人間有夢

<我的夢>﹐ 中國殘疾人藝術團一場震撼人心的演出。由邰麗華及一群聾人呈現的<千手觀音>先聲奪人把有聲與無聲溶為一體。我則對<化蝶>更加偏好。梁祝的愛情故事﹐音樂的永恆﹐加上舞蹈員的心念﹐傳達了一個很重要的訊息。

姑且不論西湖上橋長情更長的小橋故事。其實<我的夢>所傳達的訊息很朴實簡單。人要活得有尊嚴﹐有志氣﹐肯奮鬥﹐自力更生。只要心中有愛有夢﹐人生自然輝煌。


輝煌的意義是自定的。成功的人生因人而異﹐你能走出一條屬于你的路﹐你就是成功嶺上的勇士。

無獨有偶﹐昨晚mobTV 的<等一个晴天>記載了一位在兒童院長大的少女成長的歷程。在兒童院與獨立面對生活之間﹐她選擇了後者﹐半工半讀的環境下完成中學教育﹐邁入理工學院﹐開始另一段旅程。她的成就十分輝煌。

信心是成功的根本保證﹐是一個人最可靠的精神支柱。唐朝僧璨大師在<信心銘>中寫道﹕

信心不二﹐不二信心﹔言語道斷﹐非去來今。

儘管訊息朴實簡單不過﹐但在經濟掛帥的大環境中很容易被人忽略。就情緒理念而言﹐<我的夢>中那群殘而不廢﹐追逐夢想的藝術家﹐<等一个晴天>中頑強面對生活﹐不言離棄的少女所展現的精神面貌﹐肯定比許多電視籌款活動中哭喪著臉博同情的病瘓者強多。或許NKF之類的組織可以引以為鑑﹐為慈善與人性尊嚴重新定位。

人爭一口氣﹐佛爭一炷香。人一生下來就不平等。你可以選擇怨天尤人﹐仿彿全世界都欠你一個人情﹔也可以選擇樂觀開懷直接面對人生。定位不同﹐道路就不一樣。


願你是個勝利者。祝你成功。

怎一個情字了得

教育制度將再度改革﹐每個學子都能夠發揮他們最大的潛能﹐沒有人會被遺棄。這是總理在教師節傳達的訊息。姑且不論這是否只是政治的一部分﹐和許多過去的訊息一樣﹐雷聲大﹐雨點小﹔我覺得是誠意之舉。

我們的教育制度走了許多彎路。我受教育的那個年代﹐學校的學術排名並不明顯。舉個例子﹐當年萊佛士女校就設在維多利亞街﹐附近的孩子們就在那兒度過他們的童年。曾幾何時萊佛士女校被打造成名校﹐又是高才班﹐無形中製造了社會階級。分流呢﹖雖然政府費勁為分流制度辯護﹐怎麼也改變不了箇中的玄機。

在曲折迂迴的漫漫長路上造就了一些人﹐也犧牲了好些人。更多的普羅大眾是默默耕耘的一群﹐任命過一生。兜了三十年﹐我們繞回原點。教育的崇高目標是有教無類﹐發揮學生的潛能﹐培養學生的人格。

我們的年代沒有教師節﹐不過教師已是生活的一部分。八十年代末﹐我寫了一篇散文<昔日福南昔日情>﹐記載一段曾經刻骨銘心的心路歷程。把其中幾段摘錄下來﹐從新分享,借此感激一群誠心奉獻給下一代的老師們﹕

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小三的時候才知道福南街之所以出名還在于其臭名昭彰。那時班上兩個同學打架﹐被老師在課堂上公開審訊。

“你住那裡的﹖”老師手持兩把木尺﹐鐵青著臉。

“潮州街。”

“你又住那裡﹖”老師凶巴巴地轉問另一名同學。

“福南街。”

“一個潮州街﹐一個福南街﹐都是阿飛流氓出入的地方﹐難怪你們打架打到學校里來﹗阿飛流氓我見多教多了﹐今天一定要教訓你們兩個不可。”結果兩人手心緊靠桌面﹐手背朝天﹐老師橫著木尺像剁豬肉一樣。未幾﹐兩只手都流著鮮血﹐木尺斷了兩根。

“休息的時候買過兩把木尺還給同學﹐知道嗎﹖”老師怒氣未消。

強忍著眼淚與痛楚﹐兩人緊咬牙根﹐點了點頭。這一來點心肯定沒著落了。
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馮老師就是在人心惶惶﹐士氣低落的情況下走馬上任的。那時她剛從南大畢業不久﹐還是教育學院文憑班學員。福南街出高人﹐怎不叫人另眼相看﹖

馮老師個子矮小﹐貌不驚人﹐憑著一股愛心與尊嚴﹐把潮州街烏橋頭等一班難兄難弟治得服服貼貼﹐乖乖上她的課﹐准時呈交作業﹐測驗前總安安分分的花上至少八成功夫去溫課﹐從不跟她故作刁難。是她為我開拓新的生活領域﹐教我從另一個角度俯視人間﹐激勵我以開闊無畏的心情去面對生活。

“住在福南街這類龍蛇混雜的地方都是下層人民﹐如果他們有錢﹐早就搬到加東一帶住洋樓別墅了。生活對下層人民而言就是以勞力換口飯﹐為一家人填肚子。罵粗口﹐出風頭已經成為生活的一部分﹐他們的本性還是善良的。我們學校願意招收這類頑皮學生就表示出有教無類的崇高教育宗旨。雖然山雞變不了鳳凰﹐他們只能拉低學校的會考成勣﹐但是那並不重要﹐重要的是學校給予他們學習做人的機會﹐發揮他們善良理智的一面﹐將來即使不能出人頭地﹐也能堂堂正正﹐腳踏實地﹐貢獻出一份力量。貧窮不是罪過﹐只要人窮志不窮﹐有毅力﹐肯努力﹐懂得珍惜機會﹐把握機會﹐成功永遠屬于你。。。。。”

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重回福南街好多次﹐腳下踩的是福南街的土地﹐身處的是福南中心。時光是最公正﹐也是最無情的。早年的福南街兄弟成家的成家﹐立業的立業﹐老的老﹐死的死﹐大家分散到新加坡各個角落﹐現代化的商業中心驅走昔日的凌亂污穢。當年站在這片土地上﹐除了懂得默默生活﹐懂得叛逆﹐懂得“江湖義氣”之外﹐誰曾夢想過整潔寬敞的家園﹖誰曾想到當年的叛逆青少年如今都安分守己地過活﹐今日卻多了一群游離少年重複著一段不應該重複的歷史﹖

我永遠不會忘記“只要人窮志不窮﹐有毅力﹐肯努力﹐懂得珍惜機會﹐把握機會﹐成功永遠屬于你。”也許成功的實質已經跟當年逕然不同。今日的成功是待遇﹐房屋﹐汽車及社會地位。

也很懷念曾經擁有過的“萬里無云萬里天”般﹐大家心胸坦蕩﹐肝膽相照﹐無須掩飾感情的生活。。。。。

How much does ten cent worth?

