Seeking Asylum

After reading this short story (see below) by Gibran. I count my blessings.
I've been ever so blessed to have parents who have allowed me to grow and find my our path and have never forced anything upon me. They allow me to make my own mistakes and learn from those mistakes, no matter how bitter those mistakes are. All they ever do is support me in my choices. Indeed I am blessed. Today especially after reading this story.

Sometimes being in an asylum is the only place where one can experience peace within.

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A great story by the talented Kahlil Gibran.

I was strolling in the gardens of an insane asylum when I met a young man who was reading a philosophy book.

His behaviour and his evident good health made him stand out from the other inmates.

I sat down beside him and asked:

'What are you doing here?'

He looked at me, surprised. But seeing that I was not one of the doctors, he replied:

'It's very simple. My father, brilliant lawyer, wanted me to be like him.
My uncle, who owns a large emporium, hoped I would follow his example.
My mother wanted me to be the image of her beloved father.
My sister always set her husband before me as an example of a successful man.
My brother tried to train me up to be a fine athlete like himself.

"And the same thing happened at school, with the piano teacher and the English teacher - they were all convinced and determined that they were the best possible example to follow".
None of them looked at me as one should look at a man, but as if they were looking in a mirror.

'So I decided to enter this asylum. At least here I can be myself'.

Am I making a difference?

My colleague sent me this story about the teaching profession and how it should be viewed by people. I wonder all the time whether I'm actually making a difference?

One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued,” What’s a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"

To stress his point he said to another guest; "You're a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?"

Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, "You want to know what I make? (She paused for a second, then began...)

"Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could

I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 without an I Pod, Game Cube or movie rental.

You want to know what I make? (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table)

I make kids wonder.

I make them question.

I make them apologize and mean it.

I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.

I teach them to write and then I make them write.. Keyboarding isn't everything.

I make them read, read, read.

I make them show all their work in math. They use their God given brain, not the man-made calculator.

I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know about English while preserving their unique cultural identity.

I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.

Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life. (Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.)

Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with me knowing money isn't everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant. You want to know what I make? I MAKE A DIFFERENCE. What do you make Mr. CEO?

His jaw dropped, he went silent.

A truly profound answer!!!
Teaching is...the profession that makes all other professions possible!

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.”

He still moves stones

It was one of those lazy hazy Sunday where you stayed in bed the whole day. I took the opportunity to read a 'Note from Max Lucado' on Strength.

An example of faith was found on the walls of a concentration camp. On it a prisoner had carved the words:

I believe in the sun, even though it doesn't shine,
I believe in love, even when it isn't shown,
I believe in God, even when he doesn't speak.

I try to imagine the person who etched those words. I try to envision his skeletal hand gripping the broken glass or stone that cut into the wall. I try to imagine his eyes squinting through the darkness as he carved each letter.

What hand could have seen good in such horror?
There is only one answer: Eyes that chose to see the unseen.

A tough tuesday

Today was judgement day so to speak at work. I'm glad I managed to express all that's in my heart. Just wish things didnt have to go down this way. Perhaps there are no coincidences in life; that things had to happen this way in order for me to move on. It makes me question - Are coincidences in our life part of our destiny?

I remember reading a short but interesting story that pretty much sums up this question.

There was an old man who had a dream one night that he would be protected from a ravaging storm that would engulf his whole village.

The next day, as expected, a terrible storm came to his region. The first day a neighbor of his offered help for him to flee – help that he denied since he was sure God was going to help him.
The second day, when he had to take refuge in the second floor of his house given that the waters had taken over all of the first floor, a rescue team came to his house and offered him to get out of there – help that he again refused given that God had promised him to get out of there.
The third day came a helicopter to rescue him but he was adamant that God was going to save him.
Not long after he drowned and died. Once in heaven he complained to God: “why didn’t you help me as you promised?”
To which God replied: ” I sent your neighbor, a rescue squad and even a helicopter to which you simply declined!”

Things are written, but you need to be attentive to the signs that constantly try to remind you that life wishes you to be “saved”. And salvation is the path that leads you to your dream, your fulfillment in this life.

Hope

Today, my mind is on Hope. The dictionary defines hope as a tendency of the spirit to consider something as probable. Hope is expectation of and desire of receiving; refraining from despair and capability of not giving up.

In Christian philosophy, 'Hope' is one of the theological virtues associated with salvation. Lack of hope may give place to despair or cynicism.

I place my trust in Hope that all will go as I expect it to this coming week. That there will be no endings, only new beginning.

