Humble and Grateful

It is beyond 12 midnight now.

Tired from work and activities today, I was finding it difficult to decide between catching up on sleep before waking up again 6 hours later for work or to sit down and pen my reflection for sharing on Facebook.

Episode 1: Humbled by Humility

I was having a can of coffee during work this morning and there was this uncle on a bicycle who suddenly stopped beside me. As I was wondering why he chose to stop beside me, sensing my confusion, my colleague told me that he is collecting the can for money and he is waiting for me to finish my drink. I quickly finished my drink and gave the can to him. As I was placing the can in the big basket on his bicycle, I noticed his non-normative expressions which lead to my assumptions that he maybe intellectually challenged. What happened next may happen frequently in our lives but it had an impact on me today. He smiled and thanked me profusely for giving him the can; from his facial expressions, his voice, I can feel his sincerity, his gratitude, his humility. My tears were threatening to gush from my eyes. It was a feeling of being appreciated, especially for an action that we may perceive to be insignificant. I was both ashamed and humbled by his response. That moment made my work and volunteering in the social service sector worthwhile.

Episode 2: Compassion for Anger

I was in the midst of my work tending to my booth in the MRT station when this middle-aged lady suddenly demanded that I let her pass to the farecard top-up machine on the other side of my booth. As I was deciding on an appropriate response to her as my work station is filled with stuff, she suddenly become irritated and bulldozed her way through my booth, and started to insult me by calling me stupid loudly. In that moment, I felt as if time had stopped for a short while, I could feel my muscles becoming tighter, my blood pressure increasing etc physiological signs, which I recognize as the manifestations of anger.

Anger, is a sign that we are being threatened by something or someone. In this case, my sense of self or ego was threaten by her insults and my body was getting ready to defend the ego against the threat. However, as I was deciding on my response, another cognition arises, the thought of compassion; she was suffering due to anger. My colleagues too, were shocked by her unreasonable demand and of her actions. I turned to them and said, let her be, we should have compassion for her, she is moving further away from happiness in that moment; she is suffering.

We should have compassion for her, as in that moment, she is consumed by negativity, and by responding to her with anger, we are only increasing her suffering. We should have compassion for ourselves, by not responding to her insults in anger; we have a choice and don't need to immerse ourselves in the quicksand of anger.

I am grateful to the both of them, they taught me humility and compassion. I know there is a long way before I reached my destination, but I think it is alright, at least now I think I am heading in the right direction (hopefully).

Apologies for the long status update but I felt the need to share this. May all be well and happy.

With Metta and Karuna
Simple Bear 13.07.2013.

Sailing Home

Sailing Home
"Tie me like Odyssey on the voyage home
For the tempting triplets of the Sirens are calling me
From the depths of the raging waters of Tartarus
Waiting, for me to submit and become one of the fallen
Bounded, I listen to their melodious enchantments
But not joining the ranks of the fallen in the shadows
The Sirens shall shriek in despair at my determination
Till I rode the west wind home"
Simple Bear 17.07.2013.

Time, Life

Time, Life



"Time is cruel reminder of life."
Simple Bear 23.07.2013.

The Past

The Past



"Don't shun the past; for it provides guidance for the present and reference for the future."
Simple Bear 17.07.2013.

何时

何时

我想成为云端背后的蓝天, 却放不下暴风雨后的彩虹
我想成为万物为生的大地, 却念不忘风中摇摆的小草
我想成为随时而流的大海, 却忘不去随流而漂的小鱼

何时才能停止

停止不为彩虹的美而迷惑
停止不为八风的向而摆动
停止不为时海的浪而漂泊

我累了

是时候清醒了

简单熊 24.05.2013.

Being poor doesn't mean you can't give

 “Thank you for the offer, we are grateful.”

The auntie and uncle were telling me, in a slight bow position after I offered to buy them coffee. I responded with a bow. I had learned a lesson of humility, strength and gratitude from the elderly couple, and I am grateful to them.

I was at Clementi Mall for lunch and I met this elderly couple, the uncle was selling tissues, and his wife was beside him, giving him the support. I had earlier on, promised a busking uncle who had mobility issues to buy him his drink and thought of buying the drinks for the elderly couple too. The elderly couple declined and we had a although short but good conversation, the uncle told me he had to decline my offer because he had to go for dialysis the next day and he is trying to earn a little by selling tissues near the mall, and his wife is here to support him. The auntie added on, by saying she is grateful for my offer and there is no need for it. I was touched by the conversation, by their resilience, their support for each other and their appreciation of others.

In contrast, I was reading how the lack of empathy of people who are in a better position, to attempt to understand and help others in our society. Perhaps, individuals who experience suffering, understand suffering and are in a better position to empathize with others who are suffering.\

As they say, poor people are often the most generous because they know what it is like to be poor. Perhaps, people who does not know transcend their ego can’t empathize with sufferings of others; they can’t be grateful for what they have and bring happiness to others. They doesn’t know happiness themselves, they too, are suffering and didn’t realize the way out of it.

I am grateful for the good conditions that I have, for the opportunities to meet with conditions and individuals who taught me what happiness is.

And to the elderly couple, thank you for the experience, I am grateful.

May all be well and happy

With Metta

Simple Bear 25.04.2013.

Uncondition as a Condition

"The only condition to freedom is uncondition."
Simple Bear 21.04.2013.