How to stay Young

Liang Juan - It is understood that no one will want "something bad" to be done to him by others. Therefore, it goes without saying that everyone expects "something good" from others and if that happens, the person receiving good things or assistance should reciprocate if he behaves rationally. I think we are seeing the same thing from opposite ends of the pole.

David Han Liang Juan wrote (21 February 2006, 1334 hours):

Mike, I have attended more lunches than you can remember. Some times when we are being "volunteered" into some fuzzy organisation to handle an assignment, time is no longer our own but by the needs of the processes of the assignment. Just like I am leaving for Ho Chi Minh City to guide a flock of 56 companies under the Singapore Pavilion at an Industrial Exhibition. But by being at the luncheon doesn't mean that we have to eat a lot just to get you money's worth. It is the company of those we meet at the lunches that makes me attend them. To me, if you eat more then you are reducing the credits in your "makan in your life" easylink account. Once the account is zero, you die. Plain and simple. Once you get a lot of sickness, your credits in your "health" easylink accounts is depleted quickly and when this is zero, you die. But if you still have much credits in you "Makan" and "Health" easylink account BUT your time left in you time-life easylink account reaches you also die. So it all depends which of the 3 accounts you deplete first. Best is to have 3 deplete to zero about the same time, then you would have got the maximum in life. Any good you do to others will not increase in the credits in any of your accounts. It only makes you feel good as a fellow human being.

David Han Liang Juan wrote (21 February 2006, 1317 hours):

I am glad you are not tired of living. Life is best when we have a positive outlook. You may have been mistaken when you said that you agree that "we should do to others what we want others do to us...". I DO NOT agree to that philosophy. I said that we should do good to others and not be bad to others, and DO NOT do good hoping for the returns. If we do anything hoping for the same to be done to us then we are really do good to others for our own sake. That's a very pitiful state of being a living person. Don't expect "Karma" in life. And my creators are my parents.

Mike Chan wrote (21 February 2006, 1034 hours):

David, regarding your good advice about not over-eating, no wonder you seldom attend our ACS59 lunches nowadays. I think I shall comply and not attend the buffet-lunches anymore, where one tends to overeat to get one's money worth. Good advice for the overeaters like Pete (guess who?) to follow... eat till you are 75% full and then stop!!! Look away from the lobster, fillet steak, etc.

Mike Chan wrote (21 February 2006, 1015 hours):

David, 63 yr old eyes can,t read your small print... please increase font size at AA above.

Some interesting stats:

(1) In aboutt 99 years, all those presently living including all the powerful leaders, beautiful Hollywood stars, even your new-born grandkids will have succumbed to almighty death.
(2) Only 10% of humans who ever lived since man first walked this planet, are now alive and kicking. So if the present population is aboutt 5 billion, there were about 50 billion progenies of Adam and Eve, if you believe the Bible, or of Mr and Mrs Apeman, if you believe Darwin.

Although I was a born-again Christian during my impressionable teen years back in the 50s, I am now an agnostic like LKY, GCT and LHL, the 3 most powerful men here. No, I did not follow them blindly but my life experiences through the decades plus reading books like "Why I am not a Christian" by Bertram Russell and "Farewell to God" by Charles Templeton, the former Billy Graham of Canada, made me give up my belief/faith for a freer, inquiring mind.

I always like to quote Kerry Packer the richest Aussie who years ago experienced after-life for 10 minutes when his heart stopped beating: "The good news is, there is no Hell. But the bad news is, there is no Heaven either".

Boys and Girls, here's to Life, and while we're alive, Cheers!!!

Eio Eng Hua wrote (20 February 2006, 2140 hours):

Hi, Liang Juan (David),

Thank you for your response to my subject, "A frightening thought". I enjoyed reading your line of argument. If you have read my e-mail carefully, you will note that I did mention, "We did not choose to be born". So, that answers your opening question.

As for the song, "My treasures are laid up for beyond the blue", it simply means that heaven is a much better place than earth. We are not talking about gold and silver as described in "Treasure Island"!

Answering your question, "How do you know the Bible is telling the truth"? Well, I accept by faith that what the Scriptures teach is true. I respect your conviction of not believing what I believe. That's okay because you may have good reasons for taking such a position. On the issue of good works, I do agree that "we should do to others what we want others to do to us." Likewise, the other way round. Concerning health, I always advocate, "Eat to live but don't live to eat!" A good advice from our Dr. Tan Kim Ping, "Eat several meals a day but take only small portion each time."

Your ending words seem to suggest that I am tired of living. I am not a pessimist. I always look at the bright side and I enjoy every moment of my life.

