20 years

I have almost forgotten about it until this afternoon that you popped up the question...

W: hey, how long have we know each other alr?

A: 20 years

W: No wonder... come lets celebrate alr :P

A: How to celebrate???

W: Go somewhere to chill out

A: Haha... Hope can find that time

W: haha... me too

Who would have guess that we have known each other for 20 years already. It seems to me that it was just yesterday when I first got to know you. How time has pass us by and now, it has been 20 years since I got to know you.

I have known some others for more than 20 years but you are different. You have become my brother, my best friend, my partner-in-crime (for non-criminal related stuff like playing a joke on our pet sister) and my best helper.

Truly, it has been an amazing experience so far and I am sure that we have a lot longer way to go. 

Suffocated

There are time when you would feel suffocated. Things just don't go the way you want it to be. Delays here and there. People pushing us around. It sure felt tiring and suffocating.

But as long as we dont give up and continue striving forward, there would be no obstacles too big for us to handle. And unknowningly, some hands are helping us, with or without us knowing.

Believe. That's all you have to do.

Unexpected

Just came back from Ulaanbaatar a few days back.

A life changing trip I would say as it is not the usual holiday or work trip that I went previously.

I went with the main aim of assisting (in any way that I can) a group of medical personnel (doctors, nurses and pharmacists) to do some medical screening for the poor and/or homeless people there.

It was tiring but rewarding trip with a feel of extreme satisfaction whenever we could help someone in need.

Friendship was also formed among the group and I guess I should say that I gain a bonus on this trip, which is something totally unexpected.

The Mexican Fisherman

In a quiet Mexican fishing village, an American on vacation was watching a local fisherman unload his morning catch. The American, a successful professor at a prestigious US business school, couldn't resist giving the Mexican fisherman a little bit of free advice.

"Hey!" began the American. "Why are you finishing so early?"

"Since I have caught enough fish, Senor", replied the genial Mexican, "enough to feed my family and a little extra to sell. Now I will take some lunch with my wife and after a little siesta in the afternoon, I will play with my children. Then, after dinner, I will go to the cantina, drink a little tequila and play some guitar with my friends. It is enough for me, Senor."

"Listen to me, my friend." said the business professor. "If you stay out at sea until late afternoon, you will easily catch twice as much fish. You can sell the extra, save up the money, and in six months, maybe nine, you'll be able to buy a bigger and better boat and hire some crew. Then you'll be able to catch four times as many fish. Think of the extra money you will make! In another year or two, you will have the capital to buy second fishing boat and hire another crew. If you follow this business plan, in six or seven years you will be the proud owner of a large fishing fleet. Just imagine that! Then you should move your head office to Mexico office, or even to LA. After only three or four years in LA,you float your company on the stockmarket giving yourself, as CEO, aqa generous salary package with substantial share options. In a few more years - listen to this! - you initiate a company share buy-back scheme, which will make you a multi-millionaire! Guaranteed! I'm a well-known professor at a US business school. I know these things."

The Mexican fisherman listened thoughtfully at what the animated American had to say. When the professor had finished, the Mexican asked him, "But, Senor Professor, what will I do with so many millions of dollars?"

Surprisingly, the American professor hadn't thought the business plan through that far. So he quickly figured out what a person would do with a millions of dollars.

"Amigo! With all the dough, you can retire! Yeah! Retire for life. You can buy a little villa in a picturesque fishing village like this one, and purchase a small boat for going fishing in the morning. You can have lunch with your wife every day, and siesta afterwards with nothing to worry you. In the afternoon you can spend quality time with your kids anad, after dinner in the evening, play guitar with your friends in the cantina,drinking tequila. Yeah, with all that money, my friend, you can retire and take it easy."

"But, Senor Professor, I do all that already."

WHY DO WE BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO WORK SO HARD AND GET RICH FIRST, BEFORE WE CAN FIND CONTENTMENT?

~from Opening the door of your heart by Ajahn Brahm

Donkey in a Hole

There once was a little donkey that worked on a very large farm. This donkey was a very hard worker, and was very much appreciated by his master who knew he could count on him do any manner of odd jobs and farm duties.

One day while hard at work, this donkey fell into a deep pit that the farmer had been digging to use as a well. The donkey cried and cried, and the farmer frantically tried to figure out a way to get the donkey out of the deep hole. However the sides were just too unstable to lower someone down with a rope to tie around the donkey, and as the donkey was panicky and thrashing about, the farmer had the additional concern of one of his farm hands being injured and stuck down the hole too.

Finally, with a heavy heart, the farmer decided it was best to bury the donkey and put it out of its misery. So he and several of his farm hands started shoveling dirt back into the pit.

However, after a few minutes of shoveling, the farmer noticed something. The donkey was shaking off the dirt and stomping it into the ground below him. As it dawned on the farmer what was happening, he called the rest of his farm hands to help shovel, and shovel-full after shovel-full of dirt, the donkey stomped it into the ground making the hole shallower by the minute. Soon the well became nearly filled with dirt and the donkey climbed out to the great relief of the farmer and his workers.

The story of the donkey in the well is timeless, and has circulated the internet more than I can even count. Its message is enduring, for many of us, too, have found ourselves stuck in a situation where we just didn’t know how we’d get through. The metaphorical dirt was poured over our heads, and we either got buried by our problems with no hope of rescue, or we shook the dirt from us and pounded it into the ground to rise victorious.

We always have the choice to be victim or victor. So next time it feels as if you are in that well with no chance of being freed, think of the little donkey who refused to accept that his circumstances were beyond his control; he didn’t give up and he didn’t give in, and you don’t have to either! 

*I look up for this story in the middle of the night because I am in need of inspiration...