the last week of 2011 and 2012...

One can never predict the future. Life indeed is full of surprises. You can only do your best at each given moment you are breathing…… And it's ok to be scared but don't stop moving just because of the fear of the unknown…

I've had annual projects (one per year) since I entered in my 20s. 2011 was the year I set to work on my spirituality… My new HW for the year 2012 shall be finding the mid-point between reality and my ideal world…

Oh life...

One door closes and another opens… That's right, we are always in motion of life. Just moving and moving whether we like it or not… Close to 2 years of my life was just spent here in Seoul and I am getting ready for the next challenge in Italy. I am excited to LIVE again! Seoul is a strange city. As bright, crowded and crazy as the city is, there was not much of "living" here per se. I was rather in the motion of routine and even feeling stuck at times. It was a good comfortable break nevertheless, but I can't just "sit" here in the cage forever. It's about time, I want to fly again. I want to feel alive,,,,,life, passion and joy of living again.

Courage...

We all make bad choices in life. Sometimes we need the courage to be honest with ourselves in order to look into ourselves clearly… Be your own warrior for yourself in the battle of life. The worst fight in life may be the life-long fight with yourself...

Money…

Money might let you have a nice bed but not necessarily a nice dream… What you see in the world may not be everything that exists out there.

"You raise me up", I love you!

I love you mum and dad.

There is no one else in the world that would love me the way you do and I am ever grateful for it.

Your love is so so great that every time I think of you, it almost makes me cry.

Teaching me how to love truly and unconditionally by showing how it is done to me was the best gift you've ever given me.

Even if I get everything I have stolen tomorrow, no one will ever be able to take your love from me.

"You raise me up to more that I can be." I really hope that I can share your gift with as many people as I can and that you will be proud of me some day.

I love you with all my heart. xxx

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When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bxc9hbwkkw

"Taking every day as a gift"

We hear this around all the time yet, it seems never enough to think about the true meaning of it over and over again...

Also, we often say or hear people say, "God's punishing us.", "God's listening to our prayers." etc. It is clear that we, human beings, feel better knowing that someone else can take the blame on behalf of us especially during the bad times of our lives. Well, clearly I am not talking about natural disasters which we have no control over and certainly it's not a sign of anybody being punished by God - it is just part of nature that we must accept.

As we all know, there is no one particular figure of God. Every individual's definition of God is different but at the end of the day, no matter who your God is, it is really YOU that make choices and have to be responsible for them. Hence, it's not unreasonable to say that whether it's your respective God figure or yourself, it is YOU that end up punishing yourself and listening to your own prayers at the end.

Further, it is clear that YOU are the only one that can forgive and redeem yourself from the bad choices you've made. Confessing your sin to a pastor doesn't make your sin go away; talking to a shrink doesn't make your problem go away. You are the sole entity here that can make things right.

It is up to you to decide whether you would like to take every day as an opportunity to turn the "punishment" into a "gift" - having a free will on this matter is perhaps another gift. Ultimately, life is about making the most out of our given circumstances (that are sometimes good and sometimes bad) to seek for redemption otherwise we simply have no choice but to be remained punished. And, let's not forget, we all make choices that we have to redeem ourselves for some day whether it was intentional or not in this life time - no one is perfect.

The world we live in

We think we are all this and that in this bubble we live in. Being conceited as human beings, we think we are better than a lot of other things around us. Do we even know what it means to have more power, money and fame when we die?

People sleep, people eat, people swear, people love, people talk, people work and ultimately feel the way people were meant to react in this big big invisible bubble we breathe in.

What's the point of fighting? What's the point of trying to have more anything than others? Where is the greed leading you to?What's the point of being upset? What's the point of anything that's negative-energy consuming? At the end, we are just running around a circle that we cannot escape from - yes, and I mean all of us...

Looking at the cute puppies smiling, I am actually jealous of them. There are no bombs and no guns in a puppy world... No, I am not joking! Why can't we all try to be nice to everyone else around us, smile more, find peace internally and externally and just live together happily? Is it really impossible for us to be all happy and try to help one another?

How about some kindness? love? a genuine smile? If it gets to a point where we can all practice these things altogether, the world might really become a better place to live? It's just a big dream by the time we die anyway...? or.... am I just being crazy as usual?

Westies!

SO CUTE!! I WANT TO BITE YOU AND HUG YOU TO PIECES, PUPPIES :-)

This image makes me so happy!!!

