Smile at each other,
Smile at your wife,
Smile at your husband,
Smile at your children,Smile at each other;Doesn't matter who it is,
And that will help you to grow up in greater love for each other.Mother Teresa
Many Americans are familiar with
"The Little Prince", a wonderful book by
Antoine de Saint-Exupery. This is a whimsical and fabulous book and works as a children's story as well as a thought-provoking adult fable. Far fewer are aware of Saint-Exupery's other writings, novels and short stories.
Saint-Exupery was a fighter pilot who fought against the Nazis and was killed in action. Before World War II, he fought in the Spanish Civil War against the fascists. He wrote a fascinating story based on that experience entitled 'The Smile (
Le Sourire)". It is this story which I'd like to share with you now. It isn't clear whether or not he meant this to be autobiographical or fiction. I choose to believe it is for the former.
He said that he was captured by the enemy and thrown into a jail cell. He was sure that from the contemptuous looks and rough treatment he received from his jailers he would be executed the next day. From here, I'll tell the story as I remember it in my own words.
"I was sure that I was to be killed. I became terribly nervous and distraught. I fumbled in my pockets to see if there were any cigarettes which had escaped their search. I found one and because of my shaking hands, I could barely get it to my lips. But I had no matches, they had taken those."
" I looked through the bars at my jailer. He did not make eye contact with me. After all, one does not make eye contact with a thing, a corpse. I called out to him "Have you got a light, por favor?" He looked at me, shrugged and came over to light my cigarette.
"As he came close and lit the match, his eyes inadvertently locked with mine. At the moment, I smiled. I don't know why I did that. Perhaps it was nervousness, perhaps it was because, when you get very close, one to another, it is very hard not to smile. In any case, I smiled. In that instant, it was as though a spark jumped across the gap between our two hearts, our two human souls. I know he didn't want to, but my smile leaped through the bars and generated a smile on his lips, too. He lit my cigarette but stayed near, looking at me directly in the eyes and continuing to smile.
"I kept smiling at him, now aware of him as a person and not just a jailer. And his looking at me seemed to have a new dimension, too. "Do you have kids?" he asked.
"Yes, here, here." I took out my wallet and nervously fumbled for the pictures of my family. He, too, took out the pictures of his
niƱos and began to talk about his plans and hopes for them. My eyes filled with tears. I said that I feared that I'd never see my family again, never have the chance to see them grow up. Tears came to his eyes, too.
"Suddenly, without another word, he unlocked my cell and silently led me out. Out of the jail, quietly and by back routes, out of the town. There, at the edge of town, he released me. And without another word, he turned back toward the town.
"
My life was saved by a smile."
Yes, the smile -- the unaffected, unplanned, natural connection between people. I tell this story in my work because I'd like people to consider that underneath all the layers we construct to protect ourselves, our dignity, our titles, our degrees, our status and our need to be seen in certain ways -- underneath all that remains the authentic, essential self. I'm not afraid to call it
the soul. I really believe that if that part of you and that part of me could recognize each other, we wouldn't be enemies. We couldn't have hate or envy or fear. I sadly conclude that all those other layers, which we so carefully construct through our lives, distance and insulate us from truly contracting others. Saint-Exupery's story speaks of that magic moment when two souls recognize each other.
I've had just a few moments like that. Falling in love is one example. And looking at a baby. Why do we smile when we see a baby? Perhaps it's because we see someone without all the defensive layers, someone whose smile for us we know to be fully genuine and without guile. And that baby-soul inside us smiles wistfully in recognition.
Hanoch McCarty
Christmas is just around the corner
The best scones ever...no other place but here! The T-Cafe. I always drop by here for a cuppa tea and scones. Ah, feels so good, so warm, like in heaven. Oh, this time I tried out their new homemade chicken pie, hmm, frankly not too cool, it's rather dry though. But the scones, still that good! Satisfied!
Ah huh, one thing not to missed is to go for steamboat dinner! And met my good friend here, already sitting there eating! Haa, this is really a small small world! So, smile more and be nice to people...hehe...
I wanna come here for a cuppa tea since long ago! Finally, I'm here! Well, to be honest, the view here was pretty good for me but the scones were horrible.....Sorry, but I just never thought that it will tastes that way! =.="
OK, here's my order! Homemade lasagne...but I can't really see what exactly I'm eating! Haa..the light bulb wasn't working (probably need a rest). Anyhow, I like the atmosphere here. So, I turned on the flash and voila, here it is! Hmm, lotsa thinly sliced carrot and I don't think I ate any lasagne sheets in there...but it's fine with me, the taste.
I love this place! Cause it is so quiet! Haa... you can sit down enjoy your breakfast, with no crowds!
The Asian Styled Breakfast tastes a lot better than the American Breakfast they offered here. The fried bihun was really good!
Smile at each other,
We have all heard the expression: "Remember to stop and smell the roses." But, how often do we really take time out of our hectic, fast-paced lives to notice the world around us? Too often we get caught up in our busy schedules, thoughts of our next appointment, the traffic or life in general, to even realize there are other people nearby.
That was the 3rd time I tried to bake...
And, this is my second cake - plain butter cake ^^
It has been years I took neither trekking nor hiking activities. Before leaving my foot prints on this hill, I did a little so-called research through the internet...MDR! There are lots of good comments about this place and most of them said that this is not a difficult trail (psst...this may be vary, depends on how fit you are..) Photo: That was only the beginning...still got a long long way to the peak....
There were so many people! I wonder if it is because of the public holiday or...? Look at them, the distance of each of them, so close! Isn't this dangerous or what? Well, once I've been told that you need to keep a certain distance from others, so that when you fall, others are still 'safe'..haa...Oh by the way, local people do come here for early morning walk! A morning walk to them OK, not a hike!
Today is Malaysia's 52th Independence Day. Merdeka!
Even kids come here! We saw kids that are a lot younger than the one in blue shirt in the photo! They seem to enjoy it so much..(you heard complaints only from the adult) MDR!!!
Go boy! Go Go Go! You will be there soon! 2minutes more! Yeah, 2minutes more! That was what we heard frequently from other passing hikers!
Green Green Green! J'aime beaucoup le vert!
Cogongrass...saw some ladies plucking these, so many of it that it looks like a bouquet. It looks so nice and relax, with the nice weather and wind blows...I feel sad to pluck it, it is like I am the intruder here..so no disturbs! Vous ĆŖtes beau, vous ĆŖtes belle!
Oh, so there was a tour here at this place. That explains the crowd...
A little further up and you will reach the peak...123, go go go!
Sit back..relax...no rush...I believe the sunrise and sunset view at this hill is superb. DC et LP, merƧi beaucoup pour vos aides. C'est une bonne excursion!
Have some sweets or chocolate when stress is saying hello to you... ^^
MerƧi mon amie!
Hehe, I like this better!
Once a little boy went to school.
Tada.....
Ola, that is my lovely kitchen...
Look at my veges!
