Practising Gratitude for Daily Miracles

If there's one skill we all undoubtedly effortlessly excel at... it's taking things for granted.

Think about the daily miracles happening all around us... the air we're breathing, the clean water we're drinking, the technologies connecting us to our loved ones, or even that you're listening or reading this right now.

It's a cliche but only because we are so easily bored with what we have. It sounds mawkish and sentimental only because it's so easily available. But what if we didn't have them? Would we still think that being grateful for them was so trivial?

And it's not just the seemingly simple and common things in life... even things we initially find precious and thrilling lose their lustre after a time. This happens to everything from our cars to our partners. How quickly we grow weary of our blessings and start looking for other pleasures!

This tendency to tire of and find fault with what we already have is what keeps us discontented and unhappy. We're inclined to focus on our problems and ignore our blessings. But the very fact that you are walking, talking, breathing, tasting, and touching is a miracle in itself! We live in a world bursting with possibility and here we are complaining!

Life was meant to be savoured. Life was meant to be simple. Sure, it has its fair share of problems, but these are mitigated by its pleasures and joys. The reason why you are feeling all this pain and misery is that you have magnified the complexity of things.

External forces act on us now and then to test our faith and will. Would you really want to give in to confusion, chaos, and complexity... when all you need to do to be happy, is to see things simply, and revel in everything that's being revealed to you?

Most people are so busy waiting for miracles to happen that they fail to notice the ones occurring right under their noses. It's a bit like people who spend their lives hunting desperately for the partner of their dreams, while ignoring the ones who would gladly share their lives with them.

If we open up our hearts, minds and eyes, we'll be touched by the many miracles that occur everyday. Appreciate these daily events as the miracles that they are and they will increase the depth of your life.

Adapted from A Slice of Life by Eugene Loh

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是啊，很多时候，幸福和奇迹就在我们的身边，但是，我们都没有发现。多多欣赏和珍惜眼前的一切，你就会发现世界有多美好。

加油！

^_^g

你是否曾想过放弃？

你是否也曾经想过要放弃？但是，在你以为的“不幸”中，你是否知道这世界有很多人在没有的境界中并不觉得自己有何不幸之处。相反的，他们更努力地过生活、活得比你我更精彩。

你还在那里自我怜悯着吗？

加油哦！为了自己的梦想努力前进！

^_^g

Ten Commandments for Getting Along With People

1. Speak to people. There is nothing as nice as a cheerful word of greeting.

2. Smile at people. It takes seventy-two muscles to frown and only fourteen to smile.

3. Call people by name. The sweetest music to anyone's ears is the sound of his or her name.

4. Be friendly and helpful. If you would have friends, be friendly.

5. Be cordial. Speak and act as if everything you do is a genuine pleasure [make sure that it is].

6. Be genuinely interested in people. You can find something interesting about every person.

7. Be generous with praise … and cautious with criticism.

8. Be considerate of the feelings of others. It will be appreciated.

9. Be thoughtful of the opinion of others. There are three sides to a conversation/argument: yours, the other person's, and the right one!

10. Be alert to give service. What you do for others is important.

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馆主刚巧看到了这个，感觉我们大家应该学习如何与他人交往。

加油哦！

^_^g

五岁了！

哇，时光飞逝。今天已经是微笑学习馆5岁生日了！

创立微笑学习馆的用意还是想在一个空间里和更多的人分享一些读到或看到的故事、影片。只不过现在好像比较少有中文类的文章分享，但是希望现阶段的英文分享也能带来收益的元素。

大家可以继续踊跃分享好的资料哦！

大家学习快乐，记得带着微笑哦！

^_^g

Forgetting to Be Happy

We live in an era where information is power. People who have the ability to quickly assimilate data and knowledge are able to manipulate people and events to their own ends.

As a result, we are obsessed with the procurement and hoarding of information. Devices like the smartphone and computer are indispensable in helping us retain information. We delight in our efficient storage of daily reminders, phone numbers, addresses, progress reports, meeting minutes, discussion agendas, schedules, birthdates, anniversaries, appointments, and other data, but most people still find their lives empty.

Why?

Well, perhaps they've forgotten to store the most important reminder of all --- to be happy.

Hmmm? Forgetting to he happy?

"How is that possible?" some may ask. "One is happy when one is happy. Happiness doesn't need reminding. I know I'm happy when... when I'm not unhappy!"

Too many things in life can make us unhappy --- missing the bus, getting our expensive leather shoes wet in the rain, falling ill during a vacation, losing our phone, paying too much for something, or our date stands us up. There is no sense in putting off happiness until we've eliminated all the things that make us unhappy.

Happiness is a choice, an emotion we can consciously activate regardless of how miserable and frustrating the day may seem. Reminding yourself to be happy may not solve your problems, but it sure makes you feel a whole lot better! A heart full of joy will probably find life's downs easier to bear and to rise from.