The debate in importing foreign talents has turned on. We have a deficit in the population and there is a need to augment it by actively encouraging a policy of selective immigration , otherwise in the future we will face a demographic nightmare in the shape and form of the law of minimum.

The debate in cost of living is on-going. Cost of living is a tremendous subject to grapple with, especially when there isn't an obvious social safety net to help to battle the loss of income.

The fear of majority of the foreign talents who have no root nor heart to stay on to help the local, but only grab the goodies and go is something real. The 1999 Asia financial crisis was the major setback of the Singapore economy in the recent years. Foreign talents packed up and left. The local weathered the storm.

We sank in multi-million dollars to fund John Hopskin. We have yet to measure the true return. We sank in huge sum of money to perform fire work every national day and other occasions. How could this money be channeled to help people to weather the rising living cost?

Is 10 cent fare rise considered a lot?

In the 1970s when I was a poor student, I felt the impact of every 10 cent rose in bus fare and every 5 cent rose in coffee on my daily life, let's alone the 50 cent rose of hawker food and 50 dollar rose in tuition fee. How to minimize the impact? Alighted two bus stop earlier to save that 10 cents, drank less ate less to save that 50 cents. Having said that, tuition fee could not be avoided. Study was the way to get rid of poverty.

In the 1980s when I returned to school as a mature student funding my own study to realise a childhood dream, I still felt the impact of 200 dollar rose in tuition fee. I drew from reserve, which was the CPF saving to finish the university education.

Am I complaining? From a macro-level, controlled cost rise is beneficial to the society. The upper rung would benefit most from it. The rich would become richer. This is the fact of life. From a micro-level, you have to take care of those who are directly facing the impact. To them, every 10 cent counts. This is the opposite fact of life.

How about the middle income group who is sanwiched in between? The policy that makes the rich richer does not apply to them. The policy of subsidizing the town council charges and utility bills does not apply to them either. They better to be on their own.

To survive on your own. I thought that is the right sentiment. Does anyone owe you a living? Probably not. 自力更生, self-reliance, that was what my dad told me when I was young. I am passing the same message to my children. Equip yourself with the right skill, knowledge and passion, there you go. Passion, Passion, Passion. With passion, you will see light at the end of the tunnel. That definitely worth more than 10 cents.

你快樂嗎

你快樂嗎﹖

人生不如意之事常八九﹐又要面對許許多多的是非無奈﹐有多少人能快樂起來﹖

為甚麼這麼多人比我富有﹖為甚麼這麼多人比我高高在上﹖為甚麼這麼多人比我跑得更快更遠﹖為甚麼草總是對岸的比較蔭綠﹖為甚麼春天老是遲遲不肯到來﹖

你是否嘗試從另外一個角度來對待生命﹐直面人生﹖簡單一點地說﹐當你坐擁一片藍天的時候﹐你快樂嗎﹖你真的會快樂嗎﹖

你能擺脫人生無常﹐日月星辰與宇宙體系的束縛嗎﹖如果不能﹐你的快樂只是假象虛幻。你並不快樂。所以你覺得人生不如意之事常八九﹐充滿無奈。

在慈善醫院﹐窮鄉僻壤﹐有默默耕耘的一群。他們並不富裕﹐不過他們把追求名利富貴的精力挪出來﹐把愛心奉獻給世界。他們是現代的南丁戈爾。快樂在于有能力付出﹐快樂原自內心。

那天機緣巧合碰見一位曾經有工作來往﹐但並不熟絡的朋友。他說他的阿姨已經過世了﹐她打不過癌細胞。去世前那段日子過得很平靜﹐心情悠祥﹐還問起我。

可是我怎麼都記不起她的樣子。

他說那天在裕廊我繞道載了他一程去接他的阿姨﹐過後由于時間迫切﹐怕等不到德士﹐我又繞道把他們載到中央醫院。

似乎有這一回事﹐可是印象很模糊﹐我只好抱歉一笑。人年紀逐漸大了﹐對曾經發生過的身邊事已不太在意﹐對‘人來人往’的事也看得比較淡薄。

他說想起來已經是十年前的往事了。十年風雨幾番新﹐那時他的阿姨就因為這件事萌起求生的勇氣。十年抗戰的過程﹐使他在阿姨的生命中得到啟發﹐今天他是一個義工﹐把快樂帶給不幸的一群。

他說我認為所做的是小事一宗﹐可是影響深遠﹐改變了他的阿姨和他﹐也改變了他所接觸的許多人。

很感謝他分享這一段心路歷程。能夠付出本身就是一種快樂。能夠聆聽對方由衷的故事也是一種快樂。

快樂由自心中。只有超越時空﹐超越利益﹐快樂才會快樂。願你也是快樂世界的一份子。

Conditional or unconditional?

Innovation is a buzzword in today’s business. To create an innovation culture in an organisation, people are urged “to think out of the box”.

What is out of the box? It may be explained as thinking and doing things that are “unconditional”.

What do I mean by “unconditional”?

Let’s use an example. You are driving on a road. An old lady is standing by the roadside wanting to cross. In a normal day, you would possibly slow down, stop and wait for the woman to cross before you pick up your journey again. You do it graciously. You are not expecting her to heart you and say a big thank. You are not expecting her to announce to the whole world how great you are. You are not expecting to gain something tangible.

So why do you stop and give way to the old lady? You just follow your heart. It is UNCONDITIONAL.

Again you are driving on a road. An old lady is standing by the roadside wanting to cross. This time you are in a rush. Although your heart tells you to stop, but you continue to press the accelerator and carry on with the journey.

At a moment of reflection, you think back the incident of why you do not follow your heart. Before kicking yourself, you find good reasons. Because you are rushing to the airport to pick up an important person. Because you do not know her intension, to cross the road or just waiting for a cab. Because you have the right of the road, hence she just has to wait for the right time.

So why you do not stop and give way to the old lady? Because there are thousand and one reasons. It is conditional.

Once it is conditional, we are being framed by the boundaries, the boundaries of a box. Many things we do, many approaches that we have taken are conditional based. Before we start doing it, we think of the payback, the return on investment. What do we stand to gain, win-lose or win-win?

