三字经 – 闯王进北京

十七世 至崇祯 权阉肆
寇如林 至李闯 神器焚


释义
明朝延续了十七世，到了崇祯皇帝，太监掌握大权，肆意横行。同时，农民区已遍布全国，闯王李自成推翻了明王朝。

故事
明朝末年，宦官 (huan4 guan1) 把持朝政，政治腐败。农民起义遍布全国，其中影响最大的是李自成领导的起义军。李自成出身贫苦农民，他率领的军队纪律严明，作战勇敢，深受老百姓的爱戴，大家把他称为“闯王”。经过浴血奋战，李自成终于率部攻破首都北京，崇祯皇帝逃到煤山上吊自杀，明朝灭亡。后来，李自成的军队腐化变质，失去战斗力，被吴三桂引进关的清兵打败，李自成在九宫山遇难。

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古时候那些较有才气智谋的人都招到小人的污蔑，以至许多能者都丧命。可是，我们要学习的是能者所有的精神哦！

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Don't Be Afraid to Ask

Children, are by nature, inquisitive. They're curious about everything and are often not afraid to ask... and ask... and ask! That's why children learn so quickly.

Most of us, however, as we grow older, gradually lose that spontaneous curiosity. That's because we've come to take things for granted. We don't care to discover beyond what we can sense or know. We think it's a waste of our time maybe. "What's in it for us?" is often the only question we ask, and when no clear benefit is apparent, we deign to go no further.

Or maybe it's because as adults, we feel that we should know what things mean, how they work, or at least have the ability to figure it out ourselves. We become reluctant to ask others because we're afraid it may make us appear ignorant or silly.

But if we simply sit back, do nothing, or do what we've always been doing, then things will never change. Our lives will not improve. Our knowledge bank will never grow.

It's sad, really, that we've lost our courage to ask. If we don't ask, then we won't get. If we don't question, then we timidly accept things as they are, whether they're working for us or not. Also, when we don't ask, we often get what we don't want.

For instance, if you go shopping, and you don't ask about the item you're buying in detail, chances are, you'll end up buying something that doesn't suit you. What about when you're in conversation with a group of people and someone says something you don't quite "get"? Do you ask for an explanation? Or do you stay quiet because you don't want to appear foolish? How many times have you assumed something wrongly, and ended up looking pretty silly anyway because you didn't know, and didn't ask?

We can only learn by asking. Nobody knows everything. We all know and accept that. People won't think you're foolish - chances are, they too were unsure about the same thing but were also afraid to ask. They'll warm up to you because you appear more earnest and well... more human!

Plus, when you start asking more, especially about the things you want, you'll begin to see tangible benefits - better deals, more resources to help you achieve your goals, make more friends, discover more opportunities, generally open up the possibilities in your life! So go ahead, ask for that discount, that free gift, that value-added service, that annual fee waiver, that pay rise, that first date. You just might get it!

source: Eugene Loh, A Slice of Life, 938LIVE, a station of MediaCorp Radio

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不晓得大家知道吗，虽然我们老是说上帝给我们两眼两耳就是要我们多听多看，但是我们只有一张嘴是不是就表示我们用它来填饱肚子，少说废话就对了？

