缅甸人诚实让人难忘

By Wisdom

缅甸人 (image from www.samaritanspurse.org)

缅甸人 (image from www.samaritanspurse.org)

今天读到了一篇刊登于《星洲日报》副刊的报道,觉得很有意义。凡事要求平和,对人要诚实和真心,自己和周围的人都会快乐。和大家分享:

跟缅甸华人接触后,我和同事交了很多朋友,喜欢他们的纯朴、诚实。

大部份缅甸人从呱呱落地开始,就受到佛理的影响,爱好和平,态度谦卑,为人温和,也很诚实。不只当地华人,缅甸人亦如此。

星洲媒体集团总编辑萧依钊2008年第一次到仰光赈灾时,曾到某间店买东西,由于语言不通,店员多算了钱,可是她根本不知道。一年后再到该店时,店员认出了她,找出当时的账簿,把之前多收的钱还了给她。她起先以为那是个别人士的诚实,后来她到另一家店买东西,付了钱取了商品就走出店门,谁料店员追到路口把零钱还给她。这两位店员的诚实给她留下深刻印象。

灾民守秩序排队领救济品

《星洲日报》的同事还有一个经验。“纳吉斯”风灾后,张晓卿社长率领星洲媒体爱心赈灾队深入灾区,带了许多干粮给灾民,当载满粮食的大卡车抵达灾区时,站在村口观望的灾民突然不见了。《星洲日报》同事以为这些灾民怕见陌生人而躲开,后来方知他们是跑进村里通知其他乡亲来领取救济品。

走进村里,灾民们自动自发排队,非常有秩序,等候《星洲日报》同事派发干粮,当天每人可分得一小袋米和一包干粮。当派到最后一人时,剩下两包干粮,于是,《星洲日报》同事就全给了他,怎知那位灾民只拿了一包,把另一包还给我们的同事。

从这几个真实的例子,让我们看到缅甸人的淳朴,即使他们一贫如洗,也不贪心,决不取不属于自己之物。

[文:摘自《星洲日报》副刊的“深入缅甸—缅甸华人渴望振翅高飞”]
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Cranes

By Life Journal, Photography
paper cranes

paper cranes

how are you?
tell me that you arEE fine
spreading your wings freely
we were pair
singing in the autumn wind
dancing with the falling leaves
snowfall touched our feathers
nothing but the sign of change
it was time to depart
to the paradise of south
you took wing on the journey
while i was remained still
staying on the freezing ground
sorry i was lost
let you flying by yourself
even you were strong
on the passage without me
my flimsiness let you down
you were far
from seeing the tears of icy chill
and solitude of the winter moon
you brought me a message
in the night of silence
through the cloud from the south
to be as strong as you
now i spread my wings
heading to the direction
where the southern cross is
the trail i could hear your whisper
flying fast but low
under the cloud beneath you
as your shadow in white
whenever you fall
as always
i will be there
never again
i let you alone

cj

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“祈祷”的医学效果

By Photography, Wisdom
birth of Christ

birth of Christ

信念能产生力量,进而启动人体免疫力。

我曾经访过一位卓越的外科医师,他对我说:“我开刀之前一定要先祷告。”手术前必须祷告这件事,课堂上没有教过,课本也没提到,他却一个人默默地祈祷着——请赐与我力量,让我有力量治愈患者。

医学领域里有祈祷这件事,着实让我感动。一些先进国家,例如美国,现在也开始认真地探讨祈祷一事。长久以来,一半以上的研究数据都仰赖西方医学,但现在他们也鼓励将汉方、针灸、冥想、音乐、信仰等带进医疗体系中,使医疗活泼化,甚至由国家提拔预算进行研究。哈佛大学及哥伦比亚大学等这些权威大学,对“祈祷”的研究尤其深入,他们称为“精神神经免疫学”,并列入最先进的研究领域。

医学及祈祷,实际上是可以共存的

如此“不可靠”的事情,竟然还编列国家预算,从科学的角度来看简直荒谬;而从宗教面来看,将“祈祷”这样神圣的事情放到科学里,也是宗教界所不乐见的。

但是回想一下,人类从以前就是用医学来维护身体健康、以祈祷来得到心灵安定,医学及祈祷,实际上是可以共存的。医师宣布放弃治疗的重症患者,靠着祈祷而使得症状改善的事情,也时有所闻。以祈祷或念力来达到医疗的行为,效果等同安慰剂(Placebo)。“安慰剂”是指将完全没有药效的“假药”给病患者吃,告诉患者“这是非常有效的新药”,最后真的出现了疗效。我认为安慰剂之所以有效,在于患者认为自己“已经服用了好的药,症状应该改善”,并以“一定会有很好的医疗效果”来强烈地自我暗示——这样积极的想法,可能活化免疫力的基因。

“深信不疑”的信念,让安慰剂产生效果;如果“思想”确实能产生功效,那么,将思想凝聚成更虔诚的祈祷,效果自然可能更好。这绝非一件不可思议的事。

我是一位科学研究者,并不是医师,所以不再深论,但思想及祈祷这类精神活动对身体康复有不小的影响,在医学上是确实存在的事。

[文:村上和雄,刊登于星洲日报副刊]
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December.January 2010/2011

By Life Journal, Photography
happiness

happiness

Finally we have waved goodbye to 2010 and moved into the new year, 2011. Let us share our joy together, be tolerant and compasionate of all beings.

Last month and this month, we have many birthday boys and girls. Happy birthday to Meng-Hong, Ah-Too, Koon-Yang, Chin-Sing, Henry Lee, Jason Tan, Vna, and others. Friends, let us toast (Chinese tea), for your health, happiness and our friendship! With each sip we’ll celebrate every small joy that tend to be quickly forgotten.