In simple words, we are driven by business sense.

Many innovations do not originated from business thinking. Instead they start off with PASSION. Passion leads on to business and fortune. Great innovators do not use the end fortune as the driving force. But business starts with expected outcomes. In an organisation, there is this paradox.

Are you an innovator? Do you think, sense and act conditional; or unconditional? Let’s follow your heart.

Back to London

Went back to London last Sunday. Although the trip was rather short, touched ground on Sunday evening, left London on Wednesday noon, not even 72 hours. But missions accomplished.

Met Kuai Peng and family at Cheam village, outskirts of South London. They were excited with the 'Bak-Gua' that I brought to them.'Bak-Gua'is a kind of roasted pork, tasty and juicy, well like by non-Muslim in Southeast Asia.

They asked me to move to London, a place that filled with more fun and casual learning for children. Children would receive more rounded education in UK at a more affordable pace, although the cost of living would be 3 times more than that of Singapore.

Children are children. They need the space for learning, sharing and gaming in order to be nurtured with life-skill. They need their childhood. Learning process is associated with time. Let's return the childhood to them. Once the time is missed, it could never wind back. After all whether the children adopt a rapid pace or an affordable one, they would reach the same point after graduated from university. They would also reach the same point if they take on another road, i.e. not the academic path.

I tend to agree. We put our children through pressure cookers in Singapore. But how many top-notched businessmen, top-notched researchers, top-notched CEO, top-notched medical doctors, top-notched dancers, top-notched entrepreneurs, top-notched art performers and top-notched engineers we have produced? We cultivated workers, we thought them to be paper-chase, but we did not cultivate passion. We lack the depth.

On the night before returns, managed to meet up with Guo Xiong at Tavistock Square, West Central London. While waiting for him, I managed to spend some minutes back in UCL for a quick look. While I still recognised the building and without problem in getting around, people have changed.

1993 was the first time I stepped onto the land of London, first time stepped into UCL to fulfill a life-time dream. Eventually, I spent one year there with my wife. What a honey year!

That was the time I met Guo Xiong. He was my CFD lecturer. I was deeply impressed by his top-notched passion in the CFD subject. Eventually we developed friendship.

1994, my son was born in UCH. That was where we met Kuai Peng for more than a decade. I was deeply impressed by the professionalism of the hospital staff. A pre-matured kid weighed 619g, survived and discharged on actual due date! I was interviewed by BBC then. I gave full credit to the UCH staff.

Guo Xiong and I went back to the small Chinese restaurant near Russell Square. In 1999 when I attached to work in London for a year, we used to spend our time there. Crispy duck with a bottle of red wine, that's how an evening would pass. I have very little luxury like this back in Singapore.

Sincere people, open society, familiar places and fond memories. When they are integrated in a coherent manner, that brings in happiness deep from the heart. We all chase after happiness in life, don't we?

Or perhaps distance has its beauty. We are separated by physical space and do not impose threats between us. The physical distance actually serves as a bridge to cross us over. Hence we can treat others with dignity and respect. Sounds like 4th dimension?

A short trip to London. I was happy. Deep from the heart.

煮酒論英雄

早在2500年前老子已經看透世情﹐以他驚人的大智慧洞悉宇宙人生。他說﹕“天下莫柔弱于水，而攻堅強者莫之能胜，以其無以易之。 弱之胜強，柔之胜剛，天下莫不知，莫能行。”

不過當英雄豪杰在互爭兵家一蓆之地的時候﹐舌劍唇槍﹐烽火瀰漫﹐就此結下冤仇﹐有多少人具備容人的雅量﹐能夠不計前嫌﹐一笑解恩仇。現在又是島國煙林彈雨﹐全民大選的季節。一個星期後一切塵埃落定﹐便是細數英雄敗寇之時。然後呢﹖古今多少事﹐都付笑談中。這是人類社會發展史的一部分。

江海之所以能為百谷王者，以其善下之，故能為百谷王。我們期待的就是具有大智與包容的政治。７０年代我很羨慕弟妹們能有這麼體貼的幼兒園老師﹐對孩子照顧得無微不至。不過他們總是呆不久﹐我還親眼看著他們被不知名人士帶走﹐再也沒回來。有一回那位年輕的華文老師還跑上我家暫時“避難”。現在想起這段三十余年的往事﹐記憶尤新。

同樣是７０年代﹐不過不同場合﹐不同人物。在更近距離的接觸中我感受到年輕熱忱的脈搏。雖然我們來自不同的生活背景﹐對人對事未必意見相同﹐並不影響友情的滋長。在那個年代的華校生﹐很難在那個環境里不認識毛澤東與陳平﹐很難不認識方水雙與林清祥﹐很難忽略李光耀與方壯璧。在一個歷史與抱負錯縱的交叉點上﹐交織著各人的理想與對未來的憧憬與追求。

事隔多年當熱忱冷卻﹐俱往矣歷史風流人物之際﹐大家都添了白髮﹐能以平靜理智的角度來看待一段歷史。你會如何分析對待當年的是是非非﹖你以成敗論英雄或是以宏觀包容的心態來接受那股歷史洪流﹖你是不是其中一份子﹐選擇了平靜過日子而不願回首蒼桑﹖

引陳平的話為終結﹕

“I fought a liberaton war. To ask whether I would do it again is idle talk. I was a young man in an entirely different setting. But the realities and the lessons I learned from that time comprise a body of values I can share with the young who may wish to look beyond their palmtops and understand how history is shaped. I would like to be involved in a forum. It is the exchange of ideas that ultimately moves the world. The barter of views still exhilarates me. You can tell me I was wrong. You can tell me I failed. But I can tell you how it was and how I tried."

- quoted from CHIN PENG, MY SIDE OF HISTORY, Media Masters, Singapore.

Till divorce do us part

Marriage is a life time commitment.

Is this true?

This was true for the old generation. Even there weren’t any love and care binding the couple together, they would not divorce. They would still live under one roof. The commitment between them formed the family believe. The family cell. Parents’ interests subsumed under their children. They honoured the commitment. They fulfilled the commitment. Till death do they part.

Somewhat the thinking changes over time. “Don’t stay together just for the sake of the children”, “if divorce is better for you, it will be better for your kids”, “why stay in a dead marriage”, “if you no longer love your spouse, get out”! Individual happiness becomes the new standard by which a marriage is judged. Individual happiness precedes the children’s needs.

