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.

Everything's all right

NO matter what kind of situation you are in; no matter how troubled you are right now; no matter how penniless you feel, or how desperate you are for hope, joy and peace of mind, everything will be all right in the end.
Sounds crazy, I know but it's true. This life is not what it seems, nor how horrendous your life is right now. Everything will truly be right eventually.
How do I know? Because I have experienced it. Remember when you were a tiny tot or even a bewildered teenager years ago, when something happened that seemed to put an end to all your dreams.
Well, now that it's years later, how do you feel? Do you think you have survived reasonably well from that fiasco or major "catastrophe"? See, everything turns out well in the end, didn't it?
That's how it is with everything else in life. Even if you die (no, it's really not that terrible), it will be all right once you have "crossed" over to the other side.
Once again, how do I know? Written accounts of NDE (Near Death Experiences) have revealed that it is all right to expire as human beings. Death is in the natural order of things. As we are born, so must we die. The entire process bespeaks of a grander scheme of things.
If you are in a dilemma right now, rest assured you will emerge from the dark tunnel in one piece in the end. Do not fret. Do not be overly anxious. Do not live in quiet desperation.
The circle of life does not permit anything to go awry in its finality. Anything that happens is for a reason. If you feel pain in the process, it's because certain things must be set in motion.
But joy and happiness is a matter of choice. Should you choose to be happy, nothing can stop you. Should you choose to be sad, again nobody can stand in your way. The way to happiness is a dual carriageway of express proportions.
Therefore, choose to be happy. Never be sad. It's so sad to want to be sad. What's the point of feeling miserable?
AND THIS TOO SHALL PASS - these words were engraved in hallowed walls of the old Testament. Those five words have a story that more or less sums up the human existence.
Many eons ago, a king told one of his smarter subjects to find something that can make a happy man sad, and a sad man happy. Find it or don't come back, said the King to his loyal subject.
So this poor bloke journeyed across the lands for months, and then years. Finally, at wit's end, he finally encountered an old man at a bazaar in a forgotten town. The old man saw the despair on the King's subject's face, and asked: "What is it that you need, my good man?"
The subject told his story. After listening to his plight attentively, the old man said: "I think I have what you need." The old man scribbled five words on a parchment and gave it to the subject.
The guy read it and smiled. He quickly returned to the palace. The King was pleased to see him. "So, what have you got for me? Did you find the answer?" asked the King.
The parchment was handed over to the King. After he read it, the smile on the King's face faded. Despite his enormous wealth and infinite privileges as the King, the Ruler looked sad and uttered, "how true these words are!" With that, he walked slowly back to his chambers.
And so it was written and found to be true for all of God's children living here on earth - And this too shall pass. The king who just read those words knew one day, he too shall die, or perhaps become sick and then die. In the end, all that he has will end.
When a poor man who may be terribly sick reads those words, he will interpret it as the end of his suffering - one day. For both men at both ends of the spectrum, no matter what kind of situation, they are in, one day for both of them, it will come to an end.
Thus, the moral of the story is do not form any everlasting attachment to your human condition or earthly possession. They will come to naught in the end. Everything that a rich man has will only be taken as far as his grave, and there the wealth shall stay.
Hence, hear ye, all shall be all right in the end. So it is written, so shall it be done.

Why Men Like Knives

IS IT so strange to understand why men in general tend to be fascinated by knives, swords, guns and weapons of minor destruction. In the absence any substantive scientific evidence, I am inclined to rationalise the entire issue by linking it to man's biological urge to hunt.
Embedded deep in a man's DNA is a gene that compels him to play the role of the hunter. It goes back to the prehistoric age when caveman fends for his family so that the survival of the race is assured.
Now eons later, with the necessity for hunting being transformed into working for a living and supporting the family, man continues to find the subject of knives and guns pretty interesting.
The hunting gene is still there. It has not lessened the primodial urge to hunt, kill and conquer.
Knives are likened to a very useful tool to achieve certain aims. A knife can kill an animal for food. It can shape things. It can be used for utility purposes. It can establish authority in the absence of a clear-cut leader.
A knife is to a man's function, just as trinklets are to a woman's beauty. Try explaining to a woman why she doesn't need a whole cupboardful of costume accessories and you will receive a earful.
Conditions on Earth may have changed over the millennia but men and women have changed that much.
Hence, if you are a woman and if you happen to see a man carrying a knife, don't jump to the conclusion that he may be a killer. That guy is just reacting to an instinct that is inherent in the helix of his psychology.

