I never take my loved one for granted

"It's almost like we're roommates instead of husband and wife," Laura fumed. No 2 people in a relationship will ever share the exact same level of satisfaction at any given moment. All of us are individuals with unique thoughts, expectations and worries. No 2 people can be equally happy at precisely the same time. Pride, frustration and anger can keep people from revealing their true feelings of abandonment. Most people will assume that if they have to ask for our time and affection it means that we're not really interested in them anymore. We can't tell our loved ones we care and expect them to believe it. But we can show them we care: drop what we are doing, focus attention on her and voice concern when we sense that something is wrong.

Fight for the best customers, not for all customers

"Moving towards Quality Tourism, anchored on value creation" that was the summary slide in Ms Aw's powerpoint presentation. I worked in a company that had more than 4,000 customers on its database. When we analysed buying frequency and type of buying, we foound that only 600 of the customers really contributed to profit. In these changing times we must seek to serve the BEST customers, not just all customers.

4 compliments for every criticism

In the movie "The kids are all right" Jules told Nic that the reason she had an affair not because she is in love, but rather she was to be appreciated.

Guys tend to be bad at paying compliments and way too good at handing out criticism.

Men need women. And more particularly, we need her. We should try to show that we do. Give her compliments more often. Don't stop at looks. Praise something that she's done.

Compliments make her feel appreciated and loved. Criticism doesn't change anything; it just makes her feel defensive, which leads to fights and life-long grudges. Take your pick.

Everybody hurts

"My mother has been admitted to hospital. She will be in bedrest for 2 weeks," Simon informed me solemnly.

To be told by a doctor, "You have cancer; you may die!"has to be terrifying. Yet some reading this blog have experienced such pain and agony.

In 1 way or another, we are all hurting. Millions of parents have been deeply wounded by children who had disappointed them. The victims of broken homes are hurting. And what about the unemployed? The despondent ones whose dreams have collapsed? The prisoners? The alcoholics?

The best to do in this situation is to stop trying to figure out how and why you got hurt.

When the day is long and the night, the night is yours alone

When you're sure you had enough of this life, well hang on

Don't let yourself go, çause everybody cries and everybody hurts sometimes

Sometimes everything is wrong, Now it's time to sing along

when your day is night alone (hold on, hold on)

If you feel like letting go (hold on)

When you think you've had too much of this life, well hang on

"Cause everybody hurts. Take comfort in your friends

Everybody hurts. Don't throw your hand. Oh no. Don't throw your hand

If you fell you're alone, no, no, no, you're not alone

If you're on your own in this life, the days and nights are long

When you think you've had too much of this life to hang on

Well, everybody hurts sometimes

Everybody cries. And everybody hurts sometimes

And everybody hurts sometimes. So hold on, hold on

Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on

Everybody hurts. You're not alone.

-R.E.M

Love until it hurts, then love some more

"Love until it hurts, then love some more," Sister katherine posted in her blog.

To me, loving always means the orientation of our thoughts towards the other and the abandonment of our own self-interest. I have learned that it is only when we have this level of love, that we can find our fulfillment.

"I have found the paradox that if I love until it hurts, then there is no hurt, but only more love"-Mother Teresa

Rare pleasure

It's my mother's 71st birthday today.

I usually try to visit my parents once evry 4-6 weeks. Oftne the visits are somewhat frantic as I try to carve out a solid piece of time that fits between the eating, errands and other agendas.

But this recent trip was different. We had dinner together, both my parents and wife and son - all 5 of us. Our banter had a soothing effect on me.

As we were driving off that night, their faces lit up when we reversed our car out of the porch. Having this peaceful moment with my mum was special. I savoured it as I sat watching mum talk during dinner.

So often my parents and I meet on the run. Their lives are carefully regimented and rigid mostly by their own choice. And mine often feels like a series of pit stops between laps of a race.

But this time all 5 of us had really been there at dinner, together, fully focused on each other, sharing the moment. It felt good.

Admit mistakes

"Most people try to weasel out of their mistakes," Dustin wrote in his article.

I am honest with my child. I admit my mistakes and teach him the value of taking personal responsibility and apologising. I hope this teaches him that it's not fatal to make mistakes (just don't repeat them again) and beg for forgiveness.