Children need security, safety, dependable and durable family ties. Divorce destroys them. Divorce has long standing impact on children. It is about cause and effect. Researches show that:

-Good parents + failed marriage = children with little confidence in the institution of marriage
-Good parents + low conflict marriage = traumatic effect on children
- The worst symptoms appear in adulthood, with less ability to trust an idea of what a lasting marriage looks like
- Bad marriage + bad divorce = children have confidence in the institution of marriage. This is the only positive outcome. The children think that they could do better and would not repeat the same mistake of their parents.

Globalisation is taking shape. Many breadwinners have to go overseas to make a living for their families. With the breadwinners separate from their spouse and children, it created a new challenge. This is not a divorce, but with non-residential parent, the effect would be similar. The children will still be impacted most.

For boys, they tend to develop overt physical aggression. For girls, they internalise the aggression. But with the absence of warm and positive family relationship, girls tend to affiliate with opposite sex. This partially explains why teenager pregnancy and abortion rates are on the climb.

Would infant and toddlers be affected by a “single parent” family? The answer is “yes”. They are more fretful, crying, clinging. For pre-schoolers, they may feel abandoned, fearful, withdrawn. For pre-teen, social withdrawal, anger and helplessness. For teenagers, shock, anger, sadness, anxiety, disappointment, question concept of marriage, become moralistic or involved in high risk behaviours.

You see how a person is shaped? The experiences in earlier years will shape a person’s future. The dynamic of this is subconscious without the person noticing it.

Divorce process is quite simple in today’s society. Hence the commitment of life time relationship also becomes vulnerable. But before thinking of divorce, think twice. You take a long time on courtship before vowing a marriage (this is the luxurious that the old generation did not have). All of sudden, your spouse becomes ugly, useless and worthless? How could it be?

Think of your children and the agony that they have to go through. They do not have a choice to choose you to be their parents. You created them. Do you want to destroy them as well?

When your children telling you “I am not your messenger”, “don’t ask me take sides. It’s not fair”, “I need both of you”….. Think again. Till divorce do us part? Have you thought through the impacts of divorce on the family?

美夢成真

Do you have dreams?

I asked some friends. They asked me what is dream. Dream sounds very remote and unreal. It doesn't belong to our age group.

As years go by, it is getting harder and harder to provide an answer to those philosophical questions such as "what is dream".

Jocelyn was delighted that she was chosen as a school prefect. She had been dreaming for the last three years. With dream, she had the strength to work towards realizing it and bang! There you are.

Howard was delighted that he finally managed to perform better than before in his languages. I have no doubt that his English vocab is stronger than mine now. I also observe a sudden change that he begins to use more idioms in his daily conversation, concise and precise. It actually makes our conversation more lively than before. To better master the languages was one of his dreams.

Did I have my childhood dreams? Like many others, I did. But I didn't have that far-fetch vision. In those years, we lived by day and battled for survival for another day. Vision was not a vocab in our dictionaries. Short term goals helped. Walk a journey, look up, and decide for the next journey. Step by step, we strived for a better life.

How to achieve quantum leap? Education was the best bet. It helped to bring in better income. With money we could do more to improve our quality life and living condition. Money is not everything, but without money it leaves nothing in today's world.

There is always a need to strike a balance - yingyang.

1999, London. One lazy afternoon, I walked into the theatre and watched Mama Mia. It brought me back to the Abba's era in the 1970s. I was still a school boy then and pop music such as Abba's was not tolerable. As years went by, my thinking changed. I became more receptive to the different types of music and culture, including Abba. Mama Mia ended with the song "I have a dream". Somewhat it touched my heart. I asked my Malaysian friend who married a Hong Konger and permanently stayed in London, "Do you have dreams?" She said of course. I recommended her to watch Mama Mia so that she could convert her dreams into reality.

2004, ShuZhou. I met a local teacher cum tour guide who graduated from QingHua University. He briefed that he had made a comparison and concluded that the local had adopted a slower pace than many Singaporean. The local people work, but they also spent time to appreciate life and beauty. Singaporean were the hardworking lot. They traded health with money, the local people traded money with health. Who were happier? No right nor wrong deduction.

In 2005, New Zealand. My pace of life was even slower. 採菊東籬下﹐悠然見南山。風吹草低見牛羊。We adopt a certain life style with a price. Many people dreaming of owning a farm at old age. Some who had realized their dreams decided to give up and returned back to the busy city life style. You choose something that really suits you after experiencing the different aspects of life. No right nor wrong.

You choose your own paths. You choose your dreams. Wishing you a great year ahead.

Lunar New Year

Celebration of Lunar New Year (CNY) can be dated back to the Han’s dynasty, some 2000 years ago in the ancient china. Since then, Chinese have been celebrating their new year on the 1st day of the Lunar Calendar year.

“Lien” was a fierce animal. In order to chase away Lien so that people could enjoy peaceful life in the following year, lion dance and firecrackers were used to scare Lien away. By adopting the similar practices year after year, they have integrated into CNY. History, culture and belief were made.

Do I like CNY? Among the various festivals, CNY is still the most heartfelt one. In our childhood days, new dresses, new shoes, good food and extra pocket money were luxurious items. They only came by once a year, which was CNY. CNY also symbolised grow of a person. Some parents even relaxed their house rules by allowing their children to gamble during CNY.

My father was working in a printing firm. Before CNY, he would bring home some new year cards that were printed by him. Like many others, I would pen down some wishes and gave to the school teachers, wishing them a prosperous year ahead. In P4, my form teacher proudly pulled out all the new year cards that she received. A few of them were pasted on the classroom wall for decoration. The remaining were sent to the dustbins.

What a reality! Somewhat my heart turned sour. The childhood experience had changed my approach towards appreciating the greeting cards since then. Again, history and belief were shaped.

Of course today we are more modern. We send e-cards. The other party deleted it, so what? The pain is less.

Why do I bother to share all these?

Take a deep look at the past and present. Every small little happening around us would make an impact on our future. Knowingly or unknowingly, consciously or subconsciously we shape what we think, what we believe, what we act and what we do to the others based on past influences. Those past influences could be backdated to our very young age. They keep silent in one of the corners of our brains. They will respond aggressively and decisively when circumstances arise.

In simple term, we are made up by our past and controlled by our past! Thinking deeper on it may make us feel depressive.

There is a positive side of it. The brighter side of the analogy is to think of the future.

Our future is made up by what we think, what we believe, what we act and what we do to the others today. Everyone would reach a state of soul searching sometime in life. When the day comes, do a self -cleansing, make a change, and you will be a better person. You can brighten not only yourself, but also the people surrounding you. Your little kind gesture would change other people’s life.

