Yes, my friends, Failure is never failure until you fail to try. I will never forget how I had fared so miserably on one of my business ventures. I was virtually wiped out and starring Bankruptcy in the face. Every prayer I uttered was seemingly so hollow. It was like an echo of huge proportions.
I really felt like crying. I was heavily in debts. I had told my partners if we lost money, I will be responsible for it. And here I was - without any answer, without resources and without hope in the real sense of the word. I was so down that I could not see beyond the huge wall of problems that was before me. I then remembered back to when I was climbing one of the mountains that I had been on, years back. Everything seemed so hopeless when we came to a seeming end of the trail and what was before me was a huge steep rock that was standing in my way. I had tried to go round it but it seemed almost impossible. There were deep holes round the other side.
I had wanted to turn back but my intuitive self told me that there was a way through. So I told the group I was leading that we will move on. Amidst the groans and protests that came, I walked further to the steep right. It was constant probing and that was when I spotted a small opening. As I squeezed through it and came out into a ray of light, I knew then that hope is always fulfilled with persistence. It is during the most trying times that we must never give up. Just as I squeezed through, the whole trail opened up again and we made it to the summit. What a reiteration of the power of belief in our lives.
What a lesson - what an answer!! There is always a way through if we look hard enough. Yes, in your life my friend, if you have problems right in front of you, take heart!!! Rise up in your spirit - it always begins there. Say to yourself, "I will not be discouraged. I will rise up from the difficulties that are around me and I will use it as a stepping stone because I know I am destined to be a winner!!"
You are a winner my friend - just know that!
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Will you climb with me.....
Just yesterday, my Manager Sam asked me about the mountain climb and I thought to myself - why don't I post a note on the climb so that anyone interested can view details about the climb. Please go to mountkinabalubeckons.blogspot.com if you want to know about the climb.
LESSONS OF LIFE - FROM THE CLIMB
Actually life is quite similar to the Mount Kinabalu climb. It is there before you and if you make it a clear objective in your life, then you cannot avoid making the climb. Climbing Mount Kinabalu will make you a much stronger person mentally. One day when the storms of life hit, you will carry the fortitude required to overcome such storms.
NO EASY TO GET PLACES.....
Unfortunately today climbing Mount Kinabalu is no longer easy because of the huge demand for places. To plan for a climb is a crazily detailed process. It is not like planning for it for a month and making the climb. Today people come from all over the world to climb and they pay for their places 6 months in advance. You simply can't get places for the climb. We planned for the April climb almost 1 year ago.
THE CLIMBS ARE ALMOST AT COST.....
Our climbs are amost made at cost. The additional charges are the following:
LESSONS OF LIFE - FROM THE CLIMB
Actually life is quite similar to the Mount Kinabalu climb. It is there before you and if you make it a clear objective in your life, then you cannot avoid making the climb. Climbing Mount Kinabalu will make you a much stronger person mentally. One day when the storms of life hit, you will carry the fortitude required to overcome such storms.
NO EASY TO GET PLACES.....
Unfortunately today climbing Mount Kinabalu is no longer easy because of the huge demand for places. To plan for a climb is a crazily detailed process. It is not like planning for it for a month and making the climb. Today people come from all over the world to climb and they pay for their places 6 months in advance. You simply can't get places for the climb. We planned for the April climb almost 1 year ago.
THE CLIMBS ARE ALMOST AT COST.....
Our climbs are amost made at cost. The additional charges are the following:
- Arrangement fees paid to my Associate company in Sabah to arrange the bookings, transportation, guide arrangement (guides who are my regulars), hotels, snorkelling, restaurant booking, etc. It also covers the provision of one staff who will handle all the spare bags when we climb and delivery of packed meals, etc.
- Cost of 3 staff who will come for the trip and handle the administrative arrangements. This adds a small amount of cost to the climb per pax.
NOT COMMERCIAL TRIP - NO SPECIAL TREATMENT
Please remember that this is not a commercial program so climbers should NOT come in and demand for special treatment. It is simply a climb organised for you and you come in just alike any of the other climbers who are there as friends. In 52 climbs, we have had complaints only once and even that was due to a misunderstanding. This is a climb that I make for friends and because there are additional places, I open it to friends of climbers.