So remind yourself constantly to find joy in little things --- smile often, be generous with your compliments, share jokes, help a colleague, pet an animal, treat someone to a meal, laugh heartily, and be thankful for your capacity to appreciate life and all its gifts.

Adapted from 'A Slice of Life' by Eugene Loh

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你是否也忘记提醒自己要快乐生活着？

要常常保持快乐的身心灵哦！

加油！^_^g

Letting Go of Your Emotional Burdens

Many of us carry around unnecessary weight. These burdens we cannot see or touch, but they weigh us down just the same, preventing our hearts and minds from finding greater joy and peace of mind.

These emotional burdens mainly consist of regrets over what we wanted to happen but didn't, agony over past events that we wished never happened, resentment for people we feel have done us wrong, who didn't show us the respect we expected, or didn't love us the way we wanted them to.

These things are like invisible claws that keep our spirits anchored to the ground. We find that we cannot be happy or peaceful for very long because they keep returning to haunt us.

Regret and resentment are the biggest adversaries of our happiness. They have so much power over us because we cannot bring ourselves to forgive the people we begrudge, because we cannot forgive ourselves, because we cannot let go of the past. We continue to hold regret and resentment towards others because, bizarrely, we feel that in this way, we can somehow make them suffer. But it's no skin off their noses. In the meantime, our own bitterness persists. It's cruel irony that in trying to get back at others, we only end up hurting ourselves.

The only way you can reduce or get rid of regret and resentment is to forgive. Forgive the ones whom you feel have trespassed against you. Forgive yourself for the things you did, for the things you didn't do. Forgive the circumstances, events and conditions you thought led to your situation. Remember that bearing grudges hurts no one but you.

Besides, it's never clear-cut if someone or something is completely responsible for our situation. It's often a combination of factors. We judge harshly because we do not see the mitigating reasons. And whether we know it or not, we ourselves have hurt or let others down before. If we can so clearly see the misdeeds others have perpetrated against us, surely others can just as vividly see the offences in us. Which one of us can claim to have no flaws, to have never acted selfishly or in a fit of anger?

Purge your soul of the toxins of regret and resentment and embrace greater joy.

Adapted from 'A Slice of Life' by Eugene Loh

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馆主觉得每个人可能都会紧紧地握着过去，但是有时候，放手让过去真正的过去，才可以走向未来。

加油哦！

^_^g

Chasing Your Dreams

He is inspiring, not because he is handicapped, but because he lives life to the fullest and appreciate all the love that was showered onto him... War is a terribly scary thing, that torn families apart, damaged lives and hurt innocent people...



“我们的环境常常会让我们觉得很疲惫，但是，请永远不要放弃自己，不要轻易地被现实打败，不要淡忘了对生活的热情，也不要失去拥抱世界的勇气。。”
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馆主看了好几遍，每次看都不免落泪。。在馆主看来，他真的是个勇敢的战士。感动了很多人，也是带给他人希望、勇气去追逐梦想。歌词也太适合了。

感动是短暂的，大家要将感动变成行动哦！

加油！

^_^g

- Gratitude -

We can often lose sleep, peace of mind and joy by focusing on our problems and overlooking our blessings. When we forget to be thankful for the good we have in life, we fail to fully appreciate their presence.

So how can we learn to be more grateful for what we have in life?

Firstly, think of five things that you would not change in your life. Then, say them aloud and write them down. This helps you identify and focus on the things you usually take for granted. Things that you just as easily may not have been given, but have.

Next, appreciate your senses. What beauty has your gift of sight allowed you to enjoy? What delightful foods did you smell and taste? What sweet music stirred your soul through your gift of hearing?

Before you end your day, think of five things that made the day wonderful. We often forget the good and focus on the bad in our lives. A sincere compliment, a small gift, a lunch treat, a loved one's laughter, a beautiful line from a book, a joke which made you chuckle, a phone call asking how you were, a colleague's thoughtful gesture, your mother's home-cooked meal... how many of such little blessings are forgotten as soon as they've passed?

Appreciate yourself. Everyone has attributes he or she can be thankful for. Think of five of them. Again, too many people tend to dwell on their flaws and shortcomings. This helps you remember that you have been blessed with attributes that other people may not have.

Think of three people you are thankful to have in your life. Tell them how much they mean to you.

Think of three people who may have disappointed, hurt or disparaged you in any way. And forgive them. Resentments and grudges create self-destructive energies that imprison and torment you. The sooner you're rid of them, the happier you'll be.

And pay a visit to the hospital... whether or not you know anyone admitted there. Just spend an hour or less wandering around, and you'll be powerfully reminded of just how fortunate you are. Here is a world of cold, medicinal air, illness, lack of freedom, dependency, and suffering. You long to feel the sunshine, to smell the fresh air at the beach, to hug your loved ones, to go to the movies, to share a joke with a friend. Then you remember... you can! How fortunate you are!

