The Last Rite!

What a wonderful thing to be tagged by Lian of Loving Kindness @ Samsara. Thanks Lian for your kind thought. I will do my part accordingly.

The rules of this little tag game are:

1) Go to your photo files, select the 8th photo folder.

2) Select the 8th photo in that folder.

3) Post that photo along with the story behind it

4) Then challenge 8 blogging friends to do the same!

So, I will tag the following people for the game:

1) Jasper - Control Your Destiny http://controlyourdestiny.wordpress.com/2010/04/13/2269/ )

2) Alma - Live, Love, Laugh With Philly 5113 http://philly5113.blogspot.com/

3) Sara - The Breathing Post http://www.thebreathingpost.com/
4) Kim - Stuff Could Always Be Worse http://stuffcouldalwaysbeworse.blogspot.com/

5) Md Abdul Maleque - Physiofuru http://physioforu.blogspot.com/

6) Grace D Chong - Leaves Of Grace http://www.leavesofgrace.blogspot.com/

7) Colin Myles - Grow and Succed http://www.colinmyles.blogspot.com/

8) Say Lee - Going Global http://globallee.blogspot.com/

The above picture is the 8th picture in my photo file. I just love this photo because it reminds me that all of us will have to go through this last rite! The above last rite was for my mum. It was a simple but meaningful ceremony where the prayer was done before her body was being sent to the crematorium. I am glad that mum lived till the age of 92. I really do not know how many people in this world can live till the age of 90 now.

Mum, if your consciousness is still around us, may I take this opportunity to wish you, "May You Be Well And Happy In Your Next Life! Please do not worry about us!".

Where Does Happiness Come From?

I just came across the below thought provoking statement :

Ask yourselves, ''Why was I born?'' Some people don't know. They want to be happy but the suffering never stops. Rich or poor, young or old, they suffer just the same. And why? Because they have no wisdom. The poor are unhappy because they don't have enough, and the rich are unhappy because they have too much to look after.

I just couldn't disagree with the above statement! Where is the cut off point? Different people may have different perception! Happy or unhappy is a stage of mind!

Any disagreement? Please share your view.

The "Never Ending Problem" Of Mankind!

"What are the causes of mankind's never ending problems?"

My opinion is : our moral conduct! I believe there are few important moral conducts we have to observe in order for us to eliminate or not to create new problems! There are :

1. Taking the life of others because they are the "stumbling block" towards our progress!

2. Taking things that do not belong to us.

3. Commit sexual misconduct!

4. Not truthful in our speech!

5. Taking intoxicating foods or drinks.

How can we lead a peaceful life if we to break the above moral conducts? We will always live in the shadow of fear! Just to share some examples : If we have killed someone, we are afraid of people taking revenge, if we steal or taking things that do not belong to us (which includes accepting bribe!), we will worry that people may find out and report to the authority, if we have committed sexual misconduct, we will worry that we may contract life threatening diseases and also scare that our spouse may find out and be divorced! If we were to tell lie, we will worry that others may find out the truth and we have to continuously create a big lie to cover the previous lie. If we were to take intoxicants such as drugs, we will worry that our employer may find out and terminate our service and also we will worry that police may arrest us one day!

Any disagreement? Please share your views.

Can We Escape From Reality?

"Looking forward for a firmer, softer, smoother & more radiant skin that acts up to 15 years younger? Back by clinical studies, this amazing product, the first in the market, will be launched in April'10 with 4 pages advertisement in 5 major prestigious magazines. Contact the undersign now for a personalized consultatio.... ."

I saw the above advertisement a few days ago. I am wondering what are the "active ingredients" of this product? This amazing product really challenges the ageing process?! As for side effects, the advertiser did not mention anything about it! I really do not know how far it is true.

Anyway, I believe those who are scare of growing old will be attracted by this advertisement! I am wondering how would a 80 years old man look like after using the product? An old face with a young skin? I am really curious and interested to find out one day!

