Nothing

The fastest way to fail is to do nothing.

While you may have all the positive thoughts and mind. It is your action that matters. Everything else do not mean anything if you do not take action to move forward.

People often like to start things. Each time there is something new, you are motivated to get started. It is very common to just forget about it when you do not get the desired results you want. Perhaps you have been way too optimistic when you started. You get carried away easily when you hear of success stories of the people that say they get a million dollars in their bank account in a month, or they get six-pack abs within a month.

While you only see the success side of their stories, you do not know the huge changes they have made in their lives in order to achieve such promising results. While you pay to get their blueprint to success, you do not become successful overnight by just reading it, or dreaming on it. Life does not work this way. However positive a mind can be, it can only go so far. It is taking the first step out of your comfort zone that makes you one step closer to your success.

You can have all the information in the world. Information is readily available on search engines, on chats with your friends, or even on your mentors in the programmes you have signed up for. You love to start. You also like to give up easily. You expect to see results immediately with little effort, which is the ultimate reason why you give up so easily.

Always dream big, but start small.

Whatever it is that you want out of life, be it having all the riches in the world or having that great healthy body, or being in that loving relationship, everything can be done with determination and patience.

You can dream of having all the riches in the world. You still have to take action to move towards it. Even if you dream of winning a lottery, you still need to get out there to buy that lottery ticket. Correct? If you just stay in bed thinking hard that you are going to win a lottery, you are not going to win it no matter what because you have not taken action to buy that lottery ticket in the first place.

You can dream of having that great healthy body. You still have to make efforts and walk in that path. You can imagine that you are healthy. You can imagine that you are muscular. You can imagine yourself to be in any shape and size but if you keep putting junk into your body, it will be just junk in junk out. You have to make efforts to first sleep well and then eat right. If you are just sitting there playing computer games all day and night, you deprive yourself of sleep. If you are just munching on prepacked foods all the time, all you will get is to become obese. You have to make that change first and stay through to it to see results. Break your goals into small achievable chunks. When you complete a task, you have achieved something. You will stay motivated to keep your milestone.

You can dream of having a loving relationship with your Mr or Ms Right. Whoever that may be, that person is perfect to you. There are many ways to meet this person and get into a relationship with. However you come into contact with this person, you still need to start a conversation. Your relationship does not go anywhere if you remain silent throughout. However loving you may be with each other, there is still a reality you have to face. There will be problems that arise in all relationships. How you react to each problem is how much you understand your partner. How you face the problems together is how much closer you will get.

You have to understand one thing, that life is fair. You get thrown out of place, you get back up and continue walking. One fine day, you will see the end of the rainbow that you much sought after. If you just sit and mull over it without a nudge, you are just going to be stationery.

Do nothing and you fail. Do something and you move a step closer.

 

He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.

Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. (Muhammad Ali), American professional boxer and philanthropist, 1942-2016

Essential

What is essential?

This is a question that would probably prompt many answers from different perspective. What is essential to one may not be as essential to another. Somehow, everyone would agree that money is the one most essential thing that humans need in order to survive in this era. It is true that money can buy all the things we need for the lifestyle we yearn to have.

Some people may say that it is of utmost importance that we have a full and prepared wardrobe. There should be something for every occasion, especially that ball we have to attend. Whatever that has been worn should not reappear in another occasion to avoid being seen in the same outfit twice. While this creates opportunity for the fashion industry, it is at the cost of nature. Perhaps having a little swap party can resolve this issue.

Some people may say that they not only need to look good, they also need to smell good. We are correct to want to show the best of ourselves to the world. We have thought and used all means and ways to do so. This creates plentiful opportunity for the cosmetics and fragrances industry. The first impression is the most important because almost every human being uses the five senses to perceive something or someone. The beautiful always fair better given an opportunity.

Some people may say that a cozy home is what they need. It is a place they can go back to after a long days’ work. It is a place they can look forward to seeing and being. No matter what happens outside, it really does not matter as long as there is a place called home. The cost of living is rising faster than a paycheck. There are people who blame the exploiters but really, if we are capable, perhaps we can be the opportunist too.

