Sunday, June 30, 2013

If...

We went through a series of "If..." questions during our team trip to Phuket recently.

To me, one way to boost positive energy is to think about life and work as a daily adventure. I know that adopting a fresh, playful approach guarantees nothing. But it does wake me up and make life and work more livable - even fun.

If I Had My Life to Live Over


I'd dare to make more mistakes next time.
I'd relax. I would limber up.
I would be sillier than I have been this trip.
I would take fewer things seriously.
I would take more chances.
I would take more trips.
I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers.
I would eat more ice cream and less beans.

I would perhaps have more actual troubles but I'd
have fewer imaginary ones.

You see, I'm one of those people who live sensibly
and sanely hour after hour, day after day.

Oh, I've had my moments and if I had it to do over
again, I'd have more of them. In fact,
I'd try to have nothing else. Just moments.

One after another, instead of living so many
years ahead of each day.

I've been one of those people who never go anywhere
without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a raincoat
and a parachute.

If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot
earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall.

If I had it to do again, I would travel lighter next time.
I would go to more dances.
I would ride more merry-go-rounds.
I would pick more daisies.

If I had to do it all over again.
But you see, I don't.


By Nadine Stair (age 85)



Sunday, June 16, 2013

Moving on

Last week I went with my parents to view a house which they are planning to move into. Later that afternoon, I spent some time poking into drawers, corners and envelopes filled with years full of stuff. I sorted through and threw away many of the artifacts of my past. Some other things need to be kept and treasured.

As I read some of the letters and looked at some old photos, I compared my life now with what it was then. How it has changed.

One day of slowing down and handling both types of artifacts forced me to reflect on the various seasons of my life. Maybe we shouldn't wait for a move to do that.



Sunday, June 9, 2013

To be the best-version of ourselves

12 forty niners from Saints81 congregated in JB last night.

The bulk of the focus of the night was doing and having. 9 times out of 10 the question was, "What do you do?" and "how many children do you have?"

What we do in the span of our lives  may bring us financial rewards, status, fame, power and unimaginable possessions, but lasting happiness and fulfillment are not by-products of doing and having.

I believe who we become is infinitely more important than what we do or what we have.

In the words of Robert Louis Stevenson, "To be what we are, and to become what we are capable of becoming, is the only end of life."
Standing (from left: Vipu, Basil, Thulasi, Kim Long, Thiru, Soma, Benjamin)
Seated(from left: Michael, Thiagarajan, richard, Jaya)