Noon to Moon

The Picture Bible

2011-07-24T03:53:00.000-07:00

I was baptized into the Christian faith last December. Unfortunately I don't go to the church I had attended because there have been struggles over power and money between a preacher and church elders. What a shame and how ridiculous!

Instead, I have been reading the NIV BIBLE and Oswald Chambers' 'MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST' which are English books. Actually, the BIBLE translated into Korean is sometimes not easy for me to understand. That's one of the reasons that I persist in reading the original books in English. Another reason is to have opportunities to become more familiar with English. At first, it was hard to even think about reading the NIV BIBLE from cover to cover, so I have read focusing mainly on the New Testaments.

Meanwhile, I got to know of a illustrated book named 'The Picture Bible' which includes great stories, time line and maps. Above all, it's pretty easy to read and, before going to bed, I have read the book from the front page with great pleasure since last week. I look forward to getting a better understanding of God's will.

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. Proverb 14:13

3rd letter from Chloe

2011-07-12T22:15:00.000-07:00

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Hello, Sam teacher? it's me, Chloe.
Today, I bought this yellow fruit paper, pink flower paper, a fan(that I hoped to get and secret to my 7-year-old sister, Ida), and a paintbrush. Anyway you said the poem in the Andrew Lost was a little bit scaring. A bad and scary person wrote that poem. But don't worry. It's just a poem. And how did you know my hand were aching when I was writing past-letter. And I did know about Atom, but I didn't know Marine boy and Chadoli. Did you know Atom's name's meaning is the smallest part into which an element can be divided(원자)? And also, I like reading comics a little bit too! By the way, I want to grow a vegetable garden with you. I like vegetables well. I'll also like to eat your family's green onion pancake. Anyway, I also like eating pizza. But I don't eat too much pizza. And I'll teach you a scary(Michaek Jackson) movie. It's called 'THRILLER.'. If you type 'THRILLER' in Naver, you'll see its scary Englsih video. Also I got my stocking ripped doing ballet. I love ballet. Anyway, now I'll answer you now. We'll go camping in the summer vacation. I don't knwo where ...... But it'll be fun! I went camping last summer. You know I'm very hungry now... Ah! my mom calls me to eat dinner. Bye!
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Hi, Chloe!
It's hot and humid, isn't it? How do you handle this heat? I'm just patient.^^ What a beautiful yellow letter with the design of oranges on it!!! Sadly, I can't eat them. As you know, it's 'a pie in the sky' (그림의 떡 in korean). Do you know your letters always surprises me? How did you know the meaning of the word 'Atom'? What's more, your explanation of its definition in English was really excellent. Chloe! I enjoy listening to various kinds of music, So I have already known of the Michael Jackson you talked about. When I watched the scary (in your words) music video 'Thriller'. I didn't feel thrilled, but excited. HaHaHa!By the way, you want to be a ballet dancer? Have you ever taken ballet lessons? Strange to say, your ripped stockings aren't such a big deal. I'm worried your pretty toes might get hurt and look ugly. Speaking of ballet, I recommend you to watch the well-known ballet movie 'Billy Eliot'. P.S ; If I grow a vegetable garden someday, I'd invite you in the first place.
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Invictus

2010-03-04T02:35:00.000-08:00

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By William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul

* William Ernest Henley (August 23, 1849 - July 11, 1903) was a British poet, critic and editor.

"I should like to see Japan have Korea." - A hidden, horrible history

2009-12-18T21:14:00.000-08:00

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Once upon a time, there lived a king who had sincerely loved a country called Japan. Falling in blind love with Japan, he decided to satisfy its desire to exploit the neighboring Korean peninsula. Their inappropriate affairs had been ceaseless. In the end, Japan was allowed to own the naive Hermit Kingdom, which was cold-heartedly dumped by the king. Unfortunately, the king's crafty love turned out a false illusion due to the partner's betrayal. On Dec. 7, 1941, Japan attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor. The great king was no less than a person than President Theodore Roosevelt who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1907.

Too sad, embarrassing! Don't take the story for a fairy tale. It's just what I had to improvise, upon reading the James Bradley's article 'Diplomacy That Will Live in Infamy', which tells us a hidden history we have not totally noticed for about a century.

=Facts from the article=

• "The Japanese were a wonderful and civilized people entitled to stand on an absolute equality with all the other peoples of the civilized world.” from Theodore Roosevelt
• Back in 1900, Roosevelt had written, “I should like to see Japan have Korea.” When, in February 1904, Japan broke off relations with Russia, President Roosevelt said publicly that he would “maintain the strictest neutrality,” but privately he wrote, “The sympathies of the United States are entirely on Japan’s side.”
• To signal his commitment to Tokyo, Roosevelt cut off relations with Korea, turned the American legation in Seoul over to the Japanese military and deleted the word “Korea” from the State Department’s Record of Foreign Relations and placed it under the heading of “Japan.”
• Theodore Roosevelt, confident that he could influence events in North Asia from afar, wrote to his son, “I was thoroughly well pleased with the Japanese victory, for Japan is playing our game.”
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"History... is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." ~James Joyce, Ulysses
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A beneficial eavesdropping

2009-12-09T02:04:00.000-08:00

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We parents tend to be overconfident of reading our kids' thoughts such as what they think of, what's eating on them, and so on. Of course, I, as a father having two kids, am not an exception to that preconception.

Regretably, however, an unexpected event surrounding my daughter made me awake from the illusion. A month ago late afternoon, I received a text message from my wife "I have something to tell you about our daughter. Why don't you see me at the park near our house around at 7 p.m.?" After doing my business, I went toward the appointed place thinking of all kinds of assumption.

"What's up?" Sitting on the park bench, I broke silence in a bit solemn way.
"Well, I have felt somewhat deceived at our daughter's behavior" she said with the expression of having some doubts.
"She's got a boyfriend or what?"
"No." She returned in a strong tone.

Her story runs like this:
My daughter in the third year of a middle school was goofing around home after lunch. The swine flu had made the school closed for three days, on the last day of which my wife was supposed to meet with my girl's teacher as part of a periodic talks. The moment she got out of home in the late afternoon, my kid suggested going outside together with a request to put her electronic dictionary in mom's purse for a moment. Her school was just 15 minutes away from my house on foot. Approaching the school, my daughter, waving goodbye to her mom, hurried to head for her destination without taking out the dictionary in the purse. As soon as my wife came back home, my kid asked her to return the dictionary. She handed it over unwittingly.

