side of procastination.
If procastination is the thief of time, then strike while the iron is hot should be the opposing phrase. For example, if you want a good seat for a great show at the cinema, then you should be among the first five people in the queue buying tickets.
If you want to be in line for fast-track promotion, then your hand should be the first to shoot up when your boss asks for volunteers to carry out an assignment. Forget what other workers may think of you, it is your choice. If the others do not want to grab the opportunity, it is their loss.
Shoot for the sky, as the wise saying goes. Does that line ever jell with procastination? Never! I have been told that if you ever want to get a job done, give it to the busiest guy around.
The logic of it is that the busiest guy is probably the most organised chap in the office. Because he has so many things to do, he does not have time to put off till tomorrow all the things that are piling up on his In-Tray.
Every person has his own organiser, whether it is his PDA or paper-form organiser. A person who knows how to manage time is almost never a procastinator. So here is where the men are separated from the boys. Real men are realistics, mature and responsible.
Consequently, real men do priority tasks first, then they move down the list. Delaying urgent tasks is likened to spitting in the wind. Quite often, the spit comes directly back at your face.
Have you ever experienced NOT doing something important and then totally forgot about it until it is too late? "Oh My God!" is usually the initial reaction on discovering what you have left undone. Then you run around like a headless chicken or a naked man.
If you want to learn NOT to procastinate, then you must decide early in life not to delay. Delaying is a habit. Once it becomes a habit, it will slowly seep into your persona and you develop the tendency to delay, procastinate, put off and cancel appointments. Eventually, you can only be labelled as Untrustworthy. It is not a nice word to put on anybody but you can actually earn that badge of dishonour.
Learn now, better still, learn as early as possible while in school at least, not to delay doing things, or procastinate. Why procastinate, you may not survive tomorrow.
If you have always wanted to say "I love you" to someone special, why procastinate? Is it because you are afraid that you will be laughed at? If you say it, and mean it, chances are the other party will appreciate the remark even if she does not reciprocate the feeling. People who laught at sincere remarks have issues within themselves which are left unresolved.
Do not be afraid to do the right thing. Doing the right thing usually means don't procastinate.

Fear Is Just A Four-Letter Word

FEAR - the emotion that has played such an incredible role in shaping the lives of human beings and human history that it is probably the most powerful force after love.
Can you imagine how much of a grip fear has on you since the day you were born? There have been times when you were so frightened that you were practically hiding in the closet of your own room rather than face that "thing" that struck fear in you.
Probably as a result of that pervasive feeling, you have been unable to venture further in that particular field. Just for a moment, think what if you had actually overcome that hurdle, that you conquered that fear and gone on ahead to bigger and brighter things.
The achievements you would have scored could have been stupendous. I am a familiar guest in the House of Fear for decades. That disease called Fear stalked me for years and years. There were so many things I could have done but didn't - all because Fear whispered in my ear, more than once, NOT to do it.
Today, on looking back, I feel a tinge of regret. I really want to spit in the eye of Fear. I know now that Fear was created by me on the quicksand. The more I struggled against Fear the deeper I sank.
So years ago, I decided to mount a campaign where I would fight Fear everytime it rears its head. The fight has been bitter at times but I am happy to report that I have gained an advantage through numerous battles. I have given Fear a bloody nose.
Years ago, I would not be caught speaking in public but one day, not so long ago, I thought it might be a fun thing to talk to a bunch of strangers and got paid for it.
A friend of mine ran courses for profit and he needed someone with my background. When I was approached, I name a high figure, hoping that he would turn me down. To my surprise, he didn't and I got what I wanted. Then, I knew there was no turning back.
At the hall where I was due to conduct a course, I deliberately faced Fear in the face. I went up to the participants and introduced myself to them. It was one of those no-turning-back acts. I found that I liked that kind of interpersonal communication.
Consequently, the workshop was a success. It soon led to another and then another. Before I knew it, I had done about six of such workshops. Since then, I have been able to speak quite confidently in front of others, regardless of the numbers.
One of the best compliments I have ever received was from a master trainer who conducted a workshop in which I participated. One of the modules of the workshop required that each participant is required to speak in front of an audience. When it came to my turn, I did my bit. When I had finished, the trainer came up to me and said: "I believe you have done this before. I see this in your gait and your presentation."
It was then, I knew I had defeated Fear once again, and I will continue to beat him every time he showed his face at my door. Fear has become a stranger to me.
It is such a joy to live without Fear overlooking your shoulders all the time. We fear to tell our boss what we think.
We are afraid that he will belittle us or reject our suggestions to improve workflow in our area of work. We fear that office colleagues will make fun of us. I tell you now, nothing is ever considered stupid or silly if you are sincere about it. People can see it in your eyes. It will be seen in the tone of your voice. It can be gauged from the manner in which you delivered your point of view.
Fear has crippled the lives of so many good people on earth. There are plenty of people who could have been successful at so many things but are shot down by their own selves. And Fear was their personal consultant. Please sack this useless employee from your service if you want to be free from all encumbrances.
You are born free from all things which are obstacles to being a successful human beings. Fear is one of the most undesirable things that you can ever invite into your life.
Do it NOW!

