Living Hope

The short break is almost over, doing perfectly nothing is not much fun! I can enjoy them for a day or two, but after that I am in the state of depression, looking for things to distract me, keeping me busy.

The past few days, I have started reading “Giving” by Bill Clinton, and it really gets me thinking, a lot. There is this poor woman (financially, but rich in heart), donated all her life savings from washing and ironing people’s clothes. To the rich couples who said “we would rather die happy than rich”, by using what they have for good causes, greater causes!

Reading all their stories gets me an idea! Just want to jot it down now, as a reminder!

Every semester break, I am always in dilemma that without teaching I get paid. Then I would look for ways to compensate the parents! Not that I don’t deserve it after the hardwork, extra time that I would put in during the exam period, before the semester break, and it is something normal for the teachers in town, we get 12 months payment.

Anyway, for the upcoming semester breaks, I plan to donate certain amount of the tuition fee during the break time for the unfortunate kids! Getting my kids to be involved in it, teaching them about giving! That’s the rough plan! Got a lot more to do when the time comes! That’s the least that I could do. There is this helpless-feeling that I couldn’t do much, because I am too selfish, I cannot be selfless, but remind myself of Mother Theresa’s saying “if you can’t feed hundreds people, feed just one.”

There are stories of those good-hearted people who have touched my life! The real life not-so-super-kind-of “superheroes” that save and change life! I don’t know if anyone can relate to this, but as a child whose life is saved, I know how it feels to be ‘rescued’, to be given a chance to actually put together a chain of love, to live well!

We live because We are meant to! We were once a gift to some people, at least the parents who raise us, we now still are... Gifts to people who (whether or not they know us) put their hope and faith in us! For that, I want to do the little things that I am capable of doing, hope that it will get bigger one day~

Lots of Love,

Lin ^ ^

P.S. Someone who can help me carry a gallon of mineral water into the house would be a great hero to me now. =D Helpless about this~

Eat, Pray, Love

I fall in love with "Eat Pray Love". The book!!! I watched the movie, but I have no comment about it, except a big THANK YOU for giving our beautiful Bali a very good exposure. "Terima Kasih."

Anyway, back to the book... I have not finished it yet (now am at 'Indonesia' chapters), and I basically have been glued to it, except when I am at work.

The book bored me a little during the first 36 chapters, where it was in Italy, good food, beautiful city and language, but I am just a bit bored. Then... it started to get me addicted when her story in India begin.

I envy the main character, which is also the writer of the book, for having the opportunity, the courage, the financial support to have the taste of 3 different countries for that year round. That was kind of life that I am dreaming for (although I know one day, apparently, people need to settle down). But for once being A Citizen of the World, it's just my dream!

I will not be summarzing the book, but I know if I own the book, there will be a lot, a lot, a lot of bookmarks that I will have pasted to it =D

The Ketut Liyer with his style of meditation (how can you meditate, keeping all smiley face, and LIVER? =D), the poet friend, the Richard from Texas, the idea of serving God by serving people who you love and care for, are things that get me all excited about this book.

P.S. Those who love beauty and gourmet will definitely love Italy, Those who are seekers will love India, Those who are Indonesian will Love Indonesia, Those who have sensitive heart will love this book :)

Tuesdays with Morrie

Title : Tuesdays with Morrie
Author : Mitch Albom

I am now really in reading and writting mode. I am glad that I found a bit life in the current state of mine.

Review
This is another novel, one of the famous, from Mitch Albom. I have now read all his best selling novel. Unlike other fictional, this one is a true story. Morrie, the main character in it, was Albom's sociology professor in his college time. A person who understood what "sociology" really is about. He was suffering from Amyothropic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) which took every part of his physical freedom, and left nothing but his unbeatable soul to light up and touch many people's life, even after he left.

As the title of the book, this entire book, the lesson in it, was originally recorded down on Tuesday, where Mitch Albom would flight back to the place where Morrie lived, just to had this tuesday class of their own. Morrie called this book as his last thesis. He actually taught what he experts in until the end of his life. What a great teacher!

Opinion
I wish I can cite exactly what the old professor said. But I do not have the book with me, so I just cannot do that. Most important thing, like others book of Mitch Albom, I wish I have more than two thumbs to praise his work. =D Worth to read!

Caterpillar to Butterfly - Joy Forever!

Title : Caterpillar to Butterfly - Joy Forever
Author : Ravi Sharma
Category : Fiction

Review and Opinion
Am currently reading this book, "Caterpillar to Butterfly - Joy Forever," an e-book I downloaded few months ago. Left in the rarely access folder and finally found when I was in my boring exploration through my notebook.

