6 Great Things (Warning: Corny side thoughts post)
On some of the longer trips we’ve had, I’ve had a lot of time to reflect back on the past 7 months or so. In doing so, I came up with a list of 6 things that are great to have:
1. An Open Mind/Heart
It’s hard to approach new people and things these days with the world being so synical, prejudice, and judgemental. Although you can’t ignore everything you hear, make sure you take things with a grain of salt and allow yourself to remain open enough to test the waters yourself.
2. Compassion
In a world where stature and class are prominent, and where the idea of C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me) prevails, sometimes it’s easy to forget about the less fortunate. Step out of the corporate life once in a while and go do something nice like help at a soup kitchen, volunteer at a school, be a big brother/sister… Heck, give a sad puppy a hug.
3. Selflessness
I think true selflessness is one of the greatest things in the universe… but true selflessness is not easy to find. It’s not just writing a cheque to a charity and getting a tax return reciept… or volunteering to have something to put on your resume. I think true selflessness is when you don’t even realize it. It’s when you share in the joy of someone else as a result of your actions. When a puppy rolls over with it’s belly up in the air and looks up at you with those puppy-dog eyes, could it be that bending down and petting a puppy’s belly just to watch it’s tail wag be a selfless act? I think so. It’s not like feeling fur with your hand is rewarding… and it’s not like that puppy is going to tip you or rub your belly… but if watching that puppy wag it’s tail and make happy puppy sounds, inturn makes you uncontrollably happy, you just did a selfless act for a puppy. Does that make any sense? (No, I’m not on drugs) So help that little old lady to cross the street… hold that door open for the next person… their thanks and smile should make you all warm and fuzzy inside.
4. Knowledge
The ability to absorb information, transform it into knowledge, and apply that knowledge to any situation is priceless. Never stop learning because you’re always going to be teaching sombody something. Share the wealth of knowledge.
5. Humor
“Life’s a bitch, and then you die”… Might as well have some laughs in the middle. When things get tense, crack a joke. Laughter can actually be the best medicine sometimes. I think being able to find the humor in many situations has made this trip a lot easier and more fun.
6. A Spork
Man, those things are ingenius. So useful… fork, spoon… some even have a serrated edge so it’s a knife too!! Ingenius.
Anyway, that’s all the gobbly-goo I have for you this time around. I figured I’d give you something to read since I’ll be on the road tomorrow. Man, I miss having different people to talk to.
Tags: Side Thoughts
cheng.ev
April 26th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
dunno if you’re still there but they just crowned a new king in Kuala Lumpur. Any special celebrations?
April 27th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
you r so awesomely intelligent.. haha LOVE IT.. how you follow some of the philosophies of Wu-Tang and Nas…. I miss you, come homeeee!@#$