COST OF CLIMB COVERS A 5 DAY - 4 NIGHT TRIP
Remember, the cost charged does not cover only the climb. It covers 5 days 4 nights of an organised trip. The first night is spent at the Pines Hotel. It is a lovely rustic hotel nestled amidst a proliferation of flowering plants. The dinner is usually very good and the first night is spent in the many meeting huts for bonding and briefing.
A STRETCHED CLIMB OF 3 DAYS - 2 NIGHTS
The climb which begins on the second day is a 3 day-2 night climb. This doubles the cost of the Mt Kinabalu climb but almost everyone makes it to the top in such a climb. The enjoyment is tremendous and everyone who has gone for the usual 2 day-1 night climb have said that it is so much more enjoyable for a climb stretched by one more day. We have also included the cost of guides for the climb but the cost of porters have NOT been included. This is because people bring different amounts of stuff for the climb and it is best that they pay for what they elect to bring.
Then on the fourth day, we get to stay at the newly refurbished Palace Hotel in Kota Kinabalu where breakfast on the fifth day is provided. The fifth day takes the group to snorkelling in the exotic islands of the Kinabalu Parks and the cost is also covered (excluding lunch).
TRAINING PROGRAMS ARE PROVIDED AT PART OF THE PROGRAM
All-in-all, 2 dinners with the best of KK's seafood cuisine is provided. The rest of the meals are on your own. What is most important are the training programs that are arranged. We actually lose money on these training programs because the time spent for such sessions are not really covered in terms of cost. We provide for only RM100 to cover the sessions.
YOUR CHOICE TO CLIMB WITH US?
So you have your choice. Climb with us and have the benefit of the experience of 52 climbs thrown in including preparation and training provided for you or you do it on your own and save a little bit of money. Ask the many who have climbed with us and they are saying to me, "Why don't you charge more?" My response to that is I am bringing many of my friends to climb and I can't do that.
WE CAN'T GO LOWER ON THE CHARGES!
Compare this with the commercial climbs I have arranged in the past when I took groups. If they want me to climb with them, a 5 day-4 night trip would cost them at least RM1,800 (and that was before the fees and charges were raised by the Sabah Parks). Some have asked whether the rates can be lower. Unfortunately the answer is no. We have little room to go lower.
REASON FOR NON-REFUNDABLE DEPOSITS
This is also the reason we collect non-refundable deposits. Please remember that I have to pay cash upfront to get the climbing places and stay at Laban Rata and the risk of loss is high. This is why I try to get the no of climbers early and then I close the climb places. After the climb places are secured, there will be no more places that can be given out.
TESTOMONIES OF THE PAST CLIMBS
What are some of the responses from those who have climbed? The testimonials will be posted in the blog on Kinabalu but suffice it to say that the following comments are representative:
- I have never enjoyed myself so much on a climb. Although it was tough (but I expected it to be so), I will hold the climb as one of the highlights in my life. Ong's team performed superbly and the organisation was outstanding
- Mindy, Alice and Sam were wonderful in the way they handled the team. Of course Hock Siew's leadership and encouragement made all the difference. Without his encouragement and help, I would not have made it to the top
- I can't believe I climbed South-East Asia's highest mountain. There were many moments of doubt but Hock Siew's briefing and preparation of our minds at each stage of the way made all the difference. I cannot see how the trip could be further improved.
- I cried and cried at the last part. I just could not go on anymore. This was when Mr Ong came and led me on. His constant encouragement and help got me to the top, step by step. I am so grateful to him for going out of his way to take me through the last mile. I have learnt precious lessons that I will take with me through the rest of my life
- What a climb. What a feeling - to have the wind blowing into your face and to know that the effort has been all worth it. Thank you Hock Siew for the wonderful organisation and thank you for the great motivation that you gave. Having your guitar and having us sing throughout the whole trip is truly unforgettable. It was like re-living my days of youth and carefree freedom again. Thanks again!