When asked this question, we will usually picture all the material things that we can see and hold. It is just by perception. Many of times, we do not realize that whatever essentials we think of is actually not that essential at all if without life itself.

So what is essential?

Some people may say that wisdom is. It is with wisdom, we can grow our inner self to understand better about the universe within us. There is a little universe in each of us that we have conveniently neglected over the years. We perceive material things as essential and we chase after them with all efforts. We forget one thing, that without wisdom, we are just chasing blindly. Wise people are able to spend more time on themselves and less time in efforts but still producing the same results.

Some people may say health is. Life and health are bound hand in hand. We need to be healthy to live life. Health used to be simple. Anyone can achieve good health with healthy daily routines. The time we are awake, we choose all the healthy practices. The time we are asleep, we choose to let go of all that bothers us, let it be handled during waking hours. How many people can really do that, just let go and not be a control freak? Everyone loves to control to a certain extent.

Some people may say family and friends is. In this day and time, relationship has been brought to another level. We can find long lost friends through social media from friends of friends. We can stay in touch using voice or video calls from free platforms. We can even hold a seamless meeting using zoom calls. There are no boundaries even in the state of a global lockdown. Everyone can keep in touch with each other be it for business or just connecting.

Perhaps we are still not looking deep enough to find the true essentials that each human need to survive. Perhaps the most important things come so naturally we do not even realize that they are the true essentials of living.

How many days can a person survive without food?
How many days can a person survive without water?
How many minutes can a person survive without air?
What is of utmost importance that we must protect regardless of whether or not we live to see it?

Mother Nature is the solitary provider of all essentials; food, water, and air. Let us all protect and create a better world for our children.

 

And now here is my secret, a very simple secret, it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye.

Antoine Marie Jean-Baptiste Roger, comte de Saint-Exupery (Antoine de Saint-Exupery), French writer and aviator, 1900-1944

Late

Many things in life are measured by time. Time is just one of the ways to determine our success.

Late is a word created to let us know that timing is important in many cases but is not a death sentence in most. We have to understand the possible origin of the word.

In the past, life is harsh. The early humans learn from the hard way. They live by the weather. They have to be prepared for the worst. There is a season for hunting. There is a season for agriculture. There is a season to stock up. It is just the way life was. Every little time they have, they need to use it wisely or it is a matter of life and death, not only for themselves but possibly for the whole tribe as well. Therefore, they stick to their strict schedule day by day, year after year. If they are just a day late, everyone’s life could come to an end.

In the current day, life is not as harsh. Humans have found ways to deal with difficult times. There is no need for hunting for food. The agriculture industry has expanded far and wide to provide for the worlds’ needs. We can buy any type of food we want, produce from any country we desire, at any time we choose to. Food is easily available everywhere, any time.

Unless we are staying in a desert or a barren ground, nothing is ever too late.

There are still people living in scarcity. They need help from everyone else from around the globe to get them through difficult times. If we think that life is unfair to us, think again. At least we have a place to go back to every night, called home. At least we have people who care about us in any situations, called family. At least we have ourselves to return to in a sane mind. Not everyone is as lucky as us.

Self-positivity is the only way to remind ourselves that we are fortunate.

We should be grateful for what we have and help the lesser in any way we can. Lending a helping hand to others is always the best way to show gratitude. One can only help when one is grateful. One can only be grateful when one has something to offer. Life is fair. It is never too late to extend help to those in need. It is an action that will improve the life of others. It is a noble act.

We are always hustling through life in the city. People living in urban areas often have a shorter lifespan compared to those in the countryside. While life in the city is full of colours, we should learn to strike a balance between the vibrant lights and the calmness within.

Whatever that is external, leave it be. There are many things that we cannot control, many events that make us regret. Whatever has happened is history. There is no turning back. Whatever that is going to happen has not arrived yet. Why waste time worrying about it? Living in the present is how life should be.