Ancient Greek philosophy tells an interesting story about Hope. In one of the classic myths of the Creation, one of the gods, furious at the fact that Prometheus stole fire and in doing so gave men their independence, sends Pandora to marry her brother Epimetheus. Pandora brings along a box, which she is forbidden to open. However, just as happens to Eve in the Christian myth, her curiosity gets the better of her: she raises the lid to see what is inside, and at this moment all the troubles of the world spill out and spread all over the Earth. Only one thing remains inside: Hope, the only arm to combat the misfortune that has scattered throughout the world.

Different language, different understanding

It was a really cold, wet day at the office since the wee hours. To make things worse, the temperature at the office felt like it was sub-zero.

I found it hard to concentrate on work so I read to keep my mind busy. I'm always looking for opportunities to read for pleasure at work when I should be actually working.

Anyway, read this real funny light-hearted story that put a smile on my face.

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A fervent Buddhist lady made every effort to love others. But every time she went to the market, a merchant made indecent proposals to her.

One rainy morning, when the man bothered her once again, she lost control and hit him on the face with her umbrella.

That same afternoon, she sought out a monk and told him what had happened.
“I am ashamed,” she said. “I couldn’t control my hate.”

“You did wrong to hate him,” answered the monk. ” But life is about communicating our feelings to each other – and you need to understand that people are different”.

“The next time he says something, fill your heart with goodness.

“And hit him again with your umbrella, because that’s the only language he knows.”

Unconditional Acceptance: Do you have it?

I read a very inspiring story today that brought tears to my eyes.
Often we find it hard to accept people; we are forever judging others.
See how you are able to relate to this...



I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12 and 3) and have recently completed my college degree.
The last class I had to take was Sociology.

The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with.

Her last project of the term was called, 'Smile'.
The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions.
I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway. So I thought this would be a piece of cake,
Literally.
Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning. It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son.
We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did.

I did not move an inch...An overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved.
As I turned around I smelled a horrible 'dirty body smell' and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men.
As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was 'smiling'.

His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance..

He said, 'Good day' as he counted the few coins he had been clutching..

The second man fumbled with this hands as he stood behind his friend. I realised the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation.

I helf my tears as I stood there with them. The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted.

He said, 'Coffee is all Miss' because that was all they could afford (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm). Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes.

That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging my every action.

I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray. I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman's cold hand.

He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, 'Thank you'.

I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, 'I did not do this for you. God is here working through me to give you hope.'

I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son...When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, 'That is why God gave you to me, Honey, to give me hope..'

We held hands for a moment and at that time, we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given we were able to give. We are not church goers, but we are believers.

That day showed me the pure Light of God's sweet love.

I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand. I turned in 'my project' and the instructor read it. Then she looked up at me and said, 'Can I share this?'

I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class. She begab to read and that is when I knew that we as humab beings and being part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed.

In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald's, my son, the instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a college student.

I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn: Unconditional Acceptance.

Much love and compassion is sent to each and every person who may read this and learn how to:

Love people and use things. NOT love things and use people!

Are you able to give others Unconditional Acceptance?

Choosing the path

An interesting short story to share about choosing the right path...

“I am willing to give up everything”, said the prince to the master. “Please accept me as your disciple.”

“How does a man choose his path?” asked the master.

“Through sacrifice,” answered the prince. “A path which demands sacrifice, is a true path.”

The master bumped into some shelves. A precious vase fell, and the prince threw himself down in order to grab hold of it. He fell badly and broke his arm, but managed to save the vase.

“What is the greater sacrifice: to watch the vase smash, or break one’s arm in order to save it?” asked the master.

“I do not know,” said the prince.

“Then how can you guide your choice for sacrifice? The true path is chosen by our ability to love it, not to suffer for it.”

The Digital Story of Nativity

It is without doubt that technology has changed the way we do things, view things and even celebrate things. In line with Christmas, the birthday of Jesus; we remember the Story of Nativity. Which simply refers to the accounts of the birth of Jesus.

Enjoy this interesting digital glimpse of the Story of Nativity. Blessed Christmas everyone.

Wisdom

A short story to share....

Hoping to impress his master, a student of the occult whom I know read some manuals on magic and decided to buy the materials mentioned in the texts. With considerable difficulty he managed to find a certain type of incense, some talismans, a wooden structure with sacred characters written in an established order.
When we were having breakfast together with his master, the latter commented:
“Do you believe that by rolling computer wires around your neck you will acquire the efficiency of the machine? Do you believe that by buying hats and sophisticate clothes you will also acquire the good taste and sophistication of those who made them?

“Objects can be your allies, but they do not contain any type of wisdom. First practice devotion and discipline, and everything else will come to you later.”

My thought : We acquire wisdom through knowledge+intuition+ experience+mistakes+pain! When we … learn our .. lessons -which are different for each one of us – then we become … WISE. But as Socrates has said: I know one thing, that I know nothing!

