I have heard much about Nelson Mandela’s 27 years in prison and his eventual release and election as South Africa’s first president in a representative democratic election. But I didn’t know how he survive those long, drawn-out years in a tiny prison cell on Robben Island, until I saw the movie Invictus.
In a conversation on the big screen with Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon, the captain of South Africa’s rugby team), Mandela (Morgan Freeman) shared with Pienaar that during his darkest moments in prison, his spirit was lifted and sustained by the poem Invictus (below) by William Ernest Henley, and that he would not have made it through prison if not for the words of this English poet who lived from 1849 to 1903.
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Posted in Happiness, Nature, Poems on Dec 11th, 2009
Today, I simply have a pictures blog post, of the numerous flowers I have come across this year and taken pictures of. What is it about them that surprises and delights us? That enthralls and captivates? That makes us cast aside our troubles, no matter how temporarily? That makes our hearts sigh with contentment and joy? Here are some “eye candy” (no calories added!) for your viewing pleasure!
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Posted in Poems, Powerful Ideas on Nov 4th, 2009
It was a full moon night, everywhere…
I’m sure you didn’t miss it, whether you live in San Francisco, Shanghai, Switzerland or Singapore…
The moon beckoned from afar – luminous, warm, inviting – like a grandmother gathering little children around her rocking chair for story time.
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Posted in Poems, Quotable Quotes on Oct 27th, 2009
Driving north on Interstate 5, likely California’s straightest and most uneventful freeway, my husband and I came upon a most unexpected and beautiful sight. It was a picture of gentle cloud breezes caressed by warm orange rays – a picture of peace and renewal. I took a deep breath, and another, and another.
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This poem is dedicated to my wonderful friend, Leslie Shen, who taught me how to take time out to “smell the roses.”
Simply Time for Me
Simply time for me,
Simply time to be.
Time to take a walk and deeply breathe,
Time to calm the mind and hear the rustling leaves,
Time to slow the heart,
Say “bye bye” harried day.
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One of the most illuminating, succinct yet all-encompassing books I have read is a book called The Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran, a Labanese-American writer and philosopher. In 24 short poetic essays, he discusses the human condition and various life issues with quiet eloquence and wisdom. When I first read these poems, I was struck by the wisdom and insights contained in these simple words. I have included 10 excerpts from some of these poetic essays to provide you a glimpse into the mind of a brilliant writer, and offer a little shot of inspiration to your day. Enjoy!
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Posted in Career, Doing things you love, Poems on Aug 13th, 2009
I await each day with bated breath,
The quench of thirst due to water fresh,
The tingling of nose due to breakfast smells,
The “vroom, vroom” sounds as my car takes off.
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Posted in Poems on Jul 31st, 2009
One day, I sat down and typed the words “love” and “life” along the left side of a word document. Then I started daydreaming and creating sentences that led with each of the letter I have typed. The poem below is what I came up with…
Love & Life
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