I haven't finished the book, or I would rather say I just started reading the book. But I found a lot of wise words in it. Thus, I couldn't resist to post it and keep it as a reminder, for myself. The book starts with an incredible example, pictures how human life is, compared to the much helpless creature than human, Bird.

"All material things are dead. They are throphies that are of no use to anyone or any use to us because we leave everything behind, when we die. However, throughout our lives, we prefer to chain ourselves to accomplishments and give up our freedom in our bid to quench our limitless needs and desires.

Look at the rose, the moon and the sky and then look at a throphy that glitters on the shelf. What uplifts the spirit?

What belongs to everyone, gives joy to everyone. An object owned by one person alone, can achive no such thing.

In our attempts to collect trophies, we forget the essence of being alive and free. We become prisoners of our limited worlds of relative achievement. Relative because one person's seemingly extraordinary achievement, fails to impress another.

Throw 50 grains of wheat to a bird and it will eat to its heart's content, then fly away in peace. Not a single grain will it take with it for tomorrow.

But if it is a human being....

Well, then things are different!"

Everything is certainly True.

The author wrote lots and lots of beautiful phrases in it, conveyed as live disourses deliver by a spiritual guru, a character in the novel.

"The stars in the sky do not give up their luminance just because they think the moon and sun are brighter. We may not notice an individual star in the sky but overall, they make up for beautiful night sky. They contribute to the divine plan"

More phrases to quote, take it as old rerun tape as a light to dispel the darkness in our mind.

Love the starting. Continue reading... =D

For One More Day

Title : For one more day
Author : Mitch Albom

Review
This is a family 'ghost' story, where the author let the main character, Charley 'chick' Benetto, to narrate his own very story. Story starts from how his life ruined and his marriage collapsed and how he had became an outsider for his daughter. All started after her mother's death. Attempting to kill himself, with a gun and bottles of beer, he drove back to his hometown.

This was when he 'met' his mother again. This was when he spent one more day with his mom. This was when he got to know everything that he never got to know when his mother was alive. This was when he apologized for the wrong choice he made to be daddy's boy not mama's boy (as he took it for granted). This was when his mom told him that a child should never have to choose and this was when his mom again stood up for him and 'save' his life.

Opinion
Love it. This is another book from Mitch Albom that I cannot put it down. Finished it in four hours straight. Eternal power of mother's love is what the story tries to tell. Reminder for readers how incredible a mother is. In the book, there are lists that Chick wrote about how his mother had always stood up for him and I like one best, here it is:

I am nine years old. I am at the library. The woman behind the desk looks over her glasses. I have chosen 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne. I like the drawings on the cover and I like the idea of people living under the ocean. I haven't looked at how big the words are, or how narrow the print. The librarian studies me. My shirt is untucked and one shoe is untied.

"This is too hard for you," she says.

I watch her put it on a shelf behind her. It might as well be locked in a vault. I go back to the children's section and choose a picture book about a monkey. I return to the desk. She stamps this one without comment.

When my mother drives up, I scramble into the front seat of her car. She sees the book I've choosen.

"Haven't you read that one already?" she asks.
"The lady wouldn't let me take the one I wanted."
"What lady?"
"The librarian lady."

She turns off the ignition.

"Why wouldn't she let you take it?"
"She said it was too hard."
"What was too hard?"
"The book"

My mother yanks me from the car. She marches me through the door and up to the desk.

"I'm Mrs. Benetto. This is my son, Charley. Did you tell him a book was too hard for him to read?"

The librarian stiffens. She is much older than my mother, and I am suprised at my mother's tone, given how she usually talks to old people.

"He wanted to take out 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne," she says, touching her glasses. "He is too young. Look at him."

I Lower my head. Look at me.

"Where's the book?" my mothers says.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Where's the book?"

The woman reaches the book behind her. She plops it on the counter as if to make a point by its heft.

My mother grabs the book and shoves it in my arms.

"Don't you ever tell a child something's too hard," she snaps. "And never - NEVER - this child."

Next thing I know I am being yanked out the door, hanging tightly to Jules Verne. I feel like we have just robbed a bank, my mother and me, and I wonder if we're going to get in trouble.

Review: The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Title : The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Author : Mitch Albom

Category : Fiction

Review

This book starts by telling us the story which begins as the life of the main character, Eddie, ends. The life after that is found to be different from his imagination of Heaven. There, he meets 5 persons that in some ways have affected his life and reveal answers for every question in his life or just simply to filling the gap of the regret that he has carried along in his whole life.

