Mindfulness

Most of us have discovered how hard it is to live in the present, and much of our time is spent either regretting our past actions or fearing our future.

Living in the moment is like walking a tightrope. You are bound to fall off, but with practice, you will manage to keep your balance longer and longer.

Basically, there are two strategies to keep your mind on the present:

i) Take as much time as you need to do everything you do ~ Refuse to live your life in a hurry. If you feel there is never enough time; there will never be enough time anyway. Whatever you have to do, tell yourself: My full attention is on what I'm doing. I refuse to hurry!

ii) Practise "Dog Awareness" ~ yup, that's right. Dog awareness. Dogs are wonderfully intelligent creatures, they take time to observe everything around them. Everything is always a new experience for a dog. Dogs live in the present, so should we. Take a walk and see every tree.

Affirm yourself 'I have plenty of time'. An affirmation that is repeated becomes part of our subconscious. When you feel pressed, remind yourself: "I have plenty of time".

The longer we stay on the tightrope, the better life gets. Just find and keep your balance.

Why should I listen to my heart?

It's only Tuesday and by far the worst beginning to a week I've ever experience. I can't even comprehend it, maybe I'm over-reacting, maybe I'm not. Can't believe that last week was excellent and now...sigh!!

Whenever I'm depressed I always read to calm down...

A beautiful short story...taken from the Alchemist...............................................................

“Why do we have to listen to our hearts?” the boy asked, when they had made camp that day.

“Because, wherever your heart is, that is where you’ll find your treasure.”

“But my heart is agitated,” the boy said. “It has its dreams, it gets emotional, and it’s become passionate over a woman of the desert. It asks things of me, and it keeps me from sleeping many nights, when I’m thinking about her.”

“Well, that’s good. Your heart is alive. Keep listening to what it has to say.”

“My heart is a traitor,” the boy said to the alchemist, when they had paused to rest the horses. “It doesn’t want me to go on.”

“That makes sense. Naturally it’s afraid that, in pursuing your dream, you might lose everything you’ve won.”

“Well, then, why should I listen to my heart?”

“Because you will never again be able to keep it quiet. Even if you pretend not to have heard what it tells you, it will always be there inside you, repeating to you what you’re thinking about life and about the world.”

“You mean I should listen, even if it’s treasonous?”

“Treason is a blow that comes unexpectedly. If you know your heart well, it will never be able to do that to you. Because you’ll know its dreams and wishes, and will know how to deal with them.

“My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer,” the boy told the alchemist one night as they looked up at the moonless sky.

“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second’s encounter with God and with eternity.”

“Every second of the search is an encounter with God,” the boy told his heart.

“Everyone on earth has a treasure that awaits him,” his heart said. “We, people’s hearts, seldom say much about those treasures, because people no longer want to go in search of them. We speak of them only to children. Later, we simply let life proceed, in its own direction, toward its own fate. But, unfortunately, very few follow the path laid out for them—the path to their destinies, and to happiness. Most people see the world as a threatening place, and, because they do, the world turns out indeed, to be threatening place.

“So, we, their hearts, speak more and more softly. We never stop speaking out, but we begin to hope that our words won’t be heard: we don’t want people to suffer because they don’t follow their hearts.”

The One Hundred

So it's my 100-post today...what do you say for the 100 that hasn't already been said.

The book The Road Less Travelled began with this line 'Life is difficult'. I was immediately taken with this book cos it spoke of the truth. It said things that should be said. It's my kind of book.

I read an article recently that began with 'Life is difficult and setbacks are common in the great game of life. It was an enlightening read. It focus on the need to continuously strive to be positive in the wake of challenges you face.

Every person has a choice about the attitude he/she brings to his/her day and the action he/she takes.

The article mentions tips that can help you claim your optimism back from any setbacks.

1) Appreciate the healing power of time
One of my favourite quotes is: "This too shall pass". Don't underestimate our power of recuperation from emotional trauma. We might not be able to forget a bad experience but we can always look back with a calmer perspective which only time can provide.

2) Check fears against the facts
It's interesting to note that optimism can be learned. And it's something that everyone should be taught. Try using impersonal facts to maintain a reality-based perspective.

3) Seize the day as a survivor
I learned that as long as I was alive, I always had options. Survivors make the best of the options they have while victims whine about how few they have. There is never nothing you can do; the only question is whether a given action will work and if committed action is worth the investment of the time required to achieve the desired results.

