I doodled. I wrote. I typed. I emailed. I ICQed. I MSNed. I SMSed. I blogged. I facebooked. Now I tweet...
Sex, violence, special effects and Hollywood stars: these are key ingredients for a blockbusting movie.
Well, the movie that I'm recommending here has none of the above but it reaches the heart, embraces it and transforms it.
It is a movie about marriage - the bedrock of every society; a timely relief for our modern society where up to 54.9% of new marriages end in divorce!
And though it's a Christian production, I assure you that it's not preachy, cheesy and draggy. In fact, the acting is superb, casting perfect and pacing climactic - check out Fireproof here now:
I realised I've been too serious lately... blogging about big heavy topics - that's not really my style and now with the recession, I think we all need to ease up a little, it's not the end of the world you know... unless my boss walks in now and catches me blogging (but that's not gonna happen since he's on vacation;-)
I just had to write something after being inspired by Robin Chan's witty article about his pay cut - "poor thing" you might think but check out how he overcame this tragedy and even managed to have fun here!
Indeed, it's important to have fun in the midst of serious business; how else can we keep our sanity? Joke whenever possible, laugh at yourself, smile always, see the lighter of things, think crazy fun ideas and look forward to a dream holiday/car etc.
But jokes aside, I really need to get back to work - but it's really amazing that with a little sense of humour, I've managed to up my productivity: I found time to blog in the midst of replying emails, analysing data and learning French!
According to the Guttmacher Institute in Oct 2008, about 1 in 5 pregnancies end in abortion...
Not to worry, I am not going to start yet another futile debate on the abortion controversy - I believe we should all focus on the common ground of both pro-life and pro-choice camps: abortion reduction.
Due to the complex circumstances surrounding a mother's decision to go for an abortion, I don't think so mere words, no matter how convincing and logical, would be of much help...
Inspired by how a fetal ultrasound poster saved the life of an unborn child, I would like to share this 3D ultrasound video clip of a 9-week fetus - in the hope that mothers-to-be, after realising how "human" a foetus actually is, would seriously reconsider the decision to "get rid of it" and consider alternatives:
I recently discovered a quantum mechanical characteristic of Friendship which I hereby term ABC - Apart But Connected; like two particles in quantum entanglement, two friends can be apart but connected in a mysterious way by heartstrings.
When I met up with my ex-classmate from my secondary school recently, we both exclaimed at the same time, "You haven't changed much after 18 years!"
It was a wonderful experience reminiscing our good old schooling days when we were full of mischief and having lots of fun. Somehow, the memories flowed freely as if they were just a day old. And I was sure we both felt the same sense of closeness that we had 18 years ago!
Now I know where I should invest my time and effort to reap a lasting harvest...
I like to eat meat... after being a Flexitarian for almost 3 years, I must admit that I still prefer meat to veggies!
But that doesn't mean I am "backsliding" - my dietary preferences were never the reasons for my conversion in the first place - the key reason was, is and always will be the welfare of innocent animals.
Today, the situation isn't getting better for our fellow earth-dwellers: read about the barbarities of factory farming here, and learn about 30 reasons to go vegetarianism here.
Though I have not successfully converted anyone to Vegetarianism or Flexitarianism, I've learnt that through my many opportune sharings during mealtimes, many had reduced meat intake and started thinking/questioning about animal cruelty! And unlike vegetarians, I have the advantage of being able to "infiltrate" the meat-eating camps and evangelise about the benefits of vegetarianism!
And so, after all these years, I still choose to remain a Flexitarian and continue my crusade against animal cruelty!
With more than 1 million homeless and about 100,000 dead, we must act fast to prevent more deaths due to lack of food and water as well as spread of diseases. Check out WorldVision's response and the latest news here.
Let's all pray, donate and do what we can to help the victims of Cyclone Nargis - perhaps the solidarity and compassion of the international community would also help to bring Myanmar out of isolation....
I have not read any books on love and marriage since Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus (1992) because I thought I had read most of the important books on the topic and besides, I had a great 7-year marriage so far...
Then I chanced upon Gary Chapman's Five Love Languages (1995) - the concepts are not new to me but they are well-explained, practical and most importantly, impactful!
Through his research and experience, Dr Chapman concluded that there are just five basic love languages:
There're countless tips on how to save petrol on the Web but I would like to share just one tip - because it really works and helps me to improve my Vios 1.5 E (Auto) mileage from an average of 11 km/l to 14 km/l!
I've tried many tips but this is THE ONE TIP that gives significant petrol savings! And it's very simple to apply and it's even good for health!
Here it is: Switch off the air-conditioning unit and open the windows as little as possible to allow just enough air to keep the car cool (to minimise drag caused by air gushing into the car, especially at high speeds)
The past 3 months had been an emotionally and physically trying period for me.
Death, suffering, despair, betrayal, stress, fatigue – I’ve experienced these extreme states of life in parallel through my loved ones and close friends; a close relative had to make a decision to amputate a leg or die within a week; another had to face up to the inevitability of losing a second leg; a close friend struggled with the sudden prospect of divorce with young children; and I faced the toughest challenge of my job with key colleagues suddenly falling sick and heroic time constraints.
Big questions about life naturally surfaced in my mind: is death a good choice when there's no hope for quality of life? why is there so much pain and suffering? what is the point of working hard when life is so short? what is the ultimate meaning of life?
I found no easy answers even though I had been a God-fearing Catholic for decades - the ageless question of why an all-powerful loving God could allow so much pain and suffering in the world remains a mind-boggling mystery for most people, including myself...
Instead of relishing in the comfort of my business-class seat and enjoying the wide selection of movies during the two 12-hour flights of my business trip in Europe, my mind was actively being engaged and amazed by the mind-blowing concepts of a book on theology: Christian Philosophy by Joseph M. de Torre - I've prayed for help and God led me to this seemingly difficult, boring and out-of-date book!
As I read the last page of that book some days after I returned from my trip, I felt an immense satisfaction and was profoundly enlightened: I've found the ultimate end in life - GOD - not by a sudden relevation from Heaven but by a systematically intellectual reasoning process that leaves no room for doubt.
In short, if man pursues an end other than God, he is bound to be dissatisfied and frustrated - every single thought and action must be oriented to God simply because he is created by God for God - by doing so, he attains an invincible joy beyond human understanding, regardless of his circumstances.
So, whether you're an atheist, agnostic or you simply don't care, I would urge you to take time to think about life and its ultimate end - it's the key to happiness in this life and the next! Click here for an interesting and witty article to begin your journey towards the Ultimate End.