Opinion

As you can see, I can only tell you a very brief summary of the book. I really have no idea on how to summarize the story, as every page of it is important to be mentioned. And if you miss that, you lose the interesting part. It is an intersting book, both when every page of it counts and as a whole obviously. Everytime, I wanted to stop flipping it (even when I have been so sleepy), I just can't. Who is his next person and what life lesson wraps up from it seem to have magic power to hipnotize you not to put the book down.

Review: No One's Perfect

Title : No One's Perfect
Author : Hirotada Ototake
Category : Biography

Overview
This book is a biography of a japanese guy who is born with Tetra-Amelia, Horotada Ototake. It is a condition where someone born with the absence of arms and legs. This is a very inspirational book. On how Ototake has never complains or takes his disability as excuses. In fact, he inspires others around him. This book starts with the story when he was born, how her mother was not allowed to see him as doctor is afraid she got shocked. But, supprisingly, the first words came from his mom when first saw him (after three weeks) was: "Son, you are so handsome". What a great parent she is.

Then, the story is followed by his efforts he put in from his primary school until he was accepted in Waseda University (one of top 200 world university). How people around him support and help him willingly, what he had done during that time (you will suprise how active he was: He was in basketball team, football team, participating in running competition, and how he manages to 'swim'), what were his dreams, how he started to become public speaker and his efforts put in to create 'free-challenges' environment that is meant to assist all others disable people to enjoy the same opportunity as others.

Opinions
This book shows 'never give up' messages for its reader. It shows how a Ototake can do and achieve something that we might see it as Impossible. One more part in this book that I like best is that Ototake shows to reader something that are very rational. It does an motivational book, but at the same time Ototake has his time where he himself find himself in pessimistic state (it is very logical, or I might said it might be non-sense if he has never feels it). But, at the end, he always finds his way out. Glad for him.

It shows to me, if Ototake can do the 'impossible', why can't I? There is other similar book by Tony Christiansen which I hasn't got the chance to finish reading it. He states something like "do you want to wait until you have no legs to do things you want?". In Christiansen case, he lost his legs in an accident (if not mistaken), but he never gives up. For your suprise, he is master in Taekwondo (Wow~~) and he conquered Everest Mountain in his condition. How it could be?! You and I know the answer. =D

Back to No One's Perfect, things that I do not really like is the way the story is written. I don't know whether it is because it has been translated into Indonesian (I read the Indonesian version, as this book is lent by my cousin) or it is like that in nature. Try to get the english version and see how it is. And don't be so suprise if you find out that Ototake seems to be a stuborn individual, in fact he is. Don't know it is good or not, as his stuborness has brought him to his current condition, if he were to humble in nature, he might be different person. The moral of the story is just take the positive part. =D

Review: The Secret

Title : The Secret
Author : Rhonda Byrne
Category : Self-Development

Overview
It is the book that shows how our life is in our own control. The Secret works in the way as how placebos work in healing people. The main difference is the 'placebo' that heals every aspects in an individual life is MIND.

Any good things that this world can offer - Love, Perfect Carreer, Wealth, Health, Happiness - can be achieved easily, when you start to think positively- that nothing is impossible and it can be easily obtained. As it is applied in good things, it applies in the bads as well. Hence, it's up to us to make the choice in our life.

Every big figure in history; Plato, Shakespeare, Newton, Hugo, Beethoven, Lincoln, Emerson, Edison, and Einsten, aware of the existence of this secret and tried to convey it to the world through their works. Even, the man in the top list of the world now, such as: Hendry Ford, knows how The Secret works.
It means, The Secret has been already there for us to find it and dig it out.

The Secret Formula [Ask + Believe + Accept]

Opinions
I might rate it as a five-stars book. Whatever inside this book can be easily applied in life. Some opinions stated that it cannot fully be accepted. By the time they said it, The Secret is already working. Whether you believe it or not, The Secret is still working.

I, myself, find this is very realistic. It always depends on what one is thinking. Everything they have in their mind reflects how one will be. Therefore, mind is the thing that we must control. Then, other supportive things, such as; positive feeling, determination, come in the way in realizing The real Secret.

One of my favorite quotes from this book is a quote from Mother Theresa. She stated that "I will not attend a Anti-War Campaign. If you have a Peace Campaign, invite me..."
It shows how mother theresa undertands well The Secrets' effects.

We can see in the society now on how anti-drugs, anti-war, anti-... will Never work. Every people who go down to the street for those campaigns might need to go through a "Reveal The Secret" Seminar, in order to make their efforts paid and bring changes to the world.

May this book bring good things to you and Peace to the World =)