Paradox of Our Times

Today we have bigger houses and smaller families;
More conveniences, but less time;
We have more degrees, but less common sense;
More knowledge, but less judgment;
We have more experts, but more problems;
More medicine, but less wellness.

We spend too recklessly, laugh too little,
drive too fast, get angry too quickly,
Stay up to late, get up too tired;
Read too little, watch TV too often;
and Pray too seldom

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We talk too much, love too little and lie too often.

We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life;
We’ve added years to life; not life to years.

We have taller buildings, but shorter tempers;
Wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints.

We spend more, but have less,
We buy more, but enjoy it less.

We’ve been all the way to the moon and back,
But have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbour.

We’ve conquered outer space, but not inner space.
We’ve split the atom, but not our prejudice.

We write more, but learn less,
Plan more, but accomplish less.

We’ve learned to rush but not to wait;
We have higher incomes, but lower morals.

We build more computers to hold more information;
To produce more copies, but have less communication.
We are long on quantity, but short on quality.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion;
Tall men and short character;
Steep profits and shallow relationships.

More leisure and less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition;
Two incomes, but more divorce; fancier houses, but broken homes.

That’s why I propose, that of as of today,
You do not keep anything for a special occasion,
Because everyday that you live is a special occasion.

Search for knowledge, read more,
Sit on your front porch and admire the view
Without paying attention to your needs

Spend more time with your family and friends,
Eat your favourite foods, and visit the places you love.

Life is a chain of moment of enjoyment,
Not only about survival

Use your crystal goblets.
Do not save your best perfume,
And use it every time you feel you want it.

Remove from your vocabulary phrases like “one of these days” and “someday:
Let’s write that letter we thought of writing “one of these days”

Let’s tell our families and friends how much we love them.
Do not delay anything that adds laughter and joy to your life.

Everyday, every hour, and every minute is special.
And you don’t know if it will be your last.

If you’re too busy to take the time to send this message to someone you love,
And you tell yourself you will send it “one of these days”.
Just think… “One of these days,” you many not be here to send it!

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PS. I received the above via email and I thought it was especially apt for us in Brunei. By the way, I am away attending an APEC meeting in Hanoi and will be leaving later today and I am not sure what kind of internet connection that will be available, so postings to the blogsite may not be as frequent for the coming week.