4) Control what you can
You can't control all events that happen, but you can learn how to control your responses to events. You don't control the cards you are dealt in life, but you can learn how to play even a poor hand well. Appreciate the words: "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference".
Get busy changing what you can - starting with your own attitude.

5) Move from analysis paralysis into action
Learn to cultivate sense of adventure that searches for and takes advantage of every opportunity. Failure to act doesn't prevent failure, it just turns life into slow death.

6) Master strategic skills you need to prepare for the future
The age of lifelong employment is over. You become an old dog when you stop doing new and improved tricks.

7) Be effective
We are tougher on ourselves than on any other person. Instead of taking yourself for granted, love yourself the way you care about others. Don't forget your little success, write down one success every day.

8) See mistakes as valued lessons
Learn to use self-criticism as a course correction feedback on the road to success. Identify what was done wrong, but put your focus on the future.

Final thought for my 100th post: Optimists hope for more but are not deterred by less.

Brida - choosing the path

I wanna share a touching tale that warms the heart especially for those who are confused and are seeking the right path in life. We are always questioning ourselves (I know I do) whether the chosen path is the appropriate one to take. This story reflects this sentiment...

Brida is a real story of a young girl learning to follow the Tradition of the Moon.

Choosing a path meant having to miss out on others. She had a whole life to live, and she was always thinking that, in the future, she might regret the choices she made now.

“I’m afraid of committing myself,” she thought to herself.
She wanted to follow all possible paths and so ended up following none. After her first romantic disappointment, she had never again given herself entirely. She feared pain, loss, and separation.

These things were inevitable on the path to love, and the only way of avoiding them was by deciding not to take that path at all.
In order not to suffer, you had to renounce love. It was like putting out your own eyes not to see the bad things in life.

Ever since time began, people have recognized their true Love by the light in their eyes.

“When you find your path, you must not be afraid. You need to have sufficient courage to make mistakes. Disappointment, defeat, and despair are the tools God uses to show us the way.”

“Don’t bother trying to explain your emotions. Live everything as intensely as you can and keep whatever you felt as a gift from God. The best way to destroy the bridge between the visible and invisible is by trying to explain your emotions.”

“But how will I know who my Soulmate is?” Brida felt that this was one of the most important questions she had ever asked in her life.
“By taking risks” she said to Brida. ‘ By risking failure, disappointment, disillusion, but never ceasing in you search for Love. As long as you keep looking, you will triumph in the end.”

Thought of the day: Nothing is completely wrong. Even a broken watch is right twice a day.

Prayer of Forgiveness

Forgiveness is one topic I don't want to think about nor write about cos of many reasons. It's a difficult topic for me; one that I'm still struggling to comprehend and learn, let alone practice.

Forgiveness is an act of the will, not a feeling.

If we are able to pray for a person's well being then we can be assured that we have forgiven that person.

Forgiveness is a life-long obligation.

Daily we need to forgive those who hurt or injure us. Are you able to do this?

Forgiveness is a topic that has been on my mind on various occasions this week as I struggle to forgive someone who is no longer a part of my life. I still can't let go of the hurt, though I want this person go be away, far away from my life so that I can be free of these emotions.

I read this interesting poetry by Coelho called the Prayer of Forgiveness (not really an actually prayer in that sense of the word but still pretty awesome).

The tears I shed, I forgive.
The suffering and disappointments, I forgive.
The betrayals and lies, I forgive.
The slandering and scheming, I forgive.
The hatred and persecution, I forgive.
The punches that were given, I forgive.
The shattered dreams, I forgive.
The dead hopes, I forgive.
The disaffection and jealousy, I forgive.
The indifference and ill will, I forgive.
The injustice in the name of justice, I forgive.
The anger and mistreatment, I forgive.
The neglect and oblivion, I forgive.
The world with all its evil, I forgive.

Grief and resentment, I replace with understanding and agreement.
Revolt, I replace with music that comes from my violin.
Pain I replace with oblivion.
Revenge, I replace with victory.

I will be able to love above all discontentment. To give even when I am stripped of everything. To work happily even when I find myself in the midst of all obstacles. To dry tears even when I am still crying. To believe even when I am discredited.