Whatever that is internal, we can explore. How much time do we spend on ourselves? Not the time we put on makeup, not the time we face the computer or mobile phone, but the time we just remain quiet and listen to our inner voice. We usually have all sorts of reasons not to do so. There is no time to doing so. Life is only as busy as we want it to be. If we have time to spend on work, friends, and the social media, we surely can spare a little for ourselves. We have to understand that the only person who will be with us till our last breath is none other than ourselves.

It is never too late. We may be late for work, for that important conference, but we can never be too late for what we want to achieve. Perhaps we are ageing but age is not a hurdle, it is an advantage. With age comes experience. If we had not done it before, that means the time is not right. If we stop ourselves now because of the wrong mindset, we are just allowing negativity rule on us.

Life continues. Pursue now, it is never too late to start.

 

Everybody, soon or late, sits down to a banquet of consequences.

Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson (Robert Louis Stevenson), Scottish novelist, poet and writer, 1850-1894

Plan

A plan can be simple or extensive. It is better to have a plan than none at all.

Everything in life happens for a reason. Whether or not we understand the reason there and then does not really matter. All that we should know is that every action has its course. Therefore, before taking any action, we should have drawn out some sort of plan.

We can have a noble goal but without a plan, we could be moving aimlessly towards many directions and end up nowhere.

Having a yard is great. Sometimes we have a clear idea of how we want to use the yard but sometimes we are just clueless. Making use of the space for some greens will be ideal but how do we go about it? What kind of plants do we want in our garden? Though we may not have the details now, we should already have a big picture. For example, a tree, a water feature, a bird bath, probably some berry bushes, and a little space for nurturing wildlife.

Depending on the size of the yard, we may or may not be able to fit everything we want in it. Perhaps it would be great to go for some window shopping to check out the options available. Anything that is common is more cost effective. If we want the customized options, we will have to really plan out the budget. Or, we can choose do-it-yourself (DIY) projects.

Getting landscaping experts to do the initial set up of the garden would be hassle-free. We only have to consider doing our own maintenance. While this is the easy way out to transform an empty yard to a tempting garden, we should understand that it only stays as beautiful as we can keep.

DIY projects are always more cost saving but it requires quite an amount of time to setting things up. We may not be an expert in this area but we know everything about the garden we made. We can choose to set up part by part, plant by plant, feature by feature, as and when. We can add on at a pace we can handle. We know the behavior of each plant. We can move them around until they are in the perfect spot. The sweat we contribute give us satisfaction, especially when the garden flourish.

Though DIY projects seem to be ad-hoc somehow, it is really well thought. We have the time to digest each and every part of the garden as it grows in value. Beauty comes with time. When it is too crowded, we can create space. When it is too empty, we can add to it.

Life will be even better if the garden can provide for. An edible garden is value added in multiple ways. Fruit trees provide shade and food. Herbs and spices are natural pest control. Vegetables are able to fulfill our everyday needs. There are several species of edible flowers too that adds to the esthetics of the garden. We can indulge in the produce, we can enjoy the scenery, we can breathe in fresh air, and best of all we know that everything is organic. When we eat what we plant, we will never use any harmful chemicals. We know for sure.

When the trees have grown tall to provide enough shade, we can start to think about inviting wildlife. We can have a featured bird bath with water fountain. We can even add a pond at the bottom for some koi. We can start building a few little bird houses so that lovely couples can nest and raise their young there.

At some point of time, we can even include bee boxes. There are many varieties of bees to choose from. Bees are very beneficial insects. They are responsible for good pollination in the garden while providing us with delicious honey. Having bees in the garden is great but we do have to be alert of fogging times. When it is mosquito season, we have to be extra careful with the bee boxes, ensure to seal them tight. Fogging kills most insects, bees are not spared.

We can have all sorts of ideas in our mind. Whether or not we can see the outcome is entirely up to us. We can aim for any goal that we want. Whether or not we will reach the finish line is entirely up to us. We have the power in our hands, as long as we plan ahead. Somewhere along the way change happens, it is okay. We still have a plan to guide us through to success.

Imagination runs wild. With a little planning, any dream can come true. Act on the plan!