The moment to decide

I just have to share this wonderfully appropriate story which clearly reflect my feelings and thoughts right now. God have never fail to provide signs for me to find my way when I'm lost. Sometimes the signs are not clear cut answers but always a direction for me to focus on and not be afraid.

The warrior of the light is terrified when faced with important decisions.

“That is too great for you,” says one friend. “Go on, be brave,” says another. And his doubts only increase.

After some days of anxiety, he withdraws into a corner of his tent, where he usually sits to mediate and pray. He sees himself in the future. He sees the people who will benefit and lose out because of his actions. He does not wish to cause unnecessary suffering, but nor will he abandon the path.

So the warrior allows the decision to appear.

If he must say yes, then he shall bravely say it. If he must say no, then he shall say so without fear.

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‘So the warrior allows the decision to appear…..’

This is what we need to learn, allowance…

I need to learn to cross the intersections listening to my heart and following the signs.

Is there a reason for ordeals?

This is perhaps a sign for some 'questions' I've been asking myself.
We should all learn to 'not complain till we understand the reason of our ordeals. An interesting short story from Coelho that reflects this message.

A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light. An angel appeared, showed a large rock in front of his cabin and asked him to push against the rock with all his might.

This the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock.

Nothing happened. And he decided to make it a matter of prayer.
“Lord I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even been able to budge that rock. What is wrong? Why am I failing?”

The angel appeared again :
“My friend, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. And now you come to me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so?”

“Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewy and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard.
“Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have.
“You learned the importance of discipline and training,

” This you have done. Now it is my turn, my task.”

And the angel moved the rock, showing to the man a beautiful path ahead.

We often wait for answers (and messages) and then don’t even listen to what is being said.
If you are asked to walk, then walk.
God will arrange the destination but you just have to walk.
Listen, and take heed of what is actually being said.

Staying Focused

It's been rather difficult to stay focused today, especially since I found out some unpleasant things that were said about me by some very ungrateful people yet they seem nice in front of me.
Why do I keep attracting those horrible people to my life and Why am I even being kind to those undeserving? I wonder how much can a person take before they break. I pray that God just take away all these unpleasantness from my life. All I ever ask is to be happy. I need to develop thicker skin to handle these situations....I have such a weak heart. It gets broken easily.

Anyway, I tried to focus on my reading today...to seek some sort of intervention from how I'm feeling today.

An interesting short story about staying focused on the things that you want in life.

As a little girl, I often tackled a task full of enthusiasm, only to become discouraged quickly. One bright summer day my father showed me an experiment with a magnifying glass and a newspaper. When he moved the glas over the paper from one place to another, nothing happened. But when he held it motionless in one spot for a while, focusing the sun's rays, a hole appeared.

I was fascinated, but didnt grasp the significance of the procedure. Father explained that the same principle applied in everything we do: That to make a success of our lives we must learn to concentrate all our efforts on the undertaking in hand until it is finished.

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.”

The Convention for those Wounded in Love

I've loved Paulo Coelho - the writer extraordinaire for years now. He writes for the soul like no other I know. I've been an avid follower of his blog for awhile now. Everything he writes just warms the heart. If I could pick anyone to have a conversation with, he would be my choice without doubt.

Yesterday I read something really heart-warming that he wrote about those wounded in love. As mentioned people usually think about those whom are wounded in war, never those wounded in love. I like to share what he has to say about this...

General provisions:

A – Whereas the saying “all is fair in love and war” is absolutely correct;

B – Whereas for war we have the Geneva Convention, approved on 22 August 1864, which provides for those wounded in the battle field, but until now no convention has been signed concerning those wounded in love, who are far greater in number;

It is hereby decreed that:

Article 1 – All lovers, of any sex, are alerted that love, besides being a blessing, is also something extremely dangerous, unpredictable and capable of causing serious damage. Consequently, anyone planning to love should be aware that they are exposing their body and soul to various types of wounds, and that they shall not be able to blame their partner at any moment, since the risk is the same for both.

Article 2 – Once struck by a stray arrow fired from Cupid’s bow, they should immediately ask the archer to shoot the same arrow in the opposite direction, so as not to be afflicted by the wound known as “unrequited love”. Should Cupid refuse to perform such a gesture, the Convention now being promulgated demands that the wounded partner remove the arrow from his/her heart and throw it in the garbage. In order to guarantee this, those concerned should avoid telephone calls, messages over the Internet, sending flowers that are always returned, or each and every means of seduction, since these may yield results in the short run but always end up wrong after a while. The Convention decrees that the wounded person should immediately seek the company of other people and try to control the obsessive thought: “this person is worth fighting for”.

