Looking back - year 2008

Wow, wow we're on the verge to venture into a new year. Goodbye 2008, hello 2009. Wonder what's lies in store for us???? Here's a story I would like to share....

The Burden

Two monks were returning to the monastery in the evening. It had rained and there were puddles of water on the road sides. At one place a beautiful young woman was standing unable to walk accross because of a puddle of water. The elder of the two monks went up to a her lifted her and left her on the other side of the road, and continued his way to the monastery.
In the evening the younger monk came to the elder monk and said, "Sir, as monks, we cannot touch a woman ?"
The elder monk answered "yes, brother".
Then the younger monk asks again, "but then Sir, how is that you lifted that woman on the roadside ?"The elder monk smiled at him and told him " I left her on the other side of the road, but you are still carrying her....


Some of us are like the younger monk always carry the 'burden' wherever we go either into the new year or a new place. One would never realise how heavy the burden is it until we break down and start to complain. Others would let go of the 'burden' once they realise that they are carrying the 'burden'.

As for me I am the younger monk. Until now I've not learn the way to let go. It's very easy to gather burden but letting them go is one thing. Unless and until I learn to let go, I would always be grudgeful, unhappy, tension and complaining because I would never be satisfied. At the same time, I would be becoming greedier and uncompasionate.

I know if I am able to let go, I would be free and would see all matters and things as they are. Nothing more and nothing less. I would be able to be unattach to everything and at the same time be attached. Confused??? Well, this is the Buddhist concept. In a layman's term, I would be a neautral. I would be to able to live at that moment without thinking of a grudge, complaint, happy, sad.... I would be ME!!!!!

In the meantime I would still be complaining, still searching for the ways to satisfy my needs, still be unhappy, still be happy, still be sad, still be tension, still be angry............. I would not be liven the moment as it is meant to be.

My RESOLUTION for year 2009, be slowly able to let go attachments and burden......