Thursday, February 25, 2010

Why do birds fly?

My answer would be that "Birds are designed to fly."

However, the offspring of a bird does not start out flying. It has to let its wings develop fully and get the hang of them with much flapping exercises while watching on the sideline as its parents take their daily flights, before launching-off on its own maiden flight.

Likewise, we need to know what we are designed for. The book of Isaiah in the Holy Bible says to the effect that they that wait on the LORD (their Creator), shall mount up with wings like the eagles, run and not be weary, walk and not faint. It's not waiting for something to happen, but waiting upon our Maker to commune with us. The answer for both our general and specific designs rest with the Immortal One who made us all.

Thus, we need to draw near and get to know Him (so that we can know what He already knows about us!). No wonder in the book of Psalm (chapter 46 verse 10 - New International Version), we are urged by the word of God to: "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

That said, a bird cannot fly if its wings are broken. Likewise for us we are to: "Hold fast to dreams, For if dreams die, Life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly, Hold fast to dreams, For if dreams go, Life is a barren field, Frozen with snow." -- Langston Hughes

We must learn to fly by the by. It's already built-in. Even if our wings are broken, they can mend and be healed so that we can soar to the sky, again. Heads up, we aren't grounded chickens!

Life is sad, but not all sad

Recently, where I live (sunny Singapore), a prominent property tycoon, a relatively young Managing Director, and an elderly friend of mine, passed away, amongst others. Everything stops for us when, like a swan, we complete our song.

All the days of our life till death is a gift for us to cherish while it lasts. Yes, even before death, there is much sadness that we can see around us: poverty, hunger, crime, injustice, and so on and so forth. So much so that any glimmer of goodness is both a bonus and a cause for us to break into laughters, or invoke some merriment.

Life may be sad but, for our own well-being, we must press on with our plans for a better tomorrow and do what we can to make this world a better place to live in. With sadness comes happiness on the better side of the same coin of life.

Let's keep our dancing shoes on and dance to the music of life!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Happiness is a choice!

Choose to be happy; happiness is a choice!


 
If we allow our happiness to depend on happenings then we are at the mercy of, oh, so many things that are beyond our control.

So, the wise thing for us to do is to choose to be happy in spite of and despite our circumstances.

It's up to us to fight off every possible robbers of our happiness by making a personal choice. And, spread some cheers (in a subdued manner so as not to get on the nerves of killjoys).

Try it and experience a world of difference. Remember, "You can choose to be happy!"