 

To accomplish great things, we must not only act but also dream. Not only plan but also believe.

Francois-Anatole Thibault (Anatole France), French poet, journalist, and novelist, 1844-1924

Hungry

Hunger exists everywhere. It is the pain point everyone faces.

When we are hungry, we would find food by all means and ways. It is great living in cities as food is readily available everywhere. There are food stalls, food trucks, restaurants, and much more. We can even get hot food in the cinemas now. We should be grateful that we do not have to worry about food where we live.

The only difference between all individuals living in the urban areas is probably the type of foods that we choose to have. We are spoilt by the choices available to us. We no longer need to fly to Japan for sushi, Australia for steak, Europe for bread and cheese. We can even enjoy wine in a relaxing ambience at a small local cellar nearby. There are convenient stores that open 24/7. Food is in abundance for those who can afford it.

Let us not forget that no matter how great a city is, there are always hungry individuals around. People living under bridges, old folks that are homeless, and strays that roam the streets. Generosity means everything to them. They do not beg, they just hope to be able to fill their stomachs for the night. If we have left over foods, why not offer to them instead of throwing into the rubbish pile. A little kindness offered to others do not hurt us in any way.

Life seems easier off the hustle and bustle in the city. Nothing is easier or harder than what we have now. It is the perception of the mind. We think it is easy because we see it as easy, we think it is hard because we see it so. If we have not lived through the course, we will never know.

Off the city, everything is on ourselves. Cost of living is much lower but there are problems we need to face as well. Varieties are scarce though we have a lot of space to breathe. We need to farm on our own and pests are unavoidable. So, how do we control them? We can take the shortcut, that is to use pesticides but that would make no difference to the foods we get in the city. Natural pest control methods are less effective. We need to strike a balance between sacrificing some of the foods or sacrificing our life. It is by choice.

The local store could be miles away. If we are hungry in the middle of the night, it is extremely inconvenient to head to the store for food. Thus, we need to have more supply at home. There may not be homeless beings to feed but it is not the reason to waste food either. If there is extra, it would kind to leave it out for wildlife to feast on or bury under soil as fertilizer. Life in the outskirts should be more ecofriendly.

There is one thing in all of us that we need to consistently feed, our SOUL.

Wherever we are, life is as such that we tend to be stagnant at some point of time. It can be due to being content or being frustrated that makes us feel like life is boring or stuck. Perhaps this is a great time for change.

Be hungry for change as transformation is vital!

Life is too short to be always doing the same things over and over. Nature has much to offer. We have all been given six senses but most of us have lost the most important one, the sixth sense. Is it gone for good? It is there, it is always there as it has been when we were born. It is just hiding somewhere. We only need to find its hiding place and bring it out to the light.

Seeing ourselves with a different perspective brings upon us enlightenment. Perhaps we feel torn in between the good now and the better future. We do not know what lays ahead. We are afraid that the change may turn into something horrible. It could be past experiences that are telling us to stop moving forward. If we stay put where we are now, we are going nowhere.

Find within ourselves the urge to move forward. There is chance that we will succeed. Even if we don’t, we can give ourselves a pat in the back, at least we tried.   

 

To a hungry person, every bitter food is sweet. When the preferable is not available, the available becomes preferable!

Israelmore Ayivor, Inspirational writer, blogger and LifeSkills Entrepreneur

Sun

The sun is simply the center of our universe.

We live on this earth that depends solely on the sun to bring us many things that nothing can ever replace. When the sun rises, a new day arrives. A new day, a new beginning. Anything that has happened yesterday becomes history. Whatever that happens now is what creates history. Everything that happens tomorrow can be random or planned.

Every time the sun rises, it brings with it hope. We just wake from slumber. We had a dream. We dream far and wide. We do not know how but we know that we can hold on to that dream. We realize that with hope, a dream can come true. We only need to believe that the universe is working with us, for us.

What is life without hope?