So instead of feeling sorry for yourself, go out and savour life today!

Adapted from 'A Slice of Life' by Eugene Loh

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有人曾经和馆主分享：“幸福，就是老天给你什么都是享受。”

是啊，的确。记得要好好享受人生哦！

加油！

人心不古

A very shocking video that left many people speechless:

(caution: viewers' discretion advised)

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馆主看了以后，真的愣住了，心碎了。真么可以这样。像是漠不关心、不管我家的事般的冷漠。好可怕的人性。怎么变成了这般？好难过噢。

Touching Story

When i saw a cashier hand this little boy his money back, the boy couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 years old. The Cashier said, 'I'm sorry, but you don't have enough money to buy this doll.''

The little boy turned to the old woman next to him, ''Granny, are you sure I don't have enough money?'' She replied, ''You know that you don't have enough money to buy this doll, my dear.'' Then she asked him to stay there for just 5 minutes while she went to look around. She left quickly. The little boy was still holding the doll in his hand.

Finally, I walked toward him and I asked him who he wished to give this doll to. 'It's the doll that my sister loved most and wanted so much for Christmas. She was sure that Santa Claus would bring it to her.' I replied to him that maybe Santa Claus would bring it to her after all, and not to worry.

But he replied to me sadly. 'No, Santa Claus can't bring it to her where she is now. I have to give the doll to my mommy so that she can give it to my sister when she goes there.' His eyes were so sad while saying this, 'My Sister has gone to be with God. Daddy says that Mommy is going to see God very soon too, so I thought that she could take the doll with her to give it to my sister.''

My heart nearly stopped. The little boy looked up at me and said, 'I told daddy to tell mommy not to go yet. I need her to wait until I come back from the mall.' Then he showed me a very nice photo of himself. He was laughing. He then told me 'I want mommy to take my picture with her so she won't forget me.' 'I love my mommy and I wish she didn't have to leave me, but daddy says that she has to go to be with my little sister.' Then he looked again at the doll with sad eyes, very quietly. I quickly reached for my wallet and said to the boy. 'Suppose we check again, just in case you do have enough money for the doll!'' OK' he said, 'I hope I do have enough.' I added some of my money to his without him seeing and we started to count it. There was enough for the doll and even some spare money. The little boy said, 'Thank you God for giving me enough money!' Then he looked at me and added, 'I asked last night before I went to sleep for God to make sure I had enough money to buy this doll, so that mommy could give it to my sister. He heard me!'' 'I also wanted to have enough money to buy a white rose for my mommy, but I didn't dare to ask God for too much. But He gave me enough to buy the doll and a white rose.'' 'My mommy loves white roses.'

A few minutes later, the old lady returned and I left with my basket. I finished my shopping in a totally different state of mind from when I started. I couldn't get the little boy out of my mind.

Then I remembered a local newspaper article two days ago, which mentioned a drunk man in a truck, who hit a car occupied by a young woman and a little girl. The little girl died right away and the mother was left in a critical state. The family had to decide whether to pull the plug on the life-sustaining machine because the young woman would not be able to recover from the coma. Was this the family of the little boy? Two days after this encounter with the little boy I read in the newspaper that the young woman had passed away. I couldn't stop myself as I bought a bunch of white roses and I went to the funeral home where the body of the young woman was for people to see and make last wishes before her burial. She was there, in her coffin, holding a beautiful white rose in her hand with the photo of the little boy and the doll placed over her chest.

I left the place, teary-eyed, feeling that my life had been changed forever. The love that the little boy had for his mother and his sister is still, to this day, hard to imagine, and in a fraction of a second, a drunk driver had taken all this away from him.

处世态度

A story by fifteenth-century religious reformer:

One day, he walked past a huge building site in the blistering sun, full of men carrying bricks, all streaming with sweat.

He went to ask the first man: "What are you doing?"
That man said, in a very surly manner: "Can't you see? It's hard labour --- carrying bricks!"

He tried his question on a second person. This man's attitude was a lot more placid than the first: he stacked the bricks he was carrying into a neat pile, ran his eyes over them, and then he said: "I'm building a wall."

After that he went to ask a third person. There was a sort of cheerful, kindly glow to the man as he put down the bricks he was carrying, raised his head, wiping away the sweat, and said very proudly: "Are you asking me? We're building a church."

We can see that the things these three people were doing were identical in every way, but their explanations were entirely different.

The first man's attitude: pessimism. He regarded everything we do as just another burden in a life of toil, focusing on the hardship of the moment (which of course really does exist).

The second man's attitude: professionalism. He knew he was building a wall, and this wall was part of a completed product, and that he had to do his best and earn his wages. It was his professional duty and his attitude is well up to standard for professionalism. As a vessel, he was more than adequate, but he did not have any higher calling.