The Politics of Religion

EVER wondered why leaders of religious movements seem to have so much power? Well, it's about time you realise that religion is one of the best avenues to gain power over people.
Over the centuries across the world, religious leaders have used their office to provide succour and also to gain favours of enormous earthly proportions.
That's not the most alarming thing (earthly possessions). The most disturbing consequence of religious development is the spread of hatred and the indoctrination of death in exchange of heavenly rewards.
If you have a TV at home or read at least one newspaper a day, you would realise that influential clerics regardless of creeds have abused their powers relentlessly and much to the alarm of true spiritual leaders.
Seriously, one would have thought that humans in general are armed with lots of common sense than to be taken in by these hate mongers who are using their religious hold on devotees to realise their own earthly, personal agendas.
However, religions of different hues have been miused and abused since time immemorial. Mankind is generally superstitious and is usually susceptible to threats of the inexplicable kind.
The politics of religion is a field that has created many dark chapters in the history of the human race. Millions have died in the hands of common folks who have been swayed and driven to commit horrendous acts of brutality on their own fellow brethern. These dastardly deeds have been instigated by so-called men and women of religion.
Therefore, the first rule of the thumb is to be aware of the fact that a true spiritual leader never spread the gospel of hatred, nor would he in any way wishes to see the destruction and suffering of others.
The moment a religious leader calls for the death of others, he should be shouted down as a charlatan and a fraud. God does not want any suffering or even the slightest hurt perpectuated on his people on earth. That is not the divine plan.
The divine plan is happiness, enlightenment and soulful joy of being one with the Almighty.
At this crucial juncture in man's history, we must keep our eyes wide open, and our hearts warm to the faults of others. In our quest for peace and happiness on earth and among humankind, we must stay alert to the constant and frantic calls from the false prophets who demand the suffering and if necessary the death of others.
Religion has become politics of the most deadly kind. We must chuck gullibility out of our lives. It is being used as a vehicle for selfishness, hostility, aggression and conquest.
If mercy, love and forgiveness become very much part of our persona, such darts of hatred will be deflected from our lives.

Holidays are a must

IF YOU have not gone on a holiday, it's about time you do. Vacation is one of the most therapeutic exercises in the world. First, you leave all your professional worries behind (I hope so).
Second, you revert to your good old self (please, most of us are not naturally grumpy). Third, you make wonderful discoveries on your travels, that is, if you travel out of town or just cruising on the highway to nowhere.
It is also a time for pulling the family together. It's a time to make new friends and see the "other side of the mountain". Goodness, all of us can do with some time-off now and then.
In one single calendar year, we should have a minimum of four breaks. In fact, if you can manage to pull off six, you are a genius. Holidays work wonders for the tired mind and tarnished personality.
Your family will be glad to get back their "old" man of the house, and you won't be so uptight about the small stuff that seem to bother you all the time on a daily basis.
Go on vacation. If you can, extend it. I have just tried it and it was wonderful. It reminded me that there's a whole wide world outside my office walls. There are so many interesting people elsewhere and I know I am not alone.
On top of it, there are so many beautiful things to see and so many nice people to meet.
Suddenly, it seems money is not so important after all. Chasing after that promotion and looking out for No. 1, begin to sound rather silly. You also get a glimpse of your limited time on earth and the mortality that comes with it.
Holidays make you appreciate your family. It tells you that your time shared with them is memories personified and they will become part of your life forever.
Ultimately, it sets your bearings right again. For those who have forgotten how to go on vacation, it's time they be reminded. There's not only the truth out there, there's an entire universe waiting to be discovered. And also your heart and soul call out for some self-renewal.
The light at the end of your office tunnel is actually the beam of sunlight shining bright just for you. Get off your butt and leave your cares behind. Heaven awaits you!!

The Joy of Going Home

IF you are the type who loves your family and vice versa, going joy is a daily joy. Thus, you can quickly and easily come to the conclusion that no matter what happens you will at least have 300 days of happiness out of a possible 365.
Happiness is seeing wife, children or even your pet dog welcoming you home, as if you were serving in Kandahar for the past 12 months. Isn't it such a pleasant feeling to know that there are actually people having a great time just seeing your face.
Many fathers and working mothers take this little family situation for granted. We take for granted the blessings that are bestowed upon us without us even asking for them.
Yes, we see our family members everyday but to have them opening the door for you and maybe even giving you a hug - now that's a bonus which many lonely bacholers or single women would give an arm and a leg for.
You have have two million bucks sitting in the bank for you but money can only provide financial security. Money does not jump up and hold you in its arms and plant kisses on your face.
This is one of mankind's greatest gifts. It is the pleasure of giving expressions of love to others. It is holding their hands, hugging them and giving others a smile when they step into your house.
I am a working father of many years. I am also very lucky. My wife opens the gate for me every morning when I go to work. She's there to open the door when I arrive home. Sometimes, I take for granted these little acts of kindness.
Fortunately, I also remember them with great fondness, love and gratitude. Truly, I tell you, lucky is the man who has people welcoming him home on a daily basis.
This is just one little miracle that takes place in many homes all over the world every day. It is what holds families together. It is something that lights up a man's life after a long, hard day in the office.
The joy of going home has its poignancy when a mother or a father has been away from home for a long time. The reason may be war, it may be out of economic necessity, it may be even over a misunderstanding.
Whatever the reason, going home has its benefits. It has pleasure only understood by people who long for such coming together by family members. It is knowing no matter who you are, or what you have been through, your family always loves you and you are always welcome home.
So coming home or going home has a special significance in all our lives. Even animals can sense a familiar person. A dog wags its tail. A cat purrs around your feet. A parrot may even say "hello".
A child knows the pleasure of going home. In his innocence, he jumps for joy, shouts and heads for the kitchen to look for the cookie jar. It is happiness expressed best in the purity of a child's soul and in total innocence.
The joy of going home cannot be understated. It is something that reminds us that love is forever. It is universal and it is what makes the world go round.
Have your little journeys in life by all means but there's nothing like going home. There's that familiarity that tugs at your heart-strings. There's an ambience that makes your home special. A familiar aroma that you can truly identify with and it is emanating from your home.
Going home also means reconciling with joyful memories. It is about sharing and caring. It is knowing about mortality and the preciousness of time. It is what makes us human.
Listen to your heart. When you are most tired, when you are frustrated, when you needled by pinpricks of trouble - you will always want to go home.

Be That Candle In The Dark

HERE'S something to think about. While three quarters of the world are moaning and groaning about how cruel life is treating them, other more enlightened individuals should be the "eye of the hurricane", the oasis in the desert or even be the "calm that accompanies every big storm."
It is not difficult to be the only person who's unaffected by all the chaos that surrounds you. All you have to do is to develop and inculcate a mindset that kickstarts into an icon of serenity when trouble comes a-visiting.
First, you have to learn to meditate. There's meditation and there's meditation. The real one fills you up and then transform your being. It sounds a bit corny and even slightly ridiculous but truly it is not so.
Meditation is that avenue to inner peace that has eluded some of the best human beings with the grandest intentions. It should be done without effort. To reach a dominion not of man but of spirit, one must follow the path of the spirit. That is without trying, one is there.
I wish I have a simpler explanation but there is none forthcoming from my side. Pure meditation is a journey without distance. It opens vistas unknown to human sight but crystal clear to the soul within.
Once you have "arrived", the circle is complete, so to speak. There's no need for explanation, you are there. Zen monks call it "being". From there you become the "candle" which I have mentioned.
You will emit an aura that others sense but do not see or feel. You will affect the composure of others. If they are troubled, they become composed in your presence. If they are sad, a certain peace will descend on on. If they are hostile, calmness enters their hearts.
It is what Chinese monks call the "Tao". It is a formless form. It is a tranquillity devoid of exterior signs. All darkness fades in the presence of the "candle". Where such celestial light shines, darkness finds no home.
Every man can achieve that level of awareness. It is a sign that you have "arrived." When you become the light, all sorrow vanishes, all misery takes flight, all unhappiness will cease to exist.
There's no need for wants where the light dwells. There's no desire for material possessions when the need is gone. There's no wish for happiness because it is already exists.
Be that candle, my friend. Everyone can do it. It begins with wishing, wanting and an inextinguishable quest to seek the higher consciousness. When the student seeks the master, the master appears.
Now that the earth is teetering on the edge of sociological chaos and ecological disaster, all the more "candles" are needed. Shine your light upon those who will need to "find their way home".
Be the torch to guide other lost souls home. Shine your light in the darkened corners of your neighbours' hearts. Brighten their minds with your knowledge, bring calm and peace into their hearts, awaken their souls with thy light and guide them across the chasm that they have widened for themselves.
For that is the responsibility of all those who hath become light beings. Bring them all home. To do this is to do it to oneself. For we are all one. The joy that accompanies each successful soul triggers a chain of joy that spreads across the heavens and on earth.
Know that that is thy mission on earth. Heaven watches and sends its messengers across the galaxies for all that is to be fulfilled. Amen.

Exercise your way to longevity

IT IS a modern malaise that individuals don't exercise until they hear Death's knocking at the door. Now why do they do that at such a late hour in their lives.
Yes, there are all kinds of modern fitness centres that are equipped to exercise every part of the human anatomy. These centres have personal trainers, doctors on their panels, dieticians and physical educationists.
In the "old" days, your mother and mine used to walk for miles to the grocery shop or visit relatives. Adults in those days think nothing of walking miles to get what they want.
These days, people find it hard even to walk quarter of a kilometre to buy a newspaper. On top of that, most middle class families now travel everywhere in aircon vehicles. Society has become so affluent that modern conveniences are taken for granted.
The end result is people built up big, fat bank accounts and feeble bodies. Physical bodies gradually retrogress and illnesses cropped up earlier in individuals' lives.
The sad fact is that personal good health can no longer be taken for granted. Teenagers are getting heart attacks. Young adults are victims of sudden death syndrome. Young women suffering from illnesses that are foreign to their mothers and grandmothers.
Why is all this happening? The answer lies in our lifestyle. Gone are the ways of the yesterday when sweating was considered normal at any time of the day. These days sweating is only reserved for gyms.
Yes, there is a discernible surge in applications to join health clubs but most of the membership numbers are not sustainable. People drop out faster than the recruitment of new members.
Are we becoming a society of weaklings? The choice of food is also another contributory factor. Many of the processed food items found in supermarket are deemed unhealthy for long term consumption.
Scientists are beginning to find out more and more about the hazards of consuming too much processed food. This is partly due to the preservatives put into the cans and packages of edible items.
If our forefathers thought nothing of walking miles everyday, today our lives are focused on getting from point A to point B without breaking into a sweat. Some of us think it is unbecoming to be caught in a sweaty state.
The sweat stains will tarnish our image and spoil our clothes. In the end, it simply means we try our best to sweat as little as possible. This of course means we hardly exercise our bodies.
The human body is built for daily workouts. If we don't exercise our body, it will atrophy. It will begin by atrophying in parts and in the end, it will be the sum of the total. By that time, it would be time to check out of Planet Earth.
So to make a long story short, we all must exercise. We should make it our daily routine. It should not be considered a chore. It must be as essential as breathing, taking a bath or simply lifting our hands.
Exercise is the panacea for a lot of ills. A brain that does not exercise will be of little use to its owner. A pair of legs which see little movement will soon be a liability to its owner.
Therefore, exercise for the good health and long life. We must do it beginning today or else we are doing ourselves a great disservice. If our earthly existence is cut short unnecessarily, we are being unfair to our loved ones. They need us to make their lives fuller, and vice versa.
Longevity is balanced on the pole of good thoughts and strong body. It is not something new. It is not a big secret. It is simply common sense.

From Cradle to Grave

MEMORIES. From your earliest memories - it could be as early as three years old - come the flavour and sentimentality that will form your persona as you add maturity and years to your life.
These are the remnants of childhood experiences that each and everyone of us carries with us to our graves. Of course, there may be times when a sudden and traumatic event is thrust upon you.
In the case of such an event, you may envision your entire life in five seconds but such incidents are rare.
Man's life experiences are made up of past memories. An individual can only have memories if he has experienced them or seen them through the eyes of others. What benefits do we derive from memories which we carry within us from cradle to grave.
Bad experiences quickly become bad memories. These have a tendency to be pushed far into the recesses of our mind. Sometimes they are shut down almost forever until another bigger trauma jolted them out of cold storage.
Pleasant memories are like balm for an aching soul. These are the candles in the dark when we need them most. For example, if we are caught in a life-and-death situation and we are not sure if we can make it out alive, then good memories become the rope to safety or sanity for us.
A man who is floating alone in an open sea will remember all the nice things about the loved ones waiting and praying anxiously for his return. Sometimes love alone can save a life.
Hence, memories serve as a raft for us to float out from the sea of woes to the land of hope and love.
A man who has lost his memory is a man without hope. He wanders like a lost sheep. He has no ties, no past, no present and almost no future. That's how important memories are.
A child who has good memories will grow up to be a nice person because there are no bad experiences to affect his personality adversely. A child who has more than his share of bad memories enters adulthood with a burden that would take a lot of effort to shake off.
Thus, we have troubled lives in our midst. These are the people who are unable to unshackle the chains of bad memories that have continued to trouble their minds and hold their hearts to ransom.
An individual who can control his memories can shape his present and alter his future. Therein lies the escape route for all those who harbour bad experiences aka bad memories and unwittingly continue to grope in the darkness of their minds.
All of us can control our minds, that is if we are not certified insane. The idea is to fill every living second of our lives with pleasant experiences. We accept the good, receive the joyful and retain the pleasant.
We make it a lifelong habit to be nice, to be kind and always to be optimistic. Armed with these weapons of mass happiness, we should be able to conquer the gloom and doom that surround the pessimistic and sorrowful.
Let it be known that in THIS life, all of us have a choice. Choice is one of God's greatest gifts to us humans. We can choose to be sad. We can choose to be bad. We can choose to be miserable and we can definitely choose to be happy and hopeful.
The road to unhappiness is not a one-way road. It is a six-lane highway. The rest of the lanes are called joy, hope, happiness, confidence and serenity!
Now, go and choose the road of your life.