As World AIDS Day is just round the corner (1 Dec), it is timely for us to reflect on the AIDS pandemic that has claimed more than 25 million lives since it was first recognized in 1981. Currently, about 38.6 million people are living with AIDS worldwide.
No cure has been found to date. Despite global preventive campaigns with budgets in the range of billions of dollars, the number of infections showed little signs of abating - there were 4.3 million new HIV cases in 2006 alone.
So what went wrong? Many governments and health organizations use the ABC approach (Abstinence - Being faithful - Condoms) to prevent the spread of HIV through sex. However, it has been widely criticized: religious groups are against C while others are against the emphasis of A and B.
I would like to propose one additional element to enhance the effectiveness of the ABC approach: Development of family life
I believe a strong vibrant family life is tantamount in preventing a multitude of sexual problems/issues, eg. spouses in a loving and sexually fulfilling marriage are less vulnerable to temptations, teenagers in a wholesome family are less likely to be promiscuous.
Development of family life should include pro-family government policies as well as promotion of family-related activities (eg. marriage preparation courses, effective communication skills seminars, teenager counselling sessions, family camps).
Let's discuss and share the ABCD approach in our fight against AIDS!
Heard of Quantum Mechanics? You might have heard it but think little of it because it sounds terribly complicated and unrelated to daily life.
And you are right: it's so mind-boggling that even Albert Einstein (named as the greatest physicist of all time) had problems with it, and of course, life goes on even if you can't understand its equations.
But I think everyone should know a bit more about it because it might affect one's orientation towards religion which, in turn, would completely change one's life.
Quantum Mechanics was conceived in 1838 but only received wide attention in the 20th and 21st centuries because it was experimentally proven to be able to explain physical phenomena at the atomic level more accurately than two of the most successful theories known to mankind: Einstein's General Relativity and Newton's Classical Mechanics.
In simple layman terms, Quantum Mechanics tells us that no physical phenomenon is certain until being observed, eg. the computer screen you're looking at now may not exist if you're not conscious of it; science can no longer explain the mystery of life with certainty.
Quantum Mechanics reveals how unimaginably mysterious the universe is - there is more than meets the eye. So think again before you decide that religion/theology is "obsolete" in the modern world...
Till today, my parents have been telling me to save money for a rainy day - and I have been obedient:-)
But in our modern globalised society, we need better financial strategies to sustain and grow the economy, bridge the income gap between the richest and poorest, help the underprivileged and of course, make ourselves happy.
There are many interesting online discussions on how best to spend money - It’s Okay to Spend Money is one such insightful discussion.
I am no economist but it is obvious that over-spending and under-spending are absolute no-no's; the former bankrupts consumers, the latter bankrupts retailers and both hurt the economy - and make everyone unhappy.
And so, I would like to propose my simple 10/20/30/40 rule (1234$) for spending money:
- Donate 10% to charity
- Save 20%
- Indulge 30% on non-essentials
- Spend 40% on essentials
So far, 1234$ worked well for me - do try it out and share your experience here - economists, your expert advice is needed too - let's discover the best possible way to spend our hard-earned money!
I was at the final phase of Operation Romantic Birthday Surprise after accomplishing the virtually impossible objective of obtaining the McDonald's Shrek figurine (not even eBay had it!).
It was time to pull in a highly unlikely accomplice for the climactic ending: my then 20-month-old son Xavier. I wasn't even sure if he could cooperate but I had to try. I told him as simply as possible the complex plan of surprising my wife Lynn with the figurine in her cupboard - he nodded - and I trusted him.
After Lynn finished cooking, I gave Xavier the cryptic cue and he proceeded to lure her to her cupboard, pointed to it and repeatedly exclaimed "Tek" (he meant "Shrek" but it was awesome considering that he was just a toddler). I remained in the living room, awaiting signs of my triumph. Then I heard a pleasant shriek... Mission accomplished!
Make no mistake: it wasn't easy for me to pull off such a romantic feat after more than 6 years of marriage and 7 years of dating!
My secret - capitalising on the key romantic factors:
1. Thoughtfulness: knowing what was desired most at the moment
2. Challenge: finding an objective that is beyond the reach of mortals
3. Surprise: deploying unlikely elements with immaculate timing
So you see, romance is real hard work - if it were easy, it wouldn't be romantic right, ladies?
On 7 June 2007, Nature, the world's foremost scientific journal, reported the possibility of extracting embryonic stem cells from adult skill cells according to experiments involving mouse cells.
This made me sit up and think about the intense Stem Cells Debate that has been going on for a while... Why are there so many arguments on controversial morality issues but so little on practical issues?
Here's my take on why scientists involved in embryonic stem cell research should switch to other viable alternatives from a pragmatic view:
More scientists: It's a fact that scientists who are pro-life will not participate in embryonic stem cell research - so why don't scientists from the embryonic stem cell camp join the pro-life camp instead? The greater the number of scientists working together, the greater the potential for breakthroughs right?
More funding: Governments are more likely to give more funding to research that does not spark public outbursts nor antagonise religious authorities right?
More public support: Everyone supports non-controversial research that benefits humanity right? With great public support comes great motivation for scientists right?
More possibilities: Embryonic stem cell research is constrained by the availability of embryonic stem cell lines. So if one is doing other forms of stem cell research that have little constraints, wouldn't there be more possibilities for breakthroughs?
In all my years of negotiations with parties from large MNCs, government agencies, and universities to negotiations with my 20-month-old son, I've learnt one thing: for any negotiation to have a high chance of success, the following assumption, which I call "The Golden Assumption" must be made:
On 1 April 2007, I had the worst "April Fool's joke" of my life: my computer hung and I realised my last backup was more than 6 months ago!
This was specially embarrassing for me because as a computer engineer, I constantly remind people of the need to back up data regularly!
Though I eventually recovered all data and fixed up my computer, this incident led me to an acutely sobering thought: what about backing up our lives since Life is far more fragile & unpredictable than computers?
Unlike the Windows operating system, Life doesn't allow us to create "Restore Points" nor can it be "burned" onto DVDs. Is there anything we can do to thwart the uncertainties of Life?
I believe I have found a viable solution...
It's actually very simple: lead a life of love and service, and your life would be automatically backed up in the memories and hearts of everyone that you've touched/influenced.
Read how one lady backed up her life here - and unlike DVDs, I believe her backup would last forever.
Mr Mooney had a vision: if he could earn enough money to retire before 50, he would have plenty of time for his family, friends and social/religious work - Life would then be fulfilling and joyful. And so, he worked and worked... with absolutely no time for his family, friends and social/religious work.