The testimonies speak for themselves. Come and enjoy yourself!!
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Life isn't about waiting for the storms to pass.....
Life isn't about waiting for the storms to pass, it is about learning to dance in the rain.....
How relevant is this statement! Time and again, we have just stood still when a storm came into our lives and we did nothing but wait for it to pass. In my own life, I have waited for many of such storms to pass and years were wasted away in such periods of waiting.
LEARNING HOW TO DANCE IN THE RAIN
Mired in failure and self-pity
How many of us have wallowed in self-pity hoping for things to change? Failure is a terrible word and it grips us so tightly that we often never pry loose its grip on us. That's why many of us are still bound by experiences that happened years ago. Such fears debilitate us and cause us to never step out of our secure zones.
Gripped in the bondage of constrains
If we continue to be mired in such negative zones, we will always be constrained in our lives - constrained to wait out the showers that come so often in our lives. We will never watch the splendour of the rainbows after a storm and see the wild flower in bloom. We will always miss the highlights that add so much to enrich our lives.
We can learn to dance in the rain
Yes, my friends, we can learn to dance in the rain and to see the spectrum of a thousand colours light up our lives. If you examine your own life, you will see that what really matters are really only the highlights that take place in your life. It is the mountain top experiences that stand out.
We must first seek to apply it to ourselves
We all have to live our lives for a clear purpose and it is more than just carving out a career and raising a family that matters. We all owe it to ourselves to bring out the vibrant colours in our own lives before we can even talk of helping others bring out theirs.
We must learn to get wet in the rain and like it.....
Dancing in the rain requires you to let down your hair and not care about the wetness that washes all over you. It is learning to stare at life in the face and say, "I will not be dampened by you." Not only will I not be dampened; I will also surmount you and use you to bring out the rainbows in my life......
The right way to live - a life of liberty
What a way to live!! I have been dancing in the rain almost all my life. The more people tell me something cannot be done, the more I go out and do it.
COME DANCE IN THE RAIN WITH ME.....
So often, people come up to me and say, "I wish I could be more like you and live my life to the fullest!" My response to that is "Why are you even talking "funny" like this? Can't you see that it has nothing to do with your abilities or even your limitations. All it need is a change of attitude!"
Governed by opinions.....
Comments like the following are very common - "O, my husband thinks I should not do this" or "My friends say I am not made out for adventure" or "My Parents are freakish in their safety concerns" or "I think I am too old for this kind of strenous activities." And so, the list goes on.
You make your own choices - a story of a feisty spirit
You make your own choices, my friends. Recently, I met this wonderful lady who had so much wanted to climb Mount Kinabalu. I could see the glitter in her eye each time she talked of climbing. It was obvious to me that she was tired of her routines in life and now with the children grown up, she was raring to have some adventure in her life. Each time, she talked of climbing, her husband would discourage her and talked of all the negatives......
I will make it my mission.....
I like her spirit. The more the discouragement would flow, the more determined she would get. She knows that she has to live her life the way she wants to live it if she is to find real meaning. I have no doubts she will reach the mountain top and as she feels the wind in her face, she will know what it is to live life fully.
The true spirit of Adventure - the indomitable spirit of man
I love this kind of spirit of adventure. I have taken almost 2,000 people to climb Mount Kinabalu in 52 climbs. Time and again I have seen the indomitable spirit of men (perhaps even more in women) take hold of their limitations and drive them to surpass their own limitations. I spoke to 120 young Leaders three weeks ago at a RYLA camp organised by the Rotary in Johore at a rustic place called Sedili. There, I challenged them to soar like Eagles and never to let the shackles of mediocre thoughts bring them low. I could see the glitter in their yes as they made fresh resolutions to do things differently. What wonderful feelings as I came away seeing their spirits rise!
More stories of such courage
Lim Yong Keat wa 68 years old when he climbed Mount Kinabalu with me earlier this year. Many told him he was crazy to attempt such a climb at his age. Did he even stop to ponder such negative thoughts. No! Right from the start, I could see the tremendous determination in his eyes. He was going to make it irrespective of what it was going to take. With such a spirit, how could he not succeed. He made the top earlier than other younger climbers. Yong Keat knows what it is to pay the price to be a winner.