Well, why are people so afraid to grow old? What is the problem of growing old? The below interesting question always linger in my mind whenever I come across this type of situation, "Do we have problem when we were young?".

Please share your views!

Which Is More Important? Yourself or Your Belongings?

I just came across an article in the newspaper that a pet owner has decided to spend RM10K for advertisements just to locate his lost pet.

When a person lost his belongings such as properties, pets or any material items, it is natural that he will be panic ( lost his or her mind) and do whatever they can just to search for it! However, when a person has lost himself, do you think he will be panic and find ways to search himself? Usually, they will just keep quiet over the issues and let thing takes its own course.

I really do not know whether human being is more concerned about losing "things ( such as money, properties, pet, fame etc...)" that are outside their body and mind rather than within their body and mind!

Anyone has any ideas to share?

" How Should We Leave This World? "

" How Should We Leave This World? ".

I believe the above question is a very scary question for some of us to think about! I do not know how many of us really think of the question before. Anyway, I believe this is a very meaningful question which all of us should reflect on! Whether we like it or not, we have to face it one day! Life is uncertain, Death is certain!

Should we leave this world with regrets? Should we leave this world with a beautiful smile on our face? Should we leave this world with our mouth and eyes open widely? Should we leave this world with lots of worries? Should we leave this world with multiple injuries and blood all over our body? Well, many people think that we should not waste our time to think of this question! However, based on my experience of seeing people on their last thought moment, my view is that we should think of this meaningful question before the time comes! I had seen how the "yet to be reborn" people struggle during their last thought moment. It is a very painful and pitiful sight!

I believe no one will believe our life is so fragile that we depend largely on our breath. No one can tell us when our "breathing system is going to breakdown!", no one can and no one may! Just to share a real story of my aunt. This aunt of mine was so healthy and strong that she will go for her Tai Chi exercise every morning. Yesterday afternoon, she told my cousin to go to the opposite shop to buy her some foodstuff. My cousin immediately went over to the shop and bought her the foodstuff. After my cousin returned from the shop, he saw my aunt sleeping motionlessly on a reclining chair. He went over to call her and found that she has left the world. Thirty minutes ago, my aunt was talking to his son and thirty minutes later, she has left the wordl. No one was there to bid farewell to her. Anyway, I was told by my cousin that my aunt left the world with a beautiful smile. May she be well and happy in her next life!

My dear friends, do you agree with me that we should reflect on the above question seriously before the time comes? Please share your valuable views!

Can We Improve " Human Touch " With Advance Communication Tools?

I was watching a documentary film in the television recently. The program talked about how the Chinese from China have created their business empire in one of the states in our country. According to some of them, when they started their shipyard, they built all the ships without any engineering drawings, any advance equipments and tools! What really impressed me about what they said is not how they built the ship but the TEAMWORK of all their employees! How all the employees can stick together and work towards one common goal?

Human being knows the importance of TEAMWORK. They are aware of the best ways to work together, however, when there are differences in views, most of the people will tend to forget the most effective way to resolve their differences. They tend to stick to their own views and refuse to open up their mind to listen to the views of others.

With the advancement of the information technology, advance telecommunication tools and equipments, I believe people should be able to work together more closely. However, I am a bit disappointed to note that although with the advance tools and equipments, people can communicate more effectively, however, the " human touch " does not seem to get closer. In fact, it is getting wider and wider!

One of my friends who owns a three storey house told me this real life story. Everytime when dinner is served, he has to use his handphone to call all his children on the top floor to come down to have dinner together. After the dinner, all his children will run up to the top floor again to do their own work. As my friend is suffering from knee problem, he could not run up and down of the staircase too frequently. He and his beloved wife will have to stay at ground floor to watch television. He told me he regretted to buy the three storey house as he is now having lesser contact hours with his children. He can just communicate with his children via handphone!

Is communication tools or equipments the only way to improve human relationship? Anyone care to share your view?