SUMMER LOTUS

15th May 2023. 1 min read

By author at Crush Cafe in Shanghai

What a blessed time I found

To be disconnected from the larger part of the world

Not of my own volition 

No Google, no Yahoo, no WhatsApp

Here in China, where people mill around peacefully

I can’t help but feel flustered and frustrated initially

But regardless, I must step out and face the unknown

Back to the basics of asking, deciphering the map and using instinct

Seeking places to cool off to gather my thoughts together

To discover that there are lovely respites

Where one can simmer and slow down

Life’s solutions present themselves like the coffee served to me

I could go out again with new eyes and renewed confidence 

The world is not as troublesome or  worrisome as I think

Only waiting for me to overcome in a different way.

15th May 2023 1 min read (The Power Of Poetry)

This moment is transitory

Indulge in it

Every bit of happiness

You feel right now

Will soon Vaporise

You could become unhappy again

Or angry or disappointed

But one can choose contentment 

Feelings  go in circles, 

Dictated by external events

Which may not meet your expectations

But tomorrow comes around

New things will make you pleased, excited, elated

The circles continue

Feel neither high nor low, I say

Best to walk on a broad path

Contentment is a steady feeling 

For it Keeps one sane

5th May 2023 1 min read (The Power of Poetry)

Believe in yourself

If not, who will?

Psyche yourself if necessary

This is indeed mandatory

Believe in yourself

Look within for your answers

As deep inside you is an innate power

As long as you do not cower

Believe in yourself

You do have the solutions under your belt

Excavate them and analyze

You will no longer be paralyzed

Believe in yourself

Our solutions have always been there

Especially in what we read

For human beings have shared their deeds

Believe in yourself

And your fellow beings

Our problems are nothing new

They can easily be positively skewed

Believe in yourself

Repeatedly, incessantly I would say

Life’s problems can be viewed through rose-tinted lenses

Let not anything mar your marvelous senses.

April 23rd, 2023 4 min read

In the first picture, what do you see?

The first picture is an optical illusion. I saw a lady’s profile immediately. Some people would see a bare tree with branches blowing in a certain direction.

Optical illusions are being studied in psychology. The famous optical illusion that showed a young lady, as well as an old woman, has revealed that those who are 30 years old and younger see the young lady while older people will see the old woman.

This Optical illusion shows the complex nature of human cognition which can be influenced by your age, your bias, your prior knowledge, and beliefs.

The above picture clearly shows two dogs together. Yet another person sees a black dog in front of a round smiley moon.

The artist interestingly created a picture of a cat seeing its self-reflection as a lion in the water. It carries a very important point for human beings. What you see yourself is what you are, at least psychologically. It’s your self-image.

I am not going to expound on this research in illusions created for the study of the human brain by psychologists.

My simple conclusion is; These images disclose that people have different perspectives in life. Not everyone can see eye to eye. Something may not be good or bad but you have to decide for yourself.

There are three ways to use perspectives.

1 Don’t be swayed by a fixed or normal perspective.

As an example, people do not expect you as a senior to engage in active activities. As you grow older, you are expected to be slower and more sedentary. But You think otherwise.

Since we know about different perspectives, we can say that the minds of your opponents may have conformed to some preconceived ideas or bias watching their aunties and uncles, parents, and grandparents becoming more sedentary. Hence they assume the same outcome for other seniors.

So if you know that people can be biased, you have to believe in yourself when you want to achieve a goal. You may be their illusion so to speak but live the life you want and attain what you set out to do.

A concrete example would be some people watching a senior doing rock climbing. Usually, younger people could not fathom why she would do that while other seniors shun this activity. They did not believe seniors have the physical prowess to engage in this sport. It requires practice, planning, and persistence and many seniors are now increasingly involved in this activity.

Bias can happen to anyone. We may unintentionally demean someone’s ability due to his age or experience but remember the illusionary images. What you see may not be what it is.

That person may seem like a non-starter but He or She could turn out to be a champion, your mentor, or become your boss.

2 Enlarge your perspective for your success.

Back to the cat looking at the lion in the water picture, if we could all envision ourselves doing greater things with our innate talents, we will achieve. The self-belief system is a strong motivating force. What you believe, you can conceive.

3 Make your perspective a positive one.

Especially when things are unpleasant. Then you will gravitate toward a solution. Fear and anxiety only cloud one’s mind.

Recently, I was with my friend in Seoul and we were trying to locate our hotel. Somehow, Google GPS did not lead me to it. Instead, we walked for some km to and fro and were still lost.

Instead of feeling frustrated, I took the perspective of feeling grateful that my friend did not complain and she was understanding. I told her and she became more so. That took away a lot of stress on my part as the leader.

I reckoned I had to learn to read the GPS more skilfully. Instead of tiring ourselves further, we sought out a quaint cafe for a coffee break.

There, we figured out what went wrong with Google GPS. After some inquiries through messaging friends, we found that in Seoul, Google does not work but an app called Papago does.

From this incident, we learned that a topic can have many perspectives. Obviously, I had thought that Google was the only answer.

Had I sought out more views, we would have saved a lot of time and energy.

Conclusion;

Getting more perspectives makes one more knowledgeable and wise.

At the workplace, it is a sign of respect when we listen to others and receive more feedback and solutions.

Listening to others also builds empathy, increases tolerance, and minimizes disputes.

Be open-minded and open to perspectives by being a good listener. Adopt a positive perspective to get positive results.

Dedicated to my furry fan

9th April 2023 1 min read

You pesky thing

Shoving that slimy salivary toy at my legs

Stalking my every move

Breathing down my neck at every chance

Licking my face and aiming for my lips to boot

Riding up, ruffling and even rippling my delicate dress

Hounding me when I am eating

Even snapping at my hands occasionally

But something about you

It’s the innate tenderness reflected in your eyes

Your delightful, velvety feel to my strokes

Your unwavering company that chases away loneliness

Your look of serenity when you turn in for the night

Your quiet patience every morning

And your need to install discipline in my life living with you.

Keeps us together forever

With each shot, it is clear

The years that one holds dear

Has slipped through my fingers like fine sand

Hard to bear, one fully understand

The years mercilessly pass by

And time continues to fly

What’s left to do in one’s life

But to make each day thrive

Watch the seasons come and go

As world events inadvertently unfold

Regardless, of what’s not in one’s control, let them rest

Just stay happy and do your daily best