One day, Mr Mooney earned enough money to last him many lifetimes and decided to retire. He went to his family but found that their hearts were far from him as he forgot how to love and be loved. He went to his friends but found that they were not interested in him. He went to church and voluntary groups but found that he could not contribute in any way.
Finally, Mr Mooney decided to do what he knew best: work. And so, he worked and worked... and eventually died as a rich but lonely, miserable and unloved man.
Do you also think retirement is the only way to have quality time with family, friends and social/religious work? I used to harbour such thoughts as well but I realised that life can be fulfilling and joyful at this very moment if we get our priorities right - retirement is just an excuse for us to put aside everything else for work...
We all want to become a better person and where possible, help others to become better persons - there is no better way to change the world for the better.
But how do we know if we are growing in character? How can we assess a person's character? How can we be objective?
I propose two measures to gauge one's character:
1. Nobody-Centric
Don't be overly impressed by spectacular displays of courage, charity or love - it is difficult to determine the underlying motives of such actions.
One accurate external measure would be to observe how one treats the toilet-cleaner, waiter, sweeper, taxi driver or anyone who obviously isn't an asset in any imaginable way - in short, the nobodies. One can be nice to the handicapped to show off his compassion but it takes one with true character to pardon the clumsy waiter who spills soup on him.
"A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person." - Dave Barry, humor columnist
2. Self-Centric
Believe it or not, most of the time, we act in a certain way to impress people or simply to look "good" in front of people. It is only when we are alone that we exhibit our true character, eg. you wouldn't download illegal materials from the internet in front of your children.
So simply observe what you do when you're alone and you'll get a good idea of the kind of person you really are.
"Our character is what we do when we think no one is looking." - H. Jackson Browne, Writer
"Reputation is what you are in the light; character is what you are in the dark." - American Proverb
Can't understand why it's always so difficult to see the block numbers of HDB flats? Can't figure out why ancient parking coupons are still used in the digital age?
My fellow Singaporeans, here is your chance to speak up and make a difference in 2007!
Simply check out 10TouchPoints, a nation-wide initiative to redesign everyday stuff to make our lives better!
You can propose new ideas or vote for other people's ideas - do so now before 28 Feb 2007!
I've always thought that the only green way to drive is to drive a hybrid car... until I experienced a new way of driving: Carsharing.
I just obtained my driving license in November and was very eager to drive. But buying a new car is just too costly; renting a car costs a lot too; all my friends advised me against getting a used car; that leaves me with one choice: Carsharing.
So I signed up a carsharing plan at CitySpeed.
As booking a car costs about S$12 an hour, I really had to do some serious prior planning before every booking in order to optimise every drop of petrol and every minute. In the process, I realised that there are actually many travelling alternatives and I would only book a car when it is absolutely necessary and more cost-effective than public transport.
Hence, indirectly, Carsharing promotes the wise use of the limited resources we have and it has been proven to reap several green benefits.
So I believe I would continue Carsharing for a while, at least until my membership expires in Nov 2008 or until I've saved enough for my dream car: The Honda Civic Hybrid (Winner of the 2006 World Green Car)
I was shocked to discover that my beautiful island country Singapore was ranked 131 (out of 178) in a study called The Happy Planet Index to compare how efficient countries are in making their citizens happy.
To understand this study better, let us compare Singapore and Costa Rica:Singapore Costa Rica Ranking 131 3 Life Satisfaction 6.9 7.5 Life Expectancy 78.7 78.2 Ecological Footprint 6.2 2.1
Ecological Footprint is a measure of how much resources a country consumes and is thus an indication of the country's impact on the environment. So in this example, Costa Rica is able to achieve a higher Life Satisfaction and a similar Life Expectancy with just a third of the resources that Singapore uses, i.e. it is more efficient in generating happiness!
What about your country? Maybe it's time we ask ourselves what really constitutes happiness: do we really need so much food, material things, electricity... at the expense of the environment?
If you find yourself doing many things at one go, e.g. munching food, talking to your spouse, checking your emails on your Blackberry, planning next week's work schedule, thinking about yesterday's soccer game and watching TV, all at the same time, then may I propose to you more fruitful way of life: Now-Oriented Living (NOL).
I define NOL as living at the moment for the moment, i.e., if you are eating, you would be focusing your mind on chewing, swallowing and savouring every bite; if you are talking to your spouse, you would be listening attentively and responding accordingly.
But why NOL? Isn't multi-tasking more efficient? Here're 3 big reasons (H3):
Happiness: NOL releases you from past negative experiences and future worries to enjoy the moment as it is. Of course, we can learn much from the past and we can succeed if we plan carefully for the future - a separate time must be set aside for these activities but they should not be mixed with other activities.
Health: NOL enhances both physical & mental spiritual health.
You're invited to participate in the most ambitious Love-Sharing Scheme in Blogosphere: To post one million love messages in a single blog here:
Yesterday, I was pondering about why I couldn't save much money every month even though I had not been making big purchases lately... After analysing my credit card bills and bank accounts, I found the answer: it was in the little thoughtless purchases which I had totally disregarded because of the little money involved!
Indeed, very often, it is the little things that resulted in BIG EFFECTS because we grossly underestimate them and let our guard down against them.
Here're some other examples:
The Near-Death Experience (NDE) has been extensively studied since 1975 after Dr Raymond Moody coined NDE. More recent studies like those by Dr Melvin Morse and Dr Kenneth Ring showed conclusively with scientific proof that there is indeed a spiritual dimension beyond what our physical eyes can see...
Here, I would not talk more about NDE since you can easily google NDE. Instead, I would like to talk about NDE's opposite: the FAr-Death Experience (FADE).
NDE may be life-changing but only a small privileged group experienced it - the vast majority of us only know FADE, which I define as "day-to-day living without the slightest hint that one will die soon."
I believe FADE can be life-changing too if we understand it well in concrete terms - here're the 3 key characteristics of FADE:
Many think twice about parenthood because of the general perception that parenthood:
I once thought so too until I became a father last year and discovered life-changing parenthood revelations!
The above perception is common mainly because many couples nowadays hold stressful jobs and strive for luxuries like posh cars, princely houses and fine dining. So the problem doesn't actually lie with parenthood but with one's job and expectations in life...
I feel that parenthood would inject into your marriage a special dosage of love to help you to:My baby boy Xavier turned 9 months on 12 July 2006 and I must say it has been the most wonderful 9 months of my life!
So if you are considering parenthood, hesitate no more, and experience for yourself the unparalleled joys of parenthood - it is certainly worth the sacrifice of some luxuries in life!
