peace

"When people speak of great men, they think of men like Napoleon - men of violence. Rarely do they think of peaceful men. But contrast the reception they will receive when they return home from their battles.
Napoleon will arrive in pomp and in power, a man who's achieved the very summit of earthly ambition. And yet his dreams will be haunted by the oppressions of war.
William Wilberforce, however, will return to his family, lay his head on his pillow and remember: the slave trade is no more"
Lord Charles Ford, on William Wilberforce (August 24, 1759 - July 29, 1833), the man behind the passage of the Slavery Abolition Act 1833.

Go and watch Amazing Grace the movie and be moved by a story of one peaceful man.

I get to watch Vantage Point on the big screen yesterday. Highly entertaining. Reflectively, it left me with a bad taste in my mouth that I had to spit it out - it bothered me the fact that the movie is the 3rd movie I watched this year focusing on terrorist actions by who else, the Muslims. 1st was Rendition, then The Kingdom. Paranoia and obviously, ill-informed, creating a 'state of fear' towards Muslims in general, is all this really necessary?!

During one of the performance night, David Archuleta of American Idol season 7, sang IMAGINE, my ULTIMATE favorite song, one of the greatest ever written too. Lennon was a genius. Lennon was the man, man.
Normal people threw away compassion when they are too busy living. Sometimes they just forgot.
IMAGINE can help you remember the most fundamentals of living, basically those things that matter.

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too

Imagine all the people
Living life in peace.

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man

Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world.

Peace and out.

P/S : February 28, 2008. Happy 26th Birthday Ricet!

once upon a time

Sad lion

Buddha was once incarnated into a Woodpecker. One day, he saw the Lion, on the verge of crying.

Conversation

"What's with the sad face?", asked the Woodpecker.
" I was having this deer for lunch, one of its bone got stuck in my throat", said the Lion, all teary eyed.

Bone Riddance Procedure

"Bad bad bone! Come, let me see if I could get it out for you"
Bending down, the Woodpecker fashionably took out the bone that had been sticking out the Lion's throat, putting an end to the Lion's discomfort.

Happy Lion

"Oh, you are far too kind, thank you kind bird!!!", said the Lion, all smiley now.
And they lived happily ever after.


One of the many stories of Buddha I remembered still (sort of) from the walls of Borobudur - a ninth century Buddhist Monument in Central Java. It was a humbling experience, just standing there amidst those ancient ruins, each full of stories of the yester-years, in the form of carved reliefs everywhere.

Courtesy of Mr. Maki, our reliable, flexible, super sporting tourist guide.

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