what does the snail say when he rides on the turtle's back?
- "Wheeee!"

Experience is relative...
I started reading "Learning to Fall," by Philip Simmons, yesterday.
Its a book about life and how to better live it.
Its a little different from typical self-help books because
Simmons, the author, at the age of 35 was diagnosed with ALS,
or Lou Gehrig's disease. This condition wastes away the muscles
of its victim while the mind remains alert, and typically kills most
of its bearers in 3-5 years. At time of writing the first chapter of
this book, Simmons was 4 years into his condition.
Simmons would survive with the condition for 10 years, which
according to wikipedia 10% of patients with the condition do.

Ive only covered chapter 1, and from that, a general point he
brings across is that we ought to be appreciating life in the here and now,
about accepting ourselves failures and succcesses and all.
I think given his condition, he has the right to say something like that -
more than the typical anthony robbins type character yes?
He writes positively, not preachily, without pity for himself - While once
an active hiker, by the end of the book (as narrated in the preface), he is
wheelchair bound and arms have weakened such that he "barely has the
strength to blow his nose." Yet he shares that while by that time, he can no
longer climb his favourite mountains, he still can sit with his son in the fields
while his son identifies a hawk soaring in the sky...

I think most of us have encountered this general concept - that we are more alive
when we face death. I believe most of us believe this to be true, but how that impacts
our life differs from person to person. Some of us may have encountered death in
closer forms than others such as through a personal near-death experience, the passing of a
loved one... I wonder though, how does such knowledge impact the way we live our lives...?

I wish I could take that away - the knowledge and reality of our mortality... and improve my life.
Given that the author was only 35 when he was diagnosed, I count the years from my age to then,
and it is less than 10 years. Gosh i thought, if i stay in a job for 5 years, thats halfway til then already...

I began this post thinking about relativity... Specifically, about counting our blessings...
Most of us bitch and complain about a variety of things... most of us, at least in Singapore,
do have enough to eat, enough to rest, enough to even play... Most of us have a fully functioning
body... I compare my condition to the author's ... Surely I too, can learn to appreciate more,
dare more, live more. How though... these stories tend to fade from our memories and action
over time...
I wonder how I would react if I got into an automobile accident and came out of it
paralzyed from waste down... or a tetrapelagic like the guy in the New paper recently...
I like to think that Id amazingly handle it well... but surely that must be self-delusional.
I can't even handle my present situation of being unemployed cheerfully ... how do I progress?

There are many people in Singapore who do go hungry,
suffer various conditions... Here, I think we still have some
way to go before being able to include the physically disabled
into society - its a shame if we think about it -
many of the office based jobs out there require as much physical
activity as a person whos wheelchair bound - but these jobs don't
seem that available for those who ARE. I guess simple things
get in the way ... amenities, transport ... Or maybe I'm mistaken,
and things have improved ...

The irony of this post tho, is that isn't all this a sign that ive not accepted myself?
ahh well... strawberries on a clifff...

r there ppl who succeed withouth mentors?
without inspiration in form of person or word
or emotion?
r mentors necessary?
blaming does nothing
wt do we do if not blame?
accept n grow?

is it better 4 me 2 simply think less
wt does it mean 2 think less-
slow down the brain- get back 2 basics
wt basiscs -
move seek pleasure but more than pleasure, Fulfilment
pursue
life is a pursuit
Life is a pursuit.

Let me start running... jogging
pacing is impt
mebe tts the thing - think slowerrrr
not less
move but move slower....graduall...