Sometimes all we need is a hug.

Sometimes all we need is a hug

A hug is perhaps, a non-verbal message of empathy, compassion and support for another.

I guess I am still shy about giving bear hugs to humans even when I think they need my non-verbal support in the moment. Perhaps, it is just a cultural difference.

Ms Jane Verity, Founder of Spark of Life and CEO of Dementia Care Australia was very encouraging about giving hugs to people around us when they need it.

I even got a Heart Balloon (hug token) in exchange for my hug, which I am supposed to exchange with others for another hug.

Hugs anyone?

May all be well and happy.
Simple Bear 23.03.2017.

Teddy Bear II

Teddy Bear II

I was reading my book on the train when I felt a tap on my right shoulder. I looked in that direction and that was when our eyes met.

She smiled and I smiled back.

After acknowledging her smile, I went back to my book

I guess she must have taken my smile as agreeableness. I soon felt a pair of hands trying to grab my flabby arms. I looked in her direction again.

She stopped and smiled at me, and then stick out her tongue as if to let me know the attempts to grab my flabby arm was a joke.

I smiled and returned to my book. It was quiet for a couple of seconds and then it started again, I felt her hands trying to grab my flabby arm.

I ignored her attempts, perhaps to get my attention and tried to focus on my reading. And then it happened. She started moving her hand up and down my arm.

And then I heard someone said, "Stop it dear." I turned around and saw an older woman, who was visibly embarrassed, grabbing her baby daughter's hands and she said to me, "I am really sorry."

I smiled to the little cute baby girl and her mother.

I know I may be cute, round and fluffy. But I am not a teddy bear.

P. S. I think I need to stay away from babies on the train next time

一念足以

一念足以

A thought is sufficient

P. S.

有人问， 一念何谓足以?
一念可从苦中救自己救他人; 一念也可陷自己与他人于苦中。一念足以。
我想这句话已成我的座右铭。
一念，熊。

Someone asked, what is one thought sufficient for?
A thought could save oneself and others from the sufferings of this world; a thought could plunge oneself and others in the sufferings of the world.
This quote, one thought is sufficient, had become the quote, perhaps for me to live by.
One thought, bear.

Music Have No Time (Age) Boundaries

Music Have No Time (Age) Boundaries

Spent a fruitful afternoon playing games and singing karaoke with the seniors in SilverAce@Lengkok.

The last song of the session was "童话" by 光良, a song of my era and I was amazed that an senior in her 60/70s asked for, and sang that song.

If a song is good, it transcend time (age) boundaries.

I know of younger people singing oldies but to hear a senior singing a song which is released perhaps in her 50/60s, that is a first.

Lovely surprise. In that moment, I realized I have a mentality limiting music to our perception of age.

There should not be a limit to songs percieved of different era to the perceived age group of people.

Grateful for the experience.

Grateful to the volunteers for coordinating and providing me with the platform to have this wonderful experience.

May all be well and happy.

With loving-kindness
Simple Bear 05.03.2017.

What (Who) Do You See?

I woke up this morning to receive a photo taken last night by my dear friend.

As I was looking at this photo of myself, this question arose.

Who do I see?

When this photo was taken, I (almost instinctively) told Jiahe that this photo is 'unglamorous' and should be deleted. Whereas Jiahe thinks that this photo is candid and is taken well.

This leads to the question of how do we individually see this world through the subjective lens (eyes, heart and mind) of ours.

In changes, there are normatively, for most of us, two sides (like the two sides of a coin). There are always the positive side and of course, the flip side (or the negative side).

Imagine, if we woke up on the 'left' (not the right) side of the bed, we have a tendency to perceive the changes in a more negative light rather than the positive.

When I say positive and negative, I am not referring to be purely either optimistic or pessimistic, I am talking about it in the aspect of personal growth or regression.

When we meet with changes e.g. meeting someone who we dislike, the presence of the individual acts as a retrieval cue for past negative experiences associated and engender negative thoughts in response to his or her actions or merely just his or her presence; those 'internal workings' adds to the reinforcement of the negative associations and further aggravate the memories of the individual. This process, for most of us, is almost automated in our mind.

Sunlight

Sunlight

We only see the Sun during the daytime but the Sun shines every single moment even when we are in the night.
Just like the Sun shines every moment, we should cultivate the awareness and goodness within every single moment; regardless of daytime (being in the company and seen by others) or night (being alone and unseen by others).

There may be cloudy days. There may be storms. There even be eclipses sometimes.
But the Sun still shines.
Let the light shine forth. Cause even in the night, the Moon reflects the light from the Sun.

Simple Bear 18.02.2017.

My First Crush

My First Crush

Today is the weekend before Valentines Day

A rainy day. A perfect day to think about love.

Sitting in a quiet corner in a cafe, having a cup of hot tea with Yiruma songs on my music play list. It is a good nice time to be thinking and reflecting about my love stories (real or imagined).

I came across a familiar profile on social media last night. She is someone I have not met in almost 20 years.

She is my first crush in my teens (*ok this is the time where you will see a pinkish blushing bear sitting in a cafe)

As I was laughing at the memories which arose within, a question arises, "Why did I had a crush on her?"

What qualities of hers or should I say what perceived qualities of hers did I feel in with?

Was it her long flowing hair? Was it her gentle demeanor? Was it her kindness to everyone around her? Was it her lovely smile?

Two decades had passed and my memories of her faded with time until last night, when I saw a profile picture which seems to jolt a memory stashed away in two decades worth of memories.

Was it love? Was it infatuation?

Was it just a teenage boy looking for someone to test out, in application of a concept he called love?
(At this point of time, someone would have shouted at me to stop thinking so much)

It is interesting. Isn't it?

Why do we love and how do we choose who to love?

Why? Maybe we needed to love someone and hope to be loved. Maybe we needed to be loved and had to love someone.

In terms of choice, maybe it is random, stratified or maybe just out of normative convenience due to our personal need to want to be loved.

Alas love, you give me a headache and sometimes, a heartache.

Love, such a mystery.