After reading this beautiful thoughts on forgiveness, I lower my head and ask God "Thy will be done, Thy will be done".

Of Wit and Wisdom

A wise man once said, let your heart be your guide. I always believed that the pages ahead (in any book) will speak to your heart as much as to your mind; if only you let it. You might discover some interesting people and learn some interesting thing as you read on.

My dad made me crazy in love with books and reading since I was a kid. This is one of the many things we share in common; besides sports, politics and culture.
Today he showed me a book he bought from Reader's Digest. I would say it's a beautifully-compiled treasure: it has 4,000 of the funniest, cleverest, most insightful things ever said by famous (and infamous) people of all walks of life. I've only read til page 59 and I discovered a paragraph so beautiful and significant in life (something we should be reminded of every day).
Even though you may want to move forward in life, you may have one foot on the brakes. In order to be free, we must learn how to let go. Release the hurt. Release the fear. Refuse to entertain your old pain. The energy it takes to hang onto the past is holding you back from a new life - Mary Manin Morrissey.

What is it you would let go of today? I can think of a few things and people who I would like to be 'free of'. I hope to release the hurt.

Happiness is an inside job

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said "Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not".

Happiness in life comes from the inside. It does us little good to sit back and wait for it to come from outside sources. This is an important lesson I'm learning everyday.

I remember reading in Richard & Kristine Carlson's book, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff in Love this very interesting piece of advice:

Many popular songs on the radio carry the message "You make me happy, I would be lost without you; you are my world". This way of thinking takes away all the responsibility to make yourself happy and gives it to someone else. That is an enormous amount of pressure to put on another person.

Random thoughts on the other man

It's been one of those long days which feels like it will never end. You get a feeling deep in your gut that life is nothing but a routine everyday, and there seems to be nothing to look forward to...

So to keep my spirits up, I've re-read a book on the other fave author in my life: Kahlil Gibran, Lebanese American poet, artist and writer. Most of Gibran's work deals with Christianity, especially on the topic of spiritual love.

Gibran's best-known work is The Prophet, a book that composed of twenty-six poetic essays. Since it was first published in 1923, this book has never been out of print. Having been translated into more than forty languages, it was one of the bestselling books of the twentieth century in the United States. And I'm so proud to say I owe a beautiful hardcover copy of this book which was given to me as a X'mas gift two years ago by my sister and Jackson.

Some of my fave Gibran's random yet, beautifuls words:

1) Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity.

2) Advance, and never halt, for advancing is perfection. Advance and do not fear the thorns in the path, for they draw only corrupt blood. All that spirits desire, spirits attain.

3) An eye for an eye, and the whole world would be blind.
If the other person injures you, you may forget the injury; but if you injure him you will always remember.

4) Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh and the greatness which does not bow before children.

5) I wash my hands of those who imagine chattering to be knowledge, silence to be ignorance, and affection to be art.

6) And ever has it been known that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.
If you love somebody, let them go, for if they return, they were always yours. And if they don’t, they never were.

7) If you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work.

8) If you reveal your secrets to the wind, you should not blame the wind for revealing them to the trees.

9) If your heart is a volcano, how shall you expect flowers to bloom?

10) Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need.

11) Faith is a knowledge within the heart, beyond the reach of proof. Faith is an oasis in the heart which will never be reached by the caravan of thinking.

12) Doubt is a pain too lonely to know that faith is its twin brother.

The Fire of Friendship

I read this beautiful story in my fave author - Paulo Coelho's pages. Something to ponder upon.

Once upon a time there was a poor but very brave man called Ali. He worked for Ammar, a rich old merchant.

One winter’s night Ammar said: “nobody can spend a night like this on top of the mountain without a blanket or food. But you need money, and if you can manage to do that you will receive a great reward. If you don’t, you will work for thirty days without pay”.

Ali answered: “tomorrow I shall do this test”.

But when he left the shop, he saw that a really icy wind was blowing and became scared, so he decided to ask his best friend, Aydi, if it was crazy of him to accept that bet.

After reflecting a while, Aydi answered: “I shall help you. Tomorrow, when you are at the top of the mountain, look ahead. I will be on the top of the mountain next to yours, where I will spend the whole night with a bonfire lit for you. You look at the fire and think about our friendship – that will keep you warm. You will manage, and later on I shall ask you something in return.”