"Guess what happened?" she talked to me like giving a puzzle.
"Well..." I just stared her in the face.
"Listen! She seemed to fiddle around with the electronic dictionary, and then familiar voice began pouring out of its tiny speaker! It were the very talks between her teacher and me." Her accent sounded a bit strained.

"Only then, I figured out why she had not taken the dictionary parting from me in front of the school." She looked like a monkey whose self-esteem was damaged and felt perplexed after falling from a tree.

"Really? Unbelievable! How could she create such a wonderful... wait!... such a weird idea? Was there such a recording function in that electronic dictionary?" Hearing the story like showing up at spy movies, I didn't know of what the hell to respond to her any longer.

Meanwhile, I was agape at my girl's plot, wondering why she had designed such an elaborate thing. As we, unlike other parents, had respected her own discretion with regard to her daily routines including studying, she must have doubted our inner thoughts on her. By the way, what if her teacher knew of being eavesdropped on their conversations from his loved pupil? Alas! Just thought of it made me shudder.

Anyway, Fortune smiled upon us. The result went against her imaginations. No bad mouth on her could be found. My daughter only confirmed mom's trust in her through the plain voice coming out of the dictionary utilized as bugging. She clearly saw through our thoughts of expecting her to grow brightly and well, though her school grades had not met our expectations.

Relived, we struck for home at about 9 p.m. By the time we reached, an unexpected present was ready to greet us. "Sorry, but thank you for loving me. You have brought me up well." My daughter laughed away her tears. I talked to myself, "You're welcome. Someday, you'll realize it is you, not us, that has raised you. We'll probably not have changed, if any, it'll be you."

A month later now. thanks to the failed plot, my daughter is changing little by little. She appears to be no longer what she used to be. She is spending more time reading than before, not to mention planning her daily plans for studying by herself, rarely to be seen before. I don't know how long it will last. Bringing to mind the old saying 'better late than never', my wife and I just appreciate that we can see my kid cultivate her life on her own. By the way, who could have thought that eavesdropping would be of benefit to my family?

Ask 'Why'

2009-11-21T00:08:00.000-08:00

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Does studying English stress you out? If so, you probably have been caught up in the firm belief that as far as English is concerned, learning it by heart is the best policy. Why don't you break from such a tired formula? In my point of view, English is not what you memorize, but what you need to understand. You might shake your head with in disagreement. However, given that you're not in a situation where you can practice English all day long, it's no exaggeration to say that your English skill depends on how well you understand the basic concept of words.

Let me ask you some questions:
― When talking about means of transport in general, we use by + noun, as in "John goes to school by bus." But we say "on foot," not "by foot." Why?
― Some verbs like the word "enjoy"should not be followed by the "to +infinitive" form, but by the gerund (verb + ing) form as in "Sam enjoys reading." Why?
― Here are two sentences: one is "The police 'searched' the criminal." The other is "The police 'searched for' the criminal." What's the difference?

They're quite simple sentences, aren't they? Unfortunately, most students asked have missed the answers or kept silent. How about you? If you failed to answer, the time has come to look back on your ways of studying based on the "notorious" rote learning technique which is more harmful than helpful. Let's return to the questions mentioned.

In the case of the first sentence, the key concept of the "on" is " in contact with a surface or touching" as in "There is a fly on the ceiling." Most students tend to see the meaning of "on" as "on top of," which is just one of the various meanings of the word.
Here is a simple exercise: "I can stand 'on my head.'" Do you know what it means? Perhaps you might blurt out, "I can stand `on top of my head.'" As you might imagine, students usually smile sheepishly scratching their heads. It means "you can stand or balance vertically with your head and hands 'touching' the floor."

The second question may be rather troublesome if you don't know the basic concept of the word "to," which is generally compared to a flying arrow. As expected, almost all of the students don't know the accurate meaning of the "to-infinitive," which means "not fixed" or "not happening." When you say "I enjoy to read," it means you enjoy what's not happening. How can this be possible?

It's fairly interesting to get responses to the third question. The most common answer is: "One is a transitive verb, the other is an intransitive verb." So what? Some students even say the former sentence may be wrong, since they have been totally accustomed to memorizing the phrasal verb "search for." The former means the police "examined" the criminal thoroughly to find out if he had weapons like a gun or something about his person, while the latter means the police "looked carefully for" the criminal.

The questions mentioned above, of course, are just the tip of the iceberg among countless "whys" we should question. One of the best ways to improve proficiency in English is to have the habit of asking yourself "why." Always have an English dictionary within your reach and consult it whenever in doubt. Even if it may cost you a lot of time, keep in mind that it's the shortest way to eliminate burden of fears, to gain confidence, and to stimulate your interest in English.

Simply memorizing is a far shorter route whereas understanding why language behaves the way it does is much longer. Always be ready to ask "why." Don't be afraid to ask school teachers. Don't shy away from asking foreign English teachers. Let them struggle to find the easiest ways to teach you English. Sometimes, you're unlikely to satisfy your thirst for answers, but don't give up. You can also search for grammar-related Web sites using the Internet as an easy research tool. Don't miss out on chances to write and ask questions in English. The sooner you start, the better.

A Chinese proverb suggests why it is so important to ask "why" ― One who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; one who does not ask a question remains a fool forever. Always keep in mind the words of Albert Einstein "the most important thing is to never stop questioning." Asking "why" will ultimately lead you to a broader world. [Published on Nov. 17 in The Korea Times]

Derailing of the elite high schools

2009-11-12T16:01:00.000-08:00

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Regarding the letter “What witchcraft?” (Oct. 26): Though John M. Rodgers has criticized the movement of trying to abolish the elite schools head-on, his assertion does not seem persuasive in ignoring the negative effects on our students and society which the schools have had.

Let me tell you two stories that come from my personal experiences:
1. At this time two years ago, my son in his third year of middle school once bluntly told me, “A few of my classmates preparing for the foreign language high schools’ exams have been absent from school since last week.”
“Why don’t you study at home?” I responded sharply to my son, who had not been preparing for the elite schools, but lingering on the brink of choosing his course.
“What about the other classmates taking classes? I don’t want to skip my classes.”
His answer surprisingly surpassed my expectations. At the same time, I wondered if there were any marks on the school records noting the fact that his classmates were absent. Probably not!

2. Around the beginning of January this year, I had dinner with four of my close friends, one of whom said cautiously that his daughter had passed an exam for a reputable foreign language high school. With a mix of surprise and embarrassment, we congratulated him and drank a toast in honor of his daughter.
After a while, a friend, a professor at a prestigious university, seemed to become peevish and, as his face grew flushed, asked to stop talking about our kids. All of sudden, our friendly gathering turned awkward. You might guess why.