When "Superman Returns" to the big silver screen in June 2006, I am sure many, including myself, felt our hearts soaring to welcome the superhero, and to once again be inspired and mesmerised by his super powers!
But let us never forget that we too possess gifts and talents to be "Superman" in our own little ways and like Superman, we must use our "powers" for the good of others:
Who will win the World Cup 2006?
Dr Andrew Jacobs, an experienced sports psychologist, believes that mental strength would play an important role in World Cup 2006 in an interview with Active.com - "The Mental Side of the World Cup".
So the champion team would probably have not only the best skill but also the best mental prowess...
We often underestimate the power of our thoughts and its immense influence over our actions. And thus, we usually pay more attention to what we are going to do than to what we are thinking about - we often put the cart before the horse.
The average person gives free rein to their thoughts - thinking simply about what comes to mind at the moment, which usually results in thoughts that are aimless, myopic, self-gratifying, negative or simply unproductive, eg. A footballer who thinks about food, women and golf most of his idle time is unlikely to make the winning goal.
Skeptical? Try noting and writing down everything that you think about when you are travelling in the subway or walking down a street and you'll get the idea:)
So to be above average in whatever you do, you need to guard and control your thoughts religiously, banishing every useless thought and thinking positive and productive thoughts that would naturally result in actions leading to the attainment of your goals.
"Nurture your mind with great thoughts; to believe in the heroic makes heroes."
Psychologists have discovered that thankfulness has positive effects on our physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. A two-day gathering of 13 scholars in Dallas in 2001 explored systematic scientific approaches to better understand the nature and effects of gratitude.
Here're two key exciting findings (extracted from the news article "Making a Science of Virtue"):
1. Those who kept gratitude journals on a weekly basis were found to exercise more regularly, reported fewer physical symptoms, felt better about their lives as a whole, and were more optimistic.
2. By experiencing gratitude, a person is motivated to carry out prosocial behavior, energized to sustain moral behaviors, and is inhibited from committing destructive interpersonal behaviors.
Indeed, whenever I count my blessings and thank God for all of them, my day would somehow be a better one! So remember to be thankful for what you have - it's an easy and FREE way to obtain good health in mind, body and soul!
I know I could never fully comprehend the depth of my mother's love for me... but I got a better idea of it when I witness the unconditional, selfless, sacrificial, attentive and tender love given to my 7-month-old son by my wife. I am deeply humbled by such noble love.
On this special day, let us take a moment to reminisce the love showered upon us by our mothers and to let them know how much we appreciate and love them. And to apologise to them for the times we've taken them for granted. Finally and most importantly, to thank them for showing us the pinnacle of the human experience: LOVE.
Happy Mother's Day to my dearest mother and to the mother of my son, my dearest wife, and to all mothers!
Uncertainty is the only certainty in life - we may try to eliminate, minimise or disregard uncertainty but it prevails; resistance is futile in this case.
My alternate proposition: embrace uncertainty.
As an ally, uncertainty helps to rein in our tendency to take things for granted, e.g.:
I have always believed that one should remain cool at all times because getting angry doesn't solve problems and may even strain relationships. I was wrong.
During the past 3 months, I flared up more times than I ever did for my entire life. And it actually helped me!
My anger was directed at the staff of a public hospital; I was angry at the inefficiency of the Accident & Emergency department; I was angry with the indifference of the nurses taking care of my father; I was angry with the rigid processes of patient transfer. When I showed my anger in the above cases, somehow I always got the attention I needed to speed things up:)
Well, to be frank, I found it difficult to control the volume and tone of my voice in the heat of anger and I believed I might have unwittingly hurt/offended some of the hospital staff...
Like speeding, getting angry might be useful at critical moments but I feel that anger should always be used as a last resort with utmost caution to prevent unnecessary "accidents".
How often have you set a goal and not reach it? For me, this is quite often - but I have found a way around this. I would go on quests instead...
The word "Quest" is connotated with Heroism, Nobility and Justice; when we think of quests, we naturally think of knights braving dragons and evil wizards to rescue damsels in distress - and these knights succeed ALL the time! Perhaps this occurs only in fairytales but in reality, quest-seekers may not succeed but could certainly revel in the fact that they have embarked on something worthwhile.
So go on, think of a quest for yourself and pour your heart and soul into it! A quest differs from a goal on the strength and meaning of its cause - you would seldom find people going on quests to be rich, powerful and famous. Hence, I wager you would find more success with quests than goals...
My current quest: to "hero-ise" the world with my blogs.
I am really tired lately and hope to take a good break - however, it is not possible for me to go on a tour now when I need to take care of my 4-month-old baby boy as well as my father who's still slowly recovering from his stroke in the hospital.
Fortunately, I thought of a solution: I would go on a free-and-easy reminiscent tour - a tour into the past beautiful memories of my life. I have since relived the romantic moments with my girlfriend (now my wife:o), the fun moments I have with my parents and family on cruises as well as relieving moments when I survived a killer exam with the generous help of a friend!
These tours may last as short as 5 minutes... but warm memories are really powerful in reminding me of how much God has blessed me and how I should continue to trust in Him; after every reminiscent tour, I would feel rejuvenated and ready to face the challenges of life once again!
We all know that Life is full of ups and downs. And I am quite sure most people don't like downs. Nevertheless, somehow, Life deals to everyone a fair share of ups and downs... which leaves us with Hobson's choice: we gotta learn how to weather the downs of Life if we want to be happy for the most part of our lives.
In the 32 years of my life, I've realised a strange phenomenon: Life tends to deal successive downs within a short period of time, like a determined boxer throwing fast successive critical blows to knock out his opponent. Hence, if we hope to survive such skirmishes, we need to be ready...
I happen to be at one of the downs of Life at this very moment. My father just suffered a massive stroke; my skin problem relapsed; my workload at the office was at its peak; my church website project ran into some problems; my application for a maid (for my father) was driving me nuts because of red tape.
But I survived till this very moment and could sense that Life is slowly phasing in the ups:)
There was a point when I was despairing and didn't know how to carry on. It was then my preparatory work kicked in; I was ready for this decisive moment; With God's grace, I turned away from Despair and looked up to Him.
All of sudden, I remembered all that I've read, studied, prayed and experienced - I shouldn't waste my sufferings but unite them with Christ's suffering and offer them up for my father, for the conversion of hearts and for the reparation of my sins. Miraculously, in that instant, a huge burden was suddenly lifted from my shoulders and my spirit soared once again with youthful vigor.
How to weather the downs of Life? Here's my take: prepare yourself spiritually during the ups of Life.
