Point to Ponder: The more you experience life, the more wisdom you gain and the more meaningful your life becomes.
Reflection:
I came across this superb article (The Physics of Quest) while researching in internet about the movie “Eat, Pray, Love” in which Liz (Julia Roberts), having gone through major changes in her life, decides to get out of her comfort zone and embark on the journey of self discovery to Italy, India and Bali, Indonesia.
I could also relate with our own journey; the one my wife and I started a year ago as Twilight Explorers; experiencing different cultures, getting to know more people and contribute positively in whichever way possible for us.
Whichever stage you are in life; contemplating changes in career, relationships or in other aspects of life, this article will provide great points to ponder and ideas for action. Highly Recommend.
Story Line: The Physics of Quest: A Truth-Seeking Journey. by Hanna Abdelwahab Source: Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences.
A paragraph from article as an appetite before you venture into the entire article ( link at the bottom of paragraph)
In a memoir called "Eat, Pray, Love" (most of us remember the movie which starred Julia Roberts), the author, Elizabeth Gilbert, talked about the "physics of the quest", which goes something like this: "If you are brave enough to leave behind everything familiar and comforting (which can be anything from your house to your bitter old resentments) and set out on a truth-seeking journey (either externally or internally), and if you are truly willing to regard everything that happens to you on that journey as a clue, and if you accept everyone you meet along the way as a teacher, and if you are prepared - most of all - to face (and forgive) some very difficult realities about yourself … then the truth will not be withheld from you."
Point to Ponder: Things don’t go wrong during most travels but in case they do, what level of risk can you afford in a foreign place?
Story Line: While traveling, Don’t leave home without these three things.
A small box of first aid kit and some essential medicines in case of emergency. It has rescued me once in a small town in Japan and got me through the night until I found help next morning but my box has helped more of fellow travelers.
A printed copy of essential documents like passport, tickets, visa, medical related and itinerary. Know of two friends whose bag, purse were stolen during travel and passports, credit cards were lost. One had printed copy of documents and the other didn’t. What followed were Stories of Triumph vs Tragedy.
Travel Insurance: it has come to rescue many times for us: during volcanic eruption in Bali, when my partner got injured and six of us were stranded for 15 days in Helsinki and one more time when I had to cancel a trip to Turkey. We have also witnessed first hand what happened to visitors who didn’t have insurance and stranded in Bali, also one family who couldn’t travel to Malaysia out of Fiji because of forests fires smoke over Indonesia.
Reflection: In the year 2003 My work colleague, and I were traveling to Asia for business. Our first stop was South Korea. While there, he noticed that I was carrying a box of first aid kit which also contained many different kinds of medicines. He looked at me and said “ You are a sickly man; carrying many medicines” I told him that I carried them for precautions, in case of emergency and needed it only once through all my travels. But many a times they have been useful to fellow travelers. I emphasized that he should understand as a teacher of Prevention and Think Different type classes.
Unfortunately he didn’t give up and kept making fun of me on the trip until…One day we visited Suzhou in China, and he dined at a place famous for dumplings.
Next morning we were scheduled to leave for Singapore. At 1:00AM, the phone in my room kept ringing while I was fast asleep. Annoyed I picked up and there was a very weak, more or less crying voice, “Do you have that Cipro? When I asked the reason he said “ I am