The stories above are merely simple examples of tragedies to which grade-oriented education has given rise. The problem is that the foreign language high schools have played the key role in the birth of such tragedies. To gain access to the elite schools, grade school children - even preschool kids - have jumped on the bandwagon with elaborate plans made by their parents. Though having no money to burn, a lot of parents are obliged to obey the slogan “the faster, the better.”

Why? It’s because attending the elite high schools is the essential route to the prestigious universities in our country, which has become an open secret. After all, acknowledging the serious side effects of rote learning are beside the point.

It’s an undeniable fact that the elite schools are the epicenter of the educational rat race in our society. What I’m most concerned about is social discrimination against regular high school students.

Once they fail to enter the elite high schools, they are branded as “losers.” Furthermore, they are called “losers” without regard to their intentions. All this, only because they have not been granted admission to the top-tier high schools. Another tragedy!

Under these circumstances, how could we expect fair judgments on the entrance exams for universities? I don’t care a bit about the existence of the foreign language high schools, I just am worried about their negative impact on our society.

Sadly, running off the rails of improving foreign language education, they have, with all their might, become training schools for the future students of prestigious universities. Unfortunately, with the arguments over the abolishment of the schools coming out, they are compelled to adopt temporary remedies like abolishing English listening tests. Who would believe in such changes? It’s time to demonstrate more fundamental measures for all of our students, not only for those in the elite. [Published on Oct. 29 in Joongang Daily newspaper]

Vacation On Jeju Island

2008-08-24T06:46:00.000-07:00

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My family spent the summer vacation in Jeju. We had a great time fishing on a fisher-man’s boat, swimming in a sea resort and so on. Interestingly enough, I tasted black pig meat for the first time, quite fresh and chewy. Having dinner near the Tap Dong seashore with my brother living there, I took some photos being totally fascinated by sunset.

A fantastic, reddish cloud seemed to beckon to me while I was strolling along the seashore in a cheerful mood with drink.

The whimsical weather prevented us from climbing the Mt. Halla. Instead I took a walk lonely being exposed to the drizzling rain in the tree garden located on the way to Mt. Halla. On the other hand, my wife and kids went to the theater and relaxed after seeing the movie 'The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor'.
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Dokdo belongs to Korea

2008-07-12T05:52:00.001-07:00

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How long will the Japan's distortion of the history last?

Until lately, the Japanese have lied about 'comfort women' forced into prostitution and sexual slavery for Japanese military brothels during WWⅡ. Ridiculously enough, they have quibbled that South Korea requested for their military protection in relation to the colonial rule on the Korean peninsula.

Moreover, they have obstinately insisted that Dokdo which consists of two small islets is theirs, despite historically proven to be the territory of S. Korea. After all, our popular vocalist Kim Jang-hoon advertised extensively in The New York Times to let the world know Dokdo is Korean territory in the midst of the negative attitude of our government.

Do you know?

For the last 2,000 years,
the body of water between Korea and Japan has been called the 'East Sea.

Dokdo (two islands) located in the East Sea is a part of (South) Korean territory.

The Japanese government must acknowledge this fact.
Moreover, Korea and Japan must pass down accurate facts of history to the next generation and cooperate with each other.
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Live Like Yourself

2008-06-08T20:35:00.000-07:00

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By Beop Jung sunim*

If someone is in anxiety and sorrow he is still clinging to times past.

If someone can't fall asleep for fear of the future he is spending time in advance not to come yet.

You cease to be if your eyes are taken off to either the past or the future. Frankly speaking, there is neither the past nor the future, only the present.

If you do your best in life to the fullest now, there is no room for the fear of life and death.

Live like yourself where you are.

* Sunim means monk in Korean. Translation into English by Mr. Moon

'Mad Cows' Make People Mad

2008-05-27T19:37:00.000-07:00

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As of today, about 200 protesters have been arrested in our country as a lot of people holding candlelight vigils against U.S beef import. I can hardly understand the government's firm attitude against the people claiming to revise the beef import pack with US owing to the possibility of BSE or mad cow disease. Moreover president Lee Myung-bak, the other day, made an apology for causing anxiety to the people in relation to the U.S. beef import. Is Mr. Lee sure of eating imported meat of cattle older than 30 months? Absolutely not.

As usual, the conservative media are taking a big share of deceiving people in a distorted manner. Here is one example showing well their double standard for one issue. When the ex-president Roh Mu-hyun, about 10 months ago, drove to import meat of cattle younger than 30 months, the media criticized in chorus saying that Mr. Roh threatens the public health. However, after the new administration sets in, the risk of beef suddenly has turned into being safe. What an absurd report!

I'm not against the import of American beef. There is no one objecting to beef of a cheap, good quality. What all of us want is fair trade for the public health. It's shameful if our country is thrown into confusion by a foolish leader and the commercial media. Now, the government should pay attention to the people's opinions before inviting unexpected bigger trouble.
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"Bush Authorized 911 Attacks"

2008-05-24T00:57:00.000-07:00

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There are two events that I have been deeply suspicious of: one is the 9/11 in America, the other the indiscriminate attacks on Dr. Hwang Woo-Suk, stem cell scientist in S. Korea, who have succeeded in creating human embryonic stem cells by cloning.

Of the two, the 9/11 plot seems to be unveiled as Stanley Hilton, the U.S. government insider, lets out a secret in talking with Alex Jones, an American radio host and filmmaker who is known for his outspoken speaking. The Pakistan Daily's report may help you understand all the details. It's up to your judgement if the unbelievable exposure is true.
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"This (9/11) was all planned. This was a government-ordered operation. Bush personally signed the order. He personally authorized the attacks. He is guilty of treason and mass murder." --Stanley Hilton
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Waking Life

2008-05-14T01:20:00.000-07:00

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Your life is real or you're dreaming? What is love? Do you know about the collective unconscious? Waking Life (Director Richard Linklater) bombards me with the simple, subtle questions, but it's pretty tricky to answer as so is life itself. Anyway, It's a little gloomy I can't be sure of if I live or I'm dreaming.

Look around the world where countless people are dying from severe starvation and the attack of armed forces led by the powerful who are DREAMING of a new world. Moreover, natural disasters like cyclone and earthquake in Asia have carried off hundreds of thousands of people in an instant. These are what I have never dreamed of. Can I call such situations reality with no doubt?

The film seems to suggest an alternative idea for me. In talking with the protagonist, a professor argues free will makes our existence hopeful and optimistic though the universe is absurd and meaningless. To quote his words "Your life is yours to create. What you do makes a differences is always our decision who we are." I generally agree with the professor.