David Han Liang Juan wrote (20 February 2006, 1828 hours):

Why be so troubled by asking why we are born in the first place. Since we are already in uniform from the liquid form by actions taken by our parents, who are we to ask. Just take it that we are the fruit of a moment of love and we are here to enjoy the time we have until the last bit of air leaves our lungs. If we are not here to enjoy our being here why are so much money and effort being expanded to bring joy and fun to more and more people? Why do we start tour and resort business to entice people to have fun on this "earth". I hope you will not really literally believe that there will be after life and that your "treasures are laid up, for beyond the blue". By then you will never know whether you will still be able to enjoy the treasures after death. How do you know that that will come true? Why not enjoy all you can now and to treat death as the end of your being on earth. Who has been there and told you that he/she were able to reap the treasures after death? And don't tell me that the bible tells you so. Who said that what is said in the bible is true? Only those who is a believer or one who is trying to preach his belief. Same as the fruit seller who will almost always tell you that the sunkist orange he sells is sweet!

I believe that we should do good to others. But not because that will give me good after life or that this will beget goodness from others. I do it just to give those less fortunate a little happiness. I also believe that we should not do evil to others not because of fear of getting the same back at me. Look at what Bush is doing. He does evil to others but calls it liberation and human rights. But when it is done to him, it is the act of devil! A real hypocrite!

Back to what I am trying to say - you have only so much time to live and so much to eat. When your time is up you will die. If you ill-treat your body you will have less time. You have only so much to eat in your life. So If you eat a lot at each time you will finish your quota and will die sooner. So the trick is to balance the time given, the way you treat your body (health wise) and the amount you eat, you will have an optimum life. Instead of spending time pondering when you will die, spend time to do good to others and most important to yourself, eat wisely and enjoy each day to the fullest, for you do not know whether you will see the next sunrise. Live on my friend!

Eio Eng Hua wrote (20 February 2006, 1742 hours):

Mike - You are asking a theological question which is not easily answered. The matter of "Life after death" is a deep subject as different religion holds different views. Even scientists do not agree among themselves what goes beyond this life. I am no theologian, religious scholar or scientist. I can't comment on the religious beliefs or evolution theories held by others. I can only tell you that Christians put their trust on what the Bible teaches about eternal life - i.e. salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Mike Chan wrote (20 February 2006, 1644 hours):

Please read my post again....... your sentiments same as mine!

I only object to your statement that only Christians will have a good after-life. So what happens to non-Christians like agnostics, buddhists, muslims etc?

Eio Eng Hua wrote (20 February 2006, 1334 hours):

Mike, I feel sad to be branded as a "grouch". Actually, I believe in facing reality. No point trying to bluff yourself. All of us are travelling along this earthy road which must come to an end - the lucky ones will reach the "finish line" later, and that's it!

There is however, a brighter side of things. We must be thankful that we are now in our 60s. Each time I read about young people dying from natural disasters, disease and wars, I feel I have cheated life by 30 or 40 years! We must not forget those of our classmates who had gone over "the other shore" long before us (see Class of 59/61 directory).

Indeed, our destinies are in the hands of the Creator. So, let's be happy and meet more often to have lunch, dinner or even breakfast!

Mike Chan wrote (20 February 2006, 1224 hours):

Here comes the kaypoh Mike Chan!

Eng Hua, did you realise you are one of the grouches mentioned in TPSoon's list (point # 2), to avoid at all costs?

My philosophy of life.....death is part of life. The minute you are born, you are doomed to die some 3-4 decades later. I read a scientific magazine last month that those born in the 'noughties' (2000 onwards) have a good chance of being centenarians due to ongoing medical breakthroughs etc... and that includes your grandkids. Our bodies and organs inside are not made to last a century as they break down due to wear and tear and accidents. I now have 2 permanent stainless steel screws each 1.5 inch long screwed thru my right tibia and fibula to ensure they stay aligned after my fall downstairs. When you age, your bones get brittle... be careful not to fall especially if you are fat and tall and always hold the balustrade or railing when you climb up/down stairs. My mistake was to saunter down my stairs to answer an urgent phone-call as I have been doing for decades..... this time kena brought to my senses that I'm 63 going on 64 and not 35!

Do you realise that we all have to die in order to make way for our children, grandkids and progenies for living space, jobs, food, shelter etc? We are lucky as long as we have kids to carry on our good genes and to live vicariously through them. With about 20 years or so left in every acs59 cohort's life (all of us above), please remember these:

Eio Eng Hua wrote (20 February 2006, 1109 hours):

This morning I received news that the wife of a close friend of mine has passed away. It was only during the recent Chinese New Year that I visited her and she was still alive. I now ask myself, "When is my turn?!"

Some people ask this question, "If we know that we will die someday, why bother to be born in the first place?" Of course, the answer is "We did not choose to be born." Others will lament, "Death is the end of life, ah, why should life all labour be? Eat, drink and be merry for we may not live to see tomorrow."

Fortunately, for Christians, we can sing this song, "This world is not my home, I am just a passing through. My treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue."