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Sân bay Kuala Lumpur, 08/03/2015 Hai vợ chồng đứng check-in. Anh chồng trông có vẻ lếch thếch. Cô vợ mặc đồ có vẻ quê quê. Chắc là lần đầu đi du lịch Mã lai…. Vừa bước tới quầy check-in kế bên, bỗng cô vợ quay qua hỏi “Chị người Việt hả?”. Chưa kịp phản ứng, cô lại vội vàng nói tiếp “Chị dẫn em ra máy bay nhe. Em hông biết đường đi.” Ừa thì giúp. Cũng đâu phải lần đầu…. Hai vợ chồng lúi húi moi đồ ra khỏi va li. “Quá ký chị ơi. Đứng ngay cửa chờ em nghe. Ngay chổ đó đó.” “Nhờ gì mà nói chuyện không nhẹ nhàng gì hết ta”, bụng thầm nghĩ. “Mà thôi. Giúp người phải giúp cho trót.” “Đi chị. 3 năm rồi lần đầu tiên mới được về đó.” “Ủa em về 1 mình à? Làm gì ở đây mà 3 năm mới được về?” “Em lấy chồng qua đây 3 năm. Năm nay làm dữ lắm má chồng mới cho về. Mà hông cho ẵm con về nữa chị, 1 đứa 2 tuổi, 1 đứa mới 4 tháng rưỡi. Sợ em về luôn đó chị.” “Sao mà lại sợ em về luôn?” “Thằng chồng em nó ham chơi. Hông biết làm ăn gì. Suốt ngày câu cá câu tôm. Đi làm công nhân bữa làm bữa nghỉ. Má nó nuôi không hà. Bởi vậy em đâu có tiền xài. Hồi mới qua còn cho hai ba trăm gởi về cho má. Tết năm nay hổng có đồng nào.” “Vậy sao hồi đầu em ưng làm chi?” “Em làm đào ở Cần thơ. Tụi nó mai mối nói thằng này nhà ba bốn căn. Qua đây làm vợ nó sau này có tiền xài. Khỏi phải làm lụng cho cực nữa. Ai mà biết chị.” “Rồi lần này em về thăm nhà bao lâu?” “Về luôn chị ơi. Chịu hết nổi rồi!” Tay quẹt vội vài giọt dài giọt ngắn. “Tội 2 đứa nhỏ. Hoàn cảnh mà biết làm sao?” Vẫn là cái chuyện cô dâu Việt trên đất khách. Gần 20 năm sau cái thời rầm rộ “lấy chồng Đài loan” với những câu chuyện cười ra nước mắt, vẫn còn đây một cô Thảo nhà ở Cần thơ bỏ con chạy trốn chồng. Trách ai?!?

KLIA Airport, March 08, 2015 I spotted them as they looked a bit odd from the rest of the crowd. For a minute there, I thought they were a Vietnamese couple returning from holiday in KL. Probably their first trip out of the country as they looked a bit lost…. As they were checking in, I was called to the next counter. “Are you Vietnamese, sis?”, asked the lady suddenly. “Can you help me? I don’t know how to get to the plane”, continued she even before I could react. Oh well, this is not my first, so why not? “Sure”, I said. “My suitcase is overweight. Can you wait for me there?” After last night’ learning about the Islamic value of helping others from my Malay friend, my patience certainly does not run dry. “OK. Let’s go!” said she eagerly, all by herself as she approached me. “Oh so just you?” “My first trip back in the last three years, you know? Since I moved here with my Malaysian husband.” “Oh so you live here. It’s only a 1.5-hour flight. Why the wait for 3 years?” “My mother-in-law would not allow me to go back. Gotta fight hard this time, sis. Yet she would not allow me to take the 2 kids with me, one 2-year-old and one 4.5-month-old. Afraid I would not return, sis. That’s why!” Her story just got me intrigued. “Is there a reason why she should be afraid?” “Well, I found out after I moved here that my husband only enjoyed fishing for leisure and would not want to work. We have been supported by his mom for the last 3 years while I am raising 2 kids. First 2 years they gave me 200-300 to send back to my mom. This Chinese New Year there was none. I am so sick of this life, sis. No freedom. Totally dependent.” “Then why did you move here in the first place?” “The matching agent told me this guy had 3-4 properties, that marrying him and moving to KL from such a poor province like Can tho would change my life, that I would not have to worry about finance for the rest of my life.” “So how long are you gonna be back in Vietnam for?” “Back for good, sis. Back for good. Poor kids, but what else can I do?” Almost 20 years later since the “Marrying Taiwanese” movement in Vietnam with thousands of tear-filled stories on the media, am I really talking to another bride on a foreign land, still? Is it purely hope for a better life? Is it greed? Or is it simply the vast blue sky admired from the bottom of a well? Is it her to blame?