The third kind of attitude: idealist attitude. That is to say, he sees every brick in front of him at that moment, and every drop of sweat and he knows that all these are leading to the creation of a sacred place, a church. He knows that every step he takes is of value, and he knows what the final result of all his hard work will be. At this time, he works as more than just a vessel. The things he does are connected to our lives, to our dreams, to whether we can finally build a church. And at the same time, because he is immersed in the dream of a church, he goes beyond individual success to achieve something much greater.

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馆主在想，我们是否常常犯到了因为太过于执着眼前的一些人事物而忘记了些什么？没错，眼前的才是在我们控制范围内。但是，你有没有想过，是否就因为我们将所有的力气和注意力放在了这些人事物上所以变得特别不快乐？我们是不是忘了还有更重要的东西在等着我们？

我们是否能将眼光放得更阔更远？是否能有更宽大包容的心？是否愿意为了更宏大的梦想而自我牺牲？

馆主觉得这个故事很有意思，所以就想和学习馆的各位分享。不知道你有何感想？留言分享吧！

^_^g

Dealing with Stressful Events and People

When stressful events and people are getting us down, we often feel disappointed, helpless, angry or even desperate because we are trying to find a simple explanation by judging the situation in absolute terms.

We may have banked our future or staked our near-term happiness on certain outcomes or people. When these do not give us the results we want, we feel as if life has suddenly lost its meaning.

We typically blame others, blame ourselves, and regret the decisions we think we made poorly. Maybe we assume our efforts have come to naught, or we've been dealth an unspeakable injustice. We may assume that we can never be happy again. We might imagine that there is no way out of this stalemate. We may also put a moral judgement on the event or person, even on ourselves.

Most of our emotional turmoil comes from making these negative assumptions. But if you take some time to clear your mind and think about these critically, you'll realise that most of them are simply conjecture. Products of an overactive imagination that's scrambling for answers. Answers that can only be real to you because they stem from your own thoughts.

So if a stressful event or person is sending you into a tailspin, stop and ask yourself... What is it exactly that's making you feel horrible? Is it a real issue? Or something you imagined? Is any one party completely at fault? Is what's making you feel bad really some deep insecurity within yourself?

We often remain stuck because we choose to focus on things that are really quite impossible to validate. External factors that we have no control over. We often make black and white judgements that allow us to assign absolute blame. But this kind of focus keeps us stuck.

The only way out of this is to point your thoughts towards things you can actually be sure of, things that you can actually influence. These are your own motivations, actions, feelings, and decisions.

So what's the bigger picture? What's the deeper wisdom? What are your real options? If you're sure about something, then you can move on to how you're going to hold on to it, deal with it or improve the situation. With constructive action, you can often turn a calamity into an opportunity.


Adapted from 'A Slice of Life' by Eugene Loh

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你呢？是否也曾因为压力而错失了机会呢？

要加油哦！

^_^g

Molder of Dreams

by Clark Mollenhoff

Teachers …
You are the molders of their dreams,
the gods who build or crush
their young beliefs of right or wrong.

You are the spark that sets aflame the
poet's hand, or lights the flame
of some great singer's song.

You are the gods of the young, the very young.
You are the guardian of a million dreams.
Your every smile or frown can heal or pierce a heart.

Yours are a hundred lives, a thousand lives,
yours the pride of loving them, and the sorrow, too.

Your patient work, your touch, make you the gods of hope
who fill their souls with dreams
to make those dreams come true.

Excerpted from the Focus on the Family radio broadcast "Teacher of the Year" featuring Guy Doud. President Ronald Reagan read this poem to Doud when Doud received the 1986 National Teacher of the Year for the United States of America.

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每位曾经在你我生命中有何我们做过分享或是教导过我们的，今天也要好好地关心和感激他们哦！

教师节快乐！

^_^g

Power of Positive

I remember my dad teaching me the power of language at a very young age. Not only did my dad understand that specific words affect our mental pictures, but he understood words are a powerful programming factor in lifelong success.

One particularly interesting event occurred when I was eight.

As a kid, I was always climbing trees, poles, and literally hanging around upside down from the rafters of our lake house. So, it came to no surprise for my dad to find me at the top of a 30-foot tree swinging back and forth. My little eight-year-old brain didn't realize the tree could break or I could get hurt. I just thought it was fun to be up so high. My older cousin, Tammy, was also in the same tree. She was hanging on the first big limb, about ten feet below me. Tammy's mother also noticed us at the exact time my dad did.

About that time a huge gust of wind came over the tree. I could hear the leaves start to rattle and the tree begin to sway.

I remember my dad's voice over the wind yell, 'Bart, Hold on tightly.' So I did.

The next thing I know, I heard Tammy screaming at the top of her lungs, laying flat on the ground. She had fallen out of the tree. I scampered down the tree to safety.