Happy CNY.

Rewinding the time

在Esplanade 剧院度过一个温馨的下午。听耿丽萍的演唱，有一股莫名的冲动，热泪盈眶的感觉。桐瑶模仿邓丽君的台风，惟妙惟肖，风韵多姿。

我曾经跟邓丽君同在一张小圆桌上喝咖啡。匪夷所思？1993年12月，罗浮宫，巴黎的冬天。

那年我从伦敦飞到巴黎，带着第一次到巴黎的太太在罗浮宫走了两个小时。倦了，在小咖啡厅好不容易等到一张四人的小圆桌。坐下没两下子，一位中年妇女向我们示意，然后便和Paul 坐在我们旁边。异地遇到“自己人”，我们都报以亲切的微笑。


走了几个画廊，我们又打了照面。只是觉得这名妇人有些许落寞。她身旁的男士跟她的关系耐人寻味。他们不像夫妇，少了那点默契；不像情侣，少了那点亲昵。倒象是对伙伴，互相尊重又保持距离的朋友。

1995年5月，邓丽君逝世了，带着甜蜜蜜，带着星愿。最后的照片就跟罗浮宫的她那样雍容，处之泰然。我恍然大悟，1993年底在遥远的国度同座共饮的就是她！缘聚缘散就是15分钟。这15分钟比甚么金钱都有价值。这15分钟在我过去十年里留下许多回忆，尤其是重游罗浮宫的时候。

在留君岁月演唱会上，耿丽萍和桐瑶使邓丽君复活，歌声再现人间，连那特殊的转音腔和略带调皮的一面也掌握上。邓丽君在不该离去的年龄离开人间，留下许多无奈。邓丽君变得永恒，永远叫人怀念。在华人的世界与邓小平双邓叱咤风云。

人生历经洗炼，多了内涵，自然散发出撩人的魅力。因为不再在意得与失，所以更能以真心向示。自然便是美，真善美的风采油然而生。

因为有邓丽君，所以人生多了些属于我们年代的故事.

Simplified Thermodynamics

The first lesson of thermodynamics I learnt is about work done. The work process is as follows:

Q---------> Delta U ---------> W

In layman terms, heat is provided as input (Q). Heat goes through a conditional and some energy exchange is going on (Delta U). As a result of the condition change, work produced in a form of output (W). The theory looks rather simple to me today. But in those days, Q, Delta U and W were very abstract. I couldn’t see heat energy, couldn’t feel energy exchange, how could work be done?

When dealing with a business contract, the process leading to contract signing is as follows:

Offer -------> Consideration -------> Acceptance

In this case, the Offer forms the input, Consideration is the condition, and Acceptance is the output. Whether in engineering, in physics or in commerce, the phenomenon is universal and may be shown as:

Input ------> Process ------->Output

In my article “a flower in the universe”, I articulated that flower does not exist by itself. There are causes and conditions which make a flower appears as a flower. Cause is the input, condition is the process, flower is the output.

This theory is universal: cause – condition – effect; offer – consideration – acceptance; Q – Delta U – W; INPUT – PROCESS – OUTPUT. While the theory is universal, real matters take different forms. No matter what form it takes, the principle still stands. Is Q-Delta U-W really that abstract and couldn’t be understood? When I distant myself and read the three letters QUW through a 3rd party’s eye, they become apparent to me. Energy takes various forms. Energy transfers from one form to another. Energy does not dissipate. Energy only transforms.

Therefore, with the presence of causes and conditions, you are what you are, what goes up will come down, dawn will come after dusk, a year in the temperate climate will go through four seasons, living things will go through a cycle of live and death, all suffering will have a way to end. The output hinges on the inputs and the processes that we all have gone through, just like a flower in the universe.

In the course of works, I deal with people of all levels. I interact with people of various characters. With the thinking of a flower in the universe, it strikes me that “I am what I am, you are what you are”. What so great about this verse? Looking back at how a person is developed and nurtured, we receive various influences at very young age. Through the external influences, we form a mental map in our mind subconsciously. Over the years, we reinforce our mental domain through a knowledge acquisition and filtering process to suit our own mental model. We all have different behaviour, we believe in different gods, we love different culture and music. We generalise them by saying that we have different chemistry. Now you see, I am what I am, you are what you are.

Professional researches show that we actually formulated our own mental models as early as seven years old. The influences we received before seven years old actually shaped our characters and possibly our future, our life. Sound scary?

Then what about the influences after the age of seven? They change our behaviour, attitude, social value and conduct. But our characters have been shaped, inborn.

I regret that I only thought of “a flower in the universe” after all these years. Otherwise I would have changed my parenting style and have done something different to my children when bringing them up. On a second thought, we are all human. I am learning to try to make myself more perfect than the day before. So past mistakes are just the outputs of causes and conditions. Why should I feel regret?

I do a stock take of what I have done to my children. Four paths have been taken:

(1) Decision making path – they learn to make decision, learn to face consequences with their own acts

(2) Affiliation path – they learn that my shoulders are still there for them to lean on, enable them to take a break and to press on. They also learn to immerse in a social circle, learn to love, to care and to share.

(3) Intense knowledge gaining path – they learn through school curriculum, internet, books, play and physical training.

(4) Life skill development path – they learn to be self-disciplined, managing time, identifying right from wrong, give and take, exploration and discovery. They develop the mental model of HOPE.

Am I giving them too much freedom to pursue the four paths? I think they have the flexibility and at this age, they can afford failure. They will learn through failure. I begin to see signs on my son especially about learning through failure. But having saying all these, they have way past the age of seven. Directly or indirectly, I contributed to the causes and conditions of their upbringing, hence what they are.

That’s life.

A flower in the universe 世界一花

A seminar on ZEN was held at Suntec City over the last weekend. This article shares my thought of the theme “a flower in the universe” (世界一花).

A flower is in the vase. The flower is fresh, beautiful, blossom and fragrance. We appreciate it as if it exists permanently.

As days go by, it withers, turns brown, and soon it dies and be thrown away.

Our mind grasps at the flower from its own side, not realising that “flower” is a living thing. Moreover, the name “flower” is just a noun or a representation that people have given to a certain phenomenon with certain characteristics. People with other languages would call it by other names (e.g. Fleur, Fiore, 花, 꽃, femenino.)

What is the true story of the flower? It is not that “I’m a flower. I’ve always been here and always will be here.” It doesn’t exist in this way always.