My father suffered a sudden and massive stroke on the morning of 28 Jan 2006. That day was Chinese New Year's Eve - a day when everyone in the family was looking forward to a sumptuous reunion dinner as well as a joyous and warm family gathering.
We were all shocked. There were no symptoms nor warning signs.
His left side was paralyzed and he could not speak. He was also very thirsty as he could not swallow any food/drink.
In such dire straits, anyone would despair - understandably and naturally. But not my father. He showed no signs of despair - in fact his faith, hope and determination shone and revealed his invincible character; he may be physically paralyzed but he was spiritually impregnable.
Though he couldn't speak, he could still write legibly and his words amazed and touched all of us: there were no "why-me-God" complaints, no whining of pain, no anger. Instead, he asked about my nephew's faulty hard disk, requested to turn down the air-conditioning to save energy, and expressed his desire to attend the weekly Novenas at the Novena Church when he recovers!
His condition is currently stable but the doctor said that the next few days would be critical because of a potential list of complications. The whole family, friends and relatives are all praying for him. We do not know what God has in store for him - but one thing's crystal clear: whatever happens, he would always be in our hearts and his indomitable character would always be a source of inspiration for us.
For the past 3 months, I have the privilege of experiencing one of the priceless wonders of the human experience alongside yucky diapers, irrepressible shrieks, sleep loss, milk-stained clothings & freedom restriction: Parenthood.
No matter how bad my day is or how tiring and sleepy I am, I never failed to be rejuvenated when my little baby Xavier smiles jubilantly at me. And I am also blessed with a most thoughtful, hardworking & loving wife who takes perfect care of the family and home.
So if you ever consider starting a family but fear having to sacrifice much in the process, here's my advice: cease thinking and go for it - it would be tough but it would certainly be worthwhile; it's really a little price to pay for experiencing heaven on earth.
Here's what I think would be the typical answers given by the man-in-the-street about the meaning of Christmas:
We all know that we have a role to play in saving our environment - yet we also know we could never achieve anything as significant as the Kyoto Protocol or stopping the destruction of our rainforests.
Here're my suggestions on practical ways of saving our environment, especially in affluent developed countries like Singapore:
1. Eat less meat: Many people are unaware that meat-eating causes much damage to our environment. In fact, in 1999, the Union of Concerned Scientists ranked meat-eating as one of the most environmentally damaging actions that Americans perform, together with driving cars and trucks.
2. Travel on public electric train systems: If you don't own a car, don't consider it; if you do, use less of it. By using non-polluting train systems, not only do you reduce air pollution significantly, you also save lots of money, considering the high petrol prices!
3. Avoid takeaways: Very often, takeaways would require the use of styrofoam boxes and/or plastic bags. Hence, simply by dining in or consuming food within premises, you help to reduce environmentally-unfriendly waste.
When I first heard that we all have a 6-in-1 personality, I thought it was a crazy theory because my first impulse was to relate such a trait to a Multiple Personality Disorder (now formally known Dissociative Identity Disorder).
But after attending a 2-day course on Transactional Analysis, I gained invaluable insights into effective communication. I was very privileged and delighted to have Mr Abe Wagner as the course trainer, who could effortlessly weave hilarious jokes and sprinkle everyday examples into profound psychological theories, rendering them easy-to-understand and interesting to untrained layman like me!
Here are the 6 personalities existing in varying degrees in all of us (blue=positive, red=negative):
1. Nurturing Parent: understanding and sensitive
2. Adult: logical and reasonable
3. Natural Child: emotional and spontaneous
4. Critical Parent: sarcastic and demeaning
5. Rebellious Child: goes against control and authority
6. Compliant Child: overly meek and self-protective
The key to effective communication is to always take on the blue personalities. It's difficult for me to say more - if you are interested, you could find a good summary here.
For now, I just want to share one simple rule which stuck with me after the 2-day crash course: always see things from the other person's point of view (one of Stephen Covey's 7 habits of highly effective people too!)
I feel that if we could just pause and always try to understand the other person first before airing our views, we would make huge leaps in communicating more effectively:o)
12 Oct 2005 is like any other ordinary day - but to me and my family, it was a most memorable and extraordinary day because a little angel, clothed in 3.24kg of human flesh, descended from Heaven to Singapore (Lat/Lon: 1.283/103.85), touched and entered our lives at 1029hrs (GMT+08:00).
Click on 
for photos of my firstborn Xavier.
Xavier's first cry upon touchdown on earth was the most beautiful sound I've ever heard and the moment of beholding him for the very first time was magical!
I was entranced - this despite the fact that there are currently 6.4 billion people on earth and all of them were once babies too.
The reason, I believe, is simple: The value of a human life is intrinsically linked to the unifying Love that begets it... As my wife Lynn and I hold and touch little Xavier, we make contact with the fruit of our Love and understand a little more, the mystery of Life.
Mattie Stepanek touched the hearts of thousands with a little 48-page poetry book called Heartsongs. His motto: "Think gently, speak gently, live gently."
His optimism and hope shone through 13 years of great suffering and brought hope and inspiration to many in similar situations. He put to shame many people like me who lead far comfortable and easy lives yet still complain and groan incessantly!
Despite being wheelchair-bound, needing a tube inserted into his throat for breathing and being in and out of the hospital frequently, Mattie never despaired, never lost hope, and never lost his sense of humour. His faith in God was strong - he knew he had a mission on this earth and he spent his time living for God and others.
Mattie died at the tender age of 13 in 2004, after battling a crippling and painful disease called dysautonomic mitochondrial myopathy (DMM). He is indeed, a true hero of our times.
"Friendship improves happiness and abates misery, by the doubling of our joy and the dividing of our grief." Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 B.C.) Orator, statesman, philosopher
Many people think that we are somehow born with the ability to establish friendships since friendships are an integral part of a person's life. I feel that this is not true as I've witnessed many struggling with friendship and having little or no friends - I was once a loner geek too!
It was Dale Carnegie's bestseller "How to Win Friends and Influence People" that helped me learn the art of establishing and maintaining friendships. One of the most effective principles that remains etched in my mind and heart is Principle 1 of "Six Ways to Make People Like You": Become genuinely interested in other people.
Friendship matters and thus we should never leave friendship matters to ignorance, chance and neglect but to learn how to nurture it with sincerity, care and love.
I was a die-hard meat-eater, specifically a chicken-eater. Hence, it was beyond my wildest dreams that after more than 30 years of eating meat, I would become a Flexitarian.
I have known vegetarianism for a long time, from 3 main perspectives: environment, religion & health. But it never crossed my mind to become vegetarian because I just couldn't forgo my favourite deep-fried, curried, BBQ, Samsui and Gongbao chicken! Besides, I was happily healthy, spiritually religious and environmentally green - without being vegetarian; there was just no compelling reason for me to make the diet switch!
