The importance of being earnest

Whenever I come back to Singapore, I feel a great sense of refreshment and clarity in who I am, and who I would like to be, as a result of my place in the context of the friends I have.  Birds of a feather, cut from the same cloth, and so on.  

I met up with a friend for a good meal today, and she was saying how she likes to make everyone happy and she doesn't really mind for herself personally.  She felt blessed with many opportunities and she was contented.  Many of my friends are like that.  These people may not waste so many words, others are 'won without words' by their conduct, showing the purity and reverence of their lives (1 Pet 3:1-2).  What she says in silence, by her attitude, demeanour and consideration speak volumes and are far more influential, in a deeper way in making people want to be peace-loving and kinder to one another.

Perhaps this is what as Christians, in brotherly love, should value most.  The care we can give to others is what it really means to have brotherly love.  

The other things that seem so important, that society tends to glorify more - our appearance (even that of kindness, if it is merely to appear to show care), career, ambitions; even the wealth of art, culture and science that seems to be the pride of mankind - these are just preoccupations of the world.  Literally, they are what we do before (pre-) we are really occupied for others.  For what do they matter?  

Part of the reason why things like art, culture or science (or perchance, even the trappings of religion) are important are because of their benefit to society.  But they are the icing on the cake, and without the cake itself, what use is icing?  If our lives lack even the basic substance of society - that of caring for the other person, of desiring after their good, attempting to enrich it by blazing contributions in work or riches are just human vanities (Ecc 1:1) that fatten us rather than fill us.

In the grand scheme of things - perhaps there is none.  Perhaps the biggest things are really the smallest things that make a difference in people's lives - taking the time to listen and make time for people, to help out where we can.  

Music: the Indie Originals

Totally kicks Jayesslees' butts.

A car so dear

To own a car in Singapore
would be so very fine.
For to get across this fair Isle
is a marathon in time.

The public transport fare's so dear,

the ERP's sublime.

To know that while you're stuck in traffic
you were trying to avoid,

at least you wouldn't have to pay
the peak-hour rate

(now it's all the time)
of stalling in the cab
(you called? that's an extra $5) - 

lao ban, it's only double the old price.

To refrain from texting on commute,
while waiting in the jam,
to know that you're not on a train
(where you'd bestandingsquashedoneithersidebreathing
someone else's carbon-dioxide)
or a bus at going-home time.

To own a car in Singapore - 

A! Fine it seems to me!

The public transport fare's so dear,

the COE's sublime.

To pay an extra $100k,
what a boon it must be,
to rent a car priced a tenth of that -
ten years? Why, it's only half your salary.

Medical authors

It's most endearing that many of the authors of medical textbooks have a personal voice that reflects their particular eccentricities.

The nose is sited conveniently in the centre of the face. In this position it may readily be inspected inside and out.

Or

Even the experienced gastroenterologist must restrain his or her excitement and begin the examination of the gastrointestinal tract with the hands. ...Self-restraint is no longer required and it is now time to examine the abdomen itself.