In reality, the flower is impermanent, dependent on various causes and conditions to exist, and is not existing in and of itself. The flower comes into existence in dependence upon a seed, soil, moisture and sunlight. Its existence is also dependent on its parts: stem, petals, leaves, cell and atoms that make it up.

By absorbing the energy and the essence from the universe (吸取日月精华), and under a balanced condition of ying-yang (阴阳), the flower exists. It appears to be a real, solid, permanent and independent flower. When we decompose a flower and begin to search for a flower, it could not be found. But this does not mean that there is no flower at all. The flower is only decomposed.

There is a flower – an impermanent collection of parts that comes into existence in dependence on causes and conditions.

In the same way, all things appear to be permanently, inherently, independently existent. But on closer examination, they actually exist in a different way.

After all these elaborations, what are we deriving at? Why should we be concerned about the existence of a flower?

There is this tendency to perceive, believe in and grasp at things as truly existing or inherently existing. Fear, worry, frustration, dissatisfaction, loneliness, grief, pain, and all the other myriad problems and sufferings of mind and body that we experience are caused by this thinking. The self-grasp ignorance leads us to see things as truly or inherently existence. With this thinking, we tend to neglect the surroundings, the “emptiness” of the universe and the true nature of things. We forget the “illusory”.

We want, in fact we have the potential, to enjoy ever-lasting peace, bliss, wisdom and freedom from all suffering. We all want to reach the state of enlightenment. But we are unable to attain this as long as our mind is caught up in ignorance, and does not understand the true nature of things.

A simple analogy is a rainbow. Due to certain conditions in the atmosphere and the play of sunlight and moisture, a rainbow appears in the sky. Although it looks so real, it is insubstantial, momentary. It completely dependants on causes and conditions.

Although most things last longer than a rainbow, the way they exist is similar. They only vary with each others as a matter of degrees. They arise due to the coming together, the integration of different causes and conditions. Like rainbow, they are illusory, empty of permanent, independent, substantial existence.

Can we free ourselves from self-grasp ignorance? Laozi (老子) had already thought of DAO (道) more than 2500 years ago. DAO is about the origin of universe, which is beyond the earth we live in. DAO elevated his body and mind. He lived eternally with the universe.

Similarly, more than 2500 years ago Buddha was enlightened and able to share his deep thinking of the process of nature: Dukkha (affliction) -->Samudaya (arising)--> Nirodha (containment) -->Marga (ways).

Keeping in mind of illusory without grasping at anyone or anything as truuly existing, there is a fascinating discovery: We are all transitional. We are all exist impermenently. Eventually, a dust returns as dust, a soil returns as soil (尘归尘，土归土). Once returns to the origin, eternality arises.

A flower in the universe is not just about a flower in the universe. Don’t you agree?

萤火虫的世界

Have you ever seen limestone passages sculpted by water up close? Have you drifted in silent darkness beneath the luminous blue-green shimmer of thousands of glowworms?

It was a fascinating experience---萤火虫的世界。

你是否见过满天星斗？在城市的月光下星星都黯然失色，光辉敌不过周遭的辉煌。不过在乡野地带四周一片漆黑，满天星斗原来是那么迷人。加上一点想象，星星就不再是星星。它们是爱人，是童年，是梦想，是宿命。

北斗星在正北极上空，是导航员，是希望。郑和在北斗星指引下完成远征非洲的使命。自此中国有了皮休，据说是在非洲带回的长颈鹿。

你是否见过满天萤火虫？那种感觉仿佛在荒山野岭观看满天星斗。星星就在眼前，伸手就能抓上一把。奇妙！

我曾经那么近距离跟萤火虫亲近过，在纽西兰南岛Te Anau。乘船半小时到湖中央的小岛，岛上别有洞天，在这个二十万年的山洞里跟萤火虫近距离接触，好像是神话故事，不过很真实。我们乘坐小木舟，伸手不见五指，随着流水潺潺游荡，荡呀荡的就荡到萤火虫中。一闪一闪的萤光，密密麻麻，带给人无限的暇思。加上一点想象，它们是爱人，是童年，是梦想，是宿命。

萤光亮度越强表示越饥饿，焦急地等待美食上钩。萤光虫的生命也可以很凄美。你或许会若有所悟，宁可挥一挥衣袖，不带走一片云彩，也不想给自然生态带来任何破坏。

那段在纽西兰的日子格外轻松，心情特别漂亮，人在画图中什么脾气都消了。更妙的是在云雾中看世界，一切朦朦胧胧，那头驴子在车前摇头摆尾，把你当成同类。还有更妙的，在冰天雪地的Mount Cook，还有人流了一身汗。那是另一段趣闻，下回分解。

念天地之悠悠，独仓然而泪下，那种感觉也品尝了。从Mount Cook　在暮色中飞驰，夜越深越沉，直抵Queenstown。一路穿过重重山路，两旁是雪山，黑戚戚，路茫茫，山路弯弯，不见车前月，不见满天星斗。前不见古人，后不见来者。这就是荒野。


这段路上不见萤火虫，不然就能走入梦幻世界了。So, have you drifted in silent darkness beneath the luminous blue-green shimmer of thousands of glowworms?

It is a fascinating experience that shouldn't miss.

You are so blessed

In many instances, we believe that the greener pasture always falls at the other side of the fence. We feel distressed because we do not get what we wanted. The clock is not at our end, the globe does not rotate at our wish, winter comes before the spring, in the morning wake up from the wrong side of the bed...

Wait a minute. Think hard enough, appreciate what is surrounding you. Life isn't that bad after all. My friend from England sent me a blessing. Please read. If you are feeling blessed, repay the blessings bestowed unto you and do something for others. Share your joy with others. Show compassion to others. You can make each other's day a better day.
-------
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness,
you are more blessed than the million who won't survive the week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle,
the loneliness of imprisonment,
the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation,
you are ahead of 20 million people around the world.

If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment,
arrest, torture, or death,
you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world.

If you have food in your refrigerator,
clothes on your back,
a roof over your head and a place to sleep,
you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank,
in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace,
you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

If your parents are still married and alive,
you are very rare,
especially in the United States.

If you hold up your head with a smile
on your face and are truly thankful,
you are blessed because the majority can,
but most do not.

If you can hold someone's hand,
hug them or even touch them on the shoulder,
you are blessed because you can offer a healing touch.

If you can read this message,
you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world
that cannot read anything at all.

You are so blessed in ways you may never even know. A blessing cannot be kept. The blessing will only keep working if it is continuously passed around.

Keep the blessing working by being the source of blessing to other people.

中秋月

Mid-Autumn.

