23 rules of lives

記住這23條，你至少成熟5歲

1、遇到不想回答的問題：直視對方的眼睛，微笑、沉默。

2、走路擡頭挺胸，心情不好時，不想跟人招呼，點頭微笑，逕直走過

3、請記得：好朋友的定義是，你混的好，他打心眼裡為你開心，你混的不好，他由衷的為你著急。

4、做自己的決定，然後準備好承擔後果。從一開始就提醒自己，世上沒有後悔藥吃，而我永遠有個B計劃。

5、自己分內的事情，努力做到一百分。

6、接受自己不過是個「小小的我」，但眼裡要能夠悅納「大大的世界」。

7、如果你真的喜歡一個人，就給他自由。如果他能回到你身邊，他就是你的，如果他沒有回來，那他也永遠不屬於你。

8、不要試圖給自己找任何借口，錯誤面前沒人愛聽那些借口。

9、不要隨意發脾氣，誰都不欠你的。

10、不說謊話，因為總有被拆穿的一天。

11、別低估任何人。

12、你沒那麼多觀眾，別那麼累。

13、過去的事情可以不忘記，但一定要放下。

14、別人說的記在腦袋裡，而自己的，則放在心裡。

15、社會是有等級的，很多事不公平，別抱怨，因為沒有用。

16、你永遠沒有你自己想像中那麼重要。

17、錢能解決的問題統統不叫問題。

18、無論何時說「我愛你」，請真心實意，無論何時說「對不起」，請看著對方的眼睛。

19、永遠不要以貌取人，慢慢地說，但要迅速地想。

20、找點時間，單獨呆會兒。

21、不是自己的東西不要，就是再喜歡也不行，要懂得放棄。

22、不要覺得是生活虧欠了你，其實是我做的努力不夠。

23、努力向前，再努力向前，再努力一下下，願望就會實現！

After Li Na and Liu Xiang, how about sports players in HK?

Li Na, the first Asian female player, dethrones Francesca Schiavone at the French Open 2011. While I was watching the highlights of the final, I amazed at the strength, confidence and determination both players, respectively at the age of 29 and 30, exhibited during the play. The smooth and witty movement of Li in the game is definitely amazing and marvelous, while Schiavone had a strong come back during the second set of the play. A great match, I would say, watching how both players fought back with different tactics on the clay.

Just read a piece of their interviews before the play, Li said, 'You have to use your head, every day. Every player is different but for sure on the clay you can't use just the power. It's a mix of everything. You have to be good physically, mentally and tactically. You can't play just power because you have always the time to defend and to counterattack. It's a good mix to keep going, to use the mind, the heart, the body, everything that you are.'

I would call it a breakthrough of Li Na's championship in Chinese sports development within the white-dominated tennis playing. In these recent years, it is not hard to observe there are some real good Chinese sports players gaining acclaimed results in international competitions. Li Na is the one, also Liu Xiang.

These encouraging results only draw me back to one question, 'how about Hong Kong's sports development?' There was once a heated discussion and passion on the outstanding performance in the East Asian Games 2009 against Japan. Subsequently, the government claimed to support the non-mainstream local sports development. After a year and a half, what is the progress? Yes, the government promised to invest ten million dollars in promoting football and building sports facilities.

Wait. Is money all we need in promoting sports development, that just mere promotion and construction can help to foster sports? It takes good coaching, time and culture to truly push forward sports development in Hong Kong. Back to the education system, while everyone is stressing on academics, who else cares about the sports development? Even young kids are digging their heads in books. Fencing? Footballs? Basketballs? It's not just about the players, but the culture and atmosphere around that matter in nurturing the development. Besides, what about the protection of retired football players? It is not uncommon to see many retired game players are not financially supported after their sports career. Recently, a football player even committed suicide few years after his sports playing because of financial problems. Simply, sports players are not well supported or financed. In face of the limited prospects, the sports development will only be confined in a deadlock, no matter how much you spent on it without changing the whole system.

