LOVE, Kloudiia

When you’re happy for yourself, it fills you. When you’re happy for someone else, it pours over.

~ Sarah Addison Allen 

Love is missing someone whenever you’re apart, but somehow feeling warm inside because you’re close in heart.

~ Kay Knudsen

Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Tick Tock.

Second by second, the clock ticks and tocks along, and with it, our time on this earth.

The clock in our living room broke down for the past two months or so, and everyone at home felt ill at ease without this little mini antique-like teapot clock hung up on the wall, at one o’clock position from the TV set, doing what it was borne to do.

It is just a humble, little egg.

In fact, the humbler and more “tattered” it looks, the more substance it contains within it’s plumpish body.

When I stood before a stall selling this tea-boiled egg (茶叶蛋) for the first time in my life–eons ago, may I add–I peeked into this big pot of boiling blackish liquid and blurted out “Eee”. Countless eggs, half and fully soaked in the mysterious black liquid were popping their heads out like pebbles on a low-tide beach. My friend told me those were Tea-Boiled Eggs, and I went “What’s that again?”

If you see someone without a smile, give ‘em yours!

~ Dolly Parton

I thought this would be a great way to start a new year. And, just as coincidentally, this is the 60th quote! A nice, new beginning, isn’t it?

Smile, and the world will smile with you

Happy 2011!

2011 is a special year, because it’s the first year of the second decade in this new millenia, in this 21st century. We’re going to create history again for this new era, and I’m glad that I’m part of it.

To start with, let me give you a toast to all things good for this year.

If you have been partying over the night, I suppose you’ve gotten out of bed at this hour? Well, what’s the first thought that came to your mind when you opened your eyes?

What a year!

On this last day of 2010–where the first decade has passed in this new millenia–I’ve a few things to say.

This year has been quite a ride in many senses. I felt like I am on a new journey, and it’s all about searching, reflecting, discovering, learning and finally testing out. There were some fun moments, others were more trials and tribulations than joys and successes.

I watch as the world ticks by, as people around me flips out flags staking and announcing their achievements, and I had to hand-hold my own heart while participating in their celebrations and cheers. What a year!

I was watching TV when my mobile rang. I checked the screen–a China number–and knew instantly who were at the other end.

‘Godma!’ Issac’s high-pitched childish voice screamed over the line.

That’s one of my lovely godsons–the elder one–rambling on about what he was doing at home, and wishing me Merry Christmas. At three-plus years old, he’s already yakking on and on about anything and everything under his roof, before his eyes, in his world.

Stuart and I were having lunch that day in a cafe, and a family of three–mother, son and daughter–sat at a table beside us. Each of them had a mobile phone, specifically, an iPhone (of various generations) held in the palm of their hands. This device held their attention captive for the whole while before their food was served.

There were some moments when the revered silence was broken–by the mother and son–who exchanged a few words, before returning to their gadgets. Once again, they resumed their golden language of mutual understanding: Silence.

What is worry? It’s a time, effort and energy-consuming activity that creates wrinkles, white hair and–when really allowed to manifest–heart palpitations. Doesn’t sound like something worthwhile doing, does it? Yet, how many of us are engaged in this unworthy activity as frequently as every day, every hour and even every minute?