Thursday, February 23, 2017

What's The Point?


Dealing with human mortality. When death was so near. Is there really heaven and hell and the eternal life? (Funny enough, Fr Dougal in the conedy seried "Fr Ted" also questioned this in one episode) 


I really want to believe. If nothing else, it's because believing in the Mighty Imaginary Friend Above makes life easier to handle. But I want to believe that there is a point in life, that Love will make things better, that He did not die on the cross for nothing.... If not, why we bother working to help others? 


I can't bear the alternative. I tried denying God and religion in anger on the face of 250,000 death on one Boxing Day. But years later I realised that turning away from God only made my life empty and meaningless. 


As expressed so beautifully in Mary Doria Russel's The Sparrow, "I'd rather think that God does not exist, because the alternative is too painful. I love God too much to hold Him responsible for all these deaths and atrocities. Yet if He is God and He is Almighty, why did He not stop this tragedy? Why did He let so many innocents die?"


I thought I came to accept the non-existence of any answer and take the alternative route of believing that in every disaster we found one or two human kindness that reflect the Father's Love.


But today, I really would love to hear God's answer to a question asked by a young rape survivor (and many other victims of poverty, injustice, exploitation and oppression): what's the point? 

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Be adventurous

I have been thinking... As a child and teenager I tried everything: from ballet to karate, from basket ball to mountaineering. Someone labelled me back then: "you're a quitter! You can't finish what you started!" I was sad because the person who labelled me was an important person. I thought I was disappointing him all my life. 


I remember carrying too many things in my hand and they all fell. My parents told me off for biting more than I could chew. 


But today I realised how rich I am because of all the things I have tried and the many stuff I had tried to carry. By failing to carry everything, I learned my limit. Because I tried everything, my CV is colourful, and I am proud of all my successes and failures. I am proud that I chose my own way and never let anyone dictate me. 


When I begged for help and was left to struggle on my own, I thought my world came to an end. But today I'm glad that I did things my way. The tears of being abandoned has become my strength. 


My advice to the next generation is to follow your heart. There's nothing wrong in changing careers or trying many different hobbies. Be responsible, but don't forget to be adventurous. Just like the meme here: better an ooops than a what if...