Running Away

My reading speed is explained fully by completing this book. I started this in the summer of 2011 and finished it yesterday. This means that I was reading on average 1 page in every 2 days. In fact, the original blog for this is actually completed when I was half way through the book during a trip to Hong Kong. The blessing from this is that I was able to see what I was thinking back then.
Coincidentally,  I am in a similar situation as I was then. I have just received my bachelor's degree and was taking a break in Asia in 2011. And now, I quit my job and am taking a break now.

I found that the act of reading a new book itself brings reflection about myself. At the very least, it brings myself back to intellectual honesty. And anything good can only start from being honest with yourself.  This is also a reason why I like to read non-fiction now. Because the real life experiences of a real person touches me in a way a made up character may not, and press me to think about the issues and problems this real person is talking about.

Running Away

"Have a Little Faith" by Mitch Albom surrounds two figures, one is his rabbi, and the other, a Christian pastor. One has been a rabbi all his life, the other was once a drug dealer who had a taste of his own poison. Unfortunately, both figures have now passed away.

A central theme  for the book, and one that I am interested in, would be our repeated attempts to run away; whether it'd be from God, or from that truth of which we must face. Mitch Albom became a renowned journalist and author, and is probably regarded as a successful person by many. But he has been running away from his roots ever since college, until when Rabbi Albert Lewis asked him to write his eulogy. Pastor Henry Covington was raised in a good family, but he chose to be a gang member and a drug dealer. In times of distress, he would call for the help of God. For many times God answered his prayers, but he kept his old life as God redeemed him again and again until one Easter, when he is fed up of the miserable life he has and was called to minister the poor.

Running away from God is like running away from our parents, whether we literally do so when we grow up, or when we run away subtly when we were only children. We run because our parents limit us in doing anything. We can't have fun, and it's not cool to hang around with our parents in front of our friends. They are always so strict with us, and quite frankly our parents can be annoying.But like your parents, or even more so, his faithfulness will rescue us every time, even if we don't notice it.

It seems so true, whether you believe in God or not. Sometimes reality is too big for us to bear, to face. Or simply, we are too ugly to be shone brightly by the light. Deep down we know what is good for us, but we are too proud to listen, and the temptations in front of us are too big to ignore.

Mitch Albom touched on this as well as many problems in the world today that I identified with. The only difference between him and I is that he brings them up so tactfully and with just the right description. If you can finally put down your textbook or mouse, do pick this book up and start reading.






 And here's a video of Mitch Albom and Pastor Henry Covington. It basically contains a summary of the book, and for Pastor Henry's powerful message, start from 33:00.

Dirty Politics: Suck it up?

I can't believe this blog has been dormant for 4 years already. And it's time to start my blog again, because writing about something is better than, say, doing nothing at all.

Dirty Politics: Suck it Up?

The BC Provincial Election is coming up. Of course, only federal elections make the headlines, but then again, the more "local" elections are the ones that in fact makes real difference in our lives. So if you don't think it's worth the time to go to the polls, think again.

But all in all, it is hard to trust politicians. They say a lot of things to make you feel good about them, make some promises, then forget them altogether after they are elected. And a few years later they make some more promises and forget them altogether again after they got your vote. Deals are being cut, friends are being favoured, and none of the programs they promote can help you. History repeats itself, because no matter who we vote for, they seem to be all the same. So our expectations of people who run the governments are reduced; we weigh them by judging who cuts less deals, favour less friends, with platforms that can help you a teeny bit while on their way of garnering more power, influence, and wealth. Slowly we give less and less expectations about politics, ie. we suck it up. Politics are dirty, and self serving. It becomes some sort of prerequisite in our conversation on politics, and we accept it as it is.

Is it stupid to expect more? Traveling 2400 years back in time, in ancient Greece, people already have a similar notion, that justice is the interest of the stronger, and rulers make laws that are favourable to themselves. But Socrates begs to differ, and says that just as a good physician is someone who can heal the patient, and a good ship captain takes care of the ship and the crew, a good "ruler" is someone who can take care of his "subjects." Fast forward to the present, the idea is just the same.

We are not talking about the ideal world of course, but from time to time we have to remind ourselves of what is "supposed to be." Because in some parts of the world, people have already forgotten about "the ideals," and injustice is as natural as the wind blowing against you where you know there is no way for you to stop or avoid it. Imagine when a doctor takes for granted that he is only there to make money off of his patients. With the same token, should we really accept that politics contains only self serving motives, and laws are made for the strong lobbyists?