Today is the 1st time I have such a close encounter with the airplanes since I returned from Bhutan (not to mention the trip to Hongkong last year).
We were at the Changi coastal area for the Divisional's Gathering.
I think, now whenever I see the airplane lands, it comes with a different kind of feel (心情）- 游子归家的心情。 Especially when I see SQ... hm... being, I feel proud... the pride that I have, on what Singapore can offer...
Till today, I still remember what I concluded when I was at Bhutan, 还是家里好，还是祖国好。I'm proud of what we have, our achievements... though we're just a little red dot.
Yes, there's always a first... the first time I do this, the first time I come across this, the first time I make a different decision, the first time I take a different route,.......... "Growth means change & Change involves risk, stepping from the known to the unknown" (George Shinn) 从来，没有想过可以滔滔不绝，口若悬河， 既然可顺口成章！哈！或许，心情，随着年龄的年长，越来越容易带动情绪。。。
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Spastic Children
It's the usual weekday morning... left the house for work... though heading a different direction today - for a lesson visit. Hopped onto Bus 81... I took the front seat as I was not too familiar with the area of my destination. That's also my usual choice - that I have a better front view, too.
As the bus just started to move... one teenager came over, sat beside me. Obviously, he has problem communicating... no, no... that's the normal reaction... why 'ka-ciao' me? There're so many passengers on the bus... he was trying to tell something with his two fingers... trying to utter a few words, but I could not figure that out at all! No, no... I don't understand... don't bother me, please...
Quickly, I shifted to the middle of the bus... but my eyes could not move away from him... yes, he's a spastic child... somehow, felt very sorry... could he be asking for some help? or he's trying to be friendly (Am quite sure he's not trying to be funny)... but, still could not pick up the courage to give him a chance to express himself, to try to understand him...
After a couple of bus-stops, he shifted to the back, and try communicating to a JC student, to a young child, and a mid-20 passenger... no, everybody responded like the way I did... for a moment, I realised that I'm so 'cold'... is the society that 'cold'??? On the other hand, am wondering if he is trying to practise what he learns in class - be friendly to people around him - however, it seems like our society is yet ready to accept people of abnormality in our daily life.
He alighted just before Meridian JC... still, I could not lift my eyes from him... yes, he was heading towards the centre... but I can see a smile actually appeared on his face as he walked towards the gate...
As the bus just started to move... one teenager came over, sat beside me. Obviously, he has problem communicating... no, no... that's the normal reaction... why 'ka-ciao' me? There're so many passengers on the bus... he was trying to tell something with his two fingers... trying to utter a few words, but I could not figure that out at all! No, no... I don't understand... don't bother me, please...
Quickly, I shifted to the middle of the bus... but my eyes could not move away from him... yes, he's a spastic child... somehow, felt very sorry... could he be asking for some help? or he's trying to be friendly (Am quite sure he's not trying to be funny)... but, still could not pick up the courage to give him a chance to express himself, to try to understand him...
After a couple of bus-stops, he shifted to the back, and try communicating to a JC student, to a young child, and a mid-20 passenger... no, everybody responded like the way I did... for a moment, I realised that I'm so 'cold'... is the society that 'cold'??? On the other hand, am wondering if he is trying to practise what he learns in class - be friendly to people around him - however, it seems like our society is yet ready to accept people of abnormality in our daily life.
He alighted just before Meridian JC... still, I could not lift my eyes from him... yes, he was heading towards the centre... but I can see a smile actually appeared on his face as he walked towards the gate...
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Points of View - 2 stories
Story 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yes, it's the points of view, which perspective we take, what we want to see, what we want to hear and that exactly shapes what appears before us. Just like the old saying, "See the Glass Half Empty? See the Glass Half Filled". Being Optimistic? Being Pessimistic? We have a choice :D
Recall another story, that I'll not forget, there's this man who's very positive. To cut the story short... One day, he was shot and when he was on the operation table, he told the surgeons to operate him as a living person, rather than a dead man. It's the thinking!
Very often, we were rather upset when things don't quite go well... even little things... missed the bus, missed the train, the door of the lift just shut when we were almost there... ok, who knows? Things simply don't quite take a better course though we tried quicken our pace... nevermind... as far as we try... who knows, we might have missed what we've just missed, we never know, the next could be better? ;p
Sometimes, we wonder why some people can be so picky over things... picky on us? (Rabbit BUNS will think like this)... or it's a means of driving us to do better, but probably in a less 'nicer' manner?
One of my good buddies wonder that how come sometimes our bosses may not seem to be bothered with what we are doing... there are two ways to look at it... one, yes, they don't bother... there's where one worries of the amount of support get from 'up-there'... on the other hand, it could be one that they're confident that things will be at the right place and therefore channel their energies to somewhere else that needed them more urgently? Of course, these 2 ways of looking at it will generate 2 very diffferent outcomes lah...