After Li Na and Liu Xiang, perhaps Hong Kong could aim herself higher and ask the question, 'how can we truly facilitate sports and culture in Hong Kong?'

After 22 years, we still hold our head high.

4 June, 1989

'A day that we do not want to remember but dare not to forget.'

22 years ago, a group of students and workers marched to Beijing demanding free media and dialogue between authorities and student representatives. A declaration demanded the government to accelerate the political reform. After a series of hunger strike and protests, the government sent the army and tanks to block the entry of the students. Thousands were killed.

In these 22 years, people have been crying out for justice to be done in this massacre. Government officials, as expected, denied the killing and claimed only few deaths. For all those years, the Chinese government is working her way to strengthen the country's economy, so that people will put the political concern aside. 'I understand the feelings of the Hong Kong people towards June 4 Incident. But it happened many years ago. Between now and then, our country has made impressive achievements in all areas of development, which have also brought economic prosperity to Hong Kong,' said Mr. Donald Tsang, the Chief Executive of the HKSAR government.

Yet, no matter how hard you are trying to suppress one thing, it will come back. Memories, photographs, documents and passages, they tell us the history, the past and the calls for justice.

The June Forth Incident is not simply just an incident. It is an significant indication of the first large-scale democratic movement in China, a symbol of people's fight against the government and sadly, a witness of the government's cruelty over the people.

We are coming a long and hard way to demand dissident to be released from prisons and suppressions. China, are you listening?

Tuesdays with Morrie

Yea, i know i know, 'Tuesdays with Morrie' has been out for several years. But I picked this book again after reading it for few times. And surprisingly, I learnt something new each time.

The book hits me with several great lines from Morrie, which are worth sharing.

'Life is a series of pulls back and forth. You want to do one thing, but you are bounded to do something else.'

This line pulls me into some thoughts about life. There are different struggles in lives, right? We have to make our choices in working on one stuff, while to choose something to let go. Life is never perfect, one has to give up certain options to make something complete. We are struggling, we are living in middle of the stretched rubber band. This is what everyone has been undergoing, so no complaints but to accept and move on.

'Love wins. Love always wins'

Growing up as an adult, the word 'love' means more and more to me. It does not only refer to romance but the tightened bound within family, friends and teachers. If we love, we would be considerate, forgiving, know how to treasure and be grateful for everything around. Love would defeat hatred, jealousy, aggression and selfishness. Love rules, love always wins. It does.

'We...need to forgive ourselves...for all the things we didn't do. All the things we should have done. You can't get stuck on the regrets of what should have happened.'

This line impresses me most while reading. Sometimes, I would have drown myself in a pool of negative thinking-back process. 'Hey, what if I work better to let my father to change his views on me?' 'Wait, would my life change better if I have social with that particular group of friend?' Regrets. Thinking back. Guess what? Life is passing every minute while we do such kind of unnecessary thoughts. Before i have tried to ignore or not thinking these questions. But reading this line from Morrie made me realize that, we have to face these regrets, yet not to feel sorry for them. We have to forgive ourselves to move on with a better life.

'Don't cling to things, because everything is impermanent.'

It says it all. Do not cling to materialistic things because money would have gone. To live is to live up the spirit of lives, to splendor in a way of giving out love and kindness.

'Death ends a life, not a relationship.'

It is meaningless to not willing to let go of a person physically, but not spiritually. Keep your love, respect and appreciation in your heart of the deceased. It might be a foolish saying, but I always believe they know our love, no matter where they are. I thought of a line from Mr. Szeto Wah, a political activitist of pan-democratic party who passed away few months before, said that 'If you have a beloved one in heart, and the one has loved you so deeply, that kind of affection will be kept in heart even if they are separated by death.' Death only ends one's life, not the bound between.

Too many quotes worth mentioning. Still, the above gives me a lot of good moments of pause to think, and to reflect.

If you feel despaired one day, face a blow of life challenges or need something to inspire with, grab the book and it will enlighten you.