Taking care of ourselves

I once heard of this story about two men who were supposed to balance themselves on the rope or something of that sort. The story goes that the first man who is on the rope will carry the second other man (I assume on his shoulders). The second man is supposed to balance himself on the first man's shoulders. When the first man told the second man not to worry, the first man will take care of the second man, the second man said no. Instead, he said, "Brother, you will take care of yourself to balance yourself on the rope, and I will take care of myself to balance myself on your shoulders. In that way, we will both take care of each other".

It was a wonderful message, I may not have remembered the story accurately, but the message was beautiful. Well, this week, a lot of people have been infected by some kind of flu virus, including my dad and my colleagues. My dad is never in favour of going to see the doctor, and he has not been well for a few days. Finally it got to me, one day before the paintball event organized by my company. Even my mum caught the virus. Same goes to my colleague, she also has the flu but she still goes to work, guess that's my second source of flu virus.

I did the same thing twice before, because I badly wanted to attend some event, I just ignored my own sickness. In the end I infected one other person (to my knowledge).

After this, I'll need to tell myself to put myself first before other people/events. If not, I will end up being the cause of other's misfortune because I cannot take care of other people if I am not taken care of myself.

I suppose companies must strongly take note of this, when a person is sick, let that person be on medical leave because you do not want him/her to go to the office and infect other people!

ttg

The Fast Lane

As I was driving to work, it suddenly struck me that if I chose to drive in the fast lane, I would drive faster, because that is what fast lane drivers must do - drive fast. If you are not fast, you either retreat to the middle lane, or you would be overtaken by another car in the fast lane.

I started to think that this is what life is about, if we put ourselves in the fast lane, if we wish to stay there, we must drive fast, we must build ourselves to stay in the fast lane. If we were not in the fast lane, there would be less motivation to drive faster, especially if the driver has not experienced the fast lane before. When everyone is driving at your speed, there is no motivation to drive faster, unless you want to take over others.

But, being in the fast lane is different, you drive fast just to keep yourself there, you are not even in the position to take over others.

Perhaps, if I want to succeed, I must put myself in the fast lane... But then, I also noticed that when I'm in the fast lane, I just speed, the journey became shorter and less eventful... I have to be focused on the road, there is no time for other things, no time to look at other cars, no time to entertain my own thoughts... Guess there's always a give and take in every decision we make...

ttg

Hong Kong Disneyland

I have been in HK for more than one week by now, and I'm feeling extremely lucky. Well, this is 2008. I have made a resolution to be happy in 2008. So far so good. Life has treated me well.

Last Saturday I visited Disneyland. I really feel like it's a sponsored trip by my company. I need to pay the entrance fee and whatever I spent in Disneyland, but how many people get to fly to HK for free and stay for free? Although it's not exactly "free", I need to work, but still, I do not need to go to HK on my own expense, and I am really grateful for it.

I am happy with my life now. While my life still permits me to enjoy life, I have better enjoy it while I can. I am young, I have a good job (which gives me opportunities to experience new things), I have good friends and acquaintances and I do not have a family yet!

It must be the "high" from Disneyland - it feels like entering a fantasy, a dreamland, and I'm glad I have not really waken up yet, and the dreamlike and childhood fantasy mood is spilling into my reality....

I an happy, I am grateful, I am contented... :)

Oh, and I did something which I am proud of today. I returned a watch to a shop, which I honestly, have accidentally forgotten to take out from my wrist after I tried on the watches. I am happy to have done an honest deed!

ttg