Waking Life deals with the diverse range of subjects including dream, existentialism and situationism. If you happen to expect to kill time seeing the film, you are likely to have a nightmare. In my point of view, the film isn't simply tell the relationship between dream and reality, but make us aware of immoral and irrational society through the story of dream. At the end part of the film, asked how you wake up by the protagonist, Linklater says "It's easy, Just... wake up!" As an enthusiastic admirer of Linklater, I'm looking forward to his insightful works.
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"People who doubted free will did so on the grounds that God knows everything in advance." - from Waking Life
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A Paper Falls For The Paper

2008-04-03T00:06:00.000-07:00

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Are you gullible? I'm. On this April Fool's day, there have been lots of media reports around the world full of jokes and hoaxes, maybe, except the U.S. and my country which are madly fallen into the presidential and general election respectively. Because both have no room for enjoying jokes even on a sepecial day...

Of all, two cases have attracted my interest: one is the footage Flying Penguins filmed by BBC, the other the Guardian's report on Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, the first lady of France, appointed by Gordon Brown as a member of the U.K. cabinet for injecting more style and glamor into British life.

Btw, the JoongAng Daily newspaper, one of the major press in my country, has fallen for the trick of the Guardian. The paper citing entirely the contents of the Guardian has delivered the story on Carla Bruni with two photos as if they were true. Of course, the paper has apologized for the false report next day with a little bit plausible, but dishonest excuse. Though I have no idea of what has made the paper report the wrong information, it is sure to be the best work in the world in relation with April Fool's day.

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Back To Heaven - 귀천(歸天)

2008-03-28T02:22:00.000-07:00

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By Cheon Sang Byeong
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I'd go back to heaven.
Handing in hand with dew
That disappears at a touch of the glow of dawn.

I'd go back go heaven.
Only with the glow of setting sun
Soon after a motion of cloud while playing at the foot.

I'd go back to heaven.
At the end of my excursion to this beautiful world
I'd say "It was beautiful..."
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나 하늘로 돌아가리라.
새벽빛 와 닿으면 스러지는
이슬 더불어 손에 손을 잡고,

나 하늘로 돌아가리라.
노을빛 함께 단 둘이서
기슭에서 놀다가 구름 손짓하며는,

나 하늘로 돌아가리라.
아름다운 이 세상 소풍 끝내는 날,
가서, 아름다웠더라고 말하리라......
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Translation by Mr. Moon
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The Great Debaters

2008-03-23T01:24:00.000-07:00

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It's really happy to see a touching film. The Great Debaters directed by Denzel Washington was the one for me. In 1930s, education was the only way out for the colored to face segregation and their weapons were words, not guns. I was totally into the film enough to be unaware of the passage of time.

Btw, you may wonder how I'd see the film in my office, not in a theater. To tell the truth, I got the movie file through internet in an inappropriate way. Not knowing when the film would be released in my country, moreover whether it'd be imported or not, I couldn't wait any more.

As we know, it seems to be impolite to see the good movie alone, isn't it? So, I translated the transcript of the film into our mother tongue for my wife and kids. Though committing the crime of violating intellectual property rights and being afraid to be caught(?), I had a great time seeing the great film with my family last Thursday.

I'd like to show my respect for the Denzel Washington's decision to donate a $1 million dollar to Wiley College for rebuilding its debate team.
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The time for justice, the time for freedom, and the time for equality is always, is always right now! - from The Great Debaters
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Don't judge too quickly

2008-03-07T21:59:00.000-08:00

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Laughter as the best medicine is like a lubricant in our life. My best friend, Mr. Park who works for a American company, gave the chance for me to laugh. He emailed me with four clips of humorous video attached yesterday. Let me introduce two of the clips. Have a nice weekend!
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The human race has one only effective weapon, and that is laughter.
~Mark Twain
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Still Smoking?

2007-10-25T17:37:00.001-07:00

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To appreciate nonsense requires a serious interest in life. ~ Gelett Burgess
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Creep

2007-09-27T19:54:00.000-07:00

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When you were here before, couldn't look you in the eye You're just like an angel, your skin makes me cry You float like a feather In a beautiful world I wish I was special You're so very special But I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo What the hell am I doin here? I don't belong here I don't care if it hurts, I wanna have control I want a perfect body I want a perfect soul I want you to notice when I'm not around You're so very special I wish I was special But I'm a creep I'm a weirdo What the hell am I doin here? I don't belong here, ohhhh, ohhhh She's running out the door She's running out she runs, runs, runs, runs runs Whatever makes you happy Whatever you want You're so very special I wish I was special But I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo What the hell am I doin here? I don't belong here I don't belong here Music by Radiohead
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Greenspan "Iraq War Was For Oil"

2007-09-21T22:25:00.000-07:00

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"Whatever their publicized angst over Saddam Hussein’s ‘weapons of mass destruction,’ American and British authorities were also concerned about violence in an area that harbors a resource indispensable for the functioning of the world economy." ~From The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World by Greenspan
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He said nonsense? Don't you know the fact that he as US Federal Reserve Chairman led the US central bank for 18 years before retiring in January 2006 and was deeply involved in the discussions before the war. According to his interview with Washington Post, he attended several private meetings with Bush and Cheney where he made the point that Saddam Hussein’s removal was essential for the US and global economy.

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“We are in a period when it is far more difficult than it was when I was chairman. We were not worried about inflationary resurgence but now you have to be. You have got to be a lot more careful in lowering rates in response to crises.” ~ Greenspan
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Dawn

2007-09-17T05:27:00.001-07:00

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

AN angel, robed in spotless white,
Bent down and kissed the sleeping Night.
Night woke to blush; the sprite was gone.
Men saw the blush and called it Dawn

Dawn arrives and no one receives it in his mouth because morning and hope are impossible there ~Lorca
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A Letter of a Private

2007-07-22T04:17:00.001-07:00

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Sung by Kim Kwang seok.

Since in my mid twenties, I have enjoyed listening to his songs. His pure and melancholy voice always makes me feel comfortable. Interestingly enough, his songs often remind me of Eva cassidy, one of the greatest voices of her generation from America, even they are the opposite sex. By the way, I was surprised to know the fact by chance that both of them died at the same year in 1996 and age of 33. I have wondered how such a coincidence could happen. Of course, the cause of the death was different: she died of cancer whereas he took his own life. To put in an interesting fact, Eva Peron, wife of the president of the Argentine Republic, died from cancer, aged 33 in 1952.