Then it happened suddenly: one fine day, I chanced upon a freely-distributed VCD entitled "Seeds for a Better World" from a vegetarian stall. After watching it, I immediately converted to vegetarianism! The key video clip in the VCD which changed my life can be downloaded here.
I was really appalled at how much animals suffer just because of our insatiable demand for meat! They are treated like factory products rather than living things! Although we do not torture them directly, we are indirectly supporting such barbarity by consuming huge amounts of meat; to meet demands with good profit margins, suppliers have to maximise production at minimum costs, which leads to hellish living conditions for the animals!
As I still need to take into consideration the needs of my family, I became a Flexitarian rather than a Vegan. In any case, I am glad that I am doing what I can to reduce the sufferings of innocent animals. What about you? If a 30-year meat-eater like me can do it, so can you! And vegetarian food is actually far healthier and tastier than you could imagine! Find out more here!
We all have various sources of strength: religion, family, marriage, friendship, career etc. But as for the source of tiredness, I believe there is fundamentally just one: a lack of true meaning in life. Unless your sources of strength are infinite, you would eventually be drained by the source of tiredness. What I mean by true meaning here is the knowledge of a purpose that transcends mundane temporal matters like staying healthy, getting rich, looking good or becoming famous - one that guides every single thought and action towards a goal that lies beyond the boundaries of time, space and one's very own life.
Some examples include the quest for world peace, the elimination of poverty, the saving of the environment, the salvation of souls, and the restoration of respect for human life and dignity. Of course, we may not achieve our noble goals - but we eliminate the source of tiredness simply by attempting to reach for these goals.
It's unbelievable but unfortunately true: Over 800 million people in the world go to bed hungry every night. This is one sobering fact for all of us to think about... especially for Singaporeans like me who feast or waste food without batting an eyelid. Today, hunger affects 1 in nearly 7 people. Can we now sleep soundly every night knowing that someone somewhere is starving and we aren't doing anything about it when we can actually do something about it? Here's what we can do:
1. Share this fact with as many people as possible.
2. Place this hyperlinked logo on your blog/website:
3. Make a contribution to the World Food Programme here.
4. Eat simply and don't waste food unnecessarily - then contribute the money saved to the World Food Programme.
5. Remember those afflicted with hunger in your prayers.
We can't eradicate hunger easily but we sure can do our little parts wherever we are with whatever we have! Together, we can make a big difference!
"Train yourself to let go of anything you fear to lose." - Yoda, Jedi Master (Star Wars, Episode 3)
Unfortunately, Anakin Skywalker didn't heed Yoda's advice and allowed his fear to lead him towards the Dark side of the Force. Eventually, not only did he not save his wife's life, he unwittingly became the cause of it and in the process, killed innocents and destroyed democracy.
In stark contrast, C.S. Lewis chose to let go of his beloved wife in the movie Shadowlands. Even though he still lost his wife to cancer, he retained his faith and went on to touch the lives of many with his book A Grief Observed.
Therefore, let us learn to let go of the things we fear to lose, lest we lose ourselves to the dark side of despair, misery, frustration and anger. True joy does not consist in possessing all our heart's desires for eternity but in treasuring, appreciating and reminiscing the beautiful moments that Life has given us.
Richard Attenborough, the Director of Shadowlands, put this into perspective in a apt way when he spoke about the movie: “It's funny, it's touching, very moving. It's tragic in a way but you end up feeling that life is really worth living, by virtue of the extraordinary relationship that they have together.”
Finally, let me share with you one of my favourite prayers (The Serenity Prayer) on letting go: God give me the serenity to accept things which cannot be changed; Give me courage to change things which must be changed; And the wisdom to distinguish one from the other.
Arguments are unavoidable where human relationships are concerned. This is because everyone views and understands things from his/her unique perspective, which is formed by a complex combination of experience, knowledge, preference, maturity, personality, religious orientation and even genetics! Hence, resolving arguments involves 4 key steps:
1. Address the argument only after both parties have cooled down.
2. Understand that everyone is "reasonable" from his/her perspective; no one deliberately tries to be unreasonable! This makes you non-judgemental and non-prejudiced!
3. Take time to sincerely listen and understand the other party's perspective.
4. Explain your own perspective (if you've done step 3 well, the other party would be most willing to hear you out too;o)
If steps 1-4 are done properly, the argument should disappear in a whiff - at worst, it becomes a disagreement; whether both parties agree to disagree would then depend on their maturity and level of respect for each other.
What is Love? Its definition may vary according to one's perspective, eg. that of a lover, parent, sibling, friend. But there's one version which I feel is most universal, complete and grandiose - the one found in the Bible:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
[1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (New International Version)]
For a most enlightening yet down-to-earth elaboration of the above definition, check out the book "The Practice of the Love of Jesus Christ" by St Alphonsus Liguori. I've read it many times and every time, it has never failed to touch and inspire me!
I learnt an important lesson about looking beyond outward appearances in 1992. At that time, I was undergoing an industrial attachment program at AT&T Microelectronics as a chip testing operator. At one of the early morning shifts, I was working alongside Mary, a short middle-aged-like lady with a weird cup-like hairstyle. I thought to myself that I was quite unlucky considering that there were many other young and pretty female operators around!
Then I encountered a machine problem that I couldn't solve. I was frustrated and nervous because I was testing a batch of chips that urgently needed to be shipped out. Mary noticed my predicament and helped me out without being asked. She was friendly, patient and had a most assuring and sweet voice.
I was touched as well as ashamed of how I had judged her unfavourably. In fact, none of the young pretty female operators came close to her gracious and dignified demeanor! She was the only person I remembered in the huge factory till this very day. Thank you Mary for teaching me that beauty is but skin deep!
Everyone wants to live forever, or at least remembered forever. This is evidenced since the beginning of known human history - from the Egyptian Pharaohs, to the Roman Emperors, to the present day scientists researching in cryogenic freezing, cloning and stem cells, and of course, to bloggers like me.
Why do we still harbour "Immortal Thoughts" when after thousands of years, we have not come anywhere close to immortality solutions? Is it because the human race is destined for immortality through the hands of Evolution?
Or is it because the human race is just too proud and stubborn to accept its mortality? But how can this be since we know that every human yearning points to a real possibility? Or perhaps we have searched immortality in all the wrong places - it is in the realm of spirituality rather than materialism...
For me, yes, I too harbour immortal thoughts. Mine is one of spirituality: to live forever in the heavenly kingdom of Jesus Christ. What about yours?
