Never quite enough ...

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that was not supposed to ever let you down probably will. You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it is harder every time. You will break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken.

You will fight with your best friend. You will blame a new love for things an old one did. You will cry because time is passing too fast, and you will eventually lose someone you love.

So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you have never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you will never get back.

Everything is never quite enough

Moments take so very long: who has time to fear?
Trust to set no precedent; why should it be accomplice?
Giving you a little less is taking what I need
Everything is never quite enough

Let machinery fake my face: who has time to chase?
Digital is where it is; love can always be replaced
Welcome to my consciousness - welcome to our race
Everything is never quite enough

Can't see my face: what are you thinking?
Fill in the space, please - oh let me hear you

Sterilize behind these gates, locked behind the green
Even if I had you here, what we had was never clear
No more words to say to you; no more thoughts appear

Love was taking way too long: who had breath to waste?
Tired of disappointing you; bored with everything I do
Every day there's less of you. Me, I've been erased

Love in Snow

My love with you is like pure snow
It will never tarnish
Rumors are like nightmares
You must not be alarmed

When you see snow flakes drifting by
Where I am the snow fall even harder
Lonely love between two places
Please have faith and understand
My love hasn't changed

Plum blossoms in snow
You are better than the others
Please don't believe any rumors
Our love had been sealed long before

When I see snow flakes drifting by
My love for you is even deeper
One day I'll be back
and that will prove my love hasn't changed

舊遊　舊遊　今在否
花外樓　柳下舟

夢也　夢也　夢不到
寒水空流

漠漠黃雲
濕透木棉裘
都道無人愁似我

今夜雪　有梅花　似我愁

摘自『宋．蔣捷．梅花引』

　　

Love and marriage

One day, Plato asked his teacher, “What is love? How can I find it?”

His teacher answered, “There is a vast wheat field in front. Walk forward without turning back, and pick only one stalk. If you find the most magnificent stalk, then you have found love.”

Plato walked forward, and before long, he returned with empty hands, having picked nothing. His teacher asked, “Why did you not pick any stalk?” Plato answered, “Because I could only pick once, and yet I could not turn back. I did find the most magnificent stalk, but did not know if there were any better ones ahead, so I did not pick
it. As I walked further, the stalks that I saw were not as good as the earlier one, so I did not pick any in the end.”

His teacher then said, “And that is love.”

On another day, Plato asked his teacher, “What is marriage? How can I find it?”

His teacher answered, “There is a thriving forest in front. Walk forward without turning back, and chop down only one tree. If you find the tallest tree, then you have found marriage.” Plato walked forward, and before long, he returned with a tree. The tree was not thriving, and it was not tall either. It was an ordinary tree. His teacher asked, “Why did you chop down such an ordinary tree?”

Plato answered, “Because of my previous experience. I walked halfway through the forest, but returned with empty hands. This time, I saw this tree, and I felt that it was not bad, so I chopped it down and brought it back. I did not want to miss the opportunity.”

His teacher then said, “And that is marriage.”
　　



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Trust (with people) ...

For those who trust, no explanation is necessary.
For those who do not trust, no explanation is possible.

Trust, but expect the unexpected: Having trust on people should not be punished. If, while building a house, a carpenter strikes a nail, it proved faulty by bending. Does the carpenter lose faith in all nails and stop building his house?

Deal with evil through strength. But affirm the good in man through trust. In this way, we are prepared for evil but we are encouraging good. And is good our great reward for trusting? In striving for an ideal, we do not seek rewards. Yet trust does sometimes bring with it a great reward. Even greater than good ...... that is love.
　　

Right Person for the Job

Put about 100 bricks in some particular order in a closed room with an open window. Then send 2 or 3 candidates in the room and close the door. Leave them alone and come back after 6 hours and then analyze the situation:

If they are counting the bricks. Put them in the accounts department.

If they are recounting them. Put them in auditing.

If they have messed up the whole place with the bricks. Put them in engineering.

If they are arranging the bricks in some strange order. Put them in planning.

If they are throwing the bricks at each other. Put them in operations.

If they are sleeping. Put them in security.

If they have broken the bricks into pieces. Put them in information technology.

If they are sitting idle. Put them in human resources.

If they say they have tried different combination, yet not a brick has been moved. Put them in sales.

If they have already left for the day. Put them in marketing.

If they are staring out of the window. Put them on strategic planning.

And then last but not least. If they are talking to each other and not a single brick has been moved. Congratulate them and put them in top management.
　　

Disregard how others see you ...

People who make a show are not wise.
Those who are self-righteous will not be respected.
Those who boast achieve very little and don't endure.
Behaving in this way will not bring happiness.
People are despised for their pride and admired for their humility.

Life is a journey of constant strife and endless changes. Sometimes we do not see the forest for the trees. Sometimes we seem to have lost our way. We need the recognition of others in order to find a direction.

Believing we all had tried to exhibit ourselves from time to time, one way or the other. It may seem pointless to be skillful or knowledgeable if it does not result in recognition. But why is the admiration of others so essential? Why do we feel worthless unless we have the praise of others?

Yet, most of us avoid people that we suspect have a narcissistic disposition. These people are often boasting of their achievements and importance in an effort to obtain admiration. They may also become emotionally volatile if the approval they seek is not forthcoming. Their ego is effectively enslaved by the opinions of others. Consequently their sense of self-worth varies wildly, often making any interactions with them very unpleasant.

Fools who wear their hearts proudly on their sleeves, who cannot control their emotions, who wallow in sad memories and allow themselves to be provoked this easily - weak people, in other words - they stand no chance against his powers.

Nonetheless, who really understands contentment can only come from within. Furthermore, living without either the desire for approval or the fear of rejection, one could be truly free. Then again, who really could live so consciously.

企者不立 He who stands on his tiptoes does not stand firm;
跨者不行 He who stretches his legs does not walk so easily;

自見者不明 He who displays himself does not shine;
自是者不彰 He who asserts his own views is not distinguished;
自伐者無功 He who vaunts himself does not find his merit acknowledged;
自矜者不長 He who is self-conceited has no superiority allowed to him.

道德經廿四章

　　

Tears ...

淚花

一篇純美的鋼琴樂章 ......

多年後，假若我們重逢，我將以何來面對妳，以沉默？以眼淚？ ⋯⋯ 憂傷的琴鍵中，我卻似為自己尋得安慰，淚珠在陽光下凝結，成了完美的櫻花形狀，縱然枯萎仍有暖意。

那一剎那，真的怕極了自己心裡，還會有任何怨恨與陰騖，一絲絲、一點點，都會讓自己無法與曲中的美麗邂逅。

多年後，沉默的我們，正如那些無法啟齒的往事，會凝成心裡的一滴淚嗎？抑或就這麼被現實的烈陽蒸發掉了，點滴不剩。

但至少我為妳哭泣過，安靜的、無聲的、傷心的，在歲月無法觸摸的角落裡，像那玫瑰的花心，漸漸的老去 ……