The music video posted is a part of the film, 'Joint Security Area' released in 2000 in South Korea. This film seems to have tried to show the new viewpoint under the confrontation between South and North korea, and drew more than 5 million audiences unexpectedly.
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Marital Woes

2007-07-17T19:38:00.000-07:00

• Getting married is very much like going to a restaurant with friends. You order what you want, then when you see what the other person has, you wish you had ordered that.

• It's funny when people discuss Love Marriage vs Arranged. It's like asking someone, if suicide is better or being murdered

• Why do couples hold hands during their wedding? It's a formality just like two boxers shaking hands before the fight begins!

• Prospective husband: Do you have a book called 'Man, The Master of Women'? Salesgirl: The fiction department is on the other side, sir.

• My wife and I took out life insurance policies on each other -- so now it's just a waiting game. - From funlok.com

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My advice to you is to get married. If you find a good wife, you'll be happy; if not, you'll become a philosopher. -Socrates

Caught In Their Own Trap

2007-07-09T22:15:00.000-07:00

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Two workers absorbed in their work are installing poles to prevent people parking illegally. What’re they going to do? Don't they really spot the problem?
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Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something. - Plato

Funeral Bier

2007-07-05T22:08:00.000-07:00

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Though it is now a thing of the past, I used to see the funeral procession, in my childhood, during which a lot of people carried the 'Sangyo', funeral bier to transfer the dead to the grave, on their shoulders. The bier was generally decorated with dragons and Chinese phoenix paintings. Around the bier, colorfully decorated dolls were placed to guard the deceased. The procession leader would sing a deep and mournful song; at the back of the bier, family members, relatives and friends would follow. As time goes by, the pathetic song is placed as a distant memory in the corner of my mind. That's why I enjoy listening to Pansori, our traditional music.
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Life is a foreign language; all men mispronounce it. - Christopher Morley

The Best Policy 'LIE'

2007-07-03T06:09:00.001-07:00

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Photo by Mr. Moon

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I am a liar whether it's a white lie or a malicious lie. I don't even know how many times I have lied a day. The more I meet with people, the more I tell a lie.

I often lie
to avoid awkwardness,
to impress others,
to cover up my circumstances.

A study shows people tell generally three lies per ten minutes of conversation. Most of the time, we’re not even aware of the lies we tell. Of course, I'm no exception to this fact. Sad to say, LIE, NOT HONESTY, IS THE BEST POLICY to get what we want such as power, honor, money.... What? I'm still lying?

Always tell the truth. That way, you don't have to remember what you said. - Mark Twain
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Jeju Island

2007-06-27T03:34:00.001-07:00

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Korea’s Jeju volcanic island was added as natural sites to the prestigious World Heritage List today with Madagascan rainforests and South China’s karst landscapes.
The island of Jeju has long been a haven for newlyweds and vacationers of South Korea. It is famous for its beautiful scenery and an exotic subtropical climate. Located 130 kilometers off the Korean Peninsula, there are about 360 volcanoes on the island, with the Mount Halla at 1,950 meters above sea level.

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Wrong Encounter

2007-06-24T23:46:00.001-07:00

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I found out above photo on the internet by chance, but I don't know whether to cry or laugh! Btw, either a man parachuting down or the alligators waiting for him seems to be phony. If the scene were a real situation, how could a photographer take such a photo coolly without trying to save the man? What about you?

Like Cures Like

2007-06-19T00:50:00.000-07:00

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It's really hot today. The thermometer stands at 33°C in my private office. but I don't turn on an air conditioner, let alone an electric fan. I can endure, maybe seem to enjoy, this level of the heat. By the way, will it be a heavy rain this weekend as previously reported? Judging from this hot weather, chances are the forecast will go wrong unless the weather is capricious like people. Photo by Mr. Moon
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He who knows men is clever; He who knows himself has insight.
He who conquers men has force; He who conquers himself is truly strong. - Tao Teh Ching
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If You Tell a Lie

2007-06-12T22:41:00.001-07:00

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On January 20th, 2001, George W. Bush, appointed President of the United States formally took office. I had been asked to sing a song that night at the Bazaar Café in San Francisco where Les, the proprietor was producing a counter-event called “The Night of the Burning Bush”. That afternoon, depressed and restless, I couldn’t make myself practice the song I intended to sing, Bob Dylan’s “Masters of War”. Instead, I sat down and turned on the TV. I had honestly forgotten that I would be subjected to live coverage of the inaugural parade. It was a bleak day in Washington, and I remember experiencing an overwhelming feeling of sadness and fear as I watched the Presidential limousine drive down Pennsylvania Avenue. I turned off the TV, sat down at the piano and wrote this song in about 25 minutes. I performed it for the first time that night. Last spring, I wrote an additional verse that addresses the war in Iraq and we recorded the new version of the song for this video - Monica Pasqual, Blame Sally.
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My Son

2007-06-10T16:05:00.000-07:00

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He is attractive, thrifty, hospitable, whimsical, conservative, tolerant, carefree, passive, talkative, bashful, positive, optimistic, romantic, introvert, bold, broad-minded, cheerful, righteous, vivacious, diligent, unsociable, critical, audacious, affectionate, selfless, soft-hearted, sincere, frank, obedient, trustworthy, considerate, genial, ambitious, polite, outgoing, loud, pretentious, arrogant, contemptuous, indiscreet, competitive, aggressive, cunning, picky, persistent, violent, narrow-minded, argumentative, indifferent, ruthless, defensive, negative, ill-natured, hot-tempered, timid, quarrelsome, malicious, easy-going, friendly, and is afraid of flies up to now.
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But, I have most of the characteristics mentioned above in me.
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Tao Teh Ching

2007-06-05T00:27:00.000-07:00

Tao Teh Ching is one of my favorite books I have read to deal with my foolishness. whenever I read it, ancient wisdom always comes new to me.

Though Tao Teh Ching was written more than two thousand years ago, the teaching of “Old Master”, Lao Tzu, is infinitely deep. His words are very useful in developing a sense of balance and harmony in everyday life.

Among the copies of translation, I love the rendering of John C. H. Wu (1899-1986), a native speaker of Chinese who was also fluent in English.

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To realize that our knowledge is ignorance, This is a noble insight.

To regard our ignorance as knowledge, This is mental sickness.

