I have a 72 year old friend--a respected Buddhist, who suffered from constant dizziness and insomnia recently. It was quite frustrating. Yesterday the illness came back. Then last night I dreamt that she was going to pass away. Since people tend to believe that the dream is always the opposite to what actually happens after-wards, my dream might indicate something good according to our interpretation.
Among my friends are many older people, as the elderly are kinder, more thoughtful, more moderate and also wiser. By learning about their life experience, the younger may avoid many detours. Older people tend to believe the doctrine of predestination. They like to joke about their life expectancy and to laugh at their age, but in fact there is fear of death and insecurity about afterlife behind that.
I asked this Buddhist friend, "What is it about the idea of death that frightens most people?" The Buddha said, "Where there is something that can be distinguished by signs, there is deception." So, there's nothing in the world that we should be attached to. Am I not living to die? Sometimes I wish I could feel short of breath all of a sudden and so I could go to the Elysium.
She said, "You are still young. Don't you think about that so early." But I think that either a long life or a short one is simply a moment in the infinite expanse of the universe, compared to hundreds of millions of light-years, and the earth is just a pixel in the Milky Way galaxy. So, life expectancy only matters in the eye of an ordinary human. The same way we look at an ant or a mosquito, whose life we won't bless, and whose death we won't pity--it makes no difference if they die now or later.
I envy Zhai Zhigang, the Chinese astronaut who made China's first spacewalk not long ago. Should I have a chance like that, I would choose to stay in outer space, leaving my body decaying and my soul lingering and drifting out there. I'd be a spirit in the universe rather than a human on the earth. Otherwise I would like to reincarnate into an alien to look down at the earth.
In my childhood I loved to lift up my eyes unto the sky, hoping there would be a UFO to befall before me. And I called to the universe, "If there are any creatures from outer space, please come and take me away!"
One Makes Two
Such a story have I been told --
One makes two --
Two make three --
Three make everything --
A frighteningly new world begins its journey --
Without end...
Without end...
1992
One makes two --
Two make three --
Three make everything --
A frighteningly new world begins its journey --
Without end...
Without end...
1992
The Moment I Saw Thine Eyes
The moment I saw thine eyes --
My heart became a quivering leaf --
And the seconds seemed like hours --
Making my tongue so stiff --
What made the tea so sweet?
What made the chill feel so warm?
'Tis the magic thou hast got, if not --
I'd rather stay in my dream --
I'd like to prolong the silence --
To sense the world, saying nothing --
That was simply enough to us --
Your eyes told me everything --
1992
My heart became a quivering leaf --
And the seconds seemed like hours --
Making my tongue so stiff --
What made the tea so sweet?
What made the chill feel so warm?
'Tis the magic thou hast got, if not --
I'd rather stay in my dream --
I'd like to prolong the silence --
To sense the world, saying nothing --
That was simply enough to us --
Your eyes told me everything --
1992
How Delighted I AM
How delighted I am
Lying quietly in my tomb
Of dark I hear the sound
Of soil I smell the fume
When I was above ground
One truth I never found
On my way to the grave
But for home I was bound!
In all this life we slave --
Yet I went with a wave
Mind not your skin, not save
Listen to me, be brave!
1992
Lying quietly in my tomb
Of dark I hear the sound
Of soil I smell the fume
When I was above ground
One truth I never found
On my way to the grave
But for home I was bound!
In all this life we slave --
Yet I went with a wave
Mind not your skin, not save
Listen to me, be brave!
1992
Ode to Peking Opera
There is beauty in everything --
In ther color of the voice,
In the melody of movements,
In the intensity of the air,
In the rythm of footsteps,
In the glitter of the ornaments,
In unspoken words of the sleeves,
In the sudden silence,
In the absence of settings,
In the pressure of the curtains,
In wiping invisible tears,
In telling a 5,000 year old dream,
Inscribed in each heart...
1996
In ther color of the voice,
In the melody of movements,
In the intensity of the air,
In the rythm of footsteps,
In the glitter of the ornaments,
In unspoken words of the sleeves,
In the sudden silence,
In the absence of settings,
In the pressure of the curtains,
In wiping invisible tears,
In telling a 5,000 year old dream,
Inscribed in each heart...