My dad later told me why she fell and I did not. Apparently, when Tammy's mother felt the gust of wind, she yelled out, 'Tammy, don't fall!' And Tammy did... fall. My dad then explained to me that the mind has a very difficult time processing a negative image. In fact, people who rely on internal pictures cannot see a negative at all. In order for Tammy to process the command of not falling, her nine-year-old brain had to first imagine falling, then try to tell the brain not to do what it just imagined. Whereas, my eight-year-old brain instantly had an internal image of me hanging on tightly.

This concept is especially useful when you are attempting to break a habit or set a goal. You can't visualize not doing something. The only way to properly visualize not doing something is to actually find a word for what you want to do and visualize that.

For example, when I was thirteen years old, I played for my junior high school football team. I tried so hard to be good, but I just couldn't get it together at that age. I remember hearing the words run through my head as I was running out for a pass, 'Don't drop it!' Naturally, I dropped the ball. My coaches were not skilled enough to teach us proper 'self-talk.' They just thought some kids could catch and others couldn't. I'll never make it pro, but I'm now a pretty good Sunday afternoon football player, because all my internal dialogue is positive and encourages me to win. I wish my dad had coached me playing football instead of just climbing trees. I might have had a longer football career.

Here is a very easy demonstration to teach your kids and your friends the power of a toxic vocabulary. Ask them to hold a pen or pencil. Hand it to them. Now, follow my instructions carefully. Say to them, 'Okay, try to drop the pencil.' Observe what they do. Most people release their hands and watch the pencil hit the floor. You respond, 'You weren't paying attention. I said TRY to drop the pencil. Now please do it again.' Most people then pick up the pencil and pretend to be in excruciating pain while their hand tries but fails to drop the pencil. The point is made. If you tell your brain you will 'give it a try,' you are actually telling your brain to fail. I have a 'no try' rule in my house and with everyone I interact with. Either people will do it or they won't. Either they will be at the party or they won't. I'm brutal when people attempt to lie to me by using the word try. Do they think I don't know they are really telegraphing to the world they have no intention of doing it but they want me to give them brownie points for pretended effort?

You will never hear the words 'I'll try' come out of my mouth unless I'm teaching this concept in a seminar. If you 'try' and do something, your unconscious mind has permission not to succeed. If I truly can't make a decision I will tell the truth. 'Sorry John. I'm not sure if I will be at your party or not. I've got an outstanding commitment. If that falls through, I will be here. Otherwise, I will not. Thanks for the invite.' People respect honesty. So remove the word 'try' from your vocabulary.

My dad also told me that psychologists claim it takes seventeen positive statements to offset one negative statement. I have no idea if it is true, but the logic holds true. It might take up to seventeen compliments to offset the emotional damage of one harsh criticism. These are concepts that are especially useful when raising children.' Ask yourself how many compliments you give yourself daily versus how many criticisms. Heck, I know you are talking to yourself all day long. We all have internal voices that give us direction. So, are you giving yourself the 17:1 ratio or are you shortchanging yourself with toxic self-talk like, ' I'm fat. Nobody will like me. I'll try this diet. I'm not good enough. I'm so stupid. I'm broke, etc. etc.'

If our parents can set a lifetime of programming with one wrong statement, imagine the kind of programming you are doing on a daily basis with your own internal dialogue.

Here is a list of Toxic Vocabulary words. Notice when you or other people use them.
Ø But: Negates any words that are stated before it.
Ø Try: Presupposes failure.
Ø If: Presupposes that you may not.
Ø Might: It does nothing definite. It leaves options for your listener.
Ø Would Have: Past tense that draws attention to things that didn't actually happen.
Ø Should Have: Past tense that draws attention to things that didn't actually happen (and implies guilt.)
Ø Could Have: Past tense that draws attention to things that didn't actually happen but the person tries to take credit as if it did happen.
Ø Can't/Don't: These words force the listener to focus on exactly the opposite of what you want. This is a classic mistake that parents and coaches make without knowing the damage of this linguistic error. Examples:
Toxic phrase: 'Don't drop the ball!'
Likely result: Drops the ball
Better language: 'Catch the ball!'

Toxic phrase: 'You shouldn't watch so much television.'
Likely result: Watches more television.
Better language: 'I read too much television makes people stupid. You might find yourself turning that TV off and picking up one of those books more often!'

Exercise: Take a moment to write down all the phrases you use on a daily basis or any Toxic self-talk that you have noticed yourself using. Write these phrases down so you will begin to catch yourself as they occur and change them.

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感谢月莉小姐与学习馆分享那么棒的一篇文章。的确，很多时候，我们都因为自己的胆却而退缩，为做不到的事情找借口。如果我们都能更坦然面对真实的自己，那么相信世界会更好。

加油吧，相信自己，也给他人机会证明自己。只要相信，就有可能。秘诀在于使用“正面的理念和字眼”--- 要多用“我可以的”、“我行的”、等。当我们嘴边老是挂着我们不希望别人做到的事时，他们往往会因为我们说出的这些字眼而用这潜意识来行事。

^_^g

Courage

An old saying goes "Courage is the most important virtue of all."