To me, there's nothing more frustrating than solving computer problems, especially removing firmly entrenched spyware or viruses. After several failed attempts, I would become frustrated and would pounce at anyone who's unfortunate enough to cross my path. It's just so easy to let frustration take over and dictate our actions!
From my experience, one of the best ways of dealing with frustration is to simply get away from the frustrating situation because when one is frustrated, it's quite unlikely that anything can be solved or done effectively; even a 5-minute break would do wonders! Then get back to what you are doing only when your mind is clear and totally free from frustration.
I usually solve computer problems after leaving them for a day or two to google for help:o)
Note: Please maintain a smile as you read this:o) A smile is like a little flame from a candle - it can brighten the darkest of times and melt the wax of anger, stress, despair and anxiety, and bring warmth to its surroundings. Somehow, Nature seems to favour people with smiles and confers a profound sense of peace and joy to both the "smilers" and the "smilees".
My work has been getting stressful and hectic lately but whenever I remembered to smile, the work would miraculously lighten a little. There's a similar effect whenever I bump into smiling colleagues too! Perhaps subconsciously, a smile is symbol of joy and hope, and both mind and body could tap into this positive force to invigorate the spirit... Whatever the case, keep smiling in whatever you do as the wonders of a smile are awesome;oD
We know of good people, good books, good movies and of course, good food - but a good Friday?!?
Today is the day when Christians all over the world commemorate the cruel torture and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. How can this be so good that warrants the marking of a Friday as Good? Logically speaking, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ spelt His ultimate failure - not only did He not fulfill His generally-perceived mission of driving out the Romans from the Holy Land, He was betrayed by His very own people (the Jews) whom He supposedly came to save.
But He was misunderstood - He was actually successful in the truest sense possible; He did precisely what He came to do: to save mankind from sin and eternal damnation by suffering, dying and rising from the dead. In short, Good Friday is good because it is the turning point in history of mankind where mankind is freed from the clutches of Sin and Death.
But is this really true? How can this be verified with scientific evidence and reasoning? The answers, I'm afraid, are not readily available - you have to seek them with a true and open heart. Begin your search now and experience the supreme goodness of Good Friday.
It's inevitable that we make at least one enemy in our lives, given the multitude of situations where misunderstanding, miscommunication, ambition, deception, envy or inconsideration may arise. And the most natural thing to do is to concoct sinister plans to make our enemies pay, curse them with misfortune or simply decide not to have anything to do with them. I would suggest a more revolutionary approach: FORGIVENESS. This is because forgiving your enemy reaps the following advantages:
1. It relieves you of the burden/pain of hatred
2. It hurts your enemy in the worst possible way - via his/her conscience.
3. It may even completely destroy your enemy - by transforming him/her into your friend!
Indeed, it is the sweetest revenge of all! Do not just take my word for it - try it out yourself!
"With great power comes great responsibility." Ben Parker (Spider-Man's Uncle).
Most people would think that power means political power, immense wealth, wide influence or extraordinary intelligence; the truth can't be further. I prefer to define power as the ability to do good.
And all of us possess such power given our vast repertoire of abilities and talents. We can motivate with our rousing speeches, inspire with our self-sacrificing actions, give hope with our pats on the shoulder, brighten someone's day with our smiles, counsel with our listening ears, love with all our hearts, etc. The list goes on and on!
With such great power, let's never forget that we all have the great responsibility of using it to make this world a better place for all.
Check out my movie review on Spider-Man 2 here to see how Spider-Man copes with the responsibility of his great power!
Harbouring Anger is like holding a knife by its blade; Anger inflicts injury and pain even before it is used against its intended target. And when it is unleashed, it is like hitting the target with the wooden handle of the knife; it hurts the wielder much more than the target.
I was once very angry with a friend who lied to me, used me and exploited my kindness for him. I felt an intense heat rushing to my head and my heart pumping faster. Anger clouded my judgement and released the beast in me. I cursed my friend and even plotted my vengeance. But thank God, my anger subsided before I could do more wrongs.
In reflection, Anger not only did not hurt my friend the least, it grievously hurt me emotionally and spiritually! Since then, I have learnt never to think or react whenever I'm angry because I would be hurting no one but myself!
Allow me to try to make a case for optimism. I am a diehard optimist and I hope to share with you the wonders of optimism and more importantly, how it would transform your life for the better.
Optimism is defined as "A general disposition to expect the best in all things." I would define it as a positive way of thinking that brings joys and invigorates the human spirit.
While it's true that there's no scientific evidence to prove the power of optimism, the same goes for pessimism too. One leads to hope while the other leads to despair; one leads to peace of mind, the other to anxiety. So why not choose the former since both would not affect the outcome of any situation? With that, I rest my case.
The answer, I'm afraid, is NO.
Well, anyone who asks the above question regarding one's experience of love is clearly not experiencing true love - simply because true love is not an experience of lovey-dovey feelings but a conscious, logical and committed decision to love; you can fall in love but you cannot fall into "true love".
A person who truly loves is 100% sure it's true love because it's a decision that he/she has made. Unlike infatuation, puppy love or romantic love, true love is not affected by feelings or circumstances.
Indeed, it's not easy at all to truly love someone because it may/may not be supported by nice feelings. In fact, the litmus test of true love is one's decision to love when the beloved becomes a real pain in the neck!
A habit is a powerful means of changing one's life - for better or for worse. It is behaviour exhibited without full awareness and acquired by repetition. Once acquired, it would be very difficult to remove because it has entered one's subconscious. One good strategy to break a bad habit is to fight fire with fire: cultivate a good habit that prevents the bad one from being carried out.
For example, suppose a guy had a habit of scanning for pretty babes and staring at them on the streets. But after being engaged, he decided to break this habit for fear of World War III. One good habit he could cultivate would be the habit of trying to spot trendy handphones on the streets - his fiancee is also crazy about handphones! Once cultivated, this new habit would subconsciously override his former bad habit.
Do you drag yourself out of bed everyday and wish that you needn't work? Understand the secret of self-motivation and you'll find yourself jumping out of bed everyday!
Let's begin with a story: Once upon a time, in a small recycling firm, there were 2 receptionists called Martha and Mary. Martha hated her job because of the low pay, boring work and lack of prospects. Mary, on the other hand, loved her job. She saw every incoming call as an opportunity to save the environment by promoting recycling services. She knew she couldn't change the world but she was happy to have played a role in making this world a better place.
So try to find a nobler purpose in your work - one that transcends personal material benefits. Indeed, it's not easy to find purpose but it's certainly worth the effort as it's the key to self-motivation.
