Tuesday, 25 August 2015

Picture what life was like without technology

In contrast to how technology helps to save time, I feel that in a life without technology, you'll be more free and more fulfilled everyday. For the same unit of time, a life without technology allows you to do more things than in a life without. There will always be chores to do: feeding animals, cleaning, harvesting (what I remembered from the talk about olden days with my older cousins) Things that make you busy. Things that take time. Sometimes taking time to do things is good. Rushing through things is not good, you do not get to experience the whole full seconds/minutes/hours where you'll drift into a rhythm and then in between those pocket of spaces you get to reflect and return back to your mind and soul.

Not sure if you understood what I meant, but I just realised it during the past few days of 1 hour chanting non-stop.



















Ahma's funeral really taught me a lot, and I think I grew up a little more. I finally understood certain things, finally appreciated certain things, finally grew into liking certain things i don't used to like. What we remember from childhood to be old and damaged remnants of the past, used to have their glorious and beautiful days which we younger generation sadly missed out on. Knowing their earlier glorious days now reminded me how impressive life without technology was then, and how impressive the people who lived without technology are.

What I've learnt from my ahma, is to be happy and to always be kind-hearted and gentle and giving. Because even till her last days, and even after she passed, whenever I tried to recollect memories of her, there were never angry moments of her in my memory. There were never sad moments of her, except when she was weak. Even in sickness, my ahma did not once show that she was in pain, never once did she let it show on her face when she attends CNY celebrations, her birthday celebration. Except on the sick bed when the painkillers are no longer working, did she really let it show on her face. It was heartbreaking to see this sight of ahma, for the first and last time.

The portrait of ahma during the funeral will forever be etched in my mind. She was so beautiful, and so happy that I can barely see her eyes. My biggest regret is not having taken an photo together with ahma this year.


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And once in a while, we need to re-learn how to forget.

In order to move on, you must understand why you felt what you did and why you no longer need to feel it.
—Mitch Albom

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