Everything that involves making a decision, no matter how tiny or taken for granted needs courage. Even a thing as simple as waking up and facing each day requires courage. The act of standing up to a corrupt government requires courage. Moving into a new career requires courage. Attending the first day of school requires courage. Every single act is a victory in itself and should be acknowledged and appreciated.

Many people sleep all the time, even when they are awake. They fantasize of the unattainable and neglect what they already have. These people don't have the courage to wake up in the morning and face the days ahead. Instead, they snuggle inside the deepest part of their soul and feel sorry for themselves.

It is normal, however, to temporarily lose that sense of courage. Every time we encounter unfamiliar territory, we might feel depressed. The only difference, however, that distinguishes a courageous person from the rest of his or her peers is "how long" the depressed period lasts.

Fortunately, cultivating courage doesn't require any special lesson. It simply starts with a choice to be and to start it mindfully.

Here are some tips to develop the courage to take over control of your life.

Don't make any assumptions about anything. Usually, worry comes when you assume something bad is going to happen.

Forgive yourself. Many of us can easily forgive others, but can never forgive ourselves. Forgiving our past mistakes is the key to bounce back with renewed strength.

Now here's a trick - Pretend to be brave, and you are courageous instantly! If you can convince your mind that it's just play-acting, a game with no real consequences, you'll find it easier to be courageous.

Remember, happiness comes when you choose to start living and stop worrying. Worrying too much won't do any good, mostly because it can swallow up your courage and leave you with nothing else than an empty soul and shaky hands.

Once you have the courage within, you will be ready to perform the other virtues of life. It would be impossible to be compassionate to others if you don't have the courage. It would be impossible to be grateful to others if you don't have the courage. It would be impossible to do thousands of other virtues if you don't have the courage to simply be true to yourself.

Adapted from 'A Slice of Life' by Eugene Loh

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

勇气，每个人不断地追求，但是，真正能时刻拥有，谈何容易。可是，有了勇气，我们确实能够完成更多的事。

馆主也和大家一样，希望能拥有更多的勇气。

一起加油吧！

^_^g

Growing from Pain (part 2)

How we can move forward positively from seemingly "bad" experiences and grow from our pain into more resilient, more joyful people.

One of the hardest things to do after being hurt or disappointed is to forgive. But it is probably the biggest step to take on your path to recovery and improvement. Grudges, unresolved disputes and hatred all conspire to ensure that your future is forever overcast with dark feelings and thoughts.

So, forgive everyone you feel had anything to do with the pain of the past. Not only do you need to forgive the offender, you also need to forgive the people who didn't help you the way you expected, the people who helped in the wrong way, and the people who unwittingly made things worse by careless comments or actions.

Next, logically, you must forgive yourself. Blaming yourself for mistakes in the past is one of the most self-destructive things you can do. All this forgiving seems tough, almost impossible you think, but do you remember about seeking out the gifts in your pain from 'Part 1'? That's the key. Once you learn to identify the gifts that have made you a better person, you will no longer have cause to be angry with anyone. Whatever they did, whatever you did, all presented you with gifts you possess today.

One of the benefits of dealing with your past pain mindfully instead of stuffing your emotions is that you won't have to repeat that lesson. Your awareness has evolved to a higher level. Pain and misfortune is a part of life. You cannot escape it. But with your new outlook, you are now open to learning your life lessons with much less pain while receiving more gifts.

The past does not define us. Each new day, you have the power to re-create yourself. It is important to understand though, that our past affects where we are starting today, and it can help us understand our current journey.

So reclaim the blessings hidden in the pain of the past and look forward to a brighter tomorrow.

Adapted from 'A Slice of Life' --- by Eugene Loh

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

馆主相信如何去接受痛苦是每一个人一生中都得去学习的学问。当伤痛发生了，我们很自然地会先去怪他人，认为痛苦是他人制造的，是别人的错，我们才是受害者。但是，往往是因为我们放不下、想不开，所以才会痛苦。如果我们能逆向思考，说不定会从中得到更大的快乐。

并非不可能，只不过会有挑战。

你，愿意接受挑战吗？

加油哦！

^_^g

Growing from Pain (part 1)

During times of emotional pain, people often tell us to "forgive and forget", "bury the past" and "move on".

All very good and well-meant advice, but truly moving forward from pain is more than just forgiving and forgetting. Moving forward is learning from your pain, your mistakes and your past to create a better future. It's self-improvement, while moving on, is simply self-preservation.

Simply denying the pain will probably lead to the same mistakes being repeated, the same lies being told.

There are a few important things to remember if you truly want to move forward from your pain and grow into a more resilient person.

