正念

假如只是在短时间内想着一粒多汁的柠檬就能让你分泌唾液，那么当你成天想着
不好的事，身体会发生什么？
假如只是一句坏话、一个不好的念头就能让食物产生如此大的变化，那平常我们
所说、所想那么多不好的事，又会对我们产生多大的影响？
文字是纸上的语言，思想是无声的语言，语言则是有声的思想。这即是为什么我
一再强调大家要多说好话、要有好的念头。特别是念头要良善、要正面，因为，变好
变坏就在你的一念之间。
所以，你也要常发正念。

In memory of Philip, a cycling mate

11.1.11

He passed away this morning due to liver cancer. The last time I saw him was at a lunch after our group's Desaru long ride on Vesak Day 2010.

The fatherly man reminded me about PERSEVERANCE. At an age of over 60, he could ride long distances, and insisted on completing every ride. There were at least 3 times that I remember I was cycling either in front or behind him, as we were the last ones in our group.

In a long ride where he lost one of his bottles and did not have enough water, we had a short stop for slight recovery. I remember he said this, that he had never given up in riding no matter how tough, and would not flag for a cab in the middle of his ride.

In the Desaru ride, I could even hear him trying to catch his breath under the extreme hot sun, and I kept asking him if he was all right.

But he continued on in all the rides, without giving up. I salute his mental strength, and I hope he now can rest in peace and without pain.

About spring cleaning

01.01.2011

Emotional spring cleaning through adequate routine house cleaning -- one of the therapeutic means to achieve emotional health and happiness.

It's something that I feel all the while without understanding, but today, I truly understand and experience the awareness.

About luck

A friend asked me about my take for this: "I've found that luck is quite predictable. If you want more luck, take more chances. Be more active. Show up more often".

I didn't have any take for it at all at the beginning. I had to think what luck is in this case. If luck is predictable, do we still call it "luck"? May be not. So, I pondered in a different way and I asked myself, when do I feel lucky and when not, how do I feel when I feel luck is with me and when it's far from me..

When do I feel lucky? It's when good things happen to me, when things or situations happen as I wish, and when things happen unexpectedly well and it's better than what I hope for. Sometimes it could be a bad situation, but nothing worse happens, and I feel lucky too. In these situations, I feel happy, blessed, and I am grateful for things turning out well.

When bad things happen, I feel unlucky, more so if it is one after another. Sometimes I feel unlucky when it's a near miss to good thing that can happen. I often feel disappointed, and sometimes sad. Sometimes anger may take over, or sometimes I may even feel sour.

More often than so, it is easier for one to feel unlucky, and it is convenient for one to blame the situations or people whom one perceives to have caused one to land in an unlucky state. It is also often unknowingly that the bad feelings will help themselves to ripple the effect of being unlucky. When one feels bad, often more bad things will happen, as he is most likely unable to view the situations objectively and act with a calm mind.

Whatever happens to us, it happens for a reason, whether it lands us in a lucky or an unlucky state. It is fine for us to feel unlucky, but we should not prolong the bad feelings. Take a rest and be passive for a while, then adjust the feelings and the outlook of the perspective, to regain the healthy state of mind. Life is about putting in continuous efforts to be positive. When we have positive views of life, naturally we will keep trying and striving, and taking more chances. The more chance we take, the more good things will happen in time.

Luck is predictable, when we believe in the good.

About goodness

Kathryn wrote another interesting food for thought on her FB status today:

If you want to do good, do it NOW. If you want to scold somebody, WAIT for ten days.

About belonging

Belonging Is...

To belong to another is to attach ourselves to that person in such a way that circumstances, emotions shared or actions expressed will not break up the relationship.

Belonging to another and allowing the other to belong to us is our destiny in life.

About forgiveness

A nice friend wrote on her FB status today:

Forgiveness entails choosing, often over and over again, not to dwell on the offense because that would allow a root of bitterness to grow in our hearts.

Self healing

Acting with love instead of fear allows you to let go of anger and resentment.

About having and losing

Saw this as my friend's tagline in FB:

You can't lose something you already have. if you are afraid of losing it means you dont really have it in the first place.

About partnership

The real lesson is that successful partnerships require both a respect for the individual and a willingness to compromise from time to time.

A card from Assumpta..

An aunt, my 3rd uncle Andy's friend. Got to know her in the late 90s when she was here in SG, working in NKF. She died of cancer some years ago. Picked up a card from her while tidying up my stuff, thought of jotting her words down, before the words in card fade completely. The cover contains words of encouragement. It says:

Imagination
A mind once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.

**
8/2/99
Dear Shin Ling

Thank you so much for your Christmas card and New Year card.

I am sorry that I did not return your correspondence.

Andy left this morning and he wanted to tell you he was looking forward to seeing you during the Chinese New Year. He suggested that I could e-mail you. However, I don't have your email address, therefore, I have to use the old fashion way.

We did not go to Fiji but spending three days in King Island, a very remote and barren place. Andy was very impressed.

Any time when you want to come to Melbourne for a holiday, just let me know. You can stay with me.

Well, I'm at work at the moment, but I want to send you the card. I have to sign off now. Take Care.

Assumpta
**

I never did see her again. Life is short, do what you wish to do soon.

About encouragement..