Article 3 – If the wound is caused by third parties, in other words if the loved one has become interested in someone not in the script previously drafted, vengeance is expressly forbidden. In this case, it is allowed to use tears until the eyes dry up, to punch walls or pillows, to insult the ex-partner in conversations with friends, to allege his/her complete lack of taste, but without offending their honor. The Convention determines that the rule contained in Article 2 be applied: seek the company of other persons, preferably in places different from those frequented by the other party.

Article 4 – In the case of light wounds, herein classified as small treacheries, fulminating passions that are short-lived, passing sexual disinterest, the medicine called Pardon should be applied generously and quickly. Once this medicine has been applied, one should never reconsider one’s decision, not even once, and the theme must be completely forgotten and never used as an argument in a fight or in a moment of hatred.

Article 5 – In all definitive wounds, also known as “breaking up”, the only medicine capable of having an effect is called Time. It is no use seeking consolation from fortune-tellers (who always say that the lost lover will return), romantic books (which always have a happy ending), soap-operas on the television or other such things. One should suffer intensely, completely avoiding drugs, tranquilizers and praying to saints. Alcohol is only tolerated if kept to a maximum of two glasses of wine a day.

Final determination:
Those wounded in love, unlike those wounded in armed conflict, are neither victims nor torturers. They chose something that is part of life, and so they have to accept both the agony and the ecstasy of their choice.
And those who have never been wounded in love will never be able to say: “I have lived”. Because they haven’t.

The Last Straw

I read with interest the story about JetBlue Flight attendant Steven Slater recently. Slater flipped out over a fight with an agitated traveller whom hit him on the head while he was trying to calm her down (I'm sure not his first encounter with crazed air travellers) on Aug 9, cursing over the intercom before grabbing some beer from the plane's galley and making a grand exit down the emergency slide at Kennedy Airport.

I'm sure many of us have thought of doing the same (well not the exact way Slater did) and just walking out but we hold back for many reasons.
When the cubicle starts to feel more like a prison than a calling?
When the bossiest boss has a smile that was just too smug? When the piddling wage seemed not to be worth the aggravation?

Defying the rules, telling people off and walking off a job is not usually a launching pad for public admiration and acclaim.
I believe only a handful of people have fulfilled Slater's fantasy in such grand fashion: leaving his job via the plane's emergency chute, with a beer in hand.

Slater's last words on the loudspeaker: "Those of you who have shown dignity and respect these last 20 years, thanks for a great ride".

I'm sure Slater's sudden exit has rekindled memories of workers' liberation as well as sparked wishful excitement amongst workers who have long fantasised of choosing pride over pay.

What's going on with Slater now: the poor guy is now facing felony charges as prosecutors said Slater's actions could have been deadly if ground crew workers had been hit by the emergency slide, which deploys with a force of 1,360kg per sq/in.
I say it was worth the consequences.

Celebrate Life?

There's been a whole load of things on my mind recently.
Today, a stranger taught me a valuable lesson through her words.
In today's newspaper, I came across a story about Regina Brett, a famed journalist and a cancer survivor. Her words were on her views on life and how she survived cancer.

What struck me most of the one-page article was the following:

A lot of us hit bumps on the road of life.
We make mistakes we wish we can take back.
We wish to go back to the very moment to change things (I know I for one wishes that)
We worry that our lives aren't perfect, that we're somehow not doing what we should be.
We look at other people and feel we've failed in some way.

Brett in her article, reminds me that the truth is that it's OK to have a messy life and get things wrong.
It's OK to go after something and fail to achieve it.
And we shouldn't be afraid of not being perfect or fear the failure we encounter.

Instead, we should embrace the life we have and live every moment to the full as though it's your moment on stage, in the spotlight.
But this is easier said then actually getting it done.
Sometimes it takes people a lifetime to find and hold on to happiness.

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 Lion Pursue of Happiness

One day, the young lion asked his mom: "Mom, where is the happiness?"
Mom replied: "It's on your tail."

So the young lion keeps on chasing after his tail. But after a whole day of trying, he failed to get the happiness that was on his tail.

Then he told his mom about this, his mom smiled and said: "Son, you don't really need to chase after your happiness, as long as you keep going and moving forward, your happiness will always be with you."

It's an interesting story I read. Sometimes we think about life and wonder why things are the way they are. But then I am reminded of these:

You can't decide the length of life, but you can control how you want to live it.
You can't control the weather, but you can control your mood.
You can't change your look, but you can smile.
You can't control others, but you can control yourself.
You can't foresee tomorrow, but you can utilize today wisely.
You can't win everything, but you can try your very best to achieve that.