- a group of rabbits were travelling through the woods when two of them - Buns and Bunny - fell into a ditch. Both rabbits tried as hard as they could to jump out of the ditch. But the ditch was too deep for them to escape.
- Buns, being cynical and pessimistic, was sure that the other rabbits would not help. But Bunny, a generally amicable and optimistic rabbit, was sure that they would.
- Then all the other rabbits gathered around the ditch and began to shout and cheer the two rabbits on, as they tried as hard as they could to escape from their predicament.
- Buns became discouraged and demoralised when he heard the shouting and cheering of the other rabbits, for he thought they were booing and jeering him. He gave up trying after a short while and never escaped from the ditch.
- But Bunny became more emboldened when he heard the shouting and cheering, and he was sure that his friends were encouraging him on. Within a few minutes, he was out of the ditch - with a new experience.
Story 2
- Two mice fell into a vessel of cream. Overwhelmed by the difficult tsk of getting out, the first mouse gave up and drowned. But the other mouse was determined to fight on, and started thrashing and churning as fast as it could. The milk soon turned into butter, and it climbed out.
- Two mice, one situation, two different outcomes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yes, it's the points of view, which perspective we take, what we want to see, what we want to hear and that exactly shapes what appears before us. Just like the old saying, "See the Glass Half Empty? See the Glass Half Filled". Being Optimistic? Being Pessimistic? We have a choice :D
Recall another story, that I'll not forget, there's this man who's very positive. To cut the story short... One day, he was shot and when he was on the operation table, he told the surgeons to operate him as a living person, rather than a dead man. It's the thinking!
Very often, we were rather upset when things don't quite go well... even little things... missed the bus, missed the train, the door of the lift just shut when we were almost there... ok, who knows? Things simply don't quite take a better course though we tried quicken our pace... nevermind... as far as we try... who knows, we might have missed what we've just missed, we never know, the next could be better? ;p
Sometimes, we wonder why some people can be so picky over things... picky on us? (Rabbit BUNS will think like this)... or it's a means of driving us to do better, but probably in a less 'nicer' manner?
One of my good buddies wonder that how come sometimes our bosses may not seem to be bothered with what we are doing... there are two ways to look at it... one, yes, they don't bother... there's where one worries of the amount of support get from 'up-there'... on the other hand, it could be one that they're confident that things will be at the right place and therefore channel their energies to somewhere else that needed them more urgently? Of course, these 2 ways of looking at it will generate 2 very diffferent outcomes lah...
Friday, April 14, 2006
Charges for Water
This topic has caught my attention... it appeared on last week's papers, and it appears on this morning's papers again... that some restaurants charge glasses of water, while others provide it free... of course, the arrows all point at those that do not serve water free.
I'm indeed quite ignorant that there are restaurants that do not serve water free... ok, perhaps never been to those high high class restaurants before... But talking about water, I have another story... indeed, I pay for water even though it was available free... hahaha...
Click HERE to see the post on "Water... "
Indeed, it never never crosses my mind that I'm served tap water when out at restaurants, but anyway, I fully trust that water from the tap (in Singapore) is perfectly OK.
I still remember that many years ago, MacDonald is the first name that flash across my mind whenever I'm thirsty and need a mouth of cold icy water... though a small cup, but that's good enough... and of course, it's free! More importantly, I appreciate that small yet good service and thoughtfulness of the restaurant. Just a cup of cold water and it can leave a long-lasting impression.
I'm indeed quite ignorant that there are restaurants that do not serve water free... ok, perhaps never been to those high high class restaurants before... But talking about water, I have another story... indeed, I pay for water even though it was available free... hahaha...
Click HERE to see the post on "Water... "
Indeed, it never never crosses my mind that I'm served tap water when out at restaurants, but anyway, I fully trust that water from the tap (in Singapore) is perfectly OK.
I still remember that many years ago, MacDonald is the first name that flash across my mind whenever I'm thirsty and need a mouth of cold icy water... though a small cup, but that's good enough... and of course, it's free! More importantly, I appreciate that small yet good service and thoughtfulness of the restaurant. Just a cup of cold water and it can leave a long-lasting impression.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
SQ: Smile Quotient
回家途中，正在听958。 刚好提到 “微笑情商 ”。 是新的一种理论，联想。作者谈到周围的人与人，人与事。 是的，只要我们稍微的留意。。。
其实，作者提到的，也只不过是把周遭的所见所闻，一一的给墨出来罢了。
很多时后， 我们都被都市的繁忙，快捷的脚步给冲昏了头。把脸部的肌肉都‘练’疆了， 有时， 甚至，忘了如何去表达那 ‘七情’！ 当然，愤怒，急躁， 生气。。。 往往和都市的节拍，生活的紧张，都是息息相关的。
但是，有时，若是把节奏放慢一点，都关心一下周围，他人的感受， 自己先迈开第一步，给别人一丝地惊喜，一丝地开心，一丝的欣慰，亦可换到一丝的微笑，一丝地无声感谢，也回自然而然感染在自己的脸上。
在匆忙间，记得说声谢谢。在言语无法作为沟通的桥梁时，微笑是最好的表达方法。
记得小学时，老师教过这首英语歌曲：You can Smile...