Extracted from The Seven Levels of Intimacy by Matthew Kelly:

**
There is a saying in the Talmud: "Every blade of grass has its angel that bends over it and whispers, 'Grow, grow'". That is what I hope to be to the people I love: an angel of encouragement. That is what I hope the seven levels of intimacy will be for you: an angel of encouragement. That is what I hope you will be to others: an angel of encouragement.

From time to time, we all need to be encouraged. It is encouragement from those we love that gives us courage when we were afraid, hope when we are in despair, light when it appears that darkness will prevail, faith when we are consumed by doubt, joy when it seems that sorrow has overcome us, and peace when unrest holds our hearts hostage.
**

Are we angels of encouragement to our loved ones?

I know that I have angels of encouragement around me. My parents for sure. My good friend HH. She told me one day, that she believes strongly that everyone has a guardian angel. Little does she know that she is already one to others :)

What are the 3 things that I would do if I had only 24 hours to live?

A question my dear friend HH asked me today, her topic for Toast Masters Club tomorrow.. I thought for a few seconds, and the following are what I wish to do, in the sequence stated below:

1. Call up all my close friends and talk to them for one good last time, and not mentioning that I will be gone after the day.

2. Call up my brother, sister, and my parents, talk to them to ask them to take good care of themselves, not mentioning that I will be gone in a while.. After the calls, I will write them a love letter.

3. Call up the person whom I love to be with, share with him about my situation and let him know that I wish to be with him for the last few hours..

No other things came into my mind, except my loved ones, at the point that I have to make the decision about what I would like to do in the remaining hours.

Family Time

This is what I saw at my usual organic vegetarian shop while having dinner just now:

An Indian family, husband and wife with 3 grown-up kids, 1 girl 2 boys. They did nothing after dinner, but had tea, and just dedicated the time for one another to talk and listen. I thought this must have helped the kids to be vocal, and be able to voice out own opinions, and build confidence in speaking.

**

It's something I think it lack in our family when we were much younger, to train us to be more vocal. Dad eats very fast and he is the first one to finish his meal most of the time. He will leave the dining table most of the time, while the rest of us are still having dinner. As I grew older, I have purposely requested him to stay a while more with us, just to be together and have some chat, as family time with everyone around is not frequent.

Hope my sis and bro can practise what I saw with the family, especially with the kids, so that my nephews (and nieces in the future) will grow up to be confident, and family oriented.

**

Take a step at a time..

When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there
When you worry and hurry through the day
It is like an unopened gift.. thrown away
Life is not a race, do take it slower
Hear the music, before the song is over.
**

Other quotes that I found while tidying my stuff..

The key to happiness is not that you never get upset, frustrated or irritated. It is how quickly you decide to snap out of it. Happiness is a daily decision.
**
A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.
**

Life goes, and life comes..

Life goes away..

Sis called me up on Thurs morning telling me that 2nd uncle passed away the night before. I got a shock as this was quite sudden. Asked dad about uncle, when I was last at home just 3 weeks back, if uncle had been all right since he had been having asthma. He left quietly alone in the hospital after being admitted a few days before.

Have not been having deep memories about uncle, as he had left for US since more than 20 years ago, without keeping in touch much. When he came back last year, sis and I had a good chat with him at Lok Wui Gui coffee shop where he worked. Still fresh in my mind, I remember he told us about his experience in NY on 9-11 day in cantonese, mixed with English sometimes. Felt a little weird as uncle had not spoken in English with us before, but it was a nice chat. Nevertheless, thought he looked tired and aged a lot when we saw him again after so many years.. May uncle rest in peace..

Life comes afresh..

Got a good SMS news from dad on Sun morning, sis gave birth to baby nephew Yun Hao before midnight. Another new member in our family, and finally I got the name to be added to the list of my prayer wishes. Have yet the chance to see the baby, but I wish him well always..

**

Many things happened in just a few days' time, despite not having witnessed them personally. I guess my dad may have felt the most, about the truth of life, as he hugs baby grandson, while remembering the loss of his younger brother..

Cherish our day with peace.. a reminder for myself and everyone. May peace be with all of us.

Waterlotuspeace

Finally took time to pen this down..

Sis-in-law asked me if there is a reason to change my blog URL from waterlsl to waterlotuspeace. Yes indeed. In fact, I was just trying to align the URL to my profile name, waterlily.

Lotus, or waterlily, is 莲 (Lian) in Chinese. There is a famous saying in Chinese that goes, "莲，出之淤泥而不染". Literally it means lotus flower growing from the mud, yet it's not tainted with dirt. Lotus has the significance of a noble character, and nobility. Buddha and bodhisattvas are commonly seen sitting on lotus flowers in most of the statues or drawings today.

How is it related to me? Since young, my grannies, some of my uncles and my dad would call me "zet lian". I was quite used to it when I was young, but later I questioned where and how this name came from. Mom told me that I got it from a small praying place which we used to frequent to pray the Avalokiteshvara (Guan Yin), the Bodhisattva of Compassion.

Could still remember clearly the 1st lantern I got was from my maternal granny. It was a lotus flower lantern, made of cloth in pink. I think we kept it for quite a long time.

That's why I feel close to this flower and it helps me find peace in myself, as it relates me to the bodhisattva.

Just as lotus needs water and sunlight to grow, I need the water element in my life. Someone told me before, that I lack it. So, more water for me (i.e. more richness for me hehe..)

Here are some lotus flower pictures I took at Waterloo Street.

What do you see? I see a demure lady, with slightly open lips ;)

No mud!!

It has a beautiful heart, just like me! :)