A Lost Friend

I just realized that my friend, Chung Lern's girlfriend, Lee Nian Ning died in a bus crash on 25th January 2008. She was only 20 going to be 21 and her life was taken away. My deepest condolence to both her and his family and to all those who knows and loves her.

Recently there are a lot of news on bus crash and the government has taken actions about it. But how come there are still cases happening? I understand the fear of letting a love one take the interstate bus home for holiday or for visits, but how can we erase the fear?

Tragedy can happen anywhere and at any time. I know it is cruel to say this but I think God has asked her to be the medium to make everyone of us to be aware of this issue and take it more seriously compare to how it is already being taken care of. For her, she was just unlucky to be on the wrong bus at the wrong time.

When we take the bus public transport, we take it to travel from one destination to another, where we actually place our life in the driver's hand. How are we to trust the drivers now. Even if there are safe drivers and responsible drivers, how are we to trust them due to all this accidents? Who are we to blame for this accidents? The bus company or the drivers?

I believe both are to take responsibility. What I read was, just before the fatal incident, the driver was sms-ing on his phone. Are we not told not to play with our phone when we drive? How come such incident can happen? The driver itself has 13 summons under his belt. Why was he allowed to drive still? Besides that, is the bus maintain properly? I remember one of my relatives telling me that she was sitting in the front seat of the bus when she realized that the speed-o-meter was not working. She was in fear as the bus was travelling at a very fast speed but she can't read the the meter on how fast they are travelling. What explanation can be given here?

There are so many dissatisfactories on our current bus transportation but what has been done? Many lifes has been taken and a young innocent girl's life was just another among those life's taken. How many more lifes has to be sacrifice before effective actions are taken? I can go on with all the issues that everyone has with the bus transportation but we still use it. What choice do we have as it is the cheapest means for us when we do not have a vechicle to travel.

I feel deeply sadden by the lost of a friend whom I never had a chance to know better. I feel sorry for my friend who has to go through this tough situation.  I feel the families lost but words just can't describe how badly it has affected the lifes of people who love her. May God be with them to give them strength to overcome hard times.

May she, Lee Nian Ning's soul rest in peace. And may God protect her in heaven as she protects her love ones here on earth. 

P.S. Please sign the petition at this link http://buscrashnomore.blogspot.com/

Common Sense

So sad, but oh so true!

My parents told me about Mr. Common Sense early in life and told me I would do well to call on him when making decisions. It seems he was always around in my early years but less and less as time passed by until today I read his obituary. Please join me in a moment of silence in remembrance for Common Sense had served us all so well for so many generations.

Obituary 
Common Sense

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense who has been with us for many years . No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children are in charge).
 
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Aspirin, sun lotion or a sticky plaster to a student; but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar can sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know my Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I'm a Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.

How Do I Know I Married The Right Person

This was taken from my friend Su Ann which I find it interesting.

During one of our seminars, a woman asked a common question.

She said, "How do I know if I married the right person?"

I noticed that there was a large man sitting next to her so I said, "It depends. Is that your husband?"

In all seriousness, she answered "How do you know?"

Let me answer this question because the chances are good that it's weighing on your mind. Here's the answer.

EVERY relationship has a cycle.

In the beginning, you fell in love with your spouse. You anticipated their call, wanted their touch, and liked their idiosyncrasies.

Falling in love with your spouse wasn't hard. In fact, it was a completely natural and spontaneous experience. You didn't have to DO anything. That's why it's called "falling" in love... because it's happening TO YOU.

People in love sometimes say, "I was swept of my feet." Think about the imagery of that expression. It implies that you were just standing there; doing nothing, and then something came along and happened TO YOU. Falling is love is easy. It's a passive and spontaneous experience.

But after a few years of marriage, the euphoria of love fades. It's the natural cycle of EVERY relationship. Slowly but surely, phone calls become a bother (if they come at all), touch is not always welcome (when it happens), and your spouse's idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute, drive you nuts.

The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship, but if you think about your marriage, it is about LEARNING TO LOVE THE PERSON YOU FOUND. SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience.

It'll NEVER just happen to you. You can't "find" LASTING love. You have to "make" it day in and day out. That's why we have the expression "the labor of love." Because it takes time, effort, and energy.

And most importantly, it takes WISDOM. You have to know WHAT TO DO to make your marriage work. Make no mistake about it.

Love is NOT a mystery. There are specific things you can do (with or without your spouse) to succeed with your marriage.

Just as there are physical laws of the universe (such as gravity), there are also laws for relationships.

Just as the right diet and exercise program makes you physically stronger, certain habits in your relationship WILL make your marriage stronger.

It's a direct cause and effect. If you know and apply the laws, the results are predictable... you can "make" love.

Love in marriage is indeed a "decision"... not just a feeling.

http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/How_do_you_know_if_you_married_the_right_person.html