The Power of Qi

JUST when you thoughts human beings are quite useless, you learn that all humans have powers beyond belief. What!!!??? You exclaim. Yes, my friends, long before man invented the Atom bomb and proceeded to threaten his own existence, there were others who have already harnessed and mastered the energies of the universe.
Before you call 911 and suggest psychiatric evaluation, remember that this form of energy is latent in all of us. The Chinese have been practising it for ages. So have the Indians.
The Indian masters who use this kind of power within their being are known as yogi masters. Yogi masters are the ones you heard about being buried in the ground for seven days and then emerging fresh as a daisy.
Chinese kung fu masters used their Qi to heal others, foretell the future and break objects that cannot be broken by ordinary mortals. The power of qi can be harnessed by just anybody.
There are exercises that can be done but it will take some discipline to link body, mind and soul. It takes meditation and a certain purity of heart to make that journey to catch a glimpse of eternity.
Hogwash, you say? Apparently, many other people think so too. A lot of Westerners think people in the East have been eating too much rice and begin to suffer from hallucinations about all these godly powers.
In the days of yore, Chinese martial arts experts used qi to attain physical strength unheard of even in modern times. There have been whispers that some ancients martial arts masters who have lived beyond 300 years.
Today, if you get to live to celebrate your 80th birthday, you are considered truly blessed. Statistics have shown that people are dying at a younger age.
Qi is a kind of bio-kinetic energy. It is the body's ultimate weapon. No disease can stand against it. It can render a man ageless. Qi can make a person lifts great weights and endure ordeals that would have killed ordinary people like squashed flies.
The power of qi helps link all men, regardless of race or creed. Qi does not seek to overcome, instead it seeks to communicate. It can bridge all lapses of communication, including with those whoo cannot speak your language. Qi alters the state of the universe.
It is the ethereal spirit that conquers times and space.
Qigong masters see beyond earth and set their sights on a dimension of love, positive energy and total peace.
If by now, you are turned off, rest assured one day you may understand the implications of all that is, all that was and all that is made possible.
For those who seek qi, not all will find its jewel. Yes, you can reach the upper limits of your mental powers but you wouldn't be able to achieve kundalini.
Know that the world you live in right now is an illusion. Know that the place you call home is actually not your own. Qi in its finest moment sees the falsity of all that exists.
Qi is one with everything. You may search for qi but if your heart is not ready, it will not come to meet you.
But you must not give up. Walk in the path of doubts and see the light that is qi.
Qi is the light that sets you free. Seek it, find it and forever be one with it, and you will never be in want of anything for the rest of your life.

