Sight to Insight

One word kept ringing out from Ajahn Brahm's talk at the Singapore Buddhist Fellowship is gratitude. Indeed being grateful for every small things is the best medicine for peace and happiness. His talk was so well attended that the dharma hall was full and it has to be broadcasted to the other floors. Perhaps it demonstrates the spiritual hunger for answer to live within a globalized country where competition is so keenly felt by people. The Christians have a hymn with the lyric, "count your blessing one by one" which amplifies this simple but oft forgotten lesson of being grateful for all that we have. Ajahn Brahm's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajahn_Brahm ) reminder is apt and timely - be grateful. His latest book, "Simply this Moment" is a collection of his talks where the basic principles of life are once again expounded. For those who are well read in Buddhism, they are easy to understand and that is the essense of any talk - to be understood. This book...

Boxing day or rather night was the reunion of five of us from Bentong Gospel Centre (BGC). I have not met them for over a decade. Imperial Palace, at Subang Jaya was the chosen location. The food quality was not great, but the conversations were. The bonding as friends is as remarkable as the religion that made us "brothers and sisters". It is an evening that I will remember for a very long time. Memories and names of people have to be dragged out from cells which haven't been working for a very long time. It is an exercise that could delay Alzheimer disease, I am sure. But it was all worth it, to link back names and events that have happened so very long ago. They bring back sweet memories. I started with BGC when I was 15 years old, and that was almost 4 decades ago! I remember Roger Dalhberg, the missionary from Wanganui, New Zealand, who started it up with his family. He is now in the Philippines, continuing with his missionary work. What a remarkable man, who brough...

I changed the blog URL to "living-a-good-life" to feed my behaviors toward that goal in life. Indeed, during this Christmas festive season in Subang Jaya, all activities are contributing to this goal. Christmas is a public holidays in both Malaysia and Singapore. That's already a good thing to have if you were an employee. My company shuts down during this season for the whole week to save cost and increase profitability. I am not going into this rationale for my private blog. My family and I drove up from Singapore for a week's vacation back "home". For me, visiting the old folks as many times as I could is one important duty and it is a demonstration of a good life. My mum is now 85 and still running around healthily. This is a great life for her and us. We are blessed and thankful. My mother in law isn't so healthy, but she is always a dear person, who tries her best to make life great for everyone in the family. That attitude makes life wonderful. Lo...

Staying at the Phuket Marriot was a suggestion of our friends who are members of the Phuket Beach Club. It came just as I failed to get my Japan vacation plan to work, as I could not get tickets for the period I wanted. And so we went on Tiger Air, a budget airline that operates out of Budget Terminal in Singapore. Purchasing tickets and communicating with JW Marriot to set up the 4 days 3 nights trip was a breeze, thanks to the internet. My last visit was 15 years ago, and so with the help of Google Search and some books borrowed from the library, the vacation plan was hatched and discussed with the family. From the JW Marriot website, the hotel appears truly beautiful. However, I am weary of marketing photo-shots which only show the consumers the best angle. However, when we arrived at the reception, and gazing out into the sea; the scene was as marvellous as that picture in the website! The hotel room was clean and cozy and we had our breakfasts at the balcony. The beach is pristine...