I cannot believe it, but today I notice that I actually have a record number of direct hits to my bloggages. At this point of time, there are 234 direct hits. To me it is unbelievable. You mean I have so many silent readers out there? Well, maybe there is one out there who have been hitting the reload button for 200 over times   BTW,  Jonathan Schwartz have over 8526 hits, at this point, which is roughly over 40X of mine. No problem... our pay scales is probably about that amount of difference anyway 

Anyhow, it brings to my mind and attention of what I am writing.... and I hope you [the reader right now] is blessed by what I write.

"Vanity" is an interesting word. This simple word can have quite a few meanings.... one of which could mean "conceit" [which is half of what this title means after looking at the number of hits on my bloggages].

But there is also another meaning which humbles me "lack of usefulness, worth". And I think that is true too. What good does it bring with such high number of hits if none of my readers could get any benefit from my writing or thoughts?

It is the second meaning that I am most humbled and I pray that you will somehow be blessed by one of my stories (A father's chronicle) or a passing thought which I've written.... btw, it is alright to drop a comment or two... so that I know there is someone out there reading..... "hellooooo..... anybody homeeeee?"

Peace to everyone who reads this.

"Stupid, I don't want to play with you."

Could you believe these words were thrown onto my son?

I could not believe it. I could not understand it either. But that was just a boy and the best that I could savage was to tell the other child that it is not a nice thing to say. It was not as if my son provoked the other boy either. The other boy threw his toy up into the air and it landed on the slide which my son was coming down. All he did was slide off with the other boy's toy (nothing which my boy could help... he was just being obedient to gravity, isn't it?)

Anyhow, I really think that friendliness does not necessarily begets friendship. And this I've witness so many times at the playground with my son. He would ask "Can you play with me?" and the next moment, you get one of those smug look or uncalled for remarks. To add on to the injury, at times I have parents (belonging to the rude child) just standing by, hearing the whole conversation and doing nothing about it!

How to raise kids these days and teach them that we need to be friendly? They need to share (when other kids are snatching his toys away and thinks that it belongs to them... sigh .... and at times with some can't-be-bothered parents standing around?)

To my son, I still say, "Well, if he does not want to play with you, then let's find someone else to play with.... it's OK".... but I think it is really not that OK. Some of these kids ought to be disciplined and they are not.

I once have a friend who in his wittiness said, "Spare the rod. And spoil the child." (instead of "Spare the rod, and [you will] spoil the child").

But it is not OK, to teach him that he should start off the first footing as selfish or snobbish or even unfriendly... yet, this is the real world and I need to let him get some of these knocks... for there will be people who does not return friendship when friendliness is shown.

BTW, when my son asked me at the end of the day why the other boy calls him "stupid" (somehow I am hurting with him too), all I could say is, "well, it is not a nice thing to say. Maybe he does not have a wide vocabulary [we taught him "dolt" at 2 years old ... well, if you need to use names and labels... do it with style! ] .... but will you forgive him?"

.... it is a rough world outside, my son. And I probably should tell you that there are many mean people armed with many mean words. Try not to be stained by them...

An intersting quote that overheard from the radio today.... something to chew on for the day...

Great minds exchange ideas

Average minds talks about events

Weak minds talks about people

I was watching one of the TV session between our Prime Minister Lee and some common folks.... and I think our nation (Singapore) is really a great one. There you have - our Prime Minister, talking with heart-landers (OK OK, I know it is part of propaganda, but wait...). And they talk so candidly. We are a very blessed nation. Not many countries have such a good cohesion between the government and its citizens. We might have taken that for granted, but I really think one of the many reasons that our nation will succeed is coz both the government and its citizens are working together.

In Sun Tzu's war strategy it is right to point out that: In war, three parties are especially important - the soverign, the commanders and the army. Without doubt, one over-riding principle underlying the human apsects of strategy implementation is that of unity. To win wars, there must be unity of minds and hearts from the ruler to the subjects of the state. In particular, those who are directly involved in combat must be united in purpose and be one accord in order to achieve victory.

We are a nation without any natural resources. Small population. Besides being a sea port, we have little in the beginning.... but I think we have much to offer.... I think it is just the beginning... we have a clean government (that's one up), and now we have unity between the soverign and the army.... though there will be many difficulties ahead, I think Sun Tzu's observation will turn out to be accurate.... let's watch as the show rolls on....