Ali won the test, got the money, and went to his friend’s house: “You told me you wanted some payment.”

Aydi answered: ”Yes, but it isn’t money. Promise that if at any time a cold wind passes through my life, you will light the fire of friendship for me.”

My thoughts on philosophy

I've been reading abit on philosophy this week when I should be reading and grading my students research reports; not very productive on the work front but very productive in my critical development as an individual.

This is my discovery from my limited reading on this topic. Greek Stoic philosopher Epictetus (AD55-AD135) once said that "All philosophy lies in two words: sustain and abstain.

First learn the meaning of what you say, and then only speak those words. So very true for many of us; most of the time we say things we don't mean and we say things that are misinterpreted by others which most of the time causes conflict. Think before you speak, bite your tongue if need be; for you will be able to avoid confrontations.

All religions must be tolerated… for every person must get to heaven in his/her own way. Who are we to judge when we are often judged by others.

Be careful to leave your children well instructed rather than rich, for the hopes of the instructed are better than the wealth of the ignorant. We often judge someone's success by material means they have (or we have), but the character and attitude of a person should be the ultimate criteria for judging success.

If evil be spoken of you and it be true, correct yourself, if it be a lie, laugh at it.
Do not seek to bring things to pass in accordance with your wishes, but instead wish for them as they are, and you will find them.

It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.
It is not he/she who reviles or strikes you who insults you, but your opinion that these things are insulting. This is sometime I'm learning everyday and I do find it hard at times. Most often we look at the things that happen to us rather than our reaction towards it.

Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens.
First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do, to make it be.

Freedom is not procured by a full enjoyment of what is desired, but by controlling the desire. Is freedom anything else than the right to live as we wish? Nothing else. Know, first, who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly and do it with humility.

No greater thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. Patience is indeed a virtue. Nothing is built overnight; not even love sadly to say; it takes lots and lots of hard work and effort. Let it first blossom, then bear the fruit that is ripen.

No man is free who is not master of himself. God has entrusted me with myself. Make the most of it. Do good, be kind, show the world the warmth of your smile, always have a kind word or two & most of all; have humility as it is the essence of life itself. For people will remember you for your humility rather than your material wealth when you die.

Just my Wednesday morning thoughts. And what are your thoughts?

I recently reconnected with one of my closest friend, Helena again. We've gone through so much together in the past decade, she knows me well. She shared with me a book she was currently reading by Max Lucado called When God Whispers Your Name.

One of the chapters' that caught my attention was on the choices we make in our life everyday...It's a beautiful chapter, I wanna share here..

The Choice

by Max Lucado

IT’S QUIET. It’s early. My coffee is hot. The sky is still black. The world is still asleep. The day is coming.

In a few moments the day will arrive. It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun. The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day. The calm of solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human race. The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met.

For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day’s demands. It is now that I must make a choice. Because of Calvary, I’m free to choose. And so I choose.

I choose love . . .

No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.

I choose joy . . .

I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical . . . the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.

I choose peace . . .

I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.

I choose patience . . .

I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.

I choose kindness . . .

I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.

I choose goodness . . .

I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.

I choose faithfulness . . .

Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love. And my children will never fear that their father will not come home.

I choose gentleness . . .

Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

I choose self-control . . .

I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose self-control.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek his grace. And then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.

From When God Whispers Your Name
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 1999) Max Lucado

Success Principles: Is there such a thing?

I recently read an article about Canfield and his new book, the Success Principles: How to Get From Where You Are To Where You Want To Be, which the author recently expounded at a seminar. He illustrated some interesting points to ponder upon (numbered in red and my personal take on the points he made):

1. Take 100% responsibility for your life and your results (often when things go wrong, we tend to push blame on others, when we should have taken responsibility for our own actions)

2. Be clear why you are here (here we ask ourselves what is my life purpose; make that purpose as clear as possible)

3. Decide what you want (we want so many things, it's hard to pinpoint. sometimes what we need is more important than what we want)

4. Believe in yourself (like many people out there, I too forget this vital ingredient to success as an individual)

5. Unleash the power of goal-setting (always set measurable goals and specific time lines to achieve such goals...it's like the SMART objective in PR..hehehe..)