There are so many fascinating tales created for the moon in the Chinese history. By far 嫦娥奔月 is the most popular story. 嫦娥應悔偷靈藥﹐碧海青天夜夜深。Chang-er could not resist the temptation of being forever young. She stole the magical medicine from her husband and finished them all. Her body became lighter and lighter and eventually floated to the sky.

Her wish was fulfilled but she also had to stay lonely in the moon, forever. She missed the happiness in life, forever.

Life is a fine balance. You gain some, you lose some. There is no free lunch. There is always a price to pay for. This is about Ying-Yang, about Dao. Happiness arose deep from the heart, deep from the soul. It is all in your mind. Happiness can be very simple but rewarding as long as you perceive your life positively. By appreciating small little things happening around you could brighten your days.

For example, have you tried waking up 15 minutes earlier and send your daughter to school instead of leaving her to the school bus? Have you tried to talk to her during that little 15 minutes journey, Let her shares with you her encounters in school, her sadness and joys? You would possibly feel the differences of her yesterday and today. She is growing up day after day. One fine day she will leave you to pursue her dream. But you will remember the little moments that she spent with you and you spent with her. You will remember the unconditional love between you. This little time, this little share of love that you are together shapes her life.

On the night of mid-autumn festival, the lunar calendar of 15th day of the 8th month, 2005, I strolled with my 11 years old son and 9 years old daughter in the Tampines Tree Garden. There were other families around. The garden was brightened up by the mid-autumn lanterns, hanging on the trees, swinging around with the delighted faces. They lightened the night and brightened the hearts. Life can be as simple as it can be.

Near mid-night, the moon was shining high up in the sky. How many times we really devote a little moment in our life to appreciate what are surrounding us? How many times we know that Chang-er doesn't exist in the moon but just let our own imaginations flow?

藍藍的天空銀河里有只小白船﹐船上有棵桂花樹﹐白兔在游玩。Peaceful life is also a form of happiness. You know the truth but by hiding the truth with right and kind intention can also bring happiness. Why not just let the Chang-er's story last forever rather than revealing the moon is just a piece of vacant land without air and life? Art and science co-exist. don't they?

海為龍世界﹐云是鶴家鄉。The universe is built on relativity and integrated as a coherent whole. Everyone serves their respective lives and stays where they belong. Once we know the balance, lives will no longer be as complicated as they used to be. Happiness will arise from your heart. You can then appreciate life with a totally different perspective. You have elevated yourself into an entirely different context.

Life is beautiful. Just as the mid-autumn moon.

万水千山总是情

万水千山总是情。千古以来情是不变的变数。触景生情，旧地重游，让你如痴如醉不枉此生的不外是情与景。让你遗憾感慨顿足垂胸的不外是情与景。

去年今日此门中，人面桃花相映红。人面不知何处去，桃花依旧笑春风。因为有情所以我们情牵于景，人生多了几段故事，几段回忆。它们点缀生活，为人类发展制造软性的人文气息。

一旦迷失于森林城市，我们就会失忆，多凄美多纯情的故事都不会保存。Bras Basah　在重新打造中。窝在心中的始终是红墙下的神农药房，红砖砌成的国家图书馆。它们在闹市中的一角默默栽培着一代人，制造了一代人的神话。它们是我们共同的文化，共同的成长，共同的回忆。当这一方寸土迷失在闹市中时，净土何在？

滨海城的未来在打造中。淳朴的依丽沙白道上曾经酝酿着一个个爱情故事。黑发一同变成华发，看着彼此一天天变老。他们要的是淳朴带有咸味的海风还是繁华却不属于他们的赌城？或是美其名为综合娱乐城？

然后我才发觉原来失去了这么多。童年的牛车水充策着生命力，生活气息散发在自然中。今天刻苦营造的牛车水气息并不属于我们这一代。童年的大坡小坡，我找不回失落的回忆。在打造新城市的过程中需要考虑什么人文因素？

（１）个性Character：一个有个性的城市必能吸引人们的目光。一个有个性的城市，一个有个性的民族就能叫人尊敬。如果新加坡只是另一个上海，另一个伦敦的缩影，这个城市还能散发出独特诱人的魅力吗？

（２）故事Story：Titanic只是一宗沉船事件，一段凄美的爱情却使平淡化为神奇。男女主角在船桅迎风展翅的一幕成为绝世经典。月落乌啼霜满天，江枫渔火对愁眠。菇苏城外寒山寺，夜半钟声到客船。庭院庙宇何其多，寒山寺凭借落第秀才的一首唐诗，一缕灵气而烟火不断，不到寒山寺一游不能圆梦。

（３）经济效益Economies of scale：一旦经济效益处于主导地位，思考范围自然大受限制，无法乖离MBA设下的框框。人文与经济并存，唇亡齿寒，一个没有人文历史文化的民族只是一个世界公民，四海为家处处家，没有家园没有效忠。

活出个性，活出精采，织一个属于我们的生活，属于我们的故事，留下我们的足迹，是营造未来的过程中不可或却的一环。天上的彩虹也有你我的血汗.

About "DAO" - 道

I feel regret that I did not pick up Taiji in my earlier years. I only started learning Taiji at middle age. In the process, what I have picked up is not just about the martial art. More importantly is the philosophical thinking behind Taiji - a theory about ying-yang, beyond ying-yang, and tracing the origin of the universe.

Why am I thinking about all these? Perhaps is a transition to old age?

老子提出了“道”的概念。而“道”是看不见、摸不到的，它是宇宙唯一的、绝对的物质存在，不会随物的变化而消失，也不会因外在的力量而改变。而其本身不断运动变化，从而产生出天地万物。

自古至今的中外哲学，所要解决的是三个根本问题：一是宇宙和生命起源及演化问题，二是现实世界的本质与基础问题，三是社会与人生的理想问题。老子的道论把这三个哲学问题合在一起加以探讨。他说：“道生一，一生二，二生三，三生万物。”"人法地，地法天，天法道，道法自然。”道，不仅成为道家、道教的最高信仰，亦成为中华民族心目中最高真理的代称。从古至今，多少圣贤志士都毕生竭力于求道、学道、闻道、得道、悟道、体道、行道、宏道，为的是使人生变得更有价值，使世界变得更加美好。可以说，老子建立了一座道的丰碑，诸子百家环绕而敬仰之，得大道之滋润，用大道而生辉。老子的道论是超乎学派的，没有封界的，一切愿意穷根究底和需要安身立命的人们，都可以到大道里面去寻找答案。

