(Monday, August 21, 2006 / 6:27 PM)
THE STORY OF A PENCIL -
The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box.
There are 5 things you need to know, he told the pencil, before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be.
One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in someone's hand.
Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you'll need it to become a better pencil.
Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.
Four: The most important part of you will always be what's inside.
Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write. You might break many times , but you cannot stop leaving your mark with what you are inside
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CARROTS, EGGS, AND COFFEE -
A certain daughter complained to her father about her life and how things have been so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and she wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed that just as one problem was solved another arose.
Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen, filled three pots with water and placed the fire on high. Soon the three pots came to a boil. In one he placed carrots, in the other he placed eggs, and in the last he placed ground coffee beans. He let them sit and boil, without saying a word.
The daughter sucked her teeth and impatiently wondered what he was trying to do. She had problems, and he was making this strange concoction. In half an hour he walked over to the oven and turned down the fire. He pulled the carrots out and placed them in the bowl.
He pulled the eggs out and placed them in the bowl. Then he ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.
Turning to her he asked. "Darling what do you see,"
Smartly, she replied. "Carrots, eggs, and coffee."
He brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. Her face frowned from the strength of the coffee.
Humbly, she asked. "What does it mean Father?"
He explained. "Each of them faced the same adversity, 212 degrees of boiling water. However each reacted differently."
"The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. But after going through boiling water, it softened and became weak."
"The egg was fragile. A thin outer shell protected a liquid center. But after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened."
"The coffee beans are unique however. After they were in the boiling water, it became stronger and richer." "Which are you," he asked his daughter.
When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond?
Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?
Are you the carrot that seems hard, but with the smallest amount of pain, adversity, heat you wilt and become soft with no strength?
Are you the egg, which starts off with a malleable heart? A fluid spirit. But after a death, a breakup, a divorce, a layoff you became hardened and stiff. Your shell looks the same, but you are so bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and heart, internally.
Or are you like the coffee bean? The bean does not get its peak flavor and robust until it reaches 212 degrees Fahrenheit. When the water gets the hottest, it just tastes better. When things are there worst, you get better. When people talk the most, your praises increase. When the hour is the darkest, trials are their greatest, your worship elevates to another level.
How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?
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I WISH YOU ENOUGH -
I never really thought that I'd spend as much time in airports as I do. I don't know why. I always wanted to be famous and that would mean lots of travel. But I'm not famous, yet I do see more than my share of airports.
I love them and I hate them. I love them because of the people I get to watch. But they are also the same reason why I hate airports. It all comes down to "hello" and "goodbye."I must have mentioned this a few times while writing my stories for you.
I have great difficulties with saying goodbye. Even as I write this I am experiencing that pounding sensation in my heart. If I am watching such a scene in a movie I am affected so much that I need to sit up and take a few deep breaths. So when faced with a challenge in my life I have been known to go to our local airport and watch people say goodbye. I figure nothing that is happening to me at the time could be as bad as having to say goodbye.
Watching people cling to each other, crying, and holding each other in that last embrace makes me appreciate what I have even more. Seeing them finally pull apart, extending their arms until the tips of their fingers are the last to let go, is an image that stays forefront in my mind throughout the day.
On one of my recent business trips, when I arrived at the counter to check in, the woman said, "How are you today?" I replied, "I am missing my wife already and I haven't even said goodbye."
She then looked at my ticket and began to ask, "How long will you...Oh, my God. You will only be gone three days!" We all laughed. My problem was I still had to say goodbye.
But I learn from goodbye moments, too.
Recently I overheard a father and daughter in their last moments together. They had announced her departure and standing near the security gate, they hugged and he said, "I love you. I wish you enough." She in turn said, "Daddy, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Daddy."
They kissed and she left. He walked over toward the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see he wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on his privacy, but he welcomed me in by asking, "Did you ever say goodbye to someone knowing it would be forever?"
"Yes, I have," I replied. Saying that brought back memories I had of expressing my love and appreciation for all my Dad had done for me. Recognizing that his days were limited, I took the time to tell him face to face how much he meant to me.
So I knew what this man experiencing.
"Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever goodbye?" I asked.
"I am old and she lives much too far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is, the next trip back would be for my funeral," he said.
"When you were saying goodbye I heard you say, "I wish you enough." May I ask what that means?"
He began to smile. "That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone." He paused for a moment and looking up as if trying to remember it in detail, he smiled even more."When we said 'I wish you enough,' we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them," he continued and then turning toward me he shared the following as if he were reciting it from memory. "
* I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
* I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
* I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
* I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
* I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
* I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
* I wish enough hello's to get you through the final goodbye.
"He then began to sob and walked away.
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3 of the inspiring stories I heard from my instructor. I still miss her.
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Today. Went back to school.
It was like extra noise like that. Every Sec 3 are talking about the OBS.
And we laughed at each other. For becoming so tanned and dark. LOL.
I think I'm the darkest. Then that xy said I looked like a Thailand worker. What the heck??
Everybody still miss OBS. They wish they could stay in Pula Ubin and not come back to school.
One more thing. Today, there's this visitors don't know from where, they came to our school. And then I was called to perform. Like what the ???
Can't they inform us before hand? I did not bring my scores file you know? And then we, all 4 from Liuqin, got no scores to refer to. And had to recall from our memories.
Like we can like that. 5 Days OBS, everything, especially things that got to do with school stuff are long forgotten. In the end we got to pretend like we know like that. Haiz...
Anyway, it doesn't matter anymore. I just know CO is getting more and more expectation from the school. And it's gotten be busy soon, with lots of performing stuff coming up.
Who tell us to be the only Chinese orchestra which perform western music? Strange combination right? Aiya, nevermind.
Now got to work on 4 songs at a time.
Going off~ Work on homework and other school stuff. I just feel that ... I should not let her down. I don't know why. I just feel that way.
I miss Yar Yar awfully