The call of a true champion
This is the call of a champion - to surpass and exceed every limitation that life has to offer and to take responsibility for what happens to you. The true champion don't go around blaming people and things for what happens to them. They stand strong amidst the force of the lashing rain and they never get dominated by the seemingly insurmountable winds & problems that come into their lives.
Yes, my friends, even as I write this blog in the early hours of the morning (started at 4 am), I feel so refreshed simply taking stock of what it really means to be a champion in my life. All I know is that God did not make me to lose in life!
Think of a baby who starts to walk at the age of say, 11 months.
The baby will stand up for short tottering moments and then he will fall down again. He will probably stand up, walk a few tentaive steps and fall again and again. He will probably fall thousands of times in the course of learning to walk. Sometimes the fall may be so painful he may cry for long moments. BUT WILL THE BABY SIMPLY SIT DOWN AND REFUSE TO WALK AGAIN. NO!!!
The baby will rise up again after each fall and he will walk again. He will rise up and walk again and again and again until he can walk consistently and well. He doesn't give up until he finally succeeds. That is how God has made us and that is what God plants in our lives - the mind of a winner and the chanracter of a Champion. We are all champions.
You can do it!!!
Don't let a small disappointment or a setback hold you down. I want to speak into your life right now and say - You can do it!! You can rise again after each disappointment and press on, knowing that success is much nearer than you think.
How relevant is this statement! Time and again, we have just stood still when a storm came into our lives and we did nothing but wait for it to pass. In my own life, I have waited for many of such storms to pass and years were wasted away in such periods of waiting.
LEARNING HOW TO DANCE IN THE RAIN
Mired in failure and self-pity
How many of us have wallowed in self-pity hoping for things to change? Failure is a terrible word and it grips us so tightly that we often never pry loose its grip on us. That's why many of us are still bound by experiences that happened years ago. Such fears debilitate us and cause us to never step out of our secure zones.
Gripped in the bondage of constrains
If we continue to be mired in such negative zones, we will always be constrained in our lives - constrained to wait out the showers that come so often in our lives. We will never watch the splendour of the rainbows after a storm and see the wild flower in bloom. We will always miss the highlights that add so much to enrich our lives.
We can learn to dance in the rain
Yes, my friends, we can learn to dance in the rain and to see the spectrum of a thousand colours light up our lives. If you examine your own life, you will see that what really matters are really only the highlights that take place in your life. It is the mountain top experiences that stand out.
We must first seek to apply it to ourselves
We all have to live our lives for a clear purpose and it is more than just carving out a career and raising a family that matters. We all owe it to ourselves to bring out the vibrant colours in our own lives before we can even talk of helping others bring out theirs.
We must learn to get wet in the rain and like it.....
Dancing in the rain requires you to let down your hair and not care about the wetness that washes all over you. It is learning to stare at life in the face and say, "I will not be dampened by you." Not only will I not be dampened; I will also surmount you and use you to bring out the rainbows in my life......
The right way to live - a life of liberty
What a way to live!! I have been dancing in the rain almost all my life. The more people tell me something cannot be done, the more I go out and do it.
COME DANCE IN THE RAIN WITH ME.....
So often, people come up to me and say, "I wish I could be more like you and live my life to the fullest!" My response to that is "Why are you even talking "funny" like this? Can't you see that it has nothing to do with your abilities or even your limitations. All it need is a change of attitude!"
Governed by opinions.....
Comments like the following are very common - "O, my husband thinks I should not do this" or "My friends say I am not made out for adventure" or "My Parents are freakish in their safety concerns" or "I think I am too old for this kind of strenous activities." And so, the list goes on.
You make your own choices - a story of a feisty spirit
You make your own choices, my friends. Recently, I met this wonderful lady who had so much wanted to climb Mount Kinabalu. I could see the glitter in her eye each time she talked of climbing. It was obvious to me that she was tired of her routines in life and now with the children grown up, she was raring to have some adventure in her life. Each time, she talked of climbing, her husband would discourage her and talked of all the negatives......
