Yesterday

You could say that it has been a busy month.  There's much happening at work and with the family but I managed to get back to the memoirs again.  It's the memoirs I am writing for the next generations.  I am trying to trace stories from the previous generations and put them into words so that the next generations will be able to find some sense of where they've been.

It's a long tedious process but I believe it's well worth the effort.  The end result will probably not be an Alex Haley; but at least I hope to leave behind something for the future generation to hold on to and to remember.

Somewhere in the family memories, in the days of black and white photographs, is a photo of a water trough.  Not too sure if anyone still remembers it.  The photo itself is long gone, only a virtual copy exists.

And so it will likely be the same for the children of the next generation.  The physical artefacts, the actual items will be gone - disposed, thrown away but what we can still leave behind for them are the virtual memories which collectively can paint a picture for them to glimpse into the past.

They will not understand our past, just as we have not understood the past of our forebears.  They will not feel the joys, the pains, the emotions that we have felt just as we have not been able to feel the emotions of our parents, our grandparents and those before us.

But at the least, we have given our children and the generations that follow, a little window through which they can glimpse into the past.  And how much will the history of their family benefit them?  Only the future knows.

Goodbye Old Friend

A friend and a colleague passed away over the weekend.  Everyone starts to say good things about him. Words that should have been spoken while he was still around are not uttered.  Deeds that should have been done are not taken care of.

Then there is the remorse, the guilt, the anguish.  The missed moments in life.

Ronan Keating's "If Tomorrow Never Comes" should be a reminder for all of us.  And if that still doesn't work, maybe we should consider the song "Open Casket" from the band Death from their Leprosy album. We may not be able hear the words in the song, we could listen to the lyrics with our heart:

Approach the image filled with fear

As the image grows so clear

Future now takes full control

The one whose past you now behold

Touch - the flesh it is so cold

Turn away - you now have been told

Never to return, memories will last

In the future, you'll think about the past

Never to forget, what you have seen

People come to pay respect

Taking pictures of the dead

That is what life comes to be

Once they lived, now they're deceased

Death is oh so strange

The past no one can change

What you can't predict

Is how long you'll exist

Open casket - open casket

Life will never be the same

Death can never be explained

It's their time to go beyond

Empty feeling when they're gone

Never to return, memories will last

In the future, you'll think about the past

Never to forget, what you have seen

What cannot be real you now believe

Goodbye old friend.

Looking Back

Met up with a familiar face from school days when my former teacher, an old friend, called me up.  It's been a while since we met and we sat for half an hour catching up with a common past - our "hometown" so to speak.

Although half a generation separates us, our parents shared the same roots so we spent that short time reminiscing what our childhoods were like.

And so it seems, that despite being the younger one, I had the opportunity to do some of the things that she wanted to do (and never had the chance), I had a richer experience as a youth.

Sometimes we lament too much at what we do not have.  If we would just pause for a moment, we might realise how much of other things we have that others covet.




Sunset at the Old Homestead
(as I would call my grandparents' home).

Morning

I don't remember when this was taken.  All I remember is the sun was unusually orange that morning and the dust particles in the air made it stand out even more.

But what also captured my eye were the construction tower cranes that stood silent that morning.

They were a reminder of progress - or what appears to be progress - the construction of new and grand building on our little blue planet.

Contrasted against the orange glow of an ancient sun.

Perhaps we should spend less time running around trying to acquire more wealth and possessions; and spend more time celebrating life.

Sunset

I was reminded about death today.

We are surrounded by death everyday. But we are never prepared for the moment we lose a loved one.

Even with those having terminal illnesses.

What more for sudden losses?

Nature Wonders

I stare at the dove; it stares back at me.

I wonder what it knows.  I wonder who goes on in its head.  What does it think about?  What goes through its mind?

We think we are the superior species, the master race?

Perhaps we are.

But give credit to the Maker who creates the variety of life on our little blue planet.

Frailty

We sometimes look tough. On the outside.  But inside we are soft and fragile.

Or the other way around.

We are a complex people.  What others see is a facade, a front we put up.

How many people really know us?  Our dreams, our hopes, our fears.



How many people do we really know.

Love

Early this morning, Momma Bird and Papa Bird were outside my window, chirping loudly and hopping from branch to branch.  It seemed that Baby Bird had fallen into a little drain and was standing in the water, getting its feet wet.  

From time to time, one of the parents would fly to its side, trying to coax it out of the little drain, tempting it with food.

There was no way the little chick was going to get out of there.  After an hour of anguished watching, I took the Baby Bird out of the drain and for a moment, I thought it was not going to make it alive.