Death - the twin brother of Life

DEATH is one subject that most people shun. They think it is something avoidable or they are just plain superstitious.
Death is as normal as the sun rising at the break of dawn. For something to be born anew, to replenish, to rejuvenate, there must be death. Death taken in its singular context of the end of what is triggers thoughts of gloom, darkness and a finality that can't be overcome.
All my life, I have encountered Death. I experienced it at first hand when I was a first-year student at university when a colleague was killed in an accident. He was 21 at that time. I was one of the pall bearers.
Then through the years, friends and loved ones passed away one after another. After a while, it became rather normal.
Despite knowing that death is very much part of our lives, we strive our best to delay its arrival, or premature visit. Ninety-nine out of 100 people are afraid to die. To them, death means lost opportunities, of achieving great deeds, of making significant contributions, of leaving loved ones behind, of departing "before their time", etc.
Basically, people just don't want to die. That's sounds rather silly and yet it is only too real a feeling. So what is Eternity going to do? Nothing really, just let Nature takes its course.
A friend died only 48 hours ago. One day he was there, real as Life itself, next day, news of his sudden death appeared in the daily newspaper. It came as a shock even though as people governed by logic, we shouldn't be surprised. But surprised we all are.
My friend's death brought to the surface once again of how frail our existence is. We long to live a good life. We want to get mileage out of our journey on earth but we deliberately ignore the fact that we will perish like everything else that is living in one form or another.
Why do humans fear Death so much? Is it something that is bad for us? Is it something that will hurt us? The answers to both preceding questions are No.
We read of accounts by people who have had Near Death Experiences. Almost all said there was nothing to fear, and it was actually quite pleasant.
In fact, most of them didn't want to return to the land of the living but they were told that "it was not their time". When is it really anybody's time? What shall we do in the meantime.
The answer lies in how we live and how well we conduct matters while we are still breathing. Death by all acounts is not the Grim Reaper. Neither is he Joe Black as Hollywood has described him.
Death is just another name for that bridge that links us to our real home. It is the tunnel that leads us to our real existence. On earth, it is the kind of stuff that dreams are made of.
After all that is said and done, how should we treat Death? We should treat it like a friend. We should look upon Death as a person who comes to welcome us to the world which we heard about but do not have the courage to venture into.
Death is the friend we should get to know but have always shunned. He's probably the kindest among the whole lot on earth. Death knows no pain, knows no sorrow and no attachment to all things unimportant.
Death seeks nothing, gives everything, is merciful, and is the conduit that leads others to a world that they deserve but do not crave for while on earth.
Death is the twin brother of Life. If you do not know Life, you will certainly know very little of Death. If you hold life dear to your heart, you may catch a glimpse of Death.
But do not welcome Death. He is not one that takes orders. Death liaises with Eternity. Death counsels the terminally ill and weary. Life teaches us to appreciate all that is given to us. Death teaches us that Life has got a place in our hearts but Death will always have our interests in eternity.

The long and bumpy road of journalism

Journalists are reported to be people who lead exciting lives, or so it seems. I have been one for almost three decades. The answer is therefor yes and no.
Yes, there have been times when it was exciting because interesting information or news comes almost non-stop for days in our direction. Those are the times when events that shook the world are at our finger-tips.
No, there were lapses which stretches for years when the profession was just another job. Lots of boring periods when nothing happens except the part when you don't get the yearly increments you think you deserve.
A seasoned journalist told me once: "Look, there are many times when nothing great ever happens and there are times when they do happen. So when good times take place, we savour every second of it!"
Journalism is the stuff that Hollywood scripts are made of. Ordinary people have a tendency to think that since we are such nosey people, we must be the recipients of great nuggets of gossip.
Only one thing: we don't indulge in gossip. Ours is the profession that thrives on facts. Facts are what made the newspapers and truth is what put us in the black, financially.
No newspaper or magazine in its right mind wants to be caught disseminating untruths. If a publishing firm is caught printing lies, it is done for. People want facts, no matter how gory or painful they are.
Journalists are just people who make the news items interesting or exciting. There's nothing special about good stories. Good stories are simply reports well written with all the facts and a bit of good story-telling thrown in.
Newspapers make sure they are above board all the time. Media moguls dislike greatly to be told by shareholders or the people that they are clearly talking nonsense.
Lies do not lead journalists down the road to fame and fortune. In fact, lies can land a journalist in trouble faster than he can spit on to the floor.
But as in any profession, the art of writing can be abused. For example, there were some journalists in the past who created stories straight out of their own imagination for the simple motive of winning awards.
All of us journalists, who feel we belong to a noble profession, like to believe that we can transcend the ordinary level of honestry when it comes to the crunch. We do try, that is, at least many of us.
But journalism has been known to be the source of problems for the general public in the past decades. The lure of wealth and recognition is very strong. There have been journalists in the past who partook in projects that enriched themselves. They spunned tales that made exciting reading by little substance.
Truth is strongest when it is told simply, without embellishments and without the excitement of breaking news. Ordinary citizens can judge for themselves from various information sources across the world, especially now on the Internet.
Those who wish to be journalists must first be good in the language they are going to write in. Second, they must hold some principles dear to themselves, and not compromise so that they can write another day.
Journalism is not a profession for the cowardly. Newsmen have been known to be killed and ostracised. Nobody likes the truth about their corrupted selves be made known to half the world. Thus, there were times in the past when journalists are quietly removed from the face of the earth.
We put the interest of society and the world before our own. We try as much as we can NOT to crave for the attention accorded to film stars and other great men. We seek only to let the world know that the truth can sometimes set them free.
There's no hidden treasure or road map to prosperity in journalism. It is a profession of long hours and sometimes meagre pay. It is not the kind of work, you would want to encourage your children to take up, unless they think they have a calling in that direction.
Every year, a number of journalists are killed out there in the field. Nobody really remembers them for long, especially after they perished out there in the open. We the ones who survived or too cowardly to go straight to the front line entertain the idea that journalism is pleasant as long as we have enough food on our dining tables.
Journalists are the chroniclers of man's deeds since time immemorial. We would like to believe we contribute significantly to the changing face of mankind. We all hope it is true, so that our very existence will not be in vain.
Some of us long for the day when we would end up publishing a book or several books - that would be the highlight of our careers. That privilege is not accorded to every single member of the profession.
If we are very lucky, we will end up with a tidy sum of gratuity to last us through the twilight years. Other than that, our only consolation is that we have some exciting stories to tell our grandchildren.
Publish and be damned, they say. Damn if we do, and damn if we don't, is more accurate. Brickbats are more common than bouquets. We all learn and live. It's a cliche but it is also the truth.
In the end, we write because the urge is too strong, the calling too true and all of us have to earn a living anyway.