The sun is the source of all life on earth. Perhaps we have not realized. The sun brings with it heat. The warmth that is created makes life possible. Just imagine life where the sun is not present. How are we to live? We probably would need to hide indoors under layers of sheets to stay warm. We probably would need to carry on our shoulders coats of sweaters to stay warm. Life may not even exist.

It is rather easy to imagine life in the everlasting snow and ice caps. The first men have done it, and perhaps we can too. But life will not be easy without the sun. How many have really been? The snow is fair and pure, they are beautiful but lifeforms are scarce. Many lifeforms stay under the snow to keep warm. What are we to make for food? Where do we find variety like we have here in tropical countries? 

Most humans populate areas where the sun is out most of the time. Life flourish the way it should. I am grateful to be born and raised in a country with little natural disaster. My home country is blessed with a large area of tropical rainforest that supports vast species of life. Though unfortunately, many forests are cut down for development to happen, I have set upon myself to build a little haven of my own in the little space I have at home. Perhaps I do not have green fingers but at least I give it a try.

With all the light that we have from the sun, we are able to grow many plants to contribute to the environment. I am an individual that is doing my part. Just imagine if the whole neighbourhood will do their part as well, then perhaps life would be better for everyone.

A little light from the sun, combined with a little shower from the rain, which forms a rainbow. When we strike a balance between something that seems good and something that seems bad, we will reach a destination beyond our imagination. Rainbow is perceived as the most beautiful natural form of light. It contains all spectrum of colours in different hues. Every rainbow is different.

Just as we are brought down with something that seemingly has no values, we may not realize that we are on the way to creating that rainbow within us. Always look at things beyond our imagination. Everything happens for a reason. All we need to do is to embrace it and learn from it.

We can tap into the energy of the sun to bring us to greater places. Just stare at the rays coming through the window and we can see little specks of dusts moving aimlessly back and forth. We should realize that the sun exists for one great reason, which is to energize all there is in this universe. The sun’s energy may run out one day, but never in our lifetime. By then, the human race would have already found other ways to energize life on earth. Perhaps, we are one of the contributors of this invention too. We never try, we never know.

The sun represents power. The land of the rising sun has conquered many parts of the world. We know from history that there were sufferings in creation of all empires. Generations have passed. We are living in peace now. Let us all use our little power with great minds to continuously bring peace to the world.

Let the sun guide us the way.

 

The day, water, sun, moon, night – I do not have to purchase these things with money.

Titus Maccius Plautus (Plautus), Roman playwright, 254BC-184BC

Ginger

Plants have a lot to offer. It is up to us to find out the hidden values.

Ginger is often referred to as the root of a plant. Whatever the part of the plant it is, the benefits of ginger is vast. The whole plant is in fact beneficial and edible, thus used for many types of cooking in Asian countries. It carries with it an aroma so special it is not available anywhere else.  

Young ginger is crunchy and nice to chew on. It is easily acceptable for people who are starting to taste ginger. Old ginger on the other hand is very fibrous and often too spicy for beginners. However, old ginger offers more benefits compared to the young ones. Thus, the Chinese proverb “The older the ginger, the more spicy”. This proverb connects nature with humans. It literally refers to older men are more experienced compared to younger men. It is to advice people to be respectful to the elders, especially in business deals.

Ginger contains gingerol, with highest concentration in the skin. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to ensure the source of ginger we are using. Organic would be a great choice when the plant food is to be consumed whole, without removing the skin. Or, an even better choice, plant our own. It is easy to grow because of its hardiness. It does not require much care in tropical countries. Just prop a few tubers in the ground and they will do their own magic. We can expect to get some good yield after about six months.

This part of the plants has been used as medicine in Asian traditional healing such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda. We can trust the healing properties of this plant as people from totally different backgrounds and countries are using ginger commonly to cure certain ailments. TCM is from China while Ayurveda is from India. Though both countries are from the same Asia continent, if we are to measure the distance in the world map, they are miles away. Hundreds of years ago, it is quite impossible for them to communicate without the help of modern transport and technology.

The point is, if people from faraway lands that have never communicated with each other, can come up with the same conclusion to use ginger as medicine, then they must know what they are doing. We can trust their findings that ginger is a beneficial.