- Tao Teh Ching

NO

2007-05-27T06:03:00.000-07:00

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"NO". It's one of the shortest words in the English language and also one of the most difficult to say. How many times have you agreed to do something that you didn't want to do?
As for me, One of the regretful things in my life is not to say 'NO' when I have to do. Why didn't the word 'NO' come out whenever I was asked to do something? Foolishly enough, I had been afraid of not being liked. As time goes by, I got to know reckless "YES" responses made me feel angry with myself. Far from being appreciated, I sometimes experienced to be misused or feel slighted. After a lot of trials and errors, I could get out of my delusion.

Say "YES" if you want, but don't have to justify yourself and give reasons for saying "NO".

The art of leadership is saying no, not yes. It is very easy to say yes.
- Tony Blair.
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The Beauty of Curves

2007-05-21T21:32:00.001-07:00

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The temple Gaesimsa is located in Chungcheong-do about 2 hours from Seoul by car, the capital of South Korea. The word Gaesimsa, 개심사 in Korean and 開心寺 in chinese respectively means a temple which makes our hearts open. It is noted for its cherry blossoms in spring. Above all, the beauty of curves of the pillars completely captured me as I looked around the temple last year. At first, I wondered how these bodies of the temple have stood against strong winds and heavy rains for a long time. But after a while, it suddenly came to me that the curve meant an unyielding spirit beyond a flexible, natural beauty. Namely, Having soft hearts would be sure to help us go through hardships in our lives.

Four-Leaf Colver

2007-05-17T23:13:00.000-07:00

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By Ella Higginson

I know a place where the sun is like gold,
And the cherry blossoms burst with snow,
And down underneath is the loveliest nook,
Where the four-leaf clovers grow.

One leaf is for hope, and one is for faith,
And one is for love, you know,
And God put another in for luck, -
If you search, you will find where they grow.

But you must have hope, and you must have faith,
You must love and be strong - and so,
If you work, if you wait, you will find the place
Where the four-leaf clovers grow
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Doctors

2007-05-14T18:16:00.000-07:00

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"Doctor," said the patient, "I must say you kept your promise when you said you'd have me walking within two months. When I got your bill I had to sell my car."

Doctor: "I see you're over a month late for your appointment. Don't you know that nervous disorders require prompt and regular attention? What's your excuse?"
Patient: "I was just following your orders, Doc."
Doctor: "Following my orders? What are you talking about? I gave you no such order."
Patient: "You told me to avoid people who irritate me."

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Doctor to patient ; "If you can't afford this operation, I'll touch up your X-ray."
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Arirang by Jang Sa-ik

2007-05-10T21:31:00.000-07:00

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What a natural, powerful voice!
Jang sa-ik is one of the traditional Korean singers trying to harmonize the traditional genre with the modern feeling. He was born in 1949, going into the world of Korean traditional music in 1980. He has never been taught a formal music education. He sings for his liking, not for a job. whenever I listen to his songs, I feel totally warm-hearted and touched.
GangNam Arirang performed here is a variation on the theme of the original Arirang with some lyrics added. Arirang is the most popular and best-known Korean folk song, both inside and outside Korea. The main meaning of the song is "I am crossing over Arirang Pass. The one who abandoned me will not walk even ten li(1 li as a distance unit is equivalent to about 0.4km) before one's feet hurt."
He is scheduled to tour the United States June 2 through 24 with a concert entitled "Jang Sa-ik Soripan: Longing..."
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Best Medicine

2007-05-08T02:13:00.000-07:00

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Photo edit by Mr. Moon

How many times a day do you laugh?

Do you know when you laugh, you release endorphins, boost your immune system and lower your blood pressure? Laughter really is the best medicine.

If you’re feeling down, there is one simple way to make yourself feel happy: Smile! If you force yourself to smile, you will start feeling more hopeful and happy. So start stretching those lips, and spread a smile.

Laugh and the world laughs with you,Weep and you weep alone. . . .

-Ella Wheeler Wilcox, Solitude (1883)

Anagram

2007-05-06T07:33:00.000-07:00

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When you rearrange the letters:

DORMITORY ⇒ DIRTY ROOM
ASTRONOMER ⇒ MOON STARER
DESPERATION ⇒ A ROPE ENDS IT
GEORGE BUSH ⇒ HE BUGS GORE
SLOT MACHINES ⇒ CASH LOST IN ME
ANIMOSITY ⇒ IS NO AMITY
ELEVEN PLUS TWO ⇒ TWELVE PLUS ONE

AND FOR THE GRAND FINALE:

LISTEN ⇒ SILENT

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All for Love

2007-05-04T19:34:00.000-07:00

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A father was told "there is NOTHING to help his brain-damaged son communicate."
but, a JOKE made the son laugh like a miracle. A lot was going on in his brain.

The son typed "Dad, when we were running, It felt like I wasn't disabled anymore!''. That changed the father's life. Their beautiful love started to flower.

Eighty-five times he's pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in Marathons. Eight times he's not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a Wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and Pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on the handlebars--all in the same day.
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Education in '08! SOS?

2007-04-29T01:33:00.000-07:00

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As Melinda Gates' saying, is it possible for an inspiring leader to solve the education crisis? or is it possible for a couple of billionaires to save the education problem in trouble? If the No Child Left Behind Act is fixed like teachers' demand?

My answer is in the negative. Of course, there is a little bit room for improving the education problems. But the key to the solution of that problem is not in a hero or in a system, but in teachers and parents. I have seen lots of kids suffering from the unqualified teachers and indifferent parents. How could a hero or a law, even if excellent, save the kids spoiled in school or home? On account of the law, have the frequent school-shootings happened? It's nonsense.

Teachers seems to attribute the education crisis to the related law saying like "We are educating the fill-in-the-bubble child." I wonder there is no mention about the teachers themselves in the survey on NCLB. I think their self-reflection should be done first. They should have mentioned about like "What efforts they have made and how to improve their qualities for school kids."

To survey the actual conditions of education, I went to the Palm River Elementary School in Florida in 2001. (At that time, I worked in the education part of a newspaper company.) I was completely moved to see the devoted activities of principal Mrs. Lillian Wagner. Even though in poor surroundings, the school grade had risen from D to A due to the passions of the principal and teachers. I still remember her saying about a teacher's quality. "A good teacher is a warm-hearted person to love kids and tries to invest a lot of times in developing teaching materials." said she.

What does that mean? The answer to the solutions which teachers are looking for is very simple, not complicated. YOUR SCHOOL KIDS ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER!

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. - Leo Tolstoy

The writing above is my comment on the article of MJ Call , an Emmy award winning former television news producer.

Light and shade of growing old

2007-04-28T01:23:00.000-07:00

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A photo taken on the way to a temple last year.