Dalat, February 22, 2014 Eyes of curiosity follow as I walk across sparkles of soft morning rays into the classroom. Somehow, Dalat manages to mesmerize this passionate visitor with its shadowy eyes of pride and its sobbing silence as the neverland of memories…. Have you ever felt eyes of a million souls softly land on your heart? As I seat myself down amongst these speech & hearing-impaired kids today, my heart sinks into a giant melting pot filled with unselfish love of a million lifetimes. Colors dance to a valse symphony as they brush rainbows of love onto innocent white canvases. Here, in 20 square meters of free spirit, space and time turn irrelevant…. Forced boundaries of race, posession, and fame slip through the velvet strokes as colors of hope twinkle on a galaxy of dreams. At times, I’ve wondered how one captures the dark side of a weep or the shadow of loneliness. Right here, right now, wondering all drifts away on a river of no return. Looking through glittering eyes of loving kindness, one learns how to paint happiness in shades of simplicity…. #shadow #paint #lovingkindness #happiness #loneliness #shade #color #perspective #weep #journey #love #life #kids #simplicity

As my inward journey takes me to neverland where one is all and all is one, my earthy self this year is still struck by the outside world. Here are the top 5’s: 1. Most admired person of the year: my brother Patrick Patrick called me one evening in May 2013 and told me that he’s found the answer. The next day he quit his job as a regional marketing team leader, and his comfort life to pursue his quest to help himself and others. 2. Most influencing book of the year: 金刚经 – The Diamond Sutra Through this sutra I’ve learned to erase all forms, expect nothing, and no longer hold on to anything…. “Like a tiny drop of dew, or a bubble floating in a stream; Like a flash of lightning in a summer cloud, Or a flickering lamp, an illusion, a phantom, or a dream. “So is all conditioned existence to be seen.” 3. Most confronting situation: seeing homeless kids in India Like any other global convention, everything was planned to be spectacular, and there has been zero tolerance to mediocrity. As such, we were once on a chartered train from Dehli to Agra to visit the iconic Taj Mahal in India. Along both sides of the railroad live millions of homeless families in nylon-covered, garbage-filled huts under the destroying heat of the Indian sun. I could never, for the rest of my life, erase shadowy eyes of countless bony, life-beaten babies & kids, passing by like a cinematic illusion. Sometimes, it only takes half a meter in between 2 drastically different worlds. 4. Most challenging conversations: a lost soul Whether it’s 2AM, 11PM or midday, this lost soul keeps on calling me irrespective of time nor my whereabouts. He is growing worse every day, tortured by loneliness and his so-called misery, which has nothing to do with his abundance of wealth. “I need this…, and that… to be happy.” “You will never be happy if you still need this and that, and the other….” “I know, but I still need it….” The conversations go no where most of the time with me trying to explain the concept of impermanence and the art of happiness, in theory…. I must have done a poor job or he is not at at all ready. Either way, those are the most challenging conversations ever this year…. 5. Most bugging issue: “What’s your definition of success?” “Wealth, fame, and a gorgeous-looking partner.” And people step on each other just to get on a train… And some loaded hot shots have the rights to insult people to boost their egos… And people cheat… And patience runs dry on petty things… Across the different nations I’ve been to this year, life turns dramatically materialistic. There seems to be no room for compassion, loving kindness, or plain human interaction. As we move forward at a lighting speed on science and technology, we seem to dig a graveyard for humanity, for nature, and the art of the middle way…. #middleway #harmony #cheat #happiness #humanity #misery #greed #fame #travel #perspective #journey #peace #wealth #life #material #possession #inward