First, accept that everything in the past happened for a purpose. Seemingly "bad" events, like relationship breakups, job lay-offs, and health scares are understandably tough to bear at the time, but looking back, weren't they really blessings in disguise?

Think of the major "negative" events that happened to you over the past years. Looking back now, isn't it clear why they happened? Think about how you are in a better place now as a result of the chain reaction they catalysed?

You can emerge either defeated or stronger from every painful experience. We all have that choice. The person you are today is the result of your past experiences, and in those experiences, no matter how horrible, lies the key to you becoming a better person.

Great gifts do not shine forth brightly under the grime of pain, but they are there. Until you can seek out and embrace the gifts hidden in those times of despair, you'll never be able to fully let go of the negative emotions surrounding them. Suppressing the hurt, denying the pain, simply gives them more power.

Adapted from 'A Slice of Life'

成语故事·一言为重

这个成语出自北宋著名政治家、文学家王安石的七言诗《商鞅》，说的是战国时期商鞅帮助秦孝公变法的事情。《史记·商君列传》里记载有商鞅“一言为重”的故事。

商鞅，姓公孙，名鞅，卫国人，是战国时期著名的政治家。因帮助秦孝公实行变法，奠定了秦国强大的基础，被孝公封于商（今陕西商县东南），号商君，故又称为商鞅。

公元前365年，在秦孝公的支持下，商鞅制定的新法将要公布时，为了让人们相信新法必定施行，他在京都南门外，立了一根三丈多高的木柱，声言谁能将此木柱搬到北门，就赏给黄金十金。开始，人们不相信这是真的，没有人响应。商鞅又宣布，谁能将木柱搬到北门，赏给黄金五十金。这时，有一个年轻人壮着胆子把木柱搬到北门，果真得到了五十金。这件事在广大群众中产生了强烈的反响，百姓认为商鞅说话算数，都相信新法，服从新法。

宋朝的王安石极力主张改革政治，宋神宗在位时，他被任命为宰相，大力推行青苗法、均输法、市易法、免役法、农田水利法等新法，但遇到重重阻力。在此种情形下，他写了《商鞅》这首诗：“自古驱民在信诚，一言为重百金轻；今人未可非商鞅，商鞅能令政必行。”表明了自己推行新法的决心，也说明了自己要像商鞅那样，说话算数，取信于民，使新法继续贯彻下去。

根据商鞅变法的故事和王安石的诗，人们便引申出“一言为重”这个成语，比喻说话算数，言行一致。

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

身为年轻一辈的我们，是否常常都不守“一言为重”的理念呢？一个人需要勇于承担，不可以因为胆怯就随意放弃，更不该出尔反尔，不遵守承诺。

馆主祝福大家哦！加油加油！

^_^g

I Dreamed A Dream

Saturday 11th April 2009 Susan Boyle on Britain's Got Talent:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OcQ9A-5noM&feature=related

虽然馆主没有办法将这影片放送在这里，但是你们可以依据以上的网址去听她唱歌。其实，每一个人都有自己的梦想，而我们往往都是以貌取人，所以并不是每次都会认识到最值得我们敬佩的人、事、物。馆主就算不看影片，单听她的歌声也深受感动。真的，她是一位让人敬佩的人。

希望大家也会努力为自己的梦想而努力哦！

加油！

^_^g

亞歷山大的三個遺願

亞歷山大 (Alexandar the Great) 是一位偉大的國王。在征服了許多王國勝利返回的途中，他病倒了。此刻，佔領的土地，強大的軍隊，鋒利的寶劍和所有的財富對他來說都毫無意義，他明白死神很快會降臨，他已無法回到家園。

他對將士們說道，"我不久將離開這個世界，我有三個遺願，你們要完全按我說的去執行。" 將士們含著淚答應了。

“第一個遺願是，我的棺材必須由我的醫師獨自運回去。”

亞歷山大喘了口氣，繼續說道：
“第二， 當我的棺材運向墳墓時，通往墓園的道路要撒滿我寶庫裡的金子、銀子和寶石。”

亞歷山大裹了裹毛氈，休息了片刻，
“最後一個遺願是把我的雙手放在棺材外面。”
聚集在他身邊的人都很好奇，但沒人敢問為什麼。

亞歷山大最喜愛的將軍吻了吻他的手說，“陛下，我們一定會按您的吩咐去做，但您能告訴我們為什麼要這麼做嗎？”

亞歷山大深深吸了一口氣說道：“我想要世人明白我剛剛學到的3個教訓。

我讓醫師運載我的棺材，是要人們意識到醫生不可能真正地治療人們的任何疾病。面對死亡，他們也無能為力。
希望人們能夠懂得珍愛生命。

第二個遺願是告訴人們不要像我一樣追求金錢；我花費了一生去追求財富，但很多時候是在浪費時間。

第三個遺願是希望人們明白我是空著手來到這個世界的，而且我空著手離開了這個世界。”