1996
View From The Top
Most people prefer to live a steady life, with a perfect family and a stable job, day after day, year after year, until one day, they retire from their job.
Most of the Chinese people have never left or never thought about leaving this land till they pass away. All the money made with great efforts is spent on housing, education and self-support when they get old. A high school pal of mine who worked at a savings agency 10 years ago, now still works there, only with a husband and a kid added to her life, in addition to the extra weight she has put on.
But I have been unwilling to live this kind of life since I could remember. The life I dream to have is filled with suspense and uncertainties. So, a few years ago, I started a new life in Canada with two suitcases. Thinking of those early European immigrants who came to the new continent to cultivate this land, I felt I really was lucky.
I settled down in the beautiful and relaxing Vancouver, but I was not fulfilled. I couldn't let someone tell me I had seen enough of Canada, so I flew to Toronto with my suitcases. Where was I going to stay? What good people was I going to run into? What romantic affairs was I going to have? Whenever I thought about those questions I really felt high.
I still remember the days I had in Egypt, after I traveled through a time and space tunnel that spanned across over 7,000 years. Every day and every night I was intoxicated. For the first time I had the privilege to be nearly worshiped by the people of Egypt. I figured, life could be this colorful, as long as you dared to travel alone and take risks. I also remember when I flew to London and then headed for Edinburgh. Knowing nobody there pretty much excited me. Who was going to show up in my destiny? All the suspense motivated me to wait anxiously every night till tomorrow came.
Traveling overseas doesn't need a sound financial support, because the awareness of owning excessive financial resource may ruin the heroic feeling of having the sky as my quilt and the earth my bed. And God favors those who are bold and loving, so even though I've been roaming around quite a bit, I have never gone through any financial crisis. My trick for surviving is smile. Therefore, all those I have encountered have been helpful to me.
The joy of living is, to me, not eating, drinking, working and making money, but seeing as much of this world as possible. You won't waste your lifetime if you have experienced various cultures, sights and lives. As long as you can afford a flight ticket, go ahead and see the world!
Most of the Chinese people have never left or never thought about leaving this land till they pass away. All the money made with great efforts is spent on housing, education and self-support when they get old. A high school pal of mine who worked at a savings agency 10 years ago, now still works there, only with a husband and a kid added to her life, in addition to the extra weight she has put on.
But I have been unwilling to live this kind of life since I could remember. The life I dream to have is filled with suspense and uncertainties. So, a few years ago, I started a new life in Canada with two suitcases. Thinking of those early European immigrants who came to the new continent to cultivate this land, I felt I really was lucky.
I settled down in the beautiful and relaxing Vancouver, but I was not fulfilled. I couldn't let someone tell me I had seen enough of Canada, so I flew to Toronto with my suitcases. Where was I going to stay? What good people was I going to run into? What romantic affairs was I going to have? Whenever I thought about those questions I really felt high.
I still remember the days I had in Egypt, after I traveled through a time and space tunnel that spanned across over 7,000 years. Every day and every night I was intoxicated. For the first time I had the privilege to be nearly worshiped by the people of Egypt. I figured, life could be this colorful, as long as you dared to travel alone and take risks. I also remember when I flew to London and then headed for Edinburgh. Knowing nobody there pretty much excited me. Who was going to show up in my destiny? All the suspense motivated me to wait anxiously every night till tomorrow came.
Traveling overseas doesn't need a sound financial support, because the awareness of owning excessive financial resource may ruin the heroic feeling of having the sky as my quilt and the earth my bed. And God favors those who are bold and loving, so even though I've been roaming around quite a bit, I have never gone through any financial crisis. My trick for surviving is smile. Therefore, all those I have encountered have been helpful to me.
The joy of living is, to me, not eating, drinking, working and making money, but seeing as much of this world as possible. You won't waste your lifetime if you have experienced various cultures, sights and lives. As long as you can afford a flight ticket, go ahead and see the world!
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