6. Chunk it down (often our task seems huge but by breaking them into manageable ones, we would be able to take action step by step)

7. Release the brakes (this sounds like learning to drive for the 1st time...but it's actually forming a habit of using affirmations or positive statements to help you be in a state of accomplishing goals)

8. Use the power of visualisation (this is very much my thing - learned in NLP...visualise all your goals and results and run through the feeling of having already completed them)

9. Take action (nothing happenss..without actually taking action...you want something..make an effort to get it)

10. Experience your fear and take action anyway (this one is all about taking risks in life..cos you just never know!!)

11. Ask, ask, ask (this one I strongly believe in...God said: Ask and you will receive)

12. Reject rejection (a pretty hard one to do if you ask me..)

13. Network (a pretty important thing in the working world...)

14. Develop four new success habits a year (an interesting statement...something I should think about though I've never thought about it..)

15. Pay yourself first (it's all about saving money - at least 10% of what you earn and investing in it...something I'm learning...cos I just love spending everything on travelling and seeing the world)

16. Ask for and respond to (always give people feedback so as to clarify yourself)

17. Practice uncommon appreciation (this is something KDU and many other organisations need to learn to do...appreciate their staff with an understanding attitude...it's not always about the money)

18. Exceed expectations (always trived to exceed your expectation in life...reach for the stars)

19. Keep your agreements (this one I totally hold on to...my word is my bond..I never make promises I can't live up to)

20. Mastermind your way to success (this means working with the right people with the right attitude who have the similar goals of success...often hard to locate these people)

21. Practise persistence (I am a patience person..often too patient for my own good..but persistence is way harder)


This is my take on Canfield's 21 Key success principles...what's your?

What's your Talent?

The past month or so, I've been reading this amazing book which ironically I did not buy for myself. I actually got this book as a gift for someone dear whom I thought needed some good motivation. I did not get the opportunity to give her this gift before she left for her studies so I kept the book and decided I would read it to see whether it was any good (especially as a gift for a dear friend).
Fate would have it...the book seemed like it was meant for me more than anything. It gave me the kind of 'reminders' I have since forgotten in my life. I needed to be reminded how to look at life again in different perspectives in order for things to work in my favour.

This book is now my Lesson(s) of the Day.

Today is about Talent. What is your talent? And how much have you done to capitalized on it?
I always wish I had talent in music and especially art which I love so much. But of course I don't.
This book reminds me that 'Talent' doesn't have to mean you paint a masterpiece.

Caring genuinely for people is a talent some people have & other wish they could have. Teaching is a talent. Making people around you feel welcome is a talent. Being able to solve a problem is a talent. Being a good parent is a talent.

We should never measure our abilities against others. Do what you can do. Accept what talents you have. Fulfillment should come from developing your gifts, not wishing for someone else's.

So what's your talent?

A Little Miracle

I have so much readings to complete in relations to work, however I'm more interesting in reading other unrelated yet more interesting articles. I wonder why? Need a boost.
Reader's Digest has some of the most inspirational stories I've read.


A Little Miracle

It was March 3, 2001, and as a fourth-year medical student I had just started my obstetrics rotation in a rundown, sparsely equipped government hospital in Manila. My co-clerks and I referred to the hospital as a "baby factory." During a 24-hour period, it was not unusual for the staff to attend to the birth of 180 babies.

This particular day, which was also my 25th birthday, marked my first ever shift working in a delivery room. I felt ill-prepared for the coming onslaught of women giving birth. I felt inexperienced, and half the time I was praying that I wouldn't drop the slippery infant as he came out to the world.

I soon got the hang of things. During deliveries, I would encourage the mothers by saying "Push, Mummy, so we can see if your baby is a girl or a boy!" In this hospital, women often saw a doctor for the first time on the day they were about to give birth. Finding out the sex of the infant was usually enough motivation for them to push with all their might.

Around 10 p.m. - 15 hours into my shift - a patient was brought to my delivery table. She was in her late 20s, fair-skinned and with long straight hair. It was her second pregnancy, and she was weeping softly. The woman had come to the emergency room because she had not felt her baby kicking for several days. She had a brown foul-smelling discharge that reeked of death, and doctors could not detect a heartbeat using a Doppler ultrasound. The baby, she was told, was dead.