I experienced the miracle of romantic love more than 10 years ago when I met my wife, Lynn Tessa. It's a miracle because suddenly, the world becomes more beautiful; I notice the melody of the birds, the sculpture of the clouds, the fragrance of greenery, the caresses of the wind.
And life takes on meaning: I am loved and my destiny is to love. How miraculous it is when two ordinary individuals become two extraordinary lovers - such fusion transforms not only their lives but the world!
Oh by the way, I am still experiencing the miracle of romantic love daily after 4 years of marriage, which is the pinnacle of LOVE!
I have neither seen God with my eyes nor heard Him with my ears in all my 31 years of being a Catholic and being active in church ministries. But I have sure experienced Him:o)
Well, to be frank, it's not always a feel-great kind of experience. It started with fear (of hell), then reverence (of His Power), gratitude (for His Sacrifice), love (of His unconditional Love), doubt (of His existence), even rebellion (against His commandments), repentance (of my sins), then back to fear, and the cycle begins again...
Each cycle brings me closer to Him and in all my experiences, an indescribable Peace surrounds me, shielding me against Emptiness, Despair and Discontentment. Indeed, the human heart will ever be incomplete and restless till God moves in.
As a Christian, I am supposed to be battling Sin with utmost vigilance. However, as time goes by and especially after several spectacular victories, I began to slacken and laid down the heavy weaponry of prayer and fasting, thinking that the Enemy is defeated and my spiritual fort impregnable. I was wrong.
But God was merciful and led me to read Archbishop Fulton Sheen's penetrating book Victory Over Vice. I was shocked to discover that my sense of sin was severely numbed by spiritual leprosy! True, I didn't commit murder nor adultery but to God, sin is not merely an external act but encompasses internal thoughts too; it is not only the violation of His laws but also the neglect of good works.
Given that the life expectancy of a Singaporean male is 77 years and that I sleep an average of 8 hours daily, I have only (77-31) x (24-8) x 365 = 268,640 hours of active non-sleeping time before my last breath. 268,640 may seem like a huge number but it's still a finite number - it will eventually count down to ZERO - by then, would I have discovered and accomplished the mission of my earthly life?
What if an accident or sudden illness hasten the countdown? Or perhaps science can somehow slow down or even reverse the countdown? These are all BIG questions without answers. I think I better don't take any chances - time to live life, and live it to the fullest!
Suppose someone approaches you to buy one of your fingers, how much would you ask for? Are you willing to cut off one finger for $10,000? Think about it and add that amount to your total assets. Now, consider how much you want for the rest of your fingers and your hands. Add the amount too. Do the same for every single part of your body (both internal and external organs). Repeat also for all your loved ones and possessions.
I am very sure you'll be at least a billionaire at the end of this little exercise! So you see, it's actually very easy to be RICH; just count your blessings and give them a price tag! Being mindful and thankful for what you have is the secret to infinite wealth and joy.
The death toll from the Asia tidal wave disaster exceeded 125,000 on 31 Dec 2004.
"The cost of the devastation will be in the billions of dollars. It would probably be many billions of dollars... There are thousands of dead people, and there are tens of thousands of dead animals. The people should be buried and the animals should be destroyed and disposed of before they infect the drinking water. It's a massive operation." Jan Egeland, the UN undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs, told a news conference at the UN headquarters in New York.
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan spoke of "an unprecedented global catastrophe" which called for "an unprecedented global response".
[Source: ChannelNewsAsia]
You can help best by making a donation to any of the following organisations in Singapore (just click on the links):
- Singapore Red Cross
- World Vision Singapore
- Mercy Relief
Any amount will go a long way in helping the victims rebuild their lives and homes.
When we do a thing A, person X may love it, person Y may hate it and person Z may hate persons X and Y as a result!
For me, I feel that as long as our actions are based on principles that we think are the best (be it religious, philosophical or just plain common sense), we can act without guilt trips. We cannot control how others perceive us but we sure can control how we perceive ourselves; our perception of ourselves should be based on principles rather than on what others think.
How to Please Everyone? The answer is simple: IMPOSSIBLE - so don't be upset when someone is annoyed by your actions.
"I am Spider-Man." This was Peter Parker's answer when he asked himself the above question at the end of the 1st Spider-Man movie.
It was a monumental moment in his life - for the 1st time in his life, he knew exactly who he was and who he wanted to be for the rest of his life. Every thought and every action would henceforth be a reflection of his identity as Spider-Man, a super-hero who shoulders the responsibility of upholding justice.
What about yourself? Who are you?
As for me, I am David Woon, the Homo Sapien, Researcher, Philosopher and Theologian.
I am dying... Do not be unduly alarmed. In fact, all of us are dying the moment we are conceived. Death follows Life - we can't change Mother Nature's mind about this. We all shun the thought of Death but we can never truly live unless we come to terms with our mortality; it is Death that gives meaning to Life.
Spend some time to think about it - and you will figure out what I meant. Who follows Death then? Well, let's leave that to another "Just a thought"... In the meantime, I am dying... but I have no fear as I am living meaningfully and joyfully now;-)
I'm afraid I cannot produce definitive evidence to prove the existence of God but I can certainly produce definitive evidence on the positive life-changing effects of believing in the existence of God: Simply read about the extraordinary and fulfilling lives of Mother Teresa, Gandhi, C. S. Lewis, Albert Einstein and Anne Frank.
Believe in God and experience God - I assure you that the answer will be crystal clear then - I've experienced it myself. For more detailed, scientific and philosophical analyses of the existence of God, click here. For a mathematical analysis of the belief in God, check out Pascal's Wager.
One of the greatest secrets of love is that you gotta first and foremost love yourself; if you can't even love yourself, how can you extend love to others? In fact, the more you love and accept yourself, the more you can love and accept others.
But what if there're many things which you hate about yourself? What if you don't find yourself lovable?
Then it's time to learn to accept and love yourself despite all your faults! True, you must always strive to improve yourself but that doesn't mean you shouldn't accept and love yourself right? When you truly love yourself, you will find it natural and easy to love others too:o)
Most people associate Romance with candle-light dinners, flowers and mushy words and hence, most men end up being complained about being predictable and extravagant! That's because Romance means different things to different people!
Being romantic simply means being thoughtful of the needs of your beloved. Period. There's no fixed formula/equation - and that's precisely why romance is so romantic:oD
I'm excited about blogging! Not sure how much I will write but at least now, there'll be a place where I can simply say whatever comes to mind and share my life with the world! So you are most welcome to come here and read, comment and share your life too so that together, we will make this world a warmer and better place for all!