說完他閉上了眼睛，停止了呼吸。


這篇短文確實講到人生的真義!!人出生是空著手來到這個世界，往生時亦是空著手離開了這個世界!!
世上所有有形的物品皆無法帶走(金錢.名利亦是)，唯有功與過流傳人間，德業及罪業則隨身定來世因果---試想現今流傳人間，受人敬重懷念為何人~~~是聖哲(孔子.觀音菩薩等，無私為世人之人)，萬世遭人唾棄為何人~~~因名利錢財而造罪之人(秦檜等)

其他人將隨時間的洪流，慢慢被後人遺忘(包括有錢人.追逐名望之人.平凡人.只作利己之事的人.努力賺錢以留給子孫之人等)---想到這裡，人生還有何事可計較的呢?朋友!!努力行善吧!!有無能力全靠自己評斷!!在困難中還能想到別人的人才更難能可貴呢!!

转发至网络

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

馆主好久没上来这里和大家分享了。刚巧读到了这篇文章就觉得很有道理。希望大家也能理解亚历山大他想和世人分享的领悟。

加油哦！

^_^g

Five Grains Of Rice

A rich man has four sons. As he grows old, he decides to give his property to the son who would value the wealth he had earned.

He calls his four sons and gives them each five grains of rice. He tells them that he shall ask for these grains at the end of 5 years & he would give his property to the son who would value these grains the most.

The first son throws away the grains. He decides to show his father some other grains when he would ask for them after 5 yrs, in anticipation that his father would not be able to see the difference between the two sets of grains.

The second son eats the grains. He too decides to show his father some other grains when he would ask for them after 5 yrs, in anticipation that his father would not be able to see the difference between the two sets of grains.

The third son preserves these grains in a silver box and keeps the silver box in the 'puja sthaan' at home, and offers prayers to the box while offering his prayers to God for 5 yrs.

The fourth son sows these grains and cultivates them in the backyard of his house. They grow into crops during the harvest season. He keeps re-sowing the grains from these crops. In due course, he has a vast plot of land cultivated with rice.

As apparent from the above mentioned, at the end of 5 yrs, the father gives his property to his fourth son, as he was the most deserving among his four sons.

Moral of the Story:
When you have anything little in your hands, look at opportunity to grow it. Don't feel sad if you have less money today, know that you have it and you can grow it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

感谢月莉小姐的分享。没有错。有时候我们必须将眼光放远一点。这样，我们的计划就不是短暂的。脚踏实地是很重要的。

加油哦！

^_^g

Never Judge Anyone By Appearance

One beautiful spring day, a red rose blossomed in a forest. Many kinds of trees and plants grew there.

As the rose looked around, a pine tree nearby said, "What a beautiful flower. I wish I was that lovely."

Another tree said, "Dear pine, do not be sad, we cannot have everything."

The rose turned its head and remarked, "It seems that I am the most beautiful plant in this forest."

A sunflower raised its yellow head and asked, "Why do you say that? In this forest there are many beautiful plants. You are just one of them."

The red rose replied, "I see everyone looking at me and admiring me." Then the rose looked at a cactus and said, "Look at that ugly plant full of thorns!"

The pine tree said, "Red rose, what kind of talk is this? Who can say what beauty is? You have thorns too."

The proud red rose looked angrily at the pine and said, "I thought you had good taste! You do not know what beauty is at all. You cannot compare my thorns to that of the cactus."

What a proud flower, thought the trees.

The rose tried to move its roots away from the cactus, but it could not move. As the days passed, the red rose would look at the cactus and say insulting things like "This plant is useless. How sorry I am to be his neighbour."

The cactus never got upset and he even tried to advise the rose, saying "God did not create any form of life without a purpose."

Spring passed and the weather became very warm. Life became difficult in the forest as the plants and animals needed water but no rain fell. The red rose began to wilt.

One day, the rose saw sparrows stick their beaks into the cactus and then fly away, refreshed.

This was puzzling, and the red rose asked the pine tree what the birds were doing.

The pine tree explained that "the birds got water from the cactus."

"Does it not hurt when they make holes?" asked the rose.

"Yes, but the cactus does not like to see any birds suffer," replied the pine.

The rose opened its eyes in wonder and said, "The cactus has water."

"Yes, you can also drink from it. The sparrow can bring water to you if you ask the cactus for help."

The red rose felt too ashamed of its past words and behaviour to ask for water from the cactus, but then it finally did ask the cactus for help.

The cactus kindly agreed and the birds filled their beaks with water and watered the rose's roots.

Thus, the rose learned a lesson: never judge anyone by their appearance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

好久没有来做任何分享了。这篇故事是月莉小姐和我们分享的。是一篇非常有启发性的故事。

我们是否也犯了相同的错误？是不是也会以貌取人？有些时候，内在的美才是真正的美。

大家加油！

^_^g