错！我们的一张嘴啊，是给我们用来发问的！小的时候我们有着“一万个为什么”，但是长大后却不再发问了，是因为我们都变聪明了吗？还是我们把丢脸？

别再犹豫了，如果有疑问就要学习发问。加油！

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省过

智者于每天临睡之前，静心回顾一天的言行，检讨自己的过失，持之以恒经年累月，其德业必然大进。

不应挑剔别人的过失，批评别人已做和未做的事情；应该时常反省自己的过失，考虑自己所做和未做的事情。

在战场上征服百万雄师，远不如战胜自己，能够战胜自己的人才是真正最伟大的征服者。

克服自己确实比战胜别人要来得高尚。

别人的过失容易发现，自己的过失不易觉察。喜欢传布别人的过失，而隐藏自己的缺点，不仅是使自己永远无法改过自新，而且人格不断地堕落。

要勇于认识自己的弱点，而且力求改进。

一个人如果痛改前非，而且勇于行善，生命如同拨开乌云笼罩的明月，银光照耀大地。

要勇于向别人承认自己的过错，真诚地忏悔，才能彻底改过！

镜子保持清洁而不被污染，美与丑的事物随之能够对比；天平保持平正而不被干扰，轻与重的事物随之能够测量。

好的事物的生长如同春天的草木生机盎然，坏的事物的死亡如同秋天的草木凋零衰败。

生活奢侈无度，家境就会变成贫困，骄傲放纵行为，性格就会变得暴虐。

当权者须知：
手握权柄，能呼风唤雨，凡事皆可事半功倍。倘若每一动念，每一举止，是为国为民，则功德无量，福星拱照，积德以遗儿孙；若是为家为财，则罪恶滔天，灾星临门，造孽以害儿孙，两者相 去天壤。所以，当权是积德之良机，也是作孽的陷阱，为公为私，唯智与愚自己选择。

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其实哦，馆主觉得我们每天都要至少反省一次。为什么呢？因为人非圣贤，孰能无过？可是，我们不可以九一只归咎于‘无知’，若我们每日都反省，一定有改进的空间的。要努力做到哦！

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Present Yourself - How to become a Successful Speaker

One of the most brilliant boxers ever to emerge from the British Isles was Irishman Barry McGuigan. McGuigan rapidly rose up in the boxing ranks and became the World Featherweight Champion in 1985. He was renowned for his positive attitude, his ability to take any set-back in his stride and to learn from it, and for his total dedication to his training.

After he had retired, McGuigan became one of the top elite boxers elected to the prestigious Boxing Hall of Fame, an honour reserved for the very few who are considered by the sporting community to be among the greatest champions, as well as individuals who are great ambassadors for their sport.

As soon as he retired, McGuigan was eagerly approached by TV companies to become a specialised boxing commentator, which he did.

When he began his new career, McGuigan became very aware that his commentating style was in the order of the following: 'and that was a terrific left jab thrown by Jones! Followed by a terrific right cross ...and Smith comes backwith a terrific right uppercut ...and a terrific left jab ...'. He decided to improve his Verbal Intelligence!

McGuigan literally 'went into training' to improve his Verbal IQ, using all the training techniques he had learning as a world-champion athlete. To aid him, he used Mind Maps to help him expand his vocabulary, and his increasing knowledge of the wonder of words. Within a short time, his vocabulary and Verbal Intelligence improved dramatically. Rather than 'terrific ... terrific ... terrific ...' McGuigan began to spice up his commentary with 'lightning-like, stunning, juddering, rapier-fast, jolting, electrifying ...'. Having applied the training techniques he had used to become a world-champion physical athlete, he rapidly rose up the ranks of TV sports commentators, and became a champion in mental sphere!

McGuigan was so impressed with the rapid strides he was able to make in the development of his Verbal Intelligence that he now plays Verbal Intelligence games with his children - using Mind Maps® and memory techniques to help them as Mind Maps® helped him.

Adapted from: The Power of Verbal Intelligence by TONY BUZAN

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懂得与他人沟通也是种艺术哦。如果我们并不是很清楚沟通的技巧，可以向不同的演讲者学习哦！

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5 萬道親送陳大姑 場面15年最大

如果没观看台湾电视新闻的话，可以观看此电视新闻片段，关于一贯道陈大姑老前人的告别仪式。

Child's Wordplay - Proof that you are a Natural Verbal Genius

Suzuki was a Japanese teacher, musician and instrument maker. He had two special paradigm-shifts in his awareness that changed his life forever, and which are at this very moment changing the lives of millions and the way the world thinks about all the babies and their Verbal and Creative Intelligences.

Suzuki's first revelation came when he was visiting a giant incubator for Japanese larks.

The Japanese breeders of these songbirds take literally thousands of eggs and incubate them in giant, warm, silent halls that act as a gigantic nest. Silent, that is, with the exception of one sound - that of a lark Master Singer, a veritable song-bird Beethoven!