"Don’t cling to your illusion of safety"

As I was trying to find more ways to overcome different kinds of fear in life, I stumbled across this article below that I can't agree more with... Nothing stays the same in life. Things are constantly changing and it clearly is challenging for us to learn how to deal with such changes in life though it doesn't seem safe and secure at all times... We can never live under constant fear of "what if"s...We just have to live each moment fully with grace and gratitude.
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“Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold."
Helen Keller

“Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature…. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."
Helen Keller

"Why do people sit on their hands? Is it just because they become paralyzed with fear? I’d say no. Another big reason why people don’t face their fears is because they think they are safe where they are right now. But the truth is what Keller says; safety is mostly a superstition. It is created in your mind to make you feel safe. But there is no safety out there really. It is all uncertain and unknown.

You may get laid off.
Someone may break up with you and leave.
Illness will probably strike.
Death will certainly strike in your surroundings and at some point come to visit you too.
Who knows what will happen?

This superstition of safety is not just something negative. It’s also created by your mind so you can function in life. No point in going all paranoid about what could happen a minute from now day in and day out. But there is also not that much point in clinging to an illusion of safety. So you need to find balance where you don’t obsessed by the uncertainty but also recognize that it is there and live accordingly.

As you stop clinging to your safety life also becomes a whole lot more exciting and interesting. You are no longer as confined by an illusion and realize that you set your limits for what you can do and to a large extent create your own freedom in the world. You are no longer building walls to keep yourself safe as those walls wouldn’t protect you anyway."

[Source] http://www.positivityblog.com/index.php/2008/10/03/how-to-overcome-your-fear-7-tips-from-the-last-2200-years/

How much can we forgive and forget in this lifetime?

Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.
Paul Boose

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
Mahatma Gandhi
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Forgiveness is seen as a virtue and I agree with that one should forgive and forget for one's very own sake more than anything else. However, shouldn't there be a limit for such virtue?

Can we just forgive endlessly? and does everyone really deserve forgiveness? Forgiveness should only be entitled to those who can values themselves enough to admit what they have done sincerely. Even then, what about murderers especially in the context of massive genocide?

I am asking myself this question tonight as I am getting ready for bed... Thoughts?

Hello Spring

You woke me up this morning. It was a lovely surprise but I felt like I wasn't ready for you. I didn't think you'd be back for a while but I guess it has been a while - where have I been? I was busy hibernating.......I guess it's time for me get out of my cave and start moving again.

Can you just give me a bit of time though? I am not going to take too long, I promise. I just have to do a couple of things... Lately, I've been feeling like there's too much on my shoulders. I don't want to disappoint the world but there has been just a bit too much for me to handle. Let me take a deep breath first, recharge myself and start looking pretty for you Spring. See you soon!

My thought of the day

"Someday, someone is going to walk into your life and make you realize why it never worked out with anyone else."

...

Everyday is a new day

Open your eyes and take a deep breath. Be grateful that you have another day to change your destiny. xx

layers of soul

Could we have different layers of soul? If so, how do we get into the deep down to the core?….. just a thought.

Footsteps of January 2011

Looking at the footsteps in the snow outside,
I see big stains time has left me in my heart.

Trying to follow all sizes and shapes of footsteps,
I see my heart shedding tears.

Walking out the door,
You are standing outside waiting for me.

Following your footsteps,
We are walking into the sky together.

You are walking too fast,
Will you wait for me?

Don't worry, I am just here opening the door for you.
We will take the long walk together in the snow.

I am here for you and I always will.

Just don't let the snow melt.
Don't let our footsteps disappear...

What if?...

"What" and "if"... Separately, these two words sound harmless but when they team up, "what if" can sound pretty scary. I heard this from a movie previously and I agree with it so much so that I thought about it again as to how we should live life.

As I interpret it, I see the opposite of "what if" would be "following your passion", whatever your passion might be... It doesn't matter what it is that you are passionate about but when you do follow your passion, you can "change the world" and it is true. Just as an example, if it's about being a passionate friend, you will generate that good energy for your friend which he or she can regenerate for someone else and eventually the good energy will go around. The same for anything and everything you do,,, as a husband, boyfriend, daughter, son, teacher, president, neighbor,,,it all boils down to the crucial fact of life that living a passionate life is about interacting with the big positive energy of entire universe we are part of.

Feeling the air outside, connecting with your own energy, touching people's heart, being genuine to yourself and others will lead us to live the moment truly.

If anything was ever true in the past, it is true now and it always will be whatever "it" may be. Your feelings, your words, everything and anything you are engaged in, make it true as they will last for ever. Eventually, this will lead us to get closer to our true soul which will also always remain as a bright light in this universe.

People, don't ever put off things for tomorrow especially if it's about working with your inner-self. Your life, true soul-searching is a journey. It's never too late - be the best you can be each moment in whatever the situation you may be in then, the fear of "what if" will go away, and NEVER let go of anything you truly care about - losing passion in life is no different from living a life like a chair. Now, let's go cherish the life we have and make 2011 full of passion, love and happiness. xxx