41 years ago

41 years ago I was born into this world, my mom went into labor in the middle of the night and pray that I be born past the 15th (Chinese new moon) as it is believe that a baby born during new moon or full moon will have a hard life, especially if I am born on the same day as Buddha, who will suffer hardship. And it was also during this time 41 years ago, racial tension grows into violent with curfews and killings of innocent Chinese. Mom deliver me in darkness and having to hold back her pain without any scream, and even when I was born, no noises are being made for fear of discovered.

Though I was not born on new moon day,I was born to have a very hard life and I have come to accept it by now, then again no matter how hard life will I am determine to overcome every challenge and barrier that lies ahead. Every corner is a turning, and every turning there could be lights; hence after every storm there will be sunshine, only when we have persevere through it all we will be able to see them. I have learned this well. Though it can be tire at times, but with courage and hope; I am sure one day, we will make it no matter how slow it takes us .. as long as we are sincere and pure the universe will soon lead us through.

Last weekend, I had an amazing encounter. I saw a pair of beautiful 'flower snakehead' fish 2 years ago; their scene is still very vivid in my mind. Beautiful couple swimming in the water playful like yin and yang. And that time I had tried so hard to try to fish them and provoke them but have not the slight chance. And it is believe that this kind of fish is difficult to catch. I am consider one of the lucky one; I had the chance to fish it out ! I was surprise to see it .. the body had 4 dots 'flowers' and its eyes are red ! And as my brother says no point to keep this fish as we may not be able to rear it alive and also they are always a pair so release it back to the water to be united with its partner. And in anyway I really do not want to separate them either.

Will this be luck or is it pure co-incidence ?

I tried as much as I can to go away during my birthdays, one of the more memorable one is when I went to Luang Prabang, Laos. A trip that I went alone, hearing and reading from news and articles that it is a place time stood still. I want to see for myself how it gets its name. Truly enough Luang Prabang is a memorable experience, though all my pictures have lost due to my mac crash and no back up before that.

I have 2 pictures left that will keep my memory of this place.

A beautiful water fall ..

Offering merit to the hundreds of monk on the morning of my 38 birthday .. I learned that it is not offering, to me I felt like I have enough to share with my fellow human being my wealth. And from then on, I tried to share as much as I can thinking that I always have enough.

What about you ? Which is your most memorable birthday so far ?