Heaven on Earth

We are actually quite lucky here in Singapore to have a lot of greeneries.

With the amount of work stress in our Singaporean air, most of us seemingly:

(1) are really stressed,

(2) are under the psychological suggestion that we are stressed, or

(3) kiasu-ly think that we too are stressed.

I pretty much do what I want to do these days, any time I want to do them. So in terms of work, I'm quite a slacker. Still from time to time I

(4) get stressed thinking that I'm not working as hard as I should.

Pretty stupid, huh.

So I'm also one of those people who dream of how nice it is to be somewhere far away from here, for a week or a month, gazing at peaceful sceneries with no care at all.

But I gazed out the bus window this morning and saw the lines of trees and clouds in the background (yeah, yeah, I'm romantic like that) and thought, well, it was beautiful enough from where I was sitting. Like, how come I've been passing up being treated to such views every morning?

Eka and I have often had this talk about whether we should have more ambitions than we currently do (i.e. not much at all) and whether that is the right kind of life attitude. I tend to think contentment is the way to happiness, but even that is kind of tricky, that is, contentment can be an excuse not to put in more effort, and being content doesn't mean not trying for the better.

Someone has this very true saying:

"The challenge of life is to appreciate everything and attach yourself to nothing."

In the same light, can we be content with what we are and keep trying for the better without being attached to what we are trying to achieve?

My first reaction is to discard that as idealistic, but a wise friend once said, "So it's utopia, but that's what it's there for -- something to work towards."

So yo, I guess I've got work to do, more than those I do for my paycheck. And I guess I have those clouds and trees to keep me from stressing over it, too. Just as long as I remember to look.