Warmed by the morning sun, and sustained by the food it received, the Baby Bird finally hopped up a branch of the shrub to its waiting parents.

For the rest of the day, the parents flew back and forth with more food to sustain the little chick and perhaps to build up enough strength so it would be able to fly to higher grounds for safety. 

That's what parents do for their kids.  I wonder if the little chick would remember this someday or are memories only for people.

Life's Delicate

Been away too long.  Too caught up in the mundane things in life.  Spent some time this week reflecting.  It's Agnes' birthday this week.  Almost 30 years since she died but I still remember.  The pain, it doesn't go away.  It just lingers around, reminding me of life's frailty.

I looked at a spider lily the other day and saw the delicate part of this gentle flower. The drooping white petals.  The thin stalks of the orange stamens, and somewhere in middle, the single filament stretches.

In the afternoon that day, a storm blew by and practically destroyed the flowers.

The frailty of life.

Full Moon

The moon came up earlier this evening, full and big.  It's been a while since I got a good photo of the moon as it rose.

Today wasn't much better.  I had reminded myself that this evening would have been a good time to catch the moonrise.  But work and other things got into the way.

And all I could manage was after the moonrise.  Not the best shot; but a great reminder that we need to focus our time and energy
Several hours later, I caught the moon again.
This time the clouds were in the way

How many times has it happened to us?  Made a plan, made a decision, made a promise.

And then something else creeps up, not necessarily something else more important.  And like the clouds, they distract us and we forget our plans, our decisions, our promises.


Time we refocused on the important people in our lives?



.

Family

It was a good day out walking.  The family of White-crested Laughing Thrushes (Garrulax leucolophus) were out again this morning.  They enjoyed each other's company as they moved about looking for breakfast.  A berry here, a ripened fruit there; chatting away noisily as they hopped from branch to branch; as they flew from tree to tree.

What a family! 

Happy times. 

Enough said.

Wedding Bells

Flowers - such an integral part of weddings - are reminders not of the spring season but the frailty of life and of love.

The flowers don't last long; neither do the marriage, if nothing is done to keep them going.

 But it's good that the flowers are there. Next time you go for a wedding, ask for a flower, from the decorations around.  Bring it home and watch it carefully over the next few days. Watch what happens.

In a post sometime into the future, we'll revisit this story.

In the meantime, at one wedding, there was a lock, a heart-shaped lock that was a gift to the guests.

Interesting.  Wonder what is implied.

Nonetheless, what I got out of this lock - a red one too - is that whatever happens, the vows stay true.  Locked in our hearts and in our minds, the vows make up the reason why a couple stays together.

And how often do we recall our vows.  On the wedding day and perhaps again on the 25th anniversary?

Shouldn't it be a mantra that we recite every morning, every night?

It's time we dug ours out from the depths of our memory, lest we forget the words we said that day.

Candles in the Dark

I just checked out my blog stats and found I've had visitors from Russia, Germany, South Korea, Brazil, United Kingdom, Singapore, Venezuela, France and India.  That's interesting.  Never thought people would be interested in my ramblings.

So someday, I hope my visitors from out there will drop me a note cuz sometimes I think I am writing and nobody out there is reading anything.

Need the inspiration.

Candles, from a time when photos were taken with film, burn in the night.

It's a reminder that in giving us the light, the candles sacrifice themselves.

How much are we willing to sacrifice so others may learn?

We make the choice...

Spring Time

Spring time, a time of renewals and rebirth.


Easter's come and gone.  The wedding bells keep ringing.  That's the cycle of life.


Here's a collection of wedding memories.


Balloons always bring cheer.  But at weddings,

I am reminded that once the bubble of wedding celebrations is over, we need to get down and remember the purpose of the day is the marriage.

The rings, the symbols of eternal bond, the reminder of oneness.

Some people keep their wedding bands pristine, cleaning off the dirt and grime every now and then.

Mine's scratched and slightly dented.  The years have added tarnish to it.

Thought of sending it to the jewellers to get it cleaned up and polished.

I changed my mind.

The scratches and dents and tarnish are reminder that the years have been great and not-so-great.  There have been wonderful memories and painful times.

That's a real marriage.  The good and the bad go hand in hand.

The flowers on the wedding bouquet will wither and fade; but remember the promises made.

Ten O'Clock

Had to revisit the 10 o'clock flowers,  Almost like clockwork, they bloom each morning and close up on schedule too.

How often I find myself under stress because I disrupt the rhythms of my life, the patterns of the things I need to do.

Perhaps I am right to insist on having a rhythm in life; perhaps I am wrong not to allow spontaneity to add spice to my life.

