“A girl always on a chocolate sugar high,” my study mate described me as such.

Those were the pre-A Level days when we only went to school to do self-study. There were no lectures and tutorials. I and two schoolmates formed a study group. We stayed in the Reading Room at Hwa Chong from morning to night.

I brought chocolate and fruit everyday to share with them. I needed snacks to keep myself attentive and awake. I only brought two kinds of chocolate, Ferrero Rocher and Hershey’s Kisses. I had a problem when I first brought the Ferrero Rocher 3pc pack. Everybody was entitled to one piece. I quickly finished mine, but the two gentlemen did not rush. They left their shares resting on the table. The golden wrapping paper gleamed in the light. I relished the strong fragrance of cocoa in my mouth. Swallowed hard, I could not take my eyes off the untouched delight.

“Do you mind if I eat your chocolate?” I finally asked with one hand reaching over to the nearer piece.

The boys were too amused to say no. Since then, I learnt to bring more than one pack of Ferrero Rocher. When I forgot to bring more, the gentlemen learnt to donate theirs.

To supply a variety of fruits, I bought different kinds of grapes, red globe grapes, green grapes, and black grapes. Some were seedless, and some were not. Occasionally, three of us went to the Fairprice at the Coronation Plaza together after dinner to shop for grapes. Most of the time, they let me decide. Before long, we exhausted all the choices in the supermarket. We arrived at conclusion that Red Globe was our favorite, despite the fact that both of them disagreed.

Gone are the days when we studied together and made fun of each other. We sat for the examinations. The results were released. The boys have gone to serve the nation. I feel nostalgic about the past, but I believe true friends will never be lost.

My phone vibrates. A new message sent from Tekong asks, “Do you still eat chocolate everyday?”

Money is soul-energy, it represents the very energy of life itself; depending how you use it can either free you or enslave you – The Rebbe

A man once set out to visit a great sage in the town of Mezritch. When he arrived, he asked where to find the man, and was shown to a tiny, decrepit shack at the edge of town. Inside, there was nothing but a broken-down bed and a table full of books, where an old man was studying. The traveler was shaken. “Where does the sage live?” he asked the old man. “It is I,’’ said the old man. “What is disturbing you so?”
“I don’t understand. You are a great sage, with so many disciples that your name is known all across the country. It doesn’t seem fitting that you should be living in a room like this. You should be living in a palace.” “Where do you live?” the old man asked.
“I live in a palace, a grand home with magnificent furnishings.” “And how do you make a living?”
The man explained that he was a businessman, traveling twice a year to a large city to buy materials that he brought back and sold to local merchants. The sage asked him where he stayed when he was in the city. “I stay in a small room in a small hotel,” he answered.
“If someone were to walk into that small room, might they not say, ‘Why are you, a wealthy businessman, living in such a small room?’ And you would say, ‘I am only on the road for a short time, so this is all I need. Come to my real home, and you will see that it is entirely different.’ “My friend, the same is here,” the old man continued. “I am also only on the road. This material world is just a road. In my home, too, it is very different. Come to my spiritual home, and you will see that I live in a palace.”

-http://www.meaningfullife.com/personal/business/MoneyCOLON_A_Blessing_or_a_CurseQUESTION.php

Toward a Meaningful Life with Simon Jacobson
Radio Show Transcript - July 30, 2000

http://www.meaningfullife.com/personal/business/Is_there_More_to_Life_than_Your_JobQUESTION.php

为张子「四言」进一解 蔡仁厚教授

北宋大儒张横渠有言：

为天地立心，为生民立命，

为往圣继绝学，为万世开太平。

这四句话最能表出儒者的襟怀，也最能开显儒者的器识与宏愿，因而也可说是人类教育最高的向往。但这四句话并不好讲。今特稍作解释，或者於青年学子不无助益。

（1） 为天地立心：天地本无心，但天地生生不息，生化万物，是即天地的心意。所以程明道说：「天地无心，以生物为心。」又说：「天地无心而成化。」因为天地生化万物，只是生生之德的自然流行，并非有意生出这样一个大千世界。所以是「无心」而「成化」。无心而有心（以生物为心），这是人对天地生生之德的亲切理会，通过人的理会指点，天地生化万物的心便显立了。

（2） 为生民立命：命有理命与气命两个层面，这两层的命都不可伤害，不可弃废，必须有以安立。儒家圣贤开显的「安身立命」之道，正是为了生民。有了这个道，「百姓日用而不知」，却能潜移默化，加上伦常政教的设施，使生民的生活有了依循，而得以护持生命，贞定活路，这就是「为生民立命」了。

（3） 为往圣继绝学：儒家圣人之学，自两汉以下，而魏晋，而南北朝，而隋唐，千百年间，一直未能善续先秦儒家的学脉。无论生命之光，或哲学之慧，都开显不出来。尤其唐末五代之时，华族的文化生命萎缩堕落极矣。直到北宋之初，普天之下竟找不出一个像样的师表，所谓「学绝道丧」，实未过甚其辞。到理学家出来，才复活了先秦儒家的形上智慧，使天道性命（心性义理）之学，内圣成德之教，重新光显於世。思想的领导权即已从佛教手里拿回来，孔子的地位自然重新显立。这一步「为往圣继绝学」的功绩，在人类文化史上是独一无二的。可惜满清以来，士人心思卑陋，反而诟诋理学，这诚是学术上昧天良的一大憾事。

（4） 为万世开太平：儒家以「内圣为本质，以外王表功能」。功能之大者，便是开出太平盛世。而且不只是一时，而是为千年万世开太平。「太平」二字与「太和」一样，乃是儒家学术中最渊懿庄穆的观念。不过，儒家虽然具有开万世太平的宏愿，也能在「道」的层次上讲论天下为公的仁政王道，但在体制上则只成就了「治道」，而未能开出「政道」。如今民主政治的体制，却正是政治层面上的太平轨道，再加上科学，就更可满足「开物成务」、「利用厚生」的要求。以民主科学配合儒家的礼乐教化以及「太平、太和」的理念，的确将可为人类世界开创无疆的休美。

Is there a need to compare in the first place? You are you. Everyone is unique, special, an individual.