Manila Airport, December 13, 2013 It’s Friday the 13th and it’s my last flight of the year. Quite spooky huh? Based on the travel agent’s summary, this is my record flying year with 40 trips to 16 countries and 29 cities. That would mean I’m in a different country every 3 weeks and spend every 2 weeks in a different city. To be quite honest, I am officially tired. Sitting here at Manila airport catching the last flight of the year home, I couldn’t help but looking back in restropect. What have I learned from my travel? Nothing too fancy unfortunately. After hours up in the air and a super lot of idle time to contemplate, I guess I’ve learned to speak the language of the universe. “What the?”, some would say. I know…., but that’s totally cool. Take the top 2 most popular languages on earth, English and Mandarin, and ask me if I have used them the most this year. Definitely! Yet the most meaningful conversations I’ve had around the four corners of the world are shared through smiling eyes, subtle nods, loving hugs, and absolute silence when one’s heart whispers to another’s words of sympathy, understanding, and compassion. How can one put a name to such a language? The universe is nameless…. If we have to put up a name for the sheer purpose of recognition, I would name it “language of the universe”. Pretty lame I know! It’s Friday the 13th, and it’s not that spooky after all. There lives no such concept in the dictionary of the universe…. #subtle #restropect #smilingeyes #happiness #philosophy #perspective #language #hug #love #silence #life #universe

Manila, December 13, 2013 “Manila International Airport, terminal 2, please!” “Yes, Ma’am. And My name is William.” After 4 days in noise-polluted Manila, I am ready to head home for some quiet down-time. “What’s X’mas lane, William?”, ask I looking at the traffic police officer standing on the road side with a blue and white signboard written “X’mas Lane”. “December is a bad month for traffic, Ma’am. Everyday there is broadcast on TV about X’mas lanes to help ease the traffic in various areas.” Hmmm…. I wish they do the same in KL during Ramadan. I almost missed my flight due to traffic jam during the last Ramadan. “So William, are you ready for X’mas?” “No Ma’am. I have three kids and I really don’t know how to get them gifts this X’mas. It is in our tradition to give gifts to friends and families. That’s why everyone is out shopping even though they have no money.” “So how’s your life now compared to 5 years ago?” “Worse! Prices keep rising, yet my income stays unchanged. I’m struggling to feed my family at the moment.” “What are you gonna do about that then?” “Lots of people leave, looking for work abroad. I would if I could. Unfortunately, I cannot leave my wife and kids behind. Lots of families get broken and separated because of this.” William makes me recall the Filipina I met at Gemini station in Rome 2 months ago. Her life story goes just the way this taxi driver remarks. “So if you have one wish today, what would it be?” “A simple life with my family, Ma’am.” “Isn’t your life simple enough at the moment, William?” “I don’t know if I can make it through everyday. It’s bills, bills, bills, and we have no peace. A fortune-teller told me that 2014 will be better.” “How so?” When I reach 45 next year, he said that my fate would change and my life would be brighter.”, said he with a broad smile, all ready to board his next flight to a peaceful, care-free, simple yet joyful future. Sometimes, that is all we ever need, just the bare neccessity to lead a simple life. In the spirit of X’mas, I hope 2014 is a better year for you too, William! #manila #phillipines #happiness #Xmas #bareneccesity #perspective #hope #simple #life #joyful

Singapore, December 6, 2013 After a few hard-working days and a long flight from Sydney, Bak Kuh Teh with a good friend on a lane way in Singapore is sheer perfect. Outside it’s drizzling. Inside it’s steaming & peppery. Just a classic! Amidst it all comes the message…. “I’m missing dinner with you tonight. Exactly 12 months ago we had dinner.” “Wow you certainly remember the date.” “Yep” 12 months ago today, we caught up in Sydney before I flew out. I could recall his smiling eyes when he said “I think I’m OK.” Some of us learn to compartmentalize our life experiences as a coping measure. So could he…. And so he had been, locking away ghosts of the by-gone era just to be spooked once in a while, each single time sinking himself in deep depression. For a few years, we had been working this all out, together…. “I think I’m OK.” As simple as that, and it made me cry…. We went on talking about embracing life even further by helping others around us…. It was December The Sixth, one year ago today…. #depression #embrace #happiness #perspective #decemberthesixth #life #experiences #past #compartmentalize