I will make it my mission.....
I like her spirit. The more the discouragement would flow, the more determined she would get. She knows that she has to live her life the way she wants to live it if she is to find real meaning. I have no doubts she will reach the mountain top and as she feels the wind in her face, she will know what it is to live life fully.
The true spirit of Adventure - the indomitable spirit of man
I love this kind of spirit of adventure. I have taken almost 2,000 people to climb Mount Kinabalu in 52 climbs. Time and again I have seen the indomitable spirit of men (perhaps even more in women) take hold of their limitations and drive them to surpass their own limitations. I spoke to 120 young Leaders three weeks ago at a RYLA camp organised by the Rotary in Johore at a rustic place called Sedili. There, I challenged them to soar like Eagles and never to let the shackles of mediocre thoughts bring them low. I could see the glitter in their yes as they made fresh resolutions to do things differently. What wonderful feelings as I came away seeing their spirits rise!
More stories of such courage
Lim Yong Keat wa 68 years old when he climbed Mount Kinabalu with me earlier this year. Many told him he was crazy to attempt such a climb at his age. Did he even stop to ponder such negative thoughts. No! Right from the start, I could see the tremendous determination in his eyes. He was going to make it irrespective of what it was going to take. With such a spirit, how could he not succeed. He made the top earlier than other younger climbers. Yong Keat knows what it is to pay the price to be a winner.
The call of a true champion
This is the call of a champion - to surpass and exceed every limitation that life has to offer and to take responsibility for what happens to you. The true champion don't go around blaming people and things for what happens to them. They stand strong amidst the force of the lashing rain and they never get dominated by the seemingly insurmountable winds & problems that come into their lives.
Yes, my friends, even as I write this blog in the early hours of the morning (started at 4 am), I feel so refreshed simply taking stock of what it really means to be a champion in my life. All I know is that God did not make me to lose in life!
Think of a baby who starts to walk at the age of say, 11 months.
The baby will stand up for short tottering moments and then he will fall down again. He will probably stand up, walk a few tentaive steps and fall again and again. He will probably fall thousands of times in the course of learning to walk. Sometimes the fall may be so painful he may cry for long moments. BUT WILL THE BABY SIMPLY SIT DOWN AND REFUSE TO WALK AGAIN. NO!!!
The baby will rise up again after each fall and he will walk again. He will rise up and walk again and again and again until he can walk consistently and well. He doesn't give up until he finally succeeds. That is how God has made us and that is what God plants in our lives - the mind of a winner and the chanracter of a Champion. We are all champions.
You can do it!!!
Don't let a small disappointment or a setback hold you down. I want to speak into your life right now and say - You can do it!! You can rise again after each disappointment and press on, knowing that success is much nearer than you think.
Monday, December 17, 2007
My life as an open book
When I started blogging, I wondered what I should write about? I thought the best way would be to open up my heart to those who would read my blogs. So here goes....
18 Dec 2007
Changing priorities
I can't imagine how life is all about changing priorities. So quickly, another Christmas is around the corner. I can't believe how fast another year has passed. When I was 16 or 17 years old, I wished that time would come faster so that I could grow up and do the things I wanted to. Now it's a different set of feelings. Sometimes, we don't really mind time standing still. Little wonder that our priorities change with time.....
Life's uncertainties
Last month, I had 2 narrow encounters with death (read my blog: dreamsobig.blogspot). Unbelievable when the first escape was from a massive river tsunami and the second from a herd of wild elephants. Who could have thought that such things will happen? As someone who relish a life of adventure, I have no doubts that we must learn to love much and do what our heart desires all the time..... We so often think we have control over what happens to us. How foolish and futile are such thoughts! Yes, my priorities really changed with the 2 experiences.
Getting old is not optional
When I was young, I used to point out people who were just over 40 years old and say, "that old guy...." Now I am 57 and I can imagine people pointing me out and saying, "that old old guy"....... How ironic that what goes round come back full circle soon enough.
