Action speaks louder than words

The Hana Convention started yesterday. After all the planning, it is time for action.

Everybody is familiar with the cliche "action speaks louder than words."

It is important to say the right things. It is even more important to do the right thing.

Ultimately, our actions are of greater consequence than our words. I always say what needs to be said, then act accordingly. Temporary discomfort is better than temporary relief. Results, for me, are judge and jury.

Sustaining intensity in middle years

"I started going mountain biking," Alvin declared after a sip of his vodka sprite. "I have done it 3 times already. Twice with a friend, and once, recently, on my own."

I have come to realise that if a person sustained some of the intensity after his school days, he would be in better shape in his 40's.

If a man in his middle years does not sustain his conditioning with a certain intensity, he will not be able to counteract the effects of time; and after an injury, he will not be able to heal the way he once did. In fact,life for him will become one long quiet injury; he will begin to hear sounds in his body that belong in a car that is being recalled.

Young men dream dreams, old men see visions

ACE flew off to Shanghai and onwards to Suzhou yesterday with 67 others Primary 5-yers from his school yesterday. This is the 1st time he is travelling on his own. He has indeed growing up fast.

Adolescence is the short hour between the springtime and the summer of life. Before the teenage is reached, there is a very little individuality or personality but as soon as the teens begin, the emotional life is like water taking shape from the vessel into which it is poured.

Some youths, like some fruits, ripen too soon, and others never seem to ripen at all, but there are others who fulfill the best aspirations of an older generation.

"Young men dream dreams; old men see visions." The young look ahead, the aged look back.

me-1st-and-you-and-the-son-can-have-what's-left-over

May 29, 2010 has been set as Eat With your Family Day. This is a Singapore National movement serving as a reminder on the importance of having meals as a family.

Amazingly enough, many couples make time for just about everything - and everybody - but each other. I'll have to confess that I am possibly the most guilty person alive on this one, or at least I was very guilty. I still am to a degree, but not nearly as much as I was a few years ago.

In the past, when acquaintances or business associates would pass through town and say, "It's my only night here," or "I'm here for the next couple of days," I would expect my wife to "understand" that I had to see my friend or business associate.

Basically, it was a "me-1st-and-you-and-the-son-can-have-what's-left-over" approach to marriage.

I'm pleased to say that now, in most cases, I have my priorities in order and weigh the importance of the get together before accepting or turning it down.

Fear of looking foolish

"Please tell me how people perceive me," Clement asked. "I am not one to mince my words."

Almost everyone fears looking foolish. Everyone has refrained at least once from asking questions out of fear that someone would say, "You mean you don't know that?" We've all held back emotions - whether laughter or tears - for fear of being thought a fool, losing face, being humiliated, losing respect and position.

Middle age

"Paul, we have not met for 29 years, since 1981 when we were in from 5 together,"Joseph exclaimed as we shook hands.

One way of telling whether we are growing old is to revisit the school which we once attended. If the students seem "much younger"than when we were there, we are in middle age.

Life, as it says, goes on. Some of us may feel we have left our passions behind, when actually it is the passions that have left us behind. Some imagined that we have mastered life, when really habits which we cannot break have mastered and enchained us.

The goodfinder

"Germany captain Michael Ballack is out of World Cup" "Germany still strong without ballack" "Injured Ballack vows to make Germany return" All the sports news headlines recently.

It has been said that our biggest opportunities will probably come into our lives disguised as problems. Problems can jolt us out of our predictable routines but only to introduce us to a life of new possibilities. In the end, we will probably profit more from suffering than we do from success.

We must be ready to look for and find good in all the situations of life.