Singapore, December 06, 2013 She gave me the bath tea, hand-made, with the most natural ingredients she’s collected from all her overseas trips. “This looks gorgeous!”, said I. “I’ve made it just for you! Singaporeans don’t have time to enjoy a bath.” “Huh?” “Haven’t you heard? It’s kiasu.” Amused by my dumb-founded face, Susan quickly explained herself. Kiasu is a Hokkien word meaning “scared to loose out”. As competitive as Singapore can be as a small nation with big ambition, Singaporeans are programmed since childhood to be constantly on the move. It’s all about efficiency. It’s all about calculated moves to be ahead of the queue. It’s all about getting somewhere before the crowd. And when one gets there, one has to stay alert and calculative of the next somewhere. Isn’t that tiring? Don’t we walk into this world bare-footed and leave it bare-handed? Kiasu…. #efficiency #happiness #philosophy #perspective #scaredtolose #life #ahead #kiasu #singapore

KL, November 28, 2013 He’s a 27-year-old Malay guy with a shy-looking face and smiling eyes. As he took on the mission to drive me to KL International airport today, little did he know that he would soon face with the toughest questions in his life…. “What does 1000 Dinar mean?” I ask while pointing at the brass-looking medallion dangling from the mirror. Apart from the word 1000 Dinar that I could recognize, the rest are in arabic. “I don’t know exactly the translation of the arabic words but basically this is to give happiness, health, and safety on the road” said the guy with a shy smile. “Did you get it from a temple?” “No I bought it a while ago” “What about these beads?” “Oh my friend gave this string to me. I use it every time I pray.” “So how many times do you pray per day?” “5 times” “Really?” “Uh, sometimes not when I am busy.” Fleeting guilt was spotted. “So what do you do when you pray?” “I ask for forgiveness of all my sins” “What’s your biggest sin ever?” Shocked by a direct question, he gave a nervous laugh and said that he would not be able to tell me who he only got to know for the last 24 hours. “Only my best friends know.” “Fair enough!” “So what about you? What’s your biggest sin?”, asked he in a counter-attack manner. ” Well, I ran away from home when I was 16 and broke my mother’s heart.” The guy was kinda caught by surprise to seeing it flowing out of my mouth. “So I guess you’ve never confessed your biggest sin to God before?” “No, not yet.” “How come?” Nervous laugh again. Silence fell as he tried to look through the blurry car shield kept alive by the non-stopping water handles trying to sweep away the heavy raindrops and probably the windmill of his mind…. “You know why it is easy for me to tell anyone about my sins?” “Why?” “Once I know I’ve made a mistake, I accept it and go and change it. That way, it’s become a lesson and no longer a sin.” “True”, said the guy in contemplation. “Don’t try and commit it again though!” Laughters filled the air as we approached the airport…. “Can I tell you about my biggest sin?”, asked he all of a sudden as I was was getting ready to be dropped off.” I stopped, and looked at him. “Sure, only if you are ready!” “I slept with a few girls before” “Is that all? That’s pretty normal for a 27-year old single guy right?” “Yeah but it’s prohibited in Islamic law” ” I see. I’m sure God will forgive you for that, unless you sleep with someone while having a relationship with another.” “It’s called double sin and yes I have committed it. “Ohhh….” We said goodbye as “purple rain” came out from the car stereo, seemingly poking through the grey & thick curtain of a melancholic KL evening. “Don’t forget to pray and confess tonight” “I sure will” #happiness #philosophy #forgiveness #perspective #life #religion #malaysia #kualalumpur #sin

Sydney, October 27, 2013 Sydney’s No. 1 Health & Wellness Expo – that sounds just right for a Sunday afternoon, specifically for someone who is totally head over heels with this subject. With a dear Singaporean friend of mine, I set out to explore the updated world of health & wellness. What would you expect from such an expo? Aroma therapy? Natural bath and body products? Organic food & drinks? Well, that’s a no brainer! What I am blown away by is a new business opportunity in this trendy sector, spiritual solution. Mind you! I’ve made it up. Bet no one likes to be labelled as providing a “spiritual solution”. “Helping one get back in touch with one’s spiritual self” is probably a better marketing approach. After all, what can one do to get back in touch with one’s spiritual self? 2/3 of the booths are totally set up just to cater to the lost souls. Need a glimpse to your past or a sneak peak to the future? Try the various styles of reading! The traditional palm reading, the Arabian-night crystal ball reading, the new-age psychic reading, or the avant-garde colorful wax reading…. If you determine to focus on the present, however, here’s the deal. Check out your aura with an auro image camera, heal your soul with quantum vortex energy (!?!) or simply embrace the energy from your dedicated healers. I gotta warn you though. Everything comes with a cost. And it’s any where from 25 to 75 dollars per session from 15 to 45 minutes. My favourite? Karma clearing, $25 for 15 minutes. What a bargain! For all the sins that I’ve committed over the years, I wouldn’t even think twice! Would you? I am a beginner when it comes to the spiritual journey. One thing I know, however, is that one could never find oneself by looking outward for solutions. It is, after all, an inward journey that costs no more than courage…. Hang on! The colorful feathers look pretty cool! I may need them for the next charity ball. #health #spiritual #wellness #happiness #soul #finding #lost #outward #perspective #life #inward