<道德经>第一章开宗明义指出：“道可道，非常道；名可名，非常名。无名天地之始；有名万物之母。故常无，欲以观其妙；常有，欲以观其徼。。”道具有万物本原的意义。老子说：有一个混然一体的东西，它先天而存在。无声无形，杳冥空洞，永远不依靠外在的力量，自身不停地循环运行，可以称之为天下万物的母体。我不知道它的名称，把它叫做“道”，再勉强给它起名叫做“大”。道之所以被命名为“大”，是因为其无边无涯。道不止于大，又能不分昼夜的运行不息，故又可谓之“逝”。其愈逝愈远，无法穷尽其源，故又可谓之“远”。但虽远至六合之外，无穷无尽，却始终未尝离道，仍然依道循环运行，故又可谓“反”。这是老子对“道”的全面描述，它将生成天地万物的本体、运动性、规律性、时间和空间的无限性集于一身，指的就是宇宙——万物的本原。

在老子看来，作为万物本原的道，不是物质也不是精神，不能说它有，它是非物，无形无象；又不能说它无，因为它时刻催生着万物，形成异彩纷呈的动态世界。所以道体是无，道用是有，道是无与有的统一，两者同出而异名。他说：无，是天地的原始；有，是万物的根本。所以经常从无形无象处去认识道的微妙，经常从有形象处去认识万物的终极。这两者(有和无)同一个来源，只是名称不同，都可以说是深远玄妙的，是天地万物、一切玄妙产生的总户。

作为大道本体的“无”，又如何产生天地万物呢?老子认为，尽管“无”是宇宙最原始的状态，但此原始之道并非绝对的空无，在它朦朦胧胧、混然一体的之中，包孕着天地万物的基因，这就是精。西汉时期的道家学者曾经比喻说，老子之道就象一个鸿卵一样。鸿卵看上去什幺也没有，既没有头又没有尾，既没有翅又没有腿，可是包孕着鸿的一切；道看上去什幺也没有，既没有天又没有地，既没有人又没有物，可是却包孕着天地人物的一切。这个比喻虽然不十分确切，但却大大有助于人们理解老子所说的道。

道，看起来什幺也没有，所以可称为无。说它是无，那只是相对于天地万物而言的，而不是说它不存在。它是一种无形无象、无分无界、朦胧不清、混然一体的东西。正因其无分无界，混然一体，所以可称其为“一”。这样一来，“一”就从“无”中推衍了出来。老子把这个过程称为“道生一”。这个“一”，指出是阴阳未分之前混沌一体的宇宙。它与“无”字虽然只是一字之差，却体现了道的两种相反的属性。前者体现了道的实在性，后者突出道的虚空性。这个混沌未分的宇宙，“其中有精”，在自我的运动之中，逐渐分剖为阴阳二气，老子把这个过程称为“一生二”。“二”这是阴阳。

阴阳的变化，犹如强大的动力，激活了宇宙间的“精”，从而产生天地，产生了人类，他们与道并存，老子把这个过程称为“二生三”，所谓“三”，即指天、地、人三才。宇宙间有了这三种东西，万物得以资生，即通过阴阳运动生成新的统一体后，生化出世界万物，老子把这个过程称为“三生万物”。在对道生化天地万物的整个过程做了描述之后，老子总结说：“万物负阴而抱阳，冲气以为和。”明确地指出，天地万物皆内涵阴阳，阴阳二气又在冲和之气得到统一，万物亦在冲和之气中得到生养。这段话语简直是对宇宙演化进程的一种朴素而形象的描述：从无形无象的道，演化出气态宇宙，演化出固态天地，乃至形形色色的物体；从固态的无机物中，又衍生出有机物，乃至千异百态的生命体，其生成毁灭的根本机理便是阴阳两种原素的变化。在整个宇宙生成链的各个层次上，阴阳是万物生成、生命流动的活力，大道则是贯穿始终、通达万有的根本，老子把它形容为“玄妙之门”，不是非常贴切的比喻吗?

A sentimental journey

Collected the two tickets of 剑雪浮生 and gave them to father. To him, 剑雪浮生 is not just about 任剑辉，白雪仙和唐涤生, it is also about 陈宝珠, a character that could never be forgotten if you live through the 1960s, and there are much more...

陈宝珠 left the public scene since 1972 but made a return for her master 任剑辉 in 1999. Now, she is bringing 剑雪浮生 to Singapore in September.

For the generation like my father, 陈宝珠 carries another meaning of fond sentimental value of the past, something that can be associated with. When I passed him the tickets, I could smell the spark in his eyes, and the excitement in his old heart.

Time and again people asking me why do I like London. The reason is actually quite simple. The vibrant of the city may be part of the reason. The good mixed of science, technology and art may also be part of the reason.

When digging deep into my heart and soul, I would say that the main reason is deep memory. London is a place that I can connect and associate with. It has a big heart that contains the new and the old, the gentle and the odd. Wherever I step on the street of London, I can find the familiar architecture, I can find my old sentiment, I can recall the fond memories that my wife and I commonly shared.

People may condemn the NHS system, especially those that are not so exposed and only rely on a single source of information. The fact is, my son was born in London, premature with a body length of a pen, and lifted up by me with just two fingers. He survived through the medical care. He discharged from hospital on his perceived birthday that supposed to be. I have no complaint.

People may condemn the transport system, again for those that are not so exposed and only rely on a single source of information. Imagine the network built on the 100-year infrastructure, imagine the 60 over languages co-exist in the same underground that you and I have hopped in. You see what is cosmopolitan. There are many X-factors that we are lacking. Don't always think that we are number one. In many areas we are lagging far far behind. We can be more humble than we are.

Back here, I am actually in a lost city. My old house became a piece of flat land and now is a busy road. My childhood memory is rolling across by cars after cars, days after days. We embrace the modern architecture of the new national library. But it did not grow me. The old library built with red bricks that sat in a quiet corner of the busy Stamford road did! I can't associate the city with my personal past. My heart is quite hollow. We can't build our future by forgetting the past. Can we??

I think I have done a good job by giving the two tickets to my father. For that moment, I brought happiness to him. Happiness is actually so simple!

With 剑雪浮生, with 陈宝珠, I hope he and his accompany can find themselves not in a lost world again. At least for that short three hours.

There is always a beginning

I first visited this fun land in 1992 when I was at the age of 31. It was a childhood dream that realised in a much later year.

13 years later, I stepped on the fun land with my wife and children.

Dreams after dreams. My next dream is to share the fun with many others through e- blog, a skill that I dream to learn and to master.

Therefore it is not surprising that this site is created but the ingredient is still under construction.