Suzuki noticed to his amazement that every little chick that hatched, automatically began to copy the master singer. After a few days he observed that each chick having started out purely copying songs, began to develop its own variations on the original Master Song. The breeders waited until the chick musicians had developed their own styles, and then selected from them the next Master Singer, and so the process developed.

'Astounding' thought Suzuki. 'If a bird's tiny, tiny brain can learn so perfectly, then surely the human brain , with its vastly superior abilities, should be able to do the same and better!

This line of reasoning led Suzuki to his next revelation, which, when he announced it, made many of his friends think that he had lost a large number of his own brain cells.

Suzuki, in a delirium of enthusiasm for what he had realized rushed around telling everyone he knew of his remarkable discovery.: that every Japanese child learns to speak Japanese!

His friends and colleagues patted him on the shoulder, informing him rather firmly they were actually already aware of that. 'But No! No!' declared Suzuki, ' they really do, and it's amazing!'

Suzuki was correct. Like Newton before him, he had discovered something that was so obvious no one could see it - that any baby, born in any country, automatically learns, withing two years, the language of that country.

This means that every normal baby's brain is capable of learning millions of potential languages.

Adapted from: The Power of Verbal Intelligence by TONY BUZAN

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嗯，没错，其实人有无限的可能，每个小孩都是上天赐给人类的一份礼物。就算有缺陷，我们也不能低估这孩子的能力，因为也许他有着其他的发挥空间可以去栽培的也不一定哦！

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三字经 – 郑和下西洋

太祖兴 国大明 号洪武
都金陵 迨成祖 迁燕京

释义
朱元璋举兵灭元，建立了大明王朝，年号洪武，国都定在南京。到明成祖时，将国都迁到北京。

故事
明成祖即位不久，就派郑和率领庞大的船队，前往南洋和印度洋沿岸各国进行贸易和友好访问。这期间，郑和一共出海七次，历时二十八年，足迹遍布今天的东南亚、印度洋沿岸以及非洲东海岸。郑和船队所到之处都受到热烈欢迎，他把中国的瓷器、茶叶等特色产品带到各国，也带回了对方的奇珍异宝。郑和下西洋，扩大了中国和亚非国家的经济、文化交流，增强了各国之间的友谊。

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郑和下西洋可说是家喻户晓啊，记得去年电视节目也播出了一系列关于郑和下西洋的纪录片呢！感觉上，郑和就像是我们现今的大使，到了各国去建立起友好关系、文化交流，真的是个很不错的代表。

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三字经 – 成吉思汗

莅中国 兼戎狄 九十载 国作废
li4 zhong1 guo2 jian1 rong2 di2 jiu3 shi2 zai3 guo2 zuo4 fei4

释义
元朝建立以后，先后兼并了边疆的各少数民族。但元朝政权只存在了九十多年，统治就结束了。

故事
十二世纪时，蒙古草原上只有一些分散的部落，各部落之间为了争夺人口和牲畜，经常发生战争。后来，一个叫做铁木真的首领先后统一了各部落，被推举为全蒙古的“汗”，史称“成吉思汗”。他即位后，颁布了法典，创立了文字，为蒙古文化的发展起了积极作用。随后，成吉思汗进行了三次西征，占领了亚欧大陆的很多国家，使中国发展成一个强大的军事帝国。

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成吉思汗是位很有名的领导者。他的头脑转得快，所以才能建立起强大的军事帝国。我们可以学习他的斗志和勇气！

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STORIES - The Old Man and His Shoe

One day an old man boarded a bus. As he was going up the steps, one of his shoes slipped off. The door closed and the bus moved off so he was unable to retrieve it. The old man calmly took off his other shoe and threw it out of the window.

A young man on the bus saw what happened, and could not help going up to the old man and asking, "I noticed what you did, sir. Why did you throw out your other shoe?"

The old man promptly replied, "So that whoever finds them will be able to use them."