Yellow Petals

Yellow petals fallen from the tree.  Covering the wooden deck floor and in time there is but a coat of yellow petals.  Reminds me of the petals the little flower girls leave behind at weddings.

Ruins

Found these old photos while archiving my collection.  How time flies and the years go by ever so quickly.  Once majestic, our youth gives way to the ageing years.

The slim figure that used to run long distances is now round and barely makes it in catching the bus.  The body, soon to be like the ruins will be sustained by the activeness of the mind and the youthfulness of the heart.

Procrastination

How many times do the leaves fall and trees revive before we get the task done. Oh, what procrastinators we all are.

Here's a "reward" for the faithful who waited for the new posts.

Taken during a stroll through the park, I will need time to figure the names of each of these interesting flowers.

Enjoy.

http://society6.com/Dreamweaver1929

Opportunities Lost

A single flower from a bulbous plant.  Not too sure what it is called.  How often does beauty pass us and we wonder about the name.  How often have we seen a pretty face, a handsome person and longed for an opportunity to get to know the person.  But the opportunity passes by and we never see the sparkle in the eyes, the smile on the face ever again.

Chain of Love

One of my favourite flowers now, the light pink hue of the Chain of Love is just so lovely.

This shot of the little pink flowers flushed against the sky is now my wallpaper.

Simplicity in life.  That's what seems to missing in our lives.  We complicate our lives by surrounding ourselves with the latest gadgets, connect ourselves with the rest of the world; yet distancing ourselves from our inner selves.  And those who are close to us.
We need to take a step back and focus on the rocks - the more important aspects of our lives.

Away for too long

Time just keeps moving on.  I've been away for a week.  The long-serving camera failed one last time.  It was the shutter this time.  Then again, after six years of service, it was time to retire the trusty camera.  I've gotten another camera but photography is rather expensive.  So to help defray the costs, I have been busy selecting and putting up my artwork for sale.  Check the photos out the photos at society6.com

Free

I have been inspired by Mary Carroll's wonderful photos.  As I went through my collection of photographs, I was amazed that there were some good photos.  At least I believe they are good.  To really determine if these photos are worth anything, I took Mary's route and put them in Society 6.

 Photography captures the moment that could otherwise be lost save for the memories of a few.  This is my inspiration for going out there each day looking for moments to capture.

Until the day my six-year-old DSLR died on me.  I reckon each camera year is like 15 human years.  I've hauled it across oceans, covering births, graduations, birthdays, funerals, weddings, and life in between.

So I guess, my Canon 400D has earned its place in the great beyond.  It has served me well.  Good bye.  Rest in Pics.

A Childhood Revisited

Somewhere, tucked in my life, and perhaps those of my siblings and my own children, who have spent countless hours lost in the world of Enid Blyton and the Famous Five, there lives a memory of Kirrin Island.

This could be what still lives in our memories, many decades since we last touched the book.

Memories, as we age, are those little things we cling to in our fear to move forward.

A Ray of Sunshine

A day at the beach with the family.  Always a lovely, wonderful time.  Perhaps not at the moment when the same gets everywhere, the salt in the air gets into one's hair.

But someday, when we are old and grey, when we walk with a hunch.  We will remember that day, back in time, and the moments spent.





Likewise, on that someday in the future, the children would have grown up.  They will have their own children who will flip through the photos and ask, "When was this?"

And our own little ones, all grown up now, will remember that moment, that day at the beach.

Time will pass.

Moonlight

Oh, to sit by the moon-drenched beach, listening to the waves lapping the shore as the gentle breeze caresses you.  The loveliness of the moment made better as you snuggle next to your love.  Wishing the night could go on forever; wishing the magic moment will never disappear.

But it does, and life moves on.  And the memory of that moment lives on in our minds, in our hearts, in our dreams.

Sun and Sea

The peaceful sound of the lapping waves in the night...soothingly takes one's mind off the humdrum of work. If only holidays could last just another day longer; if only we could linger around for a moment more.
How often have we returned reluctantly from breaks away from work, lamenting the piles of paperwork we have to face or the dozens or email that we need to respond to.

Why do we do these to ourselves?  Why indeed.

Old Friend

Back again, a familiar face - the yellow alder - turnera  ulmifolia is always a cheerful flower.

When life is tough, take a peek at the alder and how it stands proudly in the sun.

Often we pass by this short shrub and never notice the bright yellow flowers.  And in the same way, our friends - the ones who stand by us - are often taken for granted.

Pause for a moment and send a note to  an old friend.  Just a note to say...

Don't wait too long, the opportunity may not come again.