Don't Worry, Be Happy!

Last nite, I finished reading a book, something I had not been able to do for quite some time. ‘Don’t worry, Be Happy’ is written by a medical student (graduated liaw I think) now a monk, called Phang Cheng Kar (PCK!).

I had great joy reading the book. Thanx lots Badboy. Even though it is written as a motivation for medical students, most of its contents are applicable and meaningful not only to students but also others as well. It is inspirational, motivational and comforting. I will share some contents of the book bit by bit.

I can’t remember lots of it since I read it over a wide range of period. I started reading it since last year. Yeah, so slow huh? And it’s not exactly very thick, nor compact with words. But of course I can remember what I just read last nite.

One of the saying was:
There are two days in a week which we must forget. They are yesterday and tomorrow. The most important day is today. You can learn from the past, but do not dwell on it. You can plan your future but do not dream in it.

This is another excerption from a poem written by someone else (in the book). The poem is 'Don’t You Quit’. Quite a long one, but I can only remember the last two lines, which went:

So stick in the fight when you are hardest hit,

For it's when things seems worst that you mustn't quit.

In another story which I read few weeks ago, I learnt something new about something I thought I already knew. I am telling this in my own words but I shall keep it as close as possible to the meaning he wanted to convey.

There is this lecturer who was teaching time management. Somehow he finished early and decided to do an experiment. So he got a huge jar and began filling them with rocks to the brim. Then he asked his class if the jar is full. The class responded “Yes.” (if you think you’ve heard this like I did, pls read on). Then he proceeded to fill the jar with small pebbles and questioned them again. The class was getting the hang of it and they replied “No” this time. So he proceeded with the sand, lastly with water, inquiring the same every time. Seeing the water has filled every space in the jar, the class finally acknowledged that the jar is now full. The lecturer then asked again what the significance of the experiment he just demonstrated is. One of his students answered: “Sir, it means no matter how full our schedule seems to us, there is always space and time for more to be fitted in.”
Smilingly he said “No son, it meant if you don’t put in the rocks first, it will never fit in after that.”

In life, ppl often rush in life. We all rush to get a degree, a job, a family. There are the ‘rocks’ of our lives which we always put off with: “Wait till I earn big money then I can do this, do that…” or “Wait till my children are grown up then I can be happy/relax” or “Wait till I’m ranked first then I take a break”. The thing is, ppl seldom think how long can we actually wait? How do you know the sand in your life(hour)-glass still has a lot to sink? *touch wood*.

Fill your rocks in first, prioritize what you want to do because human are never satisfied. Like the poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost, ways will only lead onto ways. You will drift further an further down what you thought you would do first and never be able to come back to walk down the path you really wanted to. Maybe, one day when one reaches the age of 80, he would sigh and say, “I should have done that first!”

Yes, life is hard; nobody lives really well without a degree now. After achieving that you thirst for big bucks, fame, power, properties etc. etc. The more you own, the more you have to lose thus the more fear you have. If one can successfully reach the peak of his career/financial/love life, why not? But if you stumble down the hill, always bear in mind that when you had your first cry, you came with nothing at all. You have always earned a lot already. Even if you are 38 with only a suit of clothes, you have already gained 38 years of life and that suit of clothes.

You are never ‘losing everything’ because you had nothing to start with. And only ppl who can bear that in mind, will be able to risk more, achieve more, because they have absolutely nothing to lose! Most of all, these ppl will be able to have the wonderful taste of satisfaction along the way because they are always satisfied even if they had ‘nothing’. Most ppl forgot to reap their fruits till they go bad (bankrupt/breakup etc.). Some wouldn’t even realize that fact in their deathbed.

So, don’t worry, be happy! :)