Impermanence…

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how
things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make
it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It
seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water
and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the
first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the
last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil, without
saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the
carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and
placed them in a bowl.

Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.

Turning to her daughter, she asks, "Tell me what you see."

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She
did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter
to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed
the hard boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The
daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked,
"What does it mean, mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same
adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in
strong,hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the
boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile.
Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after
sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The
ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the
boiling water, they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on
your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee
bean?"

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but
with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the
heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a break-up, a
financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and
stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and
tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee
bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance
that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the
fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at
their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When
the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate
yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a
carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to
make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to
make you happy.

The happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of
everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along
their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten
past; you can’t go forward in life until you let go of your past
failures and heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was
smiling. Live your life so at the end, you’re the one who is smiling
and everyone around you is crying.

Well, holies is still a month plus ahead, yet I have thought of what Im gonna do!! =P Well, not so systematically though….
On Thursday I went to pay my ticket to fly back home!!! ‘_’ The tix was quite exp though, since the date of my flight is during high peak…. *sigh* yet couldnt help it, since my exam finishes quite late (compared to other uni…. sigh….)

Well, following is my flight dates:
Syd - Sing 6 Dec
I plan to stay over night in Singapore for days. Well, reason being is not becos I want to shop (gosh, i have no money to shop… hahahaha… ) I just want to catch up with my high school friends: Edwin, Erfi, A Tok, A Tjiau…. ^^ Been long not hanging out with them. Might be nice to meet them again! Im currently chatting with Edwin, he is in the airport waiting for her flight back to Medan. His flight is delayed for another hour, for some reason. Now he is off (10 minutes after I wrote my last line), cos he only can log in for 15 minutes! haha … So yeah, that is why I can continue writing my entry. During the short convo, we had some plan what we are going to do in Sing: Going to Night Safari!! (wow! sounds so kewl! Im excited now, even by only imagining it!) Then, he also told me that there is new big mall just opened there! Another wow! hahahaha Oh goodness, cant wait till the time comes!!!!

Sing - Medan 10 Dec
This is my long waited time!!! Finally, on this date I reach home!!!!!! O well, not exactly my hometown, but this is the city whre I grew up though. So yeah, second home, if you can say! ^^
Errrr havent had any plan yet what Im gonna do in this city….. I might catch up with some other friends as well, and visit my relatives.

I still leave it blank what Im gonna do during my time in Indo…. For sure, Im gonna go back to my hometown (plc where Im born and where my parents live): Nias. Yet havent decided when Im gonna fly back there. Will decide when I reach Medan.
Actually, I also wanna travel: Bali, Jkt, or… HK… hahaha Cos my cousin is planning to go to HK in Feb… Crossing finger, my parents will allow me to join her!!! (hopefully!) Neva been to HK before, so yeah, its a new experience to go there! Bali…. been sooooooo long not going there! The last time I went to Bali was when I was 7 or 8… too young to remember the beauty of it. Yet, I have pieces of memory of my time there. Indeed, Bali is a nice place! I remember going to a ‘temple’ and also went to a place to see monkeys. ^^ Quite fun though!

Will go back to Syd in Feb:
Medan - Sing on 22 Feb
Sing - Syd on 23 Feb

Yeah!!! Holies should be fun later!! But before that, I have to face another challenge: Exams!!! Wish me luck!

Quoted from a book by Master Hsin Yun, Tending Life’s Garden. Between Ignorance and Enlightenment VI

There are things in the world that we can and cannot change. The wind blows, the rain pours down, and we inevitably grow old over the years, regardless of what we do to avoid it. There are things in life that cannot be overcome, like the suffering one might endure from a terminal disease; the experiences of birth, aging, sickness, and death in life; the existance, abidance, decay and extinction of the world; arising, existance, change, and cessation of the mind; and the retributions of cause and effect.

In order to change the things that we can, we need wisdom, willpower, and human connections. Poverty can be overcome with hard work, and difficulties and setbacks can be resolved with strength and perserverance. Gossip and chaos can be eradicated if we are wise; obstacles can be overcome when we have assistance and the right connections.

People who cannot accept reality often suspect others are laughing at them upon hearing even a single negative word uttered unintentionally. They retreat and hide, losing the courage to connect with others. In order to conceal their shortcomings, they tend to act defensively. Like porcupines, they are difficult to approach. In the end, they are only harming themselves and hurting those who care for them.

When faced with realities that cannot be changed, we must accept them before we can find new paths. For instance, in accepting the devastation of wind and rain, we can fortify ourselves to respond to future storms more effectively. In facing the harsh reality of setbacks, we can start over again with new resolve. Accepting the vicissitudes of human relations allows us to learn to adjust to circumstances as they arise. We can turn a new leaf in life after we accept the devastation of loss; we can better overcome anxiety when we face danger and fear.

Across the ages, people who could accept poverty, suffering, and physical handicaps when often inspired with great courage and spirit to improve themselves and make adjustments in the their lives. They succeded in creating beautiful lives for themselves. For example, Helen Keller overcame the drawbacks of blindness and became an inspiration for others with her work. Thomas Edison continued his research after his lab burned down. Beethoven lost his hearing and wrote Symphony No.9. Franklin Roosevelt was stricken with polio and still won a fourth term as president. These ppl all faced realities that could not be changed. Howeverm they changed their lives with will-power and preserverance.

There is a saying: "Try your best and obey the will of heaven". Accepting reality isnt being pessimistic but is starting over again with positive resolve. It is not giving up hope; it is being endlessly helpful. It is not wallowing in defeat but embarking on a new road to success. It is not retreating but facing ourselves more honestly. It is not falling down for good but reorganizing for another advance. By accepting reality and being optimistic and progressive, we make up for our shortcomings.

Hehe.. finally the entry is done! So guys, dont ever see bad outcomes as the end of this world!! Once again, its all in ur mind!!!

Happy Mooncake Festival btw!

Well, just left that as my title, cos have no idea what I should put on the title. Any suggestion? Comment’s welcome! hahahaha

Well, just finished watching American Idol. I love the theme song: Bad Day by Daniel Powter!! Wondering why I tend to like songs with sad lyrics? Hmm… ponder, ponder… Hahaha, well basically, I tend to listen to the melody than the lyrics. So lyrics came second normally. But that doesnt mean that I cant like a song cos of its lyrics. Nah… it aint true!!

Quite like to listen again to ‘It’s all coming back to me" by Celine Dion (formally sung by Meatloaf). I like both the lyrics and melody! hahaha I think I can put emotion on that song if I sing it… =D Hohohoho….

Btw American Idol is just amazing!! Thumbs up for the show!! Its just incredible!! This season 5 is the best!! Rocks!