Chap Goh Meh

Well, for the last few post, I've just been posting in article after article. So I guess for a change, I'll talk about chap goh meh in this post. As we all know, it's the last day of Chinese New Year. By traditions, single girls will be throwing kam (oranges) into rivers and hoping those kam being picked up by their future-to-be partners. To keep up with traditions and time, youngsters nowadays will be writing their names, telephone numbers and e-mail on the kam.

All this while, I never tried throwing (or should I say, picking) the kam before so far, and this year, there's no difference as well. I just went to a Buddhist temple and did the 'Buddha-puja' (not very sure if you guys have any idea about it). It actually means the offering of flowers to the Triple Gem (signifying the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha) and the lighting of oil lamps surrounding the pavilion and are conducted in the traditional way.

And these are among the pictures I took from last night.

my grandma lighting the oil lamps

the fully lightened oil lamps

giant joss sticks in full flames

and i thought this is another nice angle of the tua ki hiau (long joss sticks)

going around the pavilion with joss sticks

the pavalion with oil lamps and lanterns... nice view, isn't it?

calvin in action!!! =)

Instructions For Life

This is a short but nice reading. This is what the Dalai Lama has to say for 2005. All it takes is a few seconds to read and think over.

• Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
• When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
• Follow the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; Responsibility for all your actions
• Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck. (I really hope this is true, but time will tell)
• Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
• Don't let a little dispute injure a great relationship.
• When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
• Spend some time alone everyday.
• Open arms to changes, but don't let go of your values.
• Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
• Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.
• A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
• In disagreement with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.
• Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.
• Be gentle with the earth.
• Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
• Remember that the best relationship is the one which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
• Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
• Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.