It's Saturday Again!

It's a long awaited Saturday because the SUCCESS Chinese Help Lines staff and volunteers planned for a BBQ outing. Originally, the weather forecast was saying "cloudy with 40% chance rain", but starting the noon time, the rain, though soft and small, was kind of non-stop and make the front car window quite wet. It's very thoughtful that the organizer has planned a few tent for the location, and when I arrive there, they have started enjoying the hot-dogs, and I also see some deserts coming along way. It's only a pity that I did not wear appropriately for the location and I was feeling chilling inside. Therefore, I did not really stay for long. I chatted with only a few of the volunteers, took a few photos and have to apologize and left.

I hope you all understand that although the encounter was short, I felt very warm inside me as I haven't met you guys for long. It's good to shake hands and hug with you guys in order to feel my existence and also to show you physically that I am progressing well (except that my spine still hurt me even under pain control). No doubt that I shall continue to try my best to progress and yes please continue to provide me with all the prayers and best wishes! Thank you!

In the evening, after 6 months hard practices, Olivia's performance with Vancouver Academy of Dance (VAD) took place in Gateway Theater in Richmond. It's actually the second day of performance. The whole evening is packed with great performance, starting from a dance paying tribune to Michael Jackson (or simply put MJ), and then hip-hop, ballet, Jazz and Modern dance, Chinese dance, ball room dance and even acrobatic. The performers age from 2 and above and it's really an enjoyment to see them perform. It's also quite incredible that how Ms Annabel Ho has built VAD up and now in it's 15th anniversary. Great job!

The show wouldn't finish until the clock passed 11pm. This also means that I have been sitting for 4 hours and it's a kind of long record for me. I was feeling a little uncomfortable at the beginning, but then slowly I altered my position every now and then. This uncomfortable feeling can easily be off-set by the nice feeling of meeting up with old friends at the location. When I lied down at my bed finally by mid-night, I can almost hear my spine saying "thank you for relaxing me as I needed it badly"! All I can say to my spine, "Sorry about this, but you have brought me such a wonderful evening and thank you for that!" Hahahah!

There have been a few other things happened also yesterday. For example, the Blackhawks won the Flyers of 6 to 5 in the first game of Stanley Cup final. It was actually a very nice game to watch as both sides played very well and very close! Then, LA Lakers also won Phoenix Suns by 111 versus 103 in Game 6 of the Western Conference. The final now is set for LA Lakers versus Boston Celtics. Being the Canadian is not too happy as both the final teams for the Stanley Cup are from the US, while Steve Nash, who is the icon of Canadian basketball in US now lost and will not join the final. In sport, I guess it's more important to enjoy the game itself. Just like life, it may not go the way we want, but at least we can find our way to enjoy it (or merely to reduce our sufferings)!

It's such a wonderful day! Thank you everyone and wishing you all the best, and good health!

Surrender Brings Perfection!

China is one of the four ancient civilization and it's filled with wonderful publications which passed onto today! Among them is Tao Te Ching (also known as Dao De Jing) written by Lao Tzu (also known as Lao Zi) at about 500 B.C., or 2,500 years ago. As there are many different translation, today I used the Tarcher Cornerstones Editions translated by Jonathon Star.

Verse 22

"Surrender brings perfection"
The crooked become straight
The empty become full
The worn become new
Have little and gain much
Have much and be confused

So the Sage embraces the One
and becomes a model for the world
Without showing himself, he shines forth
Without promoting himself, he is distinguished
Without claiming reward, he gains endless merit
Without seeking glory, his glory endures

The Sage knows how to follow
so he comes to command
He does not compete
so no one under Heaven can compete with him

The anceint saying.
"Surrender brings perfection,"
is not just empty words
Truly, surrender brings perfection
and perfection brings the whole universe.

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You may also interpret "surrender" as "let go" and in life, it's important that we know how to "let it go", "let things go", and "let life go" ... etc. Once we know how to surrender and let go, we will feel the internal peace, we will feel the unity between us and the universe, we will feel how insignificant we are and this unimportance will bring us a lot of relief and peace in mind!

The sunset picture above was taken by David C. a couple of years ago in Hawaii. Important is the words "Remember the moments of the past, look forwrd to the promise of the future, but most of all, celebrate the present for iti s precious ...". Thank you David C.!