whether the weather

I was watching The Weather Man this evening on HBO (or was it Cinemax?), the one with Nicholas Cage and Michael Caine. It started off wonderfully realistic and true to life.

I.e. The mundane day-to-day job, the broken family, the dad who never seems to approve, the kids on drugs and cigarettes.

That's the only reason why I kept watching.
Well, no, I don't like inflicting pain on myself, but I was curious to find out what he (Nicholas Cage plays Dave Spritz) would end up. Suicidal? Insane? Or would it be a 'feel-good-movie' and he would gain confidence in himself, the family would wake up and put in effort to change too, and it would all be alright?

What struck me was when Dave's dad, the made-it-to-the-top-alas-my-poor-son Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Spritz (Michael Caine) said:

David, sacrifice is... to get anything of value, you have to sacrifice.
Do you know that the harder thing to do and the right thing to do are usually the
same thing? Nothing that has meaning is easy. "Easy" doesn't enter into grown-up
life.

This was a conversation between a 40 year old and a 70 year old...I guess lessons never arrive too late, huh?

love/suffering

"Love may forgive all infirmities and love still in spite of them: but Love cannot cease to will their removal."
~ C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

Truly I believe this encapsulates perfect love, and that is the love of God for us. Not forgetting that a portion of this love exists between parent and child, husband and wife, and perhaps ( yes, I do think) between friend and friend.

That's why love and suffering will always be two sides of the same coin: one cannot be without the other. If you wish to go through life without suffering, it would mean to give up caring for others, at the same time missing out on the possibilities of a much greater joy you can gain.

On the other hand, if you wish to live a life of love - true, accepting and forgiving - you must be ready to feel the pinches, because we live in a world of differences.

Still, those who have known true love will attest to its worth, much greater than a cold heart devoid of suffering can offer.


Below is another one I like:
"Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither."
C. S. Lewis

It reminds me of one I heard when I was in secondary school, and which has encouraged me when I fall short of my own expectations: "Aim sky, hit tree. Aim tree, hit ground."

A Stubborn Covetous Weak Perfectionist Fool.

Despite that, let it be a Fool for You.

To two of my most wonderful friends, one of whom walked with me this night to Ave 2 to have a late-night teh because I was feeling stressed and at my wits end, the other having spent so many hours and so much effort in a bid to fix a sometimes-fuzzy-sometimes-crossed line: Thank you.

Thank you for taking my hand when my eyes were closed, and leading me to the smell of fresh, lush spring-green pasture. Thank you for reassuring me with the fact that sunlight is shining, almost bursting, right outside those closed lids, just past paper-thin stretched skin. Thank you for helping me pick the gritty pebbles out of my left shoe, for remembering the tissue on our breath-taking excursions, for placing my blind groping hand in the hand of One who will lovingly lead me.

And to those who feel squashed in a small dark corner, or tripping over nasty enemy-laid trap-lines, or plain frustrated with the piling responsibilities and claims made on you, don't give up.
Don't give in to the thoughts that lure you into further (hidden) slavery, don't give up on the good that you've initially decided to promote, don't lose hope.

There's a peace that's found even at the bottom of a pit, if only you trust (again) in a Love greater than man's.

A helpful related link that's a reflection of Wednesday's readings:
A Spider's Web

Milky Way

aiyoyo, nearly forgot my login name. again.

Now that she's back in the atmosphere
Might be the most adequate way to begin this post - have been essay-slogging-away (the dreaded E word) and have one last one left before...well, before whatever comes next. Really.

It's wonderful to smell Summer in a place of perpetual summer, high-five with the Borat of my house, cook for my mama and papa, and so much more.

It has been wonderful, but nothing beats the re-entry. (after 1460 revolutions of the Earth)
grinz
I still have a last Freudian dash to make, so busy might be the word of the month.

kae? thanks!

Can you imagine no love, pride, deep-fried chicken
Your best friend always sticking up for you even when I know you're wrong
Can you imagine no first dance, freeze dried romance five-hour phone conversation
The best soy latte that you ever had . . . and me