You know you're getting old when you have to look up old friends' numbers in the telephone directory because you've forgotten them, and then you can't make them out without glasses.

but Longfellow says;

Age is opportunity no less
Than youth itself, though in another dress,
And as the evening twilight fades away
The sky is filled with stars, invisible by day.

Lovely daughter!

2007-04-26T06:37:00.000-07:00

My lovely daughter(13), Boyoung Moon. She is in middle school. She enjoys reading, drawing, and listening to music. Isn't the drawing on silver paper (left) cute like my daughter? Courageous unlike me, she'd like to go abroad to study drawing at any time. She seems to bear some resemblance to the boldness of my wife. In my memory, she used to solve the problems of her friends bothered by schoolboys. (Forgive me for letting the cat out of the bag.^^) Always to keep bright smile!

CARtoons! by Andy Singer

2007-04-23T03:49:00.000-07:00

Can you understand the feeling of this unsuccessful man having no car? Absolutely not until you throw away your car like me.

Mt. Mai

2007-04-15T04:53:00.000-07:00

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I went to Mt. Mai(馬耳山) three years ago, which is located in Jeolla province of South Korea. The name of Mt.Mai derives from the shape of the mountain looking like a horse's ear. It is famous for its stone towers. Cherry blossoms Festival in spring also has attracted lots of tourists. It takes about 4~5 hours to get there by car from Seoul, the capital of Korea. Let me show some photos taken by me.

Ready to laugh?

2007-04-09T03:45:00.000-07:00

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Brains and Beauty
A Hollywood actress once met the British philosopher, Bertrand Russell.
Whereas he was quite ugly, she turned heads wherever she went.
She was rather full of herself and said to Russell, 'They say I'm the most beautiful woman in the world, and I hear you're the smartest man. Imagine if we had a child with your brains and my beauty.'

Russell, who was never lost for words, replied,
'IMAGINE IF IT HAD MY BEAUTY AND YOUR BRAINS'.

Poison
Winston Churchill was famous for, amongst other things, his quick wit. On one occasion in parliament, the opposition party was up in arms because Churchill's government had given the thumbs down to a proposed new law. The debate began to get out of hand and a woman shouted, 'If I were your wife, I'd give you poison'.
Churchill instantly replied, 'IF YOU WERE MY WIFE, I WOULD DRINK IT'.

A Film Scene
In the film Four Weddings and a Funeral, Hugh Grant meets an old friend, and asks him, 'How are you, and how is your girlfriend?'
The man replies, 'She's not my girlfriend any more.'
'That's good,' says Grant, 'You probably didn't know, but she was two-timing you with someone else.'
The man looks deeply shocked and says, 'SHE'S MY WIFE NOW!'
Huge Grant realises he has put his foot in it, and he kicks himself for being so stupid.
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Crisis=danger+opportunity

2007-04-04T19:39:00.000-07:00

A picture taken in the morning in 2006.

"When written in Chinese the word crisis is composed of two characters. One represents danger, the other represents opportunity." John F Kennedy

危機 (crisis) = 危 (danger) + 機 (opportunity)

The paradox of our time

2007-03-31T22:37:00.000-07:00

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I have found out the insightful words over the internet. Btw, it has generally been known to be attributed to George Carlin, an American stand-up comedian and actor. Actually most netizen had it on their sites attributed to George Carlin, but it is wrong. The author of this little essay is apparently Dr. Bob Moorehead, former pastor of Seattle's Overlake Christian Church. For more information,

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The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints; we spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; we have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, but more problems; more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get angry too quickly, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too seldom, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life; we've added years to life, not life to years.

We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor. We've conquered outer space, but not inner space; we've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul; we've split the atom, but not our prejudice.

We write more, but learn less; we plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait; we have higher incomes, but lower morals; we have more food, but less appeasement; we build more computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication; we've become long on quantity, but short on quality.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion; tall men, and short character; steep profits, and shallow relationships. These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare; more leisure, but less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition.

These are days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throw away morality, one-night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer to quiet to kill.

It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stockroom; a time when technology has brought this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to make a difference, or to just hit "Skip Ahead"...
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If I had known then what I know now...

2007-03-22T06:17:00.000-07:00

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by Kimberly Kirberger

I would listen more carefully to what my heart says.
I would enjoy more, worry less.
I would know that school would end soon enough and work would well, never mind.
I wouldn't worry so much about what other people were thinking.
I would appreciate all my vitality and tight skin.
I would play more, fret less.
I would know that my beauty is in my love of life.
I would know how much my parents love me and
I would believe that they are doing the best they can.
I would enjoy the feeling of "being in love" and not worry so much about how it works out.
I would know that it probably won"t but that something better will come along.
I wouldn't be afraid of acting like a kid.
I would be braver.
I would look for the good qualities in everyone and enjoy them for those.
I would not hang out with people just because they're popular.
I would take dance lessons.
I would enjoy my body just the way it is.
I would trust my girlfriends.
I would be a trustworthy girlfriend.
I wouldn't trust my boyfriends. (Just kidding.)
I would enjoy kissing. Really enjoy it.
I would be more appreciative and grateful, for sure.

Is there anything you wish that you had known before?

^=^

Sorry seems to be the hardest word?

2007-03-18T00:39:00.000-07:00

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Life is too short to ~

2007-03-16T04:32:00.000-07:00

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• Life is too short to dwell on things that pull and tear on your heart strings. by Michael Charles Messineo, poet.

• Life is too short to spend hoping that the perfectly arched eyebrow or hottest new lip shade will mask an ugly heart. by Kevyn Aucoin, make-up artist.

• Life is too short to be stuck in your past because the present moment is more precious than you realize… by Julie Hryniewicz-Hache, columnist.

• Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don't and believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said that it'd be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.

• Life is too short to be pissed off.
• Life is too short to hold grudges.
• Life is too short to take things too seriously.
• Life is too short to do anything less than live it to the fullest.
• Life is too short to waste anytime worrying about how short life is.
• Life is too short to waste it in a career you hate.
• Life is too short to forget to hug the kids.
• Life is too short to worry about what others think about you.
• Life is too short to change diapers.
• Life is too short to think about tomorrow.
• Life is too short to spend debating whether or not I should have kissed her.
• Life is too short to wonder "What if..."
• Life is too short to put off saying, "I'm sorry."
• Life is too short to be living in the past.
• Life is too short to pay attention to negative people who want to bring you down.
• Life is too short to live with regrets for the rest of your life.
• Life is too short to do things you don't want to do just for money.