For the times they are a changing.......
I can't help but think of that song that goes, "Come Mothers and Fathers throughout all the land, And don't criticise what you can't understand; Your sons and your daughters are beyond your command..... and the things they are rapidly changing" How true it is! Older folks just have to learn that they must give understanding instead of thinking they can still command the thoughts and the decisions of the younger generation.....
Isn't it so true that life is like hopping from one stage to another. You don't want to look back. As for me, I am looking forward to what will come next.
Getting older - "change" is really the only change you need?
You certainly get wiser a bit more with age. You command more respect but as times change, you simply adapt or you become obsolete. More and more, young people simply can't bother themselves with the older ones. The reasons for such behaviors are frequently "self-inflicted" by the older ones. They demand for respect when no one cares about such demands. The rich ones who think their money can buy their way through every situation had better beware.
Arrogance - what a terrible "come-around"
Yes, those who are rich and affluent, who think their wealth and their position can buy loyalties and obedience had better think again. Time and again I have seen such people grow old completely disregarded and "cast aside" by those who serve them and even their own family members. The terrible consequence of arrogance is that it creates resentment and long-lasting anger in the hearts of those who are on the receiving end of arrogance.
The mental abuse of subordinates and the less fortunate can only bring consequences that come around. The end for such people is usually terrible. Those who simly condemn and abuse others through their behavior will end up with the same consequences. The call to change is NOW!
Brittle bones & bony brittles....
Yes, as age comes on a bit more, you would not be able to play games as proficiently as you once could. The aches come more quickly and go away more slowly. Recovery is certainly more tedious. People say you can't have sex as frequently or as vigorously but I beg to disagree. Sex simply gets better with age. You don't rush anymore and you take time to bring out the better things.
Still with age........
18 Dec 2007
Changing priorities
I can't imagine how life is all about changing priorities. So quickly, another Christmas is around the corner. I can't believe how fast another year has passed. When I was 16 or 17 years old, I wished that time would come faster so that I could grow up and do the things I wanted to. Now it's a different set of feelings. Sometimes, we don't really mind time standing still. Little wonder that our priorities change with time.....
Life's uncertainties
Last month, I had 2 narrow encounters with death (read my blog: dreamsobig.blogspot). Unbelievable when the first escape was from a massive river tsunami and the second from a herd of wild elephants. Who could have thought that such things will happen? As someone who relish a life of adventure, I have no doubts that we must learn to love much and do what our heart desires all the time..... We so often think we have control over what happens to us. How foolish and futile are such thoughts! Yes, my priorities really changed with the 2 experiences.
Getting old is not optional
When I was young, I used to point out people who were just over 40 years old and say, "that old guy...." Now I am 57 and I can imagine people pointing me out and saying, "that old old guy"....... How ironic that what goes round come back full circle soon enough.
For the times they are a changing.......
I can't help but think of that song that goes, "Come Mothers and Fathers throughout all the land, And don't criticise what you can't understand; Your sons and your daughters are beyond your command..... and the things they are rapidly changing" How true it is! Older folks just have to learn that they must give understanding instead of thinking they can still command the thoughts and the decisions of the younger generation.....
Isn't it so true that life is like hopping from one stage to another. You don't want to look back. As for me, I am looking forward to what will come next.
Getting older - "change" is really the only change you need?
You certainly get wiser a bit more with age. You command more respect but as times change, you simply adapt or you become obsolete. More and more, young people simply can't bother themselves with the older ones. The reasons for such behaviors are frequently "self-inflicted" by the older ones. They demand for respect when no one cares about such demands. The rich ones who think their money can buy their way through every situation had better beware.
Arrogance - what a terrible "come-around"
Yes, those who are rich and affluent, who think their wealth and their position can buy loyalties and obedience had better think again. Time and again I have seen such people grow old completely disregarded and "cast aside" by those who serve them and even their own family members. The terrible consequence of arrogance is that it creates resentment and long-lasting anger in the hearts of those who are on the receiving end of arrogance.