What is this web blogging?

It seems that these days, more and more people are keeping journals on line. For those who wish others to take a peek at their writings, it is presumably called web blogging.
Blogging has been around for some years now, maybe even longer. The activity seems to fulfil some need in humans, at least the literate ones. Blogging can be a healing process.
It gives solace to those who wish to express their inner selves and not care whether strangers like their views or not, that is, the blog articles are read at all. It has been alleged that many web bloggers are journalists.
I suppose it is some kind of "experimental station" for them. Perhaps it is an exercise to hone their writing skills.
Some web bloggers whose opinions are highly valued for their incisive and indepth analysis, there is some financial rewards. The successful ones have advertisers jumping onto their blog sites to advertise their products or services. Thus, the blog site does earn some income for the writer.
Web blogging unfortunately has its dark side. Some writers with anarchic leanings are known to spread lies and misinformation to suit their own agenda. Even though most of us are aware that blogging is a privilege which should not be abused, it happens nevertheless.
The good thing is we as Internet surfers do not have to read what we don't agree with. Hence, we can just skip the rotten ones and move on to the next site that we can derive some benefit from. That's the wonder of choice and the world wide field of dreams that's called the Internet.
It is presumed that web blogging has generated more positive results than bad. For that we should be thankful.
Why bother to blog? The answer is why bother to be curious. It is in man's nature to leave some part of himself somewhere, whether be it be in writing or contribution in the form of art or financial empire, or even in the form of children. The list is endless.
Web blogging has recently changed the face of human activities. Its possibilities are infinite. For writers, it is the mother lode. We can say what we want, do what we want and as long as we want.
What if nobody notices what we do? Will that be an ego-bashing exercise? No. Simply because the writer who is not noticed benefits because the exercise of engaging in blogging activity is therapeutic.
There's nothing so healthy like shouting in the wind - not spitting at the wind though because the sputum may just fly back into your own face.
Therefore, we can safely conclude that web bloggin is here to stay. Stick to it. There's no need for any agenda. You don't need guidelines. You don't need an audience.
You may not get anything from anybody but you have the opportunity of listening to your own voice. Every individual is unique. Web blogging opens the window to your creative self which may have laid dormant for decades. It is waiting to emerge to see the light in your soul.
Who knows your writing may alter the course of someone's life - for good!