Please fall in love

AUTHOR Han Su-yin said it well in her best selling novel Love Is A Many-Splendoured Thing. I believe in it and have experienced it. For those who have not touched base with the real thing, don't despair.
When it's time, you too shall be consumed by that many splendoured thing. Love can only be experienced. Many poets and writers have written and expressed their overpowering feelings about it through the millennia. However, the essence of true love has eluded all humanly efforts to bottle it or define in its most complete sense.
Honestly, true love can only be experienced. Once you have let it into your heart and soul, it becomes you. There are some individuals who will never show their love for anyone because they believe the emotion makes them "weak".
Nothing can be further from the truth. Love empowers an individual. It makes him so much greater as a spirit dwelling in a human body. Love triggers greatness in a person. It extracts the truth of your existence.
Those who are afraid to love, are normally living half or a fraction of their potential. It introduces loneliness into their persona. No matter how much material possession they eventually have, they would discover that "something is missing". And that missing part is love.
Nobody needs to tell a mother about love. She lives it through her children, with them and is united with them. Tell a romantic young man who has fallen in love to describe his feelings, and he will dive into superlatives regarding his new-found love.
Those who are truly in love lives for others. Those who are in love with themselves lives only for themselves.
The history of mankind is filled with events and great happenings that took place in the name of love. Kingdoms have fallen and created on the grounds of love. Love has sparked revolutions and acts that have altered the course of human history.
Love is born in innocence. Look into a child's eyes and see the essence of love and wonderment in them. Love thrives best in a heart that's pure.
For example, a child who loves his/her parents will love them unconditionally. When they are scolded, they just cry. Moments later, they will rush over and hug you, much to your shame and delight at the same time. In a way, that's the way, love is.
Tell a man who's in love that the object of his desire is in a dire situation, and you will instantly see the concern in him. Love is about caring, protecting, sharing but never smothering, overbearing and overprotecting.
Woe is he who has confessed that he has never fallen in love before, or he has never loved anyone before. To be in that state is like being perpectually hungry. You will never know the feeling of satisfaction. You will never know what it's like to touch of another.
A person in that state lives in the shadow of his darkness. He exists but he does not live. He eats but he's forever hungry. He walks but never with hope and confidence.
Do not be afraid of love or frighten to fall in love. Love frees you to see the hidden beauties found in all things. Love is the light that shines from the stars on a dark night. Love is the breeze that refreshes the core of your being.
If you have nothing else but love, then you are complete. If you have everything else but love, then you are poor indeed.
A man who has much love desires little. A man who has much of everything else but not love, is always searching but not knowing what he's looking for.
When love is in you, everything and everyone around you look great in your eyes. Love frees the celestial energy that makes up you. Love is a connection.
Songs have been written about the "love connection". It is the X-factor that rocks the younger generation. It is the elixir that makes the mature age gracefully. It is the path that smoothens your passage to hereafter.
Next time, when you look at someone you love, see the aura or energy that comes from it. Or, when someone or some creature (could be a dog) who loves you, look deep into her eyes and see the eternal rhythm that beats with the tempo of a loving heart.
Love is here, love is now, and love is forever. If there's only one thing which you desire here on earth, choose love and nothing else. It is from love that you will have everything else. You will never be in need again.