Sydney, October 29, 2013 It’s Sunday morning. And just like any other Sunday morning for the last 10 years, he is having his “breakfast by the balcony”. Set on the second floor, amongst nature, with a magnificent view of the moody river, time and space often seem irrelevant…. And as Vivaldi’s Four Seasons fill the air with its magical touch, one would think how beautiful life could be in such a perfect setting. “The white stork is still alone.” Having shared a breakfast by the balcony with him once, I could almost picture his lonely shadow reading the message. We used to spot a single white stork on the other side of the river…. “Maybe it’s time for the white stork to stop fighting and start embracing the world around.” Silence remains for the rest of the day. The response is not responded. He thinks his life is a wreck. His wife’s left him for a delivery guy. His kids keep forgetting his birthday. The girls that he’s dated over the years all lie to him. And even though people pay him a lot of money to be their lawyer, he’s got absolutely no joy out of work. The government to him is corrupted. The people are consumed by greed. All of which, in one way or another, constantly feed his anger. The more he gets angry, the less people would want to be any where near him, and understandably the lonelier he becomes. He declares enemy of the whole wild world. Nothing, and no one on earth could ever bring him the happiness he deserves…. “You know what? If happiness is seeked from the outside world, it’s my absolute guarantee that you would never find it. Try seeking it from within…..” Silence fills the conversation as I patiently await his reaction. I could hear nothing but the vague background noises on the other side of the line. Could one of those be the sound of the white stork flapping away in search for his flock? #happiness #within #perspective #journey #life #stork #outsideworld #search

2g chiều…. Hắn ngồi lặng thinh, mắt nhìn đăm đăm qua lớp cửa kính trong veo. Chiều thứ bảy phố phường tấp nập. Hắn chẳng nhìn thấy gì. Những giọt cà phê đơn độc cứ chầm chậm rơi vào hư vô…. Vài ánh mắt ngưỡng mộ, dăm ba câu xì xào bàn tán…. Đã mấy năm nay, hắn nổi như cồn. Trong giới làm ăn, hắn là biểu tượng của thành công. Trong xã hội, hắn là thước đo của sự hoàn hảo. Những bữa hẹn cà phê cà pháo với hắn cũng vì vậy mà thưa dần. Riết rồi, tôi cũng chỉ theo dõi tin tức về hắn qua báo chí. “Ủa sao hôm nay lại ngồi đây cà phê một mình?” Sự tình cờ cũng có cái hay của nó, cái thiếu của sự tính toán, cái vụn về của sự ngỡ ngàng , cái thật của bản chất…. “Anh làm gì có bạn mà không ngồi một mình? “Hả? Người nổi tiếng không có bạn?” Hắn cười, phảng phất cái đăm chiêu, lặng lẽ của một kẻ độc hành. Thì ra đánh bóng tên tuổi cũng có cái dại dột của nó. Người đời thích nghe kể chuyện. Chuyện hay thì phải có hư cấu. Phim hay thì phải có cao trào. Hắn viết mãi, viết mãi, viết đến khi những giọt cà phê cuối cùng đã nhỏ cạn mà kẻ lặng thinh bên cửa kính kia vẫn chưa tìm lại được bản thân mình. Hắn là ai? Ta là ai? Kể làm sao một câu chuyện hay mà ly cà phê vẫn đậm đà tình bạn? #tìnhbạn #Hạnhphúc #nổitiếng #hoànhảo #câuchuyện #ngỡngàng #bạn #cuộcsống #têntuổi #chuyện #bảnchất #đánhbóng #thànhcông #tínhtoán #thànhđạt