The mental abuse of subordinates and the less fortunate can only bring consequences that come around. The end for such people is usually terrible. Those who simly condemn and abuse others through their behavior will end up with the same consequences. The call to change is NOW!
Brittle bones & bony brittles....
Yes, as age comes on a bit more, you would not be able to play games as proficiently as you once could. The aches come more quickly and go away more slowly. Recovery is certainly more tedious. People say you can't have sex as frequently or as vigorously but I beg to disagree. Sex simply gets better with age. You don't rush anymore and you take time to bring out the better things.
Still with age........
- You remember clearly things that happened many years ago but you can't remember things that happened yesterday
- You can see clearer much further but you can't see where you place your next step
- You doze off sitting down but can't sleep lying down
- You have the urge in your mind but you can't have the action where it matters
- You make a lot of noise but no one listens much to you
- You give your employees instructions but your grandchildren give you directions
Laid back or laid out
Still if you just lie back in your life and wait, you will be laid out soon enough. If you keep yourself fit and you watch out for your lifestyle, let me tell you that you can feel great, think great and be great. If you lived healthily, you will stay healthy until you die and what a blessing that will be.
The sad tragedy of "resignation"
Many people just resign themselves to what they are and what they are not. They say, I can't do this or that because I am not cut out for it. If I asked you to come climb Mount Kinabalu (South-East Asia's highest mountain at 4,093 meters) with me, would you hurriedly shake your head and say, "no way - such things are not cut out for me!" Or would you say, "I am not sure I can but I will gladly try!" To be resigned to your perceived situation is the saddest part of existence. Don't give in to resignation. Join me for my programs and you will see your whole perspective of life change...
Me - I have no doubts.......
Me, I have simply no doubts that I want to live my life in a great way. I know I will still play my games vigorously, run my races with glee, have great sex frequently, pursue new interests and hobbies (like playing the piano, playing the drums, learning lawn bowls, etc), start new ventures, spend great time with my family, love God even more......
I am looking forward to the coming years with great anticipation. Are you?
ON TIME
Time is too slow for those who wait
Too swift for those who fear
Too long for those who grieve
Too short for those who rejoice
But for those who love
Time is forever......
Precious time - a lesson of goodness
In 1968, one of my dearest friends in Form 6 was suddenly stricken with tumour of the brain. We were both 18. He played rugby for the state schools team and he was a strong young man coming into the prime of his life. Like me, he was a scout and we both represented the state and country in scouting.
There can be no waiting time ... it just flows on
As his condition deteriorated, I remember visiting him in hospital and sharing precious fleeting moments with him. Still he would encourage me to stay strong. On one of the last visits and I knew I would not see him alive again, I held his hands in mine and we both cried and cried. I cried for the years of the future that he would never experience. I cried for the end of a flower that would never come to full bloom. My heart was torn from side to side. I pleaded with God to spare him but it was not to be.....
As I walked out of the hospital ward that final time, I turned to look back at my best pal, Kam Fatt. As I wiped the tears from my eyes, I could see that wistful smile on his face - he was telling me to stay strong and to live life to the fullest and to honor God. I remember the song that we used to sing together so often - "O Mr Wing, we'll sing-a-ling-a-ling with all our hearts to you; In winter, autumn, spring a-ling-a-ling and all our whole lives through....." In that short existence of his, he had sand with all his heart......
Kam Fatt left me a call to live out my life to my fullest potential. It was a call to "live" my life in the best possible manner. For those of us who are privileged to be given life in its abundance, the great tragedy would be for us to live our lives in a defeated plot with hopelessness as our lot. Kam Fatt brought strength to my existence and he left an indelible legacy of hope and excellence with me. "Don't settle for the plains," is what I heard from him when we were young. "Go for the mountain tops!!"
What about you my friends? Will you re-examine your life and see how you have been so blessed with the good things you have been given!!. If you are blessed, will you change and rise up to fulfill what you can become and do the things you once thought you cannot do? My friends, it is all about attitude and focus! Willyou go for the mountain tops of your life?
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