Monday, 23 April 2007

When A Friend Needs An Affirmation

When a friend is in need of our affirmation, what should we do ?

Normally we would need to evaluate all angles to ensure we are providing the right support and understanding as we would not want our friend to make the wrong move, at least if it is in our own shoes, we will decide on a calculated move.

Depending on the sensitivity of the decision to be made, and if it is a life and death situation, more thinking, evaluation and opinions need to be in place before we could make any decision. Time is also a factor as definitely we need more time to make some more critical decision.

When suggesting an option to a friend to help them, we are also extending our support and confidence towards the eventual decision. Thus, many times, the friend would rely heavily on our support/trust and therefore we need to be extra careful in making suggestions or giving advices.

When an advice is made on good faith, as friends, we all know that we need to trust one another and there will be no accusing of each other when things go wrong. If the advice is made on evil approach, then it is not from a friend anymore but an adversary who is planning for their own benefits.

Therefore, before seeking or giving an affirmation to a friend or from a friend, we must understand the responsibility of a giving and receiving end. A clarity to this stand must be made clear but at times still very grey..

What do you think ?

Friday, 6 April 2007

A Good Friday

This Friday is a very special Friday as we remembered our true friend whom had lay down his life for our salvation. A special meaning to the word "Good" as Christian we fully entrust God's love for us as he had his only Son going through the peak of agony of humiliation, suffering and rejection as he is tried in front of the Pharisees and Roman 2000 years ago today. Good means salvation, a hope, act of love, reconciliation and the mission of Christ bridging us back to our Father in Heaven is accomplished.

Christians all over the world today shall be mourning on the loss though temporary as Jesus shall return in glory on Easter Sunday, the highlight of Christianity. The love of Jesus for us is so enormous that he had suffered more than 5,000 blows on his body not in his own accord but for each and everyone of us. We could imagine as his utmost bodily pains and humiliation as shown in Mel Gibson's Passion of Christ and also the inner sufferings by his own mother wiping each and every drop of blood in the punishment chamber. The crown that the Roman put on Jesus is the symbol of Christ the Suffering as we shall remember, suffering for us leading us to salvation.

As Christian, all of us are carrying our crosses and as we journey down on our road to salvation, we shall experience, tempted and humiliated like Jesus whose sufferings are much more that us as we are suffering because of our own actions and he is suffering for us. Therefore, at any moment of the suffering, we could rely on Jesus' compassion and love for us and His spirit shall rest with us to walk together to Glory @ His Glorious Ressurection on Easter...a victory against death, suffering, etc...

Have a good reflection and reconciliation and Happy Easter 2007.

Saturday, 17 March 2007

My Great Buds

Over the years, we have been making friends as we grow along from the day we are born, step out from our home to the streets, child care centre, kindi, school, universities, clubs, workplace...etc etc..

What is a real friend ? A friend must be sincere, willing to listen, provide emotional support, provide real comments on our weaknesses and strengths, forgive and firm on principle not to mislead or cheat to gain or ride on one's weaknesses. A long list of expectation. However, in my personal view, we must first be able to a real friend to the other and our real friend will also be true to us. We cannot be expecting evertything perfect from the friend as it takes two to clap.

Time will surely help to test and mould out real friends but for the real one to come along, we need to be patience and not too be too choosy but be always alert on the manipulators.

In my life journey, I have known few thousands @ 10,000 ?? person that could be friends but there is only handful of them can be really considered as my true friends @ may I can list down the category as follow;

a) Friends known when I am 12 years and below - none could be remembered except my parents and brothers/sister whom have been my closest friends.
b) Friends during my primary school - still remembered a bunch of them but had not been contacting since primary 6.
c) Friends during my secondary school - this is the best of life as I still have at least 10 real friends which including my best of friends.
d) Friends during my U time - only my wife and few ladies, the rest hardly in contacts since graduation.
e) Friends in my career - less than 5 real friends other we considered colleagues.
f) Friends from the church - Jesus & his brothers/sisters...I really appreciate their love & support.
g) Friends from the streets - so far none could be seriously remembered...

As I have said, I have known many people throughout my journey...we may always commercially proclaim them as friends..but it is true ? Probably we could list as few category of friend;

a) Colleagues
b) Customers
c) Suppliers
d) Neighbours
e) Classmates
f) Relatives
g) GROs

I realised that we need to appreciate true and real friend, a real precious gem as they could help us to lift up our spirit during the time in need....as the saying goes, "A friend in need is a friend indeed."

But out of these categories, how many can be considered your true friends, the few that you are really comfortable and able to talk your heart out ?

So, what fo you think ?