Speak your piece or forever be silent

MANY of us go through life complaining about this and that but few of us actually stand up and voice our views with any clarity. This is the crux of the whining problem.
People don't mind griping about issues with colleagues and family members but in front of the right people, usually their boss or some big wigs, they are silent as the grave.
If you really feel strongly about an issue, then you should marshal all your logical powers and put forth a coherent argument. There's no point moaning and groaning after the fact, as lawyers say.
Once you have done with the talking, it's time to do the walking. That means all talk, no action equals nothing. It is believed and rightly too that a logical and reasonable retort works wonders.
For example, if you feel that the working conditions in your office are less than conducive and you know the reasons why, you should say so to the person in charge. Remember, you are also doing other timid souls a lesson. Of course, they will silently thank you for your "brave act", but don't expect any show of remorse if you are being burnt at the stake. That's life, amigo!
However, the spectre of this kind of conclusion should not deter you from doing a good thing. Many people, you and I know, are bickering maestros. They will bitch about almost anything but they are no heroes when the occasion calls for it.
Have you ever seen individuals gathering at the water dispenser, giving a lengthy discourse on how certain things should and could be done for the good of mankind? Well, the world is filled with "superheroes" of this make.
Do not let this sad aspect of life dampen your personal principles. Be joyful and secure in the knowledge that for every 10 of these people, there is one or two individuals who are willing to put their necks on the "chopping block."
Think of the example, you are setting for your children. You may not win a medal for valour for the rest of your life, but wouldn't it be satisfying to know that somewhere in the journey of your life, you have "done the needful," so to speak.
Next time, when you are at a government office and you will an overzealous government servant berating an old man or someone who is semi-literate, go forward and speak on his behalf. You will be making society a better place to live in.
Don't expect rewards. There's no such thing but be assured that for every singular, courageous act, there are ripples of positive repercussions. Scientists like to call it the "chrysalis effect". But those who are spiritually enlightened know and smile for that is the Way of Eternity.
Be glad yourself, for in that nano-second of good deed, you have spun the wheel of wonderful changes in motion. Eventually, if more people turn the wheel, good will out-run the bad and all will be well again.

Music doth soothe the heart of this savage beast

I FIRST learned to appreciate music when my dad played his old favourites over our family gramophone back in the early 60s. My dad, even though, he didn't have had a fine education was quite discerning in his choice of music.
Among his favourites were Chet Atkins, Nat King Cole, Johnny Horton, Peggy Lee, The Platters, Petula Clark, Perry Como, Bing Crosby and Jim Reeves.
So in a way, I was influenced by my father's taste in music. Now years after his passing, I find the music and songs I first heard when I was a little boy, rather appealing.
I have often asked myself: "Am I influenced greatly by what I heard in those early years?" I guess it's no use denying that years of listening to dad's musical favourites have been internalised by me.
Generally however, I do love music. I believe good music no matter who are their origins will transcend racial barriers and cultural divide. I have heard and learnt to love Malay songs and Hindi tunes. Some are obviously more superior than many of those in my own mother tongue.
The human ear is a wonderful biological creation. It knows good music even if the brain does not understand its lyrics. Good music and songs have a way to cross over to "the other side". I have hear native songs that have moved my heart and soul.
For example, once I heard the haunting music that floated through the halls and corridors of a major shopping complex near my home. On closer examination, I found out that the music came from a trio who were Inca Indians from South America. Their music, probably culled from centuries of tradition and cultural practices, had a special appeal that it drew crowds to where they stood and played.
There was a mystical quality that transcends all understand and yet pulled all races together like a colourful thread on a common fabric. I was astounded and amazed by the strange, lovely tunes that emanate from their hand-made instruments.
Babies have been known to have calmer disposition if classical tunes are played near their cribs. I tried that when my son was six months ago till he was a few years. I believe today his present quiet disposition could be the result of my little experiment.
I love music, all kinds of music. In my drawers which are filled with CDs and cassettes, I have Italian, French, Indonesian, Hindi, South American as well as German music. At certain times in my life, I would extract a few of these CDs and spice up my mornings and evenings with these wonderful tunes.
When a person is feeling rather depressed or even angry, a good dose of music can de-stress the very fibre of his being. Like the old bard says, "music soothes the heart of the savage beast". This line was true 500 years ago, it is still true today.
The fact that the music industry churns out so many albums and tunes and is a multi-billion dollar business is testimony that music was created by man to remind himself that his race comes from a higher order. One that can appreciate good music and therefore he is worthy of praise and salvation.