It was my job to deliver the stillborn infant. I wondered why this poor woman wasn't given a Caesarean to ease her suffering, but I assumed that, since this was a busy hospital, no operating theatres were available. Besides, the obstetric resident told me that it would an "easy delivery" because the baby was dead and the mother had given birth before. She said I should have the baby out in less than 30 minutes.

For the first time that night, I was silent. How could I convince this woman to push, just so she could deliver her dead child into the world?

After almost an hour, the resident returned and asked me why it was taking so long. I whispered that I could feel the infant's head, but the mother just wasn't pushing enough. I asked if I could speed up the delivery by doing an episiotomy, a small incision to enlarge the birth canal. She nodded her approval.

I quickly made the incision and felt the baby pop into my hands. He was a lovely little boy, weighing about three kilos. As was normal practice, I placed the infant on a sterile sheet I had draped over the mother's abdomen. She looked at her dead son, then turned her head away. I was quiet the whole time. There are simply no words to say to a woman who has just given birth to a dead infant.

As I started to suture the incision I had made, I heard a small cough. I looked up at the baby, who was still on the mother's belly. Then I heard the loveliest and loudest sound in my life. He was screaming his lungs out! All I could say was, "Mummy, your baby is alive!" over and over again. Her soft cries turned into convulsive happy tears. "Doctor, thank you for bringing my child to life," she said repeatedly.

It was the most memorable birthday I ever had. Nothing compares to that magical moment when I experienced the wonderful miracle of birth and learned first-hand that doctors are not gods. By all accounts, the infant should have been dead. It was then I realised that if I were to make a mistake as a doctor, this was the kind I would not mind making - to be proven wrong by a patient who turns out to be alive when I thought he was dead.

I never found out what happened to that woman and her baby after they were discharged. But I will never forget them. They made me believe that miracles do happen.

The Last Song

I watched the Last Song, a movie inspired by Nicholas Sparks' book.
He has been one of my fave young writer since uni - the day Gabriella bought me his book - Message in a Bottle. I remember staying up all night reading this book with tears in my eyes.
I still wonder how he writes women so well...he surprisingly understands women and how they feel and he puts those feelings in words.

And from those words to beautiful written books which will never fail to bring tears in your eyes. The Last Song being his latest. The movie much like the book was well written and the songs amazing. I've not been a fan of Miley Cyrus but her character - 'Ronnie' was well written; it could be cos Sparks did write the screenplay of the movie even before he finish writing the novel.

It is not only a story of first love, of coming-of-age but most importantly a story of love between a parent and a child. Only a Spark novel can demonstrate the many ways that a deeply felt relationship can break our hearts and....heal them.

I love the song - When I look at you....

Everybody needs inspiration
Everybody needs a soul
A beautiful melody
When the nights so long

Cause there is no guarantee
That this life is easy..

When my world is falling apart
When there’s no light to break up the dark
That’s when I, I…
I look at you

When the waves
Are flooding the shore and I can’t
Find my way home anymore
That’s when I, I…
I look at you

When I look At You I see forgiveness
I see the truth
You love me for who I am
Like the stars Hold the moon
Right there where they belong
And I Know I’m Not Alone

'Dangerous Men'

The first person one must learn to love is oneself. If you do not love yourself, and by that is meant respect and esteem for your own self, you will not be able to love anyone else.

I'm reminded of this story I recently came across in this book I'm reading...

Tears glistened in the eyes of Salvation Army officer Shaw as he looked at the three men before him. Shaw was a medical missionary who had just arrived in India.
It was the turn of the century, and the Salvation Army was taking over the care of the leper colony.

But these three lepers had manacles and fetters binding their hands and feet, cutting the diseased flesh. Captain Shaw turned to the guard and said, 'Please unfasten the chains'.

'It isn't safe,' the guard replied. 'These men are dangerous criminals as well as lepers.'
'I'll be responsible. They're suffering enough,' Captain Shaw said, as he put out his hand and took the keys. Then he knelt on the ground, tenderly removed the shackles and treated their bleeding ankles.

About two weeks later Captain Shaw had his first misgivings about freeing the criminals. He has to make an overnight trip and dreaded leaving his wife and child alone.

But his wife was also a Salvation Army officer whose life was dedicated to God. She insisted that she was not afraid.

The next morning when she went to her front door, she was startled to see the three criminals lying at her door steps.