The heat that ginger provides is soothing to the stomach. It helps in gathering gas or wind in the stomach, to be released as burp or fart. Though this may sound disgusting, it is a natural course our body uses to remove excessive gas or wind in the whole body.

Our modern lifestyle is actually quite damaging to our body. We take cold showers after the sun is down and sleep in less than an hour after bath. Our hair is probably still damp when we go to bed. These are all bad practices that we do every single day. It can lead to bloating, inflammation, joint pains, stiff neck, and even chronic headaches. We may not feel it now but as age catches up all the problems will creep in making us miserable. This is not yet including the cold drinks that we take on a hot day, especially the carbonated ones.

Having ginger in our diet helps ease all of the above symptoms and illnesses, and prevent recurrence. Their effects may not show immediately, but they are the long term cure.

Many of us think that putting ginger into our diet is a hassle. If you are keen to keep your health in tip top condition, you will find by all means and ways to do it. There are manufacturers specializing in making ginger easily accessible even to those countries where it is impossible to cultivate ginger. Nowadays, ginger come in the form of powder. Just one scoop a day in the morning is all you need to get yourself going. You can even use ginger powder in soups or mix with other beverages and have it together during meal times.

In the end, it is the effort that matters. Learn to live and grow with ginger.

 

Carrots in winter and ginger in summer, then the doctor won’t have to write a prescription.    

Chinese Idioms, www.yoyochinese.com

Garden

The best way to enjoy life is in a garden full of trees and fruits and flowers.

Everyone perceives life differently but there is no doubt that a garden makes the heart beat slower. This sense of relaxation is undeniably wonderful. Life is so much more beautiful with the scent of freshness in the air and hues that cleanse the eyes.

Anyone can have a garden in the home. Gardens can vary in sizes. Every urban living person is probably used to the concrete jungle. However concrete it can be, there is always room for some greens. Be it a little pot next to the computer screen or the tiny bed at the window sill. A garden is somewhat something that has no rules.

Home gardening is gaining popularity nowadays. Tiny homes become especially interesting with little pots of plants hanging from the ceiling right in front of the windows. All plants need a little sunlight and some nurturing to provide so much more to us humans. With little care, they adapt quickly to the environment. There is a lot we can learn from the little leaves from the hanging stems. They seem so fragile and yet so tough. Never judge a book by its cover describes them well.

Some people have become more creative in way of planting. They reuse kitchen containers and tin cans from the canned food urbanites indulge on to make their little herb garden in the kitchen. This is the best place to have herbs hanging around. Not only they are a pretty sight, they are also conveniently available for cooking. Their fragrance will drive away pests in the kitchen as well.

There are city dwellers more fortunate to have a little patch of soil in front of their houses. With more space, the variety of plants grows wider. Scrubs and small fruit trees can be of great choice. As long as their root system is not too invasive, they can easily beautify the home while providing shade and yield. Not only it is very satisfying plucking fruits from trees planted in our little garden patch, it is also healthy. We know the source. We know it is organic.

Retirement means differently to everyone. Some see retirement as dreadful because they love to be surrounded by people and work. Some see retirement as a chance to finally travel to see the world. Some would like to give back to nature and society.

We have spent most of our lives hustling and bustling without realizing that nature is paying the cost of everything. Perhaps retirement means to have us slow down and return nature a favour. I have a plan to move back to where I was born. This place is neither a city nor a village. It is a town where basic amenities are readily available and yet each house has their own patch for planting. Life in a town is calming. The birds sing beautifully every morning. The main roads are a few kilometers away. The only sounds covering the night are from crickets and bats.

Neighbours all greet each other. They chat about almost anything under the sky. There are no boundaries. When we are travelling, it is so easy to get helpful neighbours to take care of our home. The barter system somewhat exist in town areas. I have a mango tree, you have a mangosteen tree, and we can exchange the yields. This is what urban societies lack and should learn from.

