Of Independence and Interdependence

It was a matter of chance that I had attended a talk by a renowned monk known as Ajahn Brahms. Shirley and her husband were raving about how excited they are, firstly to see Ajahn Brahm and secondly to see an author in the face. Well, we were attending the screening of "How to Cook your Life" as part of a Buddhist Film Fest which follows with a post-show talk by Ajahn Brahm.

It was a refreshing talk, one delivered by a monk and yet with a modern twist and matter-of-fact content. He spoke of being fed steamed frogs with rice in Thailand and of yearning for chips back home in Australia. Despite the dietary constraints as a monk, he is nonetheless extremely honest about his thoughts, cravings and sometimes fallacies. But of course not without a moral of the story at the end of it.

What I have found immensely meaningful is his association of offering of alms and the notion of need. He has wondered as a young monk why is it not possible for monks to be self-sufficient? In that way, there is no need to seek alms everyday to fill their stomachs. Makes absolute sense to me, I thought.

He then explained that it's a matter of creating a need for each other, a purposeful interdependence. If monks were to be self -sufficient beings, there will be no need for the people to provide for the monks, that is the monks will not need the people. If that is the way to go, there may be absolutely no interaction between monk and the people and they will eventually live in isolation.

But the fact is that there is an intricate balance between the monks and the people - the monks need the people to provide and the people need the monks to teach them.Now that makes perfect sense to me.

Ajahn Brahm further explained that it is the same with all human relationship, and often in love relationships. I turned to peek at Shirley and her husband - the newly-weds for expression of realisation or enlightenment. I mused over it and thought about how true this is and really, my mom should have been here!

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Somtimes I forget

Just watched a movie today with an old friend, Jerrick, an ex-classmate in my arts and events management class. One of those in the gang who is always up to something...treks, marathons, bagpacking trips, exhibitions, arts events and such.

The movie was so-so, it was the post-movie dinner that was interesting. Dinner was noing fancy, foodcourt with a view, it was the conversation that was awesome. It has been some time since I've been inspired talking to someone. It's not that there are no extraordinary people around me...in fact there are quite a few. It's just that sometimes you are rushing from point A to point B, always caught up with something. You lose touch with dreams and inspirations and then you forget.

In my younger days, Uncle Chris taught me how to dream. He always believed in me, that I could be a dancer, I could play the piano like Richard Clayderman. That it's ok that I am not holding the most prestigious job because I am one of the most well-travelled young ladies he knows and that I'm a lucky girl. And I am comforted.

And then you are caught in a game of comparison, of who is making bigger bucks and being more successful and you feel small and afraid to be what you are.

And all it takes is speaking to someone like Jerrick. His courage to follow his dreams in life and his passion for travel is simply inspirational. As we converse, I thought: hey I could do this too! I can be brave too!

I told him I would like to be a writer and he said his dream is to live and work overseas and experience the world.

When I got home, he sent me a text message and told me to inform him when I have my first book or publication published, he'll go buy it. And that I am welcome to visit him when he lives overseas.

I was going to reply "yeah, I'll dream harder tonight". Then I paused and thought, when there is someone who believes in you, there is no reason why I shouldn't and I said "yeah, sure".

Words of Wisdom

I've recently become very much a couch potato on weekends as a result of 2 Korean serials that I've been watching. Something I would usually scoff at, but once you're hooked, that's it baby!

The same reason why I stay up till the wee hours when I should be getting some rest in preparation for yet another hectic working week...and the same reason why I've not been out for the past few weekend evenings....we'll see how long this will last...

Anyway, just finished 2 episodes and strangely came across some words of wisdom from this Korean serial that really touches my heart.

Story goes that a young man age 24 is in love with his sister's friend who is 33 and she happens to be dating an established doctor. Knowing that the young man is in love with his girlfriend, the doctor asks the young man if he can be responsible for the lady.

The young man replies,"Everyone has to be responsible for themselves and when they fall, they need to stand up by themselves and start all over again. No one can be responsible for anyone, therefore I cannot be responsible for her. What I can do is stay by her side and and watch over her and wait with her till she stands up again."

And knowing that the young man is in love with her and has been watching her from afar, the lady thought," When someone watches out for you when you are not looking, the person can see the sides of you that even you yourself do not notice."

Some words of wisdom from the usually soppy Korean drama :)