One of them explained, "We know doctor go. We stay here so no harm come to you".

So this is how 'dangerous men' responded to an act of love.

So my thought of today: Never judge someone you don't know, then you will never give yourself time and opportunity to learn to love them'.

Decisions

I've loved Paulo Coelho the first time I lay eyes on his books. Something drew me to him a few years ago when I was very down. The man writes with so much passion in his heart. I wish I could spend just an hour having a conversation about life and love with him.

Sometimes I think it is I who make life difficult for myself with so much expectation especially wanting things that are not meant for me. I need to learned to let go off things/people that I can't have and focus just on me and making me happy and contented. It should be all about me and just me.

I remember reading Coelho's words of wisdom:

Whenever we need to make a very important decision, it is best to trust our instincts because reason usually tries to remove us, from our dream, saying that the time is not yet right.
Reason is afraid of defeat, but intuition enjoys life and its challenges.

The book

Have you ever received a gift from someone you were actually angry with?

A couple of weeks ago, someone who I was actually angry with gave me a gift. A book.
I was actually taken aback by this gift especially from this person.
Maybe this person was looking for forgiveness and knew that more good can come from my friendship so he decided to find a way to mend things with me.
So I accepted the gift and the kindness shown to me and let go off my anger towards this person. Whether this was the right think to do or not...it doesn't really matter as long in my heart; it felt good.

Now this person really knows me well enough to know that I love books so I ask myself how can I continue to fester anger in my heart for this person who actually found a way to touch my heart in a small way.

It is a little book with interesting insights...and how we should look at life.

In the introductory pages, it states:

You will meet many strange and wonderful characters in these pages- from the lofty wisdom of Lao Tzu to the often ridiculous metaphors of Chuang Tzu to the down-to-earth tales of Lien Tzu.

In between, you will meet hunchbacks, cripples, lords and servants, wise sages, and foolish seekers after the Truth. But pay attention, you may even meet yourself here.

I can't wait to see what's in store for me...

Happiness is with you.

I haven't written in awhile, things have been so hectic at work. One task after another, leaving me very little room to breath. I'm gonna take it all in my stride. Another two months to go.

Today is another weekend of work, but managed to read for pleasure, which is something I haven't done for so long. Come across this chapter on Forgiving Yourself. I think everyone has a hard time trying to forgive themselves and moving on. I know I have.

Give yourself the gift of forgiveness.
Give up the vain hope that by holding on to a hurt you somehow might make the past better.
This moment is all you have.
You cannot change past moments.
When you let them go and happiness will return.
You will then be in a much more secure and contented frame of mind from which to find a way to forgive those who hurt you.
It's your choice to allow a different attitude to develop.
Happiness is with you.

Laurence Sterne once said "Only the brave know how to forgive. A coward never forgive; it is not in his nature".

Today being the celebration of Easter, I ask myself am I brave enough to forgive?

Just Friends by Robyn Sisman

I actually saw this book in the bookstore about 2 years ago. I wanted to get it but didn't until 3 months ago. Why I didn't get this book earlier? Well becos' I always want almost every book I see at the bookstore; it's a crazy fettish I have for books. I always want more books than I can manage to read.

Nevertheless, The title of this book never left my mind; how could it. It's like hearing your partner say let's be 'just friends'. Anyway, I loved the illustration of all Robyn Sisman's book. The jacket cover of this book is one reason of getting this book. However, this book is the first one I have read written by Sisman. Sisman is British but this book is written in 21st century New York where two long lost friends, meet up, live together and along the ways of many weird happenings and stubbordness actually managed to fall in love with each other without actually knowing it. A modern-day Pride and Prejudice perhaps?

I wouldn't consider this novel a 'chick lit' genre piece. It's more grown up than that and more realistic. Even though this book is more than 400-pages, you just can't stop reading it. Took me two days to finish it.

I love the male lead character of this book - Jack. He's so hot and I fell in love with him in the end. As I was reading, I was thinking this would be a great book to turn into a movie and true enough Publishers Weekly stated that Warner Brothers has bought the rights of the book but until now hasn't turn it into a movie yet. Why I wonder? I would love your opinion (after reading this book of course) which Hollywood actor could play the role of Jack? The sexy, 6'2 in height, blond-hair writer who started off as a bad-ass guy in this novel but turned into a real sweetheart in the end.