Some who have seen a lot in the world may have even bigger dreams on retirement. Perhaps a piece of land far away from the rest is ideal. Many would seek to migrate to New Zealand for the peaceful life there. Perhaps it would be much easier to adapt to life in home country. The weather is just right. The people talk in the same language.

I have this dream of building a Homeless Sanctuary right in my home country. As the name says, this is a sanctuary solely for the homeless. This is a place for the strays and abandoned, be it dogs, cats, or even humans. The rule of thumb is to have the homeless humans take care of the animals and everyone live in harmony. The green fingers can even start a farm and sell the yield to upgrade the sanctuary. This is a combination of an animal shelter, orphanage, old folks’ home, and much more. It is win-win for all.

Dream big.

 

A garden is always a series of losses set against a few triumphs, like life itself.    

Eleanore Marie Sarton (May Sarton), American poet, novelist and memoirist, 1912-1995

Food

Food is essential for every growth.

What is the first thing that comes to mind when the word food is mentioned. We think of burgers, steaks or the more staple rice and noodles. These are probably the food that we eat every day.

Food for comfort.

As humans, we have many choices of food. We love eating out a lot because we enjoy the efforts put into displaying the food artistically. Food art is inevitable. It is available everywhere. Food displayed in a certain way opens up our appetite and makes us feel good.

The food industry has made a lot of accomplishments throughout the years. We can enjoy food from faraway lands now thanks to the preservation technology. We have invented ways to transport food from one continent to another while keeping the quality and freshness of the food. People from tropical countries enjoy berries while people from the ice lands enjoy durians, the king of fruits.

Food is the most discussed topic in all walks of life. We need food for survival. Everyone gets hungry. Everyone needs food to provide energy. Food can make us feel happy, fulfilled, love, calm, and much more.

Food for health.

Recently, more people have consciousness on food. We realize that convenience is not the answer to life. It is just a predictable tool in the fast life that we are living here and now. We love the convenient store as they provide many choices of ready to eat food in packages and cans. We enjoy the speedy delivery of hot food from the fast food chains which are readily available in all urban areas.

How often do we sit and enjoy food as we should? Who do we often eat with? These are very indirect ways to tell if we are living life as we should.

We see a lot of people sharing and promoting healthy food cooked at home, salads, and fruits. People are starting to encourage diets to cater for different needs. We hear more now than ever diets like keto, paleo, and vegan. This has become the new norm for everyone that is looking for lose weight or get healthy quick diet. Some even go to the extreme and become fruitarians. There is no right or wrong in any diets. It all depends on how we listen to our body’s needs.

As for me, enjoying the taste of food is the way to live a healthy life. We do not need excess sugar to make us happy. We do not need caffeine to bump us up in the morning. All we need is to explore every taste that is put into our mouths, smell every scent that our nose can pick up, and enjoy the sensation as the food travels down our stomach. Listen to what our body is telling us and every food intake is food for health.

Food for thought.

This is something we cannot see or hold in the normal way. It is not edible. We probably cannot smell it too. So why is it important?

Very often we think of food that feeds our body. How do we feed our soul? Our brain is the only organ that is alive even when all other organs have failed. We need to understand the way that really promotes brain health.

We face with many moments every day in our life. When our brain is at full capacity, we can think and act fast. It depends on what kind of questions we point to the brain. Sometimes we find it easy to produce ideas. Sometimes we feel that the brain is stuck and we wonder why it behaves differently.

Let us all understand that our brain needs to rest to reset. When we give our mind a break, we get to recharge ourselves in the most unbelievable manner. Just a ten minute meditation daily makes a whole lot of difference. When the mind is clear, the brain works better. It is like shutting down your computer for ten minutes then turn back on and you will find that your computer works more efficiently. We turn off our computers daily, why not our brain?

Some argue that we are pressing the reset button when we sleep. Do you think that the brain really gets to rest in sleep? Point to ponder.

 

Owners of dogs will have noticed that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they will think you are God. Whereas owners of cats are compelled to realize that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they draw the conclusion that they are Gods.    

Christopher Eric Hitchens (Christopher Hitchens), English-American intellectual, 1949-2011