There are many troubles that are bursted like bubbles,
There are many shadows that disappeared,
When you learn to meet them, with a smile to greet them,
for a smile is better than a frown or tear...
You can smile, when you can't say a word,
You can smile, when you cannot be heard,
You can smile, when it's cloudy or clear,
You can smile, anytime, anywhere...
其实，作者提到的，也只不过是把周遭的所见所闻，一一的给墨出来罢了。
很多时后， 我们都被都市的繁忙，快捷的脚步给冲昏了头。把脸部的肌肉都‘练’疆了， 有时， 甚至，忘了如何去表达那 ‘七情’！ 当然，愤怒，急躁， 生气。。。 往往和都市的节拍，生活的紧张，都是息息相关的。
但是，有时，若是把节奏放慢一点，都关心一下周围，他人的感受， 自己先迈开第一步，给别人一丝地惊喜，一丝地开心，一丝的欣慰，亦可换到一丝的微笑，一丝地无声感谢，也回自然而然感染在自己的脸上。
在匆忙间，记得说声谢谢。在言语无法作为沟通的桥梁时，微笑是最好的表达方法。
记得小学时，老师教过这首英语歌曲：You can Smile...
There are many troubles that are bursted like bubbles,
There are many shadows that disappeared,
When you learn to meet them, with a smile to greet them,
for a smile is better than a frown or tear...
You can smile, when you can't say a word,
You can smile, when you cannot be heard,
You can smile, when it's cloudy or clear,
You can smile, anytime, anywhere...
Friday, April 07, 2006
Wind Rain No Change
Okay, that's the direct translation from the chinese idiom, 风雨不改。
It really 'impresses' me... every morning, it's always that two uncles who lead the queues - rain or shine... They're always chatting... smiling... Hm... seems no worry... and yes, they seem enjoying the wait... or they're so used to waiting that they decided that chatting is one of the best time-killer in the morning? or they're just making constructive use of time - to catch up with each other, to update each other with the happenings and encounters they went through the previous day? Hm... maybe they are very very good friends???
It's barely 7 am... then come a few followers after them... by the time it's 7.15 am, there will be at least 20 people in each waiting lines... the people queue up in an orderly manner... there's no 'discipline master' around to ensure peace and harmony in this group of people. Many of them just joined the queue... very few are like the two 'leaders'... they don't talk... they are 'individuals'... so what bring them together?
Just after 7.15 am... 3 men came... the usual three... they pushed their load up... stack the load slowly... there is no sign of rush at all! Hm... they take their 'own sweet time', surprising, in a quick pace society here, the people in the queue can tolerate with the slow motion... why? why they bother to wait??? It's not that they can't afford, but they wait... Hm... that's the only chance they can practise patience?
OK, this takes place at Tampines MRT station every weekday morning. "Wind, Rain - no change!" ... those 3 men were the ones who deliver the free newspapers every morning...
It really 'impresses' me... every morning, it's always that two uncles who lead the queues - rain or shine... They're always chatting... smiling... Hm... seems no worry... and yes, they seem enjoying the wait... or they're so used to waiting that they decided that chatting is one of the best time-killer in the morning? or they're just making constructive use of time - to catch up with each other, to update each other with the happenings and encounters they went through the previous day? Hm... maybe they are very very good friends???
It's barely 7 am... then come a few followers after them... by the time it's 7.15 am, there will be at least 20 people in each waiting lines... the people queue up in an orderly manner... there's no 'discipline master' around to ensure peace and harmony in this group of people. Many of them just joined the queue... very few are like the two 'leaders'... they don't talk... they are 'individuals'... so what bring them together?
Just after 7.15 am... 3 men came... the usual three... they pushed their load up... stack the load slowly... there is no sign of rush at all! Hm... they take their 'own sweet time', surprising, in a quick pace society here, the people in the queue can tolerate with the slow motion... why? why they bother to wait??? It's not that they can't afford, but they wait... Hm... that's the only chance they can practise patience?
OK, this takes place at Tampines MRT station every weekday morning. "Wind, Rain - no change!" ... those 3 men were the ones who deliver the free newspapers every morning...
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