Human insatiable appetite to "live to eat" whereas animals "eat to live"

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Wisdom

No one to blame but ourselves

Straits Times Forum
Dec 22, 2009
KILLER LITTER
No one to blame but ourselves

LAST Friday's editorial, 'Killer litter: The long, long traversal', raised an important point that many Singaporeans are most uncomfortable with: a deficiency in 'cultural maturation'. Signs of this are everywhere, which is unflattering of course, and we have no one to blame but ourselves.

Since independence, the catch phrase has always been 'survival' - through a finely tuned set of priorities. Against all odds, Singapore did just that, and much more. However, the outward material success cannot hide the disquieting lack of civility, respect and concern for others among many in the population.

We have paid a high price to turn this small island into the envy of the world. But at home, we constantly have to deal with behaviour unbecoming of people of a First World nation.

We have laws and by-laws and overt signs to keep people in line because they have lost touch with how well-educated people should behave. But indeed, if Singaporeans are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed.

It seems the rat race has robbed many Singaporeans of their humanness. And since we are constantly reminded that we must not relax or be complacent, the finish line is nowhere in sight. The legacy will not go away and there is no turning back either.

Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew has said a distinct Singapore culture will take several generations to come about. I just hope he is right but I also hope it will be a mature one as well.

Lee Seck Kay

The sad truth

Let no one kill nor cause another to kill

All living things fear being beaten with clubs.
All living things fear being put to death.
Putting oneself in the place of the other,
Let no one kill nor cause another to kill.

~Dhammapada verse no. 129~

"I will never adopt any cat or dog again."

Often we hear of people whose animal companions have died and they declared that they would never adopt another cat or dog again because it would be too painful and no other cat or dog could replace the one they lost.

What would your beloved animal companion say to you if he or she could?

I bet it would be:

"There are many other dogs and cats like me, once languishing in a shelter. They too long for a home just like the one that you gave me. Please give your home and your heart again to another one just like me. Expand the love, not restrict it."


Koon-King longs for the safety of a good home where he would never be attacked by human or dogs again. Leave a contact under comments if you would like to adopt Koon-King and arrangement can be made for him to be vaccinated and then boarded for a short while at a boarding facility to train to use a litter-bin.

Is it all about cats only?

Some if not many of us will not let our friends know that we care for cats. Some even spend a large portion of their income on sterilising cats and also for treatment of illnesses.
Why?
Because
We will have "strange look"
We will recieve comments like "Siow (hokkien for "mad") ah"
or "Why don't you help human beings?"

Much of our woes arise from self-centredness. We think that life is about satisfying our senses - eating, wearing expensive clothes, upgrading cars, apartments, marrying that ideal partner, etc

But do we get sustained happiness from meeting the needs of these "mundane" desires?

Will we be "forever" happy if our whole life in focused on "I" and "Me"?

Caring for others, even if they are "just" cats, is a spiritual developement to care beyong oneself.
To give of oneself to others without expecting any benefits in return. In fact, caring for cats means "more trouble".
However we must also exercise wisdom in our compassion for cats. This include speaking out for the cats to improve their welfare. Spending within one's means. Sterilising the cats while providing food.

At the end of the days, it is not only the cats that benefit from our care but we too gain from develping a kind heart as well as virtues such as generosity and patience.

A time to reflect

A time to reflect

First-world Singapore has much to learn from poorer nations

TODAY
Tuesday • December 30, 2008


Letter from Lucia Maes



I COULDN’T agree more with the I Say piece by Edric Sng, “Financial crisis, so what?”(Dec 29). It’s time for the people of the world to reflect on their own actions and their purposes in life.

I’m a frequent traveller to less developed countries, such as Nepal, and more developed ones, like Singapore. The difference in the way money and life are valued are stark.

The people in Nepal are impoverished beyond imagination, yet are still able to find it in their gentle hearts to be kind to a stranger like me — to be the best host they can, down to sharing their last grain of rice.

Their smiles are nothing short of the warmth on summer days.

Such folk do not own clothes without a tear in them, or a proper pair of shoes.

And even if they could, they do not desire to own luxury goods, instead preferring to spend time with their children and parents, sharing their days’ stories with each other.

My experience in Singapore, on the other hand, has shown me the other end of the spectrum.I saw no compassion among those whom I met on the streets, or on MRT trains when I had to travel to work during peak hours.

I was distressed to have seen several Singaporeans in a dilemma trying to decide if their Sunday high-tea session should be held at the Fullerton or at the Marriot.

I wish they would instead be thankful for the food placed in front of them. There are 900 million others in the world desperately crying out for just one bowl of rice per day to share between five children.

Singapore can boast of countless international accolades for its first-class services, infrastructure and attractions.

Unfortunately, when it comes to helping others, this country still retains a very third-class mentality.

The writer is a British citizen with family in Singapore.

Getting life’s priorities right

Getting life’s priorities right

July 9, 2008 by ordinary guy

What are your priorities in life? Each one of us seek to achieve certain goals and accomplishments in our life’s journey. In the course of it, priorities for our family, friends, loved ones, ourselves will be stacked in the order of priority. During the span of our lives, priorities may change as our perpective changes. An article for your reflection.

A patient once told me: “You know what, doctor, when I was told that I have cancer, suddenly all my shares, my properties and my brand-new car have no more meaning.” Yet, the attachment that some Singaporeans have to their cars never fails to amaze me. When they notice scratches on their vehicles after shooing off a cat resting on them, for example, they would complain to their condominium management or the town council. These motorists get so angry with the destruction of their “happiness” that they will not rest their case until the cats in the carparks are removed. In the Housing & Development Board carpark where I park my car, there is a cat which would occasionally rest on car bonnets, including mine. I have found its paw marks on my windscreen several times, but there are no scratches on my car, just a few small dents that are definitely not caused by a cat. Whenever I see the cat resting on other cars, I would shoo it off and brush its hair off the vehicles so that the motorists would not complain about the cat’s presence. To me, what is important about a car is that it is functioning well enough to be safe on the road. So what if it has scratches or dents? Cars are bound to get such marks. The car does not feel the scratches. Rather, it is our attachment to the car that makes us feel the pain. The patient who spoke to me became depressed after he was diagnosed with cancer, but his condition improved after he took stock of what was truly important in his life. When he was near his life’s end, I asked him if he was afraid. He said no. He had done no harm to others, he said, and he remembered the good things that he had done. He also relished the happiness he had brought to others. He died peacefully. Dr Tan Chek Wee ~ MyPaper, July 9, 2008

What is your priority in life? Has it changed for the better?

"My pet cat puts a smile on my face."

In Mind Your Body, Straits Times, November 20, 2008, Page 22