American Idol - The Dream Merchants

The American Idol 2005 contest has just ended with Carrie Underwood from Checotah, Oklahoma emerging as the winner. For about 40 million TV viewers across America, it has been a fun-filled and at times emotional time in front of the telly.
What drives about 70,000 people to audition for this contest for the fourth year running? The answer is simple: everyone wants to make their own dream come true. Singing seems to be the cheapest and the fastest route to fame and fortune.
Of course, only a handful get into the final 12. The rest will have to rethink their lives' options. American Idol is currently one of the most popular ways for young people to leap into the limelight.
For most of us, 15 minutes of fame can last a lifetime.
What is it that compells a person to seek a life of glory, wealth, prosperity and power? It can only be explained by the innate desire to gain recognition, any kind of attention. For the deviant, it could mean a life of crime.
For others, it may mean performing outrageous acts. Those who stand to profit most from this almost insatiable desire in most people are also labelled as the dream merchants.
Selling dreams is an art that has been exploited to the fullest by professionals, confidence tricksters, and members of the entertainment industry. All of us can dream but we simply don't know how to market them or turn them into realities.
Thus, the dream merchants of modern times are specifically talent scouts, TV networks, rich corporations and sadly conmen.
Some enterprising individuals fulfil their dreams in their own way - they work for it! When you imagine yourself having a home in Barbados or Hawaii, you can "see" it in your mind.
It all begins with a dream - your own. Then, you hold on to that dream. You find ways or routes leading in that direction. Experts call this process, creative visualisation. It is a proven formula, guaranteed to work if you are determined enough.
Be a dream merchant yourself. When you have achieved your own dreams, help others to realise theirs. That is your duty. In helping others, you help yourself. The source of all this is inexhaustible.
The path to being a dream merchant is to fulfil your own first, then lead others towards that direction. This is one of the most noble of human objectives. It is a lofty ideal held dear by the wise ones among us.

What ails you, my friend?

If you are one of the six billion people on this planet then you would be suffering from at least one or several of the many problems that plaguing humans.
That is, you could be worrying about your health, you are frustrated over a stagnating career, marital woes, blues over your teenage children, the politics in your own country or a God who you think doesn't seem to be bothered with you.
First, you are normal. Two, easy it may seem, you should not worry too much because a lot of it are mirages and only about one per cent of the problems cannot be solved by you alone, and if you can't control the circumstances, why worry about it?
Ask yourself, what's the worse thing that can happen to you today, or tomorrow. Okay, you can drop dead. Well, if you are dead, then earthly problems should come to an abrupt halt for you.
If you are worried about the grieving people you left behind, don't. They will soon get over it. It's human nature. Human beings have a built-in mechanism for self-survival. After a while, they just lose any attachment to things or people who they love. Life, whether you want to believe it or not, does carry on, regardless.
If you are rich, you have no material worries, only those in your imagination or things you created for yourself. If you are poor, then you can help yourself by improving your financial situation.
There are many ways of doing it. One, you take on another job. Two, you work that much harder. Three, find people who can help you. If you desperate enough to want to improve your income, there are always ways to do it.
On health, nobody or very few people are born to be sick. It is one area that you can actually control. Unless you are hit by a flower pot while walking underneath an apartment building, then you will probably live out your long natural life.
If you follow a sensible path, you will live to a ripe old age. Happiness is part of the human package. Joy is inherent in every single person who walks on earth. Sorrow and misery are usually self-inflicted. If you do not allow yourself to be sad, nobody can make you miserable.
Tell yourself every morning when you wake up that today is another chance for you to do better. Tell yourself you are the captain of your own fate; that you steer your own ship; that you will henceforth make use of the winds to adjust your sails to go the direction you want.
Remember, your time on earth is limited. Go for the jugular as far as life is concerned. Aim for the skies, reach for the stars, dare to dream the impossible dream. I know these are all cliches but cliches are apt if they are applicable in life's situations.
You may, if you wish, chuckle at adversity and laugh in the face of sorrow. It is your right. Be crazy a little at times. It helps to alleviate whatever mental burdens that may be weighing you down.
Don't be intimidated by problems, Take them on. Heck, take them all on - just for the fun of it. Why go through life doing all the little things? Where's the challenge in that?
Aim high, think big and go for the No. 1 position - all the time. That's fulfilling your life's mission.
So what's ailing you? Think you are unlucky or being cheated of what's due to you? Blame God? Blame your parents? Blame your family? Take a trip to the nearest hospital and visit the very sick or terminally ill. You may change your mind after such a visit.
Yes, do count your blessings. Every single one of them. None is given to you without a reason. All that you have, you need. All that you were meant to solve, were there for a reason which you may later comprehend. You are to play your part in life and play it to the hilt.
Walk through the heart of fear, and feel the shadows slip behind you.