Shared Articles – Page 21 – trippingdifferently

January 18, 2012January 18, 2012

Kempt – The Phone Stack

Oooh… this is an excellent idea! i really wish i could implement this at home too… for hubby who is constantly connected or should i say 24/7 available to customers… sigh! Actually, i would like to create a stack for all electronic devices, put a ban on connectivity, just for that hour, so we can savour The Joy Of Quiet…

Kempt – The Phone Stack.

While i agree that technology & all these wonderful little devices have made keeping in touch so much easier (something i am most grateful for since we are far from family & close friends). It has also made leaving work harder. It has reduce the significance of face to face communication for some people. We are losing skills here – skills like making small talk, looking people in the eye when speaking with them. Fewer persons can engage in meaningful conversations without a GUI (Graphic User Interface).

i am guilty of too much screen-time as much as the next person. Which is why i think to disconnect once in a while is a fantastic thing & i believe that dinner time is the excellent time to disconnect. EAT in my dictionary stands for Eat And Talk. So we should do that & no more Eat And Text 😉

Wishing you a peaceful time of disconnect.

syc

January 15, 2012January 15, 2012

What Is True Spirituality?

Church & Cross on the edge of a cliff, Mt Pilatus, Switzerland

Being spiritual is something i have heard about far too often. i never really wanted to be too spiritual or have spirituality cos it always seemed so daunting to me; so much to need to live up to. When i think of a spiritual person, i think of people like Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa & pastors & leaders who have left their footprints in my life. i think of people who speak of big things & do great things. So little old me would never be a candidate for being a spiritual person. Or so i thought.

This article has changed that view. i don’t have to be charismatic or know everything about the Bible or have a fantastic vision to be spiritual or have true spirituality – i simply need to do what the Bible tells me to do; share the Love of God with the people i know, not just the Words of God but the practical love of God.

What Is True Spirituality? – Tullian Tchividjian.

The most critical point which the article highlights is that True Spirituality looks outward, not inward. It’s not about how much time i spend reading the Bible or the time i spend praying or listening to sermons. This is not to say these things are not important, they are. But what good is knowing the Bible inside out when your neighbour next door really needs a babysitter so he/she can go to work & support the family & i do nothing but nod & smile or talk about the Bible. Why not lend a helping hand? Showing them care & concern in ways which are tangible to them. i can pray & pray but if i do not avail myself to be the answer to my prayers for my loved ones & friends, i may just missed out on the opportunity to be a blessing to them & know what True Spirituality is.

syc

January 5, 2012

What Are They Thinking?!! – article from TODAY online

What ridiculous entry tests for children as young as six, just for enrichment classes!

Read the article below to find out more…

TODAYonline | Singapore | Sorry, your child is not bright enough.

i’m appalled that the education scene in Singapore has come to this! Children getting tested even for classes that are supposed to help them do better in school.

These people are just after the money – they don’t really care about the children who come to their classes! All they care about are results (the kids getting good results so they can brag & get more customers); & with results come more money. i say if you don’t truly care about the kids, then don’t join the education ~~business~~… (incorrect to say business cos then it will be about money)… don’t join in educating children!

When i went to school, sure there was pressure to perform & be the best but never to this extend where everything is dependent solely on the results you produced. i’m ever grateful to my parents for being who they are; for never pressuring me to do more than i can; for saying that as long as i have done my best, it’s good enough.

The other thing which makes me mad about this is this – What about the kids who truly need that little extra help to get up to standard (which is constantly shifting)?? They are the ones who do need the extra classes & attention. What about them? Whose helping them? By allowing only the “smart” kids to join these classes, they are just making the rift between the education of “smart” kids & “normal” kids bigger; which leads to an even bigger middle-class gap in society! Isn’t education about allowing every child the opportunity to do his/her best & to excel in doing what they do best & love best. To educated them, not discriminate against them!

A friend commented on her Facebook about this, speaking about whose is to blame – she is right & here i quote her cos i could not have said it better:

Some say it’s the education system’s fault. Some say, it’s the parents’ fault. To me, both have their share in this whole rat race. It’s scary, but it’s very real, and our children are living in this kind of environment and expectations. How they’ll ‘survive’ will greatly depend on us and the values we instill in them since very young …

This article just makes me appreciate the education system in Switzerland even more. That is not to say that it is a prefect system; far from that, it has its flaws but at least they realise & see the need for children to be children, to enjoy their childhood & playtime; which will teach them social & coping skills which books/academics can not! i share a tiny bit about the differences in the systems here.

This article has sparked much debate in Singapore now. i hope & pray that such debate will lead to positive action & improvement for the sakes of the children.

syc