Reflections
March 16, 2008, 20:45
I should be packing for my vacation to Shanghai, but I havent been motivated to do so. I fly on Thursday early morning, so will do that after work tomorrow. I will also need to change my currency. The crazy thing is that I will be watching a play on Wed night at LaSalle School of the Arts. Will have to see how I can proceed to the airport in good shape, baggage and all (without being mistaken for a terrorist).
In a way, I am looking forward to my vacation. It's a good time to be introspective and to think about where I am going as well as what I am being called to be. Strangely, there is a disconnect between what we are expected by society to be and what He calls us to be. It also takes a lot of courage to take that step forward to go with our instincts.
Was speaking to some people the other day and it was edifying to note how in a highly repressive structure, one was afraid to speak the truth because we were afraid of what others might think of us. That we may be ostracised or regarded as fools. As such, in the face of much madness such as genocide or corruption, most people will choose to remain silent and mum. Yet the greatness of a person is defined by how able and determined he is to standing by his principles and beliefs. To speak out against perceived injustice. St Paul says that we have to be fools for christ,to challenge established norms and reveal the uncomfortable truths so that people might be able to confront them and make the necessary changes.
Last night, I had a wonderful night out with L at Prive where we attended KS' birthday. Tucked away at the privately-owned Keppel island overlooking a marina and seafront private housing, the quiet reclusivity of the establishment was a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of life in the city. As always, I enjoyed L's company very much. Met some interesting people. One of them was a professional fengshui master at 26! Hope to go back there again!
One morning, Nasrudin - the great Sufi mystic who always pretended to be mad - wrapped an egg in a cloth, went into the town’s main square, and called the people who were there.
- Today there will be an important contest! - he said - Whoever discovers what is inside this cloth, will be given the egg inside it!
The people exchanged glances, intrigued, and answered:
- How can we know? No one is capable of divination!
Nasrudin insisted:
- That which is inside this cloth has a yellow center like a yolk, surrounded by a clear liquid like egg white, which in turn is contained inside a shell which breaks very easily. It is a symbol of fertility, and reminds us of birds flying to their nests. So, who can tell me what is hidden here?
All the folk thought Nasrudin was holding an egg, but the answer was so obvious, no one wanted to embarrass themselves in front of everyone else.
What if it wasn’t an egg, but something more important, a product of the fertile Sufi mystic’s imagination? A yellow center might suggest the sun, the surrounding liquid could be an alchemist’s concoction. No, the madman was definitely trying to make someone look a fool.
Nasrudin asked twice more, and no one dared say something foolish.
So he unwrapped the cloth and showed everyone the egg.
- You all knew the answer - he said - And no one dared put it into words.
“Such are the lives of those who haven’t the courage to risk: solutions are generously provided by God, but people always seek complicated explanations, and end up doing nothing.”
last - next