AND LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO.......
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What We Are

2007-03-13T02:27:00.000-07:00

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It's not only interesting but make me be lost in thought. I totally agree with the narrator's sayings "the monkeys make up gods and then they worship them. Then the monkeys argue over whose made-up god is better. Then the monkeys get really pissed off and this is usually when the monkeys decide that it's a good time to start killing each other". What a pity!

By the way, there is a strange scene, a huge erect penis directly behind the girl's head, only slightly to the left at 1;50 when he says "Some of the monkeys pay another monkey to listen to their problems". Do you have noticed it? Is it forced interpretation if that scene reminds me of the film, 'Dogville' depicting Janus-faced human beings?
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Life Lessons

2007-03-09T22:13:00.000-08:00

Have you ever read the book, 'Life Lessons'? It is about the lessons we can learn about living from those who are dying. After reading the book, I have experienced a lot of change in the way of thinking. For those who not read yet, let me quote the useful sayings.

Chapter1 - Authenticity
• Learning life's lessons is not about making your life perfect but about seeing life as it was meant to be.
• The great Renaissance artist Michelangelo was once asked how he created sculptures such as the Pietas or David. He explained that he simply imagined the statue already inside the block of rough marble, then chipped away the excess to reveal what had always been there.

Chapter 2 - Love
• Love has nothing to do with knowledge, education, or power; it is beyond behavior. It is also the only gift in life that is not lost. Ultimately, it is the only thing we can really give.
• Sadly, most of the love we experience in this life is conditional. We're loved because of what do for others, how much we earn, how funny we are, how we treat our children or keep our houses, and so on. We find it hard to love people just the way they are. It's almost as if we look for excuses not to love others.
• When you feel unloved, it is not because you are not receiving love; it is because you are withholding love.
• When we close our hearts, when we are intolerant, it's often because we don't know what is going on with the other person.
• Most of us have never experienced love. We experienced rewards.
• Most of us are easier on other people than we are on ourselves. Let's practice being as kind to and forgiving of ourselves as we are to others.

Chapter 3 - Relationships
• The wholeness and completeness you seek are in you, waiting to be discovered. Instead of trying to find someone to love, let's make ourselves more worthy of being loved. As the saying goes, if your own boat doesn't float, no one will want to sail across the ocean with you.
• Our happiness doesn't rely on relationships changing for the "better". The truth is that we can't change other people, and we're not supposed to. If we want to be who we really are, shouldn't we allow them to be who they really are?

Chapter 4 - Loss
• Most of us fight and resist loss throughout our lives, not understanding that life is loss and loss is life; life cannot change and we cannot grow without loss.
• If you feel that you're suffering great loss, it's only because you have been so richly blessed by life.

Chapter 5 - Power
• We tend to believe that money can buy happiness. In a famous skit, the late comedian Jack Benny played a notorious cheapskate who was accosted by a gun-wielding robber demanding, "your money or your life!" Jack stood there for a long time before saying, "I'm thinking, I'm thinking."
• Why does tomorrow seem to hold so much more possibility for happiness or power than today? Because we delude ourselves in the game of more. The dying can no longer play the game of more because, for them, there may be no tomorrow. They discover that there is power in today, and there is enough in today.

Chapter 6 - Guilt
• Guilt and time are closely connected. Since guilt always comes from the past, it keeps the past alive. Guilt is a way to avoid the reality of the present. It drags the past into the future.
• Peace and guilt are opposites. You cannot experience peace and guilt at the same time. When you accept love and peace, you deny guilt, but the opposite is also true.

Chapter 7 - Time
• For many the dreams of youth become the regrets of the old, not because life is over but because it was UNLIVED. To age gracefully is to experience fully each day and season.
• We tend not to know who others are today- and the same holds true for ourselves. We generally see ourselves as we were, or as we want to be, rather than as who we really are.

Chapter 8 - Fear
• FEAR is short for False Evidence Appearing Real.
• We are all like child. Raised in fear, we see only fear in the future. Our culture sells fear. But how much of what we fear is going to happen? The truth is, there really isn't a big correlation between what we fear and what happens to us.
• Our fears don't stop death, they stop life.
• It’s true that there are only two primary emotions, love and fear, but it's more accurate to say there is only love or fear, for we cannot feel these two emotions together.
• All of our invented fears involve either the past or the future; only love is in the present. NOW is the only real moment we have, and LOVE is the only real emotion because it's only one that occurs in the present moment.
• It is fear itself that brings us so much unhappiness in life, not the things we fear.
• Helen Keller said ” Life is either a daring adventure or it's nothing.”

Chapter 9 - Anger
• Our society feels that anger is bad and wrong, so we don't have healthy ways to externalize it. We're not familiar with how to talk about it or let it out. We stuff it, deny it, or contain it. People know how to pretend to be nice people who never get angry until they blow up and list the twenty things the other person did in the last few months that have made them angry.

Chapter 10 - Play
• The number one regret people have when they look back on their lives is " I wish I had not taken life so seriously."
• Laughter and play reduce stress and trigger the release of substances in the body called endorphins, which are chemically similar to morphine.
• There's always more work to be done, but that's not a reason not to play. If you don't give yourself playtime, you ultimately won't have anything to give to anyone.

Chapter 11 - Patience
• In this modern world, people are not used to living with discomfort. People no longer know how to wait, or even what waiting means.
• The first step in becoming more patient is giving up the need to fix or change things- it is having the awareness that some things are the way they are for a reason, even if we don't think so or can't see it.

Chapter 12 - Surrender
• There's an important difference between surrender and just plain quitting. When we give up, we deny the life we have. When we surrender, we accept it just as it is. To turn away from the situation is to give up. To turn into it is surrender.

Chapter 13 - Forgiveness
• The problem isn't that hurt happens, it's that we can't or won't forget it. This is the hurt that keeps on hurting.
• People who are reluctant to forgive need to remember that they are not punishing anyone except themselves.
• It's often easier to blame someone than to repair a relationship. With our eyes focused on their mistakes, we don't have to look at ourselves and our issues.
• Ironically, the person we most often need to forgive is ourselves.

Chapter 14 - Happiness
• Most of us think of happiness as a reaction to an event, but it is actually a state of mind that has very little to do with what is going on around us.
• We live and travel in the Land of When, telling ourselves that we will be happy when certain things happen. We're usually greatly disappointed to find that getting the things we were waiting for doesn't make us happy, so we choose a new set of "whens". Getting our "whens" never pleases us for long. We must choose happiness over when. When is now.
• Happiness comes from seeing ourselves as being okay, just as we are, today, without comparison to others, without reference to the way we were or the way we fear we will be.

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2007-03-09T22:06:00.000-08:00