The old man in the story understood a fundamental philosophy for life - do not hold on to something simply for the sake of possessing it or because you do not wish others to have it. We lose things all the time. The loss may seem to us grievous and unjust initially, but loss only happens so that positive changes can occur in our lives. We should not always assume that losing something is bad, because if things do not shift, we'll never become better people or experience better things. That's not to say of course that we only lose "bad" things; it simply means that in order for us to mature emotionally and spiritually, and for us to contribute to the world, the interchange between loss and gain is necessary.

Like the old man in the story, we have to learn to let go. The world had decided that it was time for the old man to lose his shoe. Maybe this happened to add momentum to a series of events leading to a better pair of shoes for the old man. Maybe the search for another pair of shoes would lead the old man to a great benefactor. Maybe the world decided that someone else needed the shoes more.

Whatever the reason, we can't avoid losing things. The old man understood this. One of his shoes had gone out of his reach. The remaining shoe would not have been much help to him, but it would be a cherished gift to a homeless person desperately in need of protection from the ground. Hoarding possessions does nothing to make us or the world better. We all have to decide constantly if some things or people have run their course in our lives or would be better off with others. We then have to muster the courage to give them away.

WRITTEN BY EUGENE LOH

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一点儿也没错，握住的手不能得到什么，放开手，才能获得真正的快乐。像老人他清楚地明白，舍得的道理。舍得舍得，能舍才能得，这道理永不变啊。

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Suicide

This world can sometimes be hard to live in, and occasionally, the pain becomes so acute and sources of relief so rare, that one may contemplate ending it all.

If you're having such a thought, don't feel that you're weak or foolish. There is nothing wrong or unusual about the way you feel. Things must be going pretty badly if you're contemplating suicide. But if death has become an option for you, then things can't get any worse. From here, you can rise if you want to.

No one has ever solved anything by choosing death. In fact, it's the ones who are faced with the very real prospect of death who discover how valuable and rich life can be.

In Stephen Daldry's film "The Hours", actress Julianne Moore plays Laura Brown, a character whose fa?e of a loving, dutiful housewife belies an emotional and romantic emptiness that threatens to engulf her. Unable to live the life she truly wants to live, she is finally driven to the thought of suicide, but decides against it at the eleventh hour.

Strangely enough, the option of death gave her the strength to continue living. When she realised that she could always take her life if it got unbearable, suddenly, her life didn't seem so hard. The world of infinite opportunities opened up to her. Fear of life and social expectations no longer gripped her, and she subsequently went on to live the life she always wanted.

In Paulo Coelho's book "Veronika Decides to Die", the protaganist is brought back from the brink of death after she takes a near-fatal dose of sleeping pills. However, the doctor tells her that as a consequence of her action, her heart has been so weakened that it could collapse in a matter of weeks. Faced with the possibility of death like the character of Laura in "The Hours", Veronika experiences a similar epiphany - that death is always possible, for everyone, young or old, happy or depressed. Death can come to you unexpectedly or you can invite it; either way, it makes life all the more precious and the world all the more beautiful and promising.

Suicide is a hasty catapult into the unknown. What you couldn't find here, you can be sure you won't find in death. Life however gives you the opportunity to live it in any way you like. The pain may be unbearable now, but it will not last. Death comes to us all; the time and place though, is not for us to determine. Till then, choose Life - seize the opportunities that only Life can bring.

source: Eugene Loh, A Slice of Life, 938LIVE, a station of MediaCorp Radio

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不知道馆主有没有和大家分享过，认真来讲，选择自杀的人虽然很傻，但是他们所拿出的勇气是超出想象的，因为要自杀，并不会是偶然的“一时冲动”；相反的，一个要自杀的人多数是经过了“精心策划”的。说句真心话，很多人都害怕面对很多事，但是我们更怕面对死亡、死讯。如果你经常以自杀为借口来威胁着身边的人，馆主希望我们都好好地想想这样的行为对吗？有没有想过如果有一天，你发生了什么意外，大家都会觉得难过、更会觉得自责，因为他们以为自己太不关心你了，忽略了你之前说要自杀的举动，所以良心需要负责？

自杀的人，真的太自私了。要好好地珍惜生命好吗？

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