The actions we take are a result of our beliefs and the actions lead to consequences which could in turn reinforce our beliefs.

Good results. Confident. Outgoing.

Or outgoing, confident, do well and get good results.

I am confused. At home, I was told that I had all the pampering and autonomy because I had good academic results. I would be nothing and nobody if I could not do well.

Maintaining a perfect academic record was the sky of my universe. Now the sky has collapsed. Yet, people did not give me up. Why? I thought they like me mainly because I could deliver good RESULTS? Hmm, now I know my personality is important, too. Maybe it’s more important than what I could imagine?

I listen. I listen to your words as well as your silence. They compliment each other. Remember, to speak less is to speak more.

Prof, perhaps that’s my real fear - I may succumb to temptations and pressure to be what I chose not to be. It could even be worse - I might not even realise such subtle changes in me as I become engulfed in the flames of busyness for my selfish interest of being recognised and be promoted. It is scary that one day in my desire to clime up the corporate ladder I’ll betray myself.

This is horrifying. I do not have a long term goal in life. I do not have a blueprint of the person I want to be. I just follow my intuition to follow the rights, and correct the wrongs.

It’s time to draft out some, eh?

The best service we can give is to let people know they are able, reliable and valuable. – William Purkey

Prof, how can you be so sure you won’t be wasting your time on me or your other students?

Carpe diem. Seize the day.

We do not work because of duty. We work because we want to.

Why did I painstakingly mark 309’s quiz scripts? I wasn’t asked to do it. Yet, I stayed back late after my required office hours to do it. Hmm, Yangfan, why arh?

We need to confront this loose way of talking and ask ourselves who we mean when we say “they”.

This line reminds me of The Giver. In the book, the community demanded high precision of language. I want my words to be clear, accurate and succinct.

The students only contact you when they need you or that you’re useful as a stepping stone in their desire for the best possible academic grade, for a better climb in the career.

As long as I am of use, I am more than prepared to be used.

I want to be thoroughly used up when I die. – George Bernard Shaw

To regret is to live in the past and to worry is to live in the future. I am living in the present and the present counts. I want to live now so that others can live better lives.

活在当下。

The vocation of every man and woman is to serve other people. – Tolstoy

Servant leadership is a circle of love in which a commitment to caring produces compassion that, in turn, produces communication, creativity, and common vision - which ultimately produces a caring community. – William Turner

Note the 5 C’s.

I have been served by others since I was born. Food, clothes, shelter, knowledge, care, guidance, etc. Not all the service I received can be paid back by money. If people around me did not care to serve me in the first place, I could not survive. I have received so much, why should I be disgruntled when I am not given more? Why would I hesitate when I am asked to give some and share a lot?

We form societies because we want to be taken care of when we are weak. It is then very sensible to serve the weak when we are strong. The goal is to serve. The “how” is the specifics.

I work with my students so that they can be the best that they can be, personally and professionally. I could be providing opportunities, resources or challenges.

Randy Pausch: Enable others to realize their dreams.

Relationship and issues involving people must take precedence over things. We should also use things and never use people to reach our goals. Research, writing papers must never be done at the expense of people and issues related to people.

People are not means to an end; they are ends in themselves. People are not to be used as steps in our climb up that career ladder.

This line reminds me of the “scary” stories I heard recently about using people to achieve one’s aims.

I am here to serve others.

Who am I?

Why am I here?

Where am I going?

Why am I going there?

– Kevin Cashman

If you don’t like your work, then how can you live your life to the fullest? Work takes up so much of your life. It also takes up the best part of each days.

We can only be young once. This is MY LIFE. I take charge of it. Even though I screw it up, I am still living it passionately. I am not perfect. I am genuine.

People want to work for a cause, not just for a living.

One must care for oneself first before taking care of others.

Nigel said the same thing. :)

Maslow’s Self-actualisation Stage

There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.

The mediocre teacher teaches.

The good teacher explains.

The superior teacher demonstrates.

The great teacher inspires.

日本宫城市8.9级地震，引发海啸，民居起火，天然气厂爆炸。

云南地震，新西兰地震，澳大利亚洪水。

报纸上整版整版的图片看了让人心悸，就像是看好莱坞灾难片一样。世界末日要到了么？而灾难中的人们，最挂念的还是家人。死，也要跟家人死在一起。

而在不久前，我还正伤春悲秋着，习惯性地沿着林登小道前行，看落花败叶，叹命运无常。

新加坡的平静，在当代如末世般的天灾动荡中，简直奢侈。

遗憾的是我还不懂珍惜。

如果明天将要辞世，我会有哪些遗憾？有什么还没说出口的话，有哪些还想再见面的人？