January is new beginning for everyone including children who are back to school for a new semester. Good luck to all students and hope you can adapt yourselves well to the new environment, enjoy the learning process and make some new friends. 

To tEEachers who sow the seeds of wisdom and knowledge into the hearts of students and mind, thank you for working hard making a positive difference on the future of children and all the best with your new start.

In this new year we also hope that the people of all races live up to the 1Malaysia spirit. Our country is a vibrant land, with a rich history, diverse culture and friendly people. Therefore every Malaysian should work hand in hand together with mutual understanding and tolerence, to strengthen the unity and relations among the people with different background in the country. Let us make our country a better place, for peace and harmony.

Wishing everyone a happy new year and a good start. Hope you find serenity herEE in juesatta. May all beings be happy. Sharing some shots taken in my hometown, Melaka:

the gifted eyes

the gifted eyes

Hindu Deities

Hindu Deities

time flies

time flies

ladies with umbrella

ladies with umbrella

"united we stand"

"united we stand"

"tell me please darling"

"tell me please darling"

we are family

we are family

pondering

pondering

for peace

for peace

 

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A touching promise

By Compassion, Photography
magical light

magical light

I was diagnosed with cancer at 31 – Hodgkin’s lymphoma with a reasonable prognosis. The “one to have”, I was told. Not having one at all was better odds, I thought.

I worked in the public service and was vaguely aware of a colleague named Sally who was in my department. When she heard about my diagnosis, she approached me and was supportive, genuine and compassionate. I was surprised at the depth of concern because Sally was a stranger to me.

I had expressed apprehension about having chemotherapy. So just before my first chemo, she gave me a gift. She told me she’d be giving me one of these mementos just before every chemo until I was finished. I explained I’d be having chemo every two weeks for months – I didn’t want her to feel obligated. She told me that she wanted me to say, “What is that Sally going to turn up with this time?” instead of, “I’ve got another awful chemo session.”

Each time she found me and freely bestowed a present. I was a bit embarrassed by the fuss, but as treatment went on I found myself looking forward to a beautifully wrapped token – a candle, a book, a soap. Carefully chosen gifts every time. She never missed one.

The sceptic in me assumed it wouldn’t last, but it did. She never reneged on her promise and that touched me incredibly. It didn’t matter what the chemo gift was. It made a difference that she cared enough to think of me every fortnight knowing I was going through a gruelling course of action that would, in the end, save my life. I look at it now as though Sally turned a millstone into a milestone.

[article by Kirstie Anders, published in Reader’s Digest]
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A short trip to Maharani Community-based Rehabilitation Centre

By Involvement, Photography
in the centre; from left, mother and Peah-Ching

in the centre; from left, mother and Peah-Ching

Towards the end of year 2010, Peah-Ching, partner of Stephen Tang was preparing hampers for sale just before Chinese New Year 2011. She was hoping to help the underprivileged group before the festival season so she approached Chris Lee Ching-Yong, the Special Officer for the Chief Minister of Johor and seek for his advice.

Chris who is active in charity, told Peah-Ching to help a rehabilitation centre for handicapped children in Muar, where Peah-Ching’s hometown is. It’s Pusat Pemulihan Dalam Komuniti Maharani (in Malay, Maharani Community-based Rehabilitation Centre). Chris then told her, the centre requires support and attention of the public to maintain its service for the community. Although the centre is supported by the state government, donation of the public could help the centre to provide better study environment and improve the living of the children.

one of the children waiting for the parents to pick up

one of the children waiting for the parents to pick up

Chris suggested to Peah-Ching that each of the hamper she sells, she could donate RM5 in helping the children. She would like to know more about the centre so invited me to visit the centre together. After 40 minutes drive from Melaka, I arrived in Muar and met up with Peah-Ching and her lovely mother. Together we travelled to the centre which is not far from her house.

Providing special education to mostly dyslexic children and some with autism, the centre currently supports 54 students. We were welcome by one of the assistants, Ms. Nardia and briefed about the daily function of the centre. From what we were told, the children do not stay overnight at the centre however spend half of the day to attend classes. During weekdays, parents would send their children in the morning to the centre and pick them up in the afternoon. They will have a meal in the morning.  

After doing some reading online, I came to understand that parents play a big role in helping their children. Parents usually start to panic after their children fail miserably in Year One or Two as a result of their inability to read. In fact, children with dyslexia need to be taught to read using techniques that are different from those used to teach normal kids. Maharani Community-based Rehabilitation Centre is one of the centres to provide special education to enable dyslexic children to become more successful. It’s also best that parents could sit in during the classes so that they could pick up too the correct techniques to coach their children at home.

It was rather a short trip as the children had gone home when we arrived. We didn’t manage to see how the classes are carrying out regrettably, but we are hoping to visit the centre again in the morning to understand more about the centre and the children.

Hopefully all the children are well and happy. May all beings be happy.

classroom

classroom

the students

the students

contact details

contact details

dolls of animal

dolls of animal

"I love you daddy"

"I love you daddy"

signboard - Pusat Pemulihan Dalam Komuniti Maharani

signboard - Pusat Pemulihan Dalam Komuniti Maharani

main entrance with Peah-Ching and mother

main entrance with Peah-Ching and mother

centre is in Taman Muar

centre is in Taman Muar

In addition, I have seen the hampers wrapped by Peah-Ching after we went to centre. They are really nice and presentable. If you are getting hampers for your friends or family and do charity at the same time, feel free to browse Peah-Ching’s hampers flyers for great deals. Click to enlarge and download:

basket hamper flyer

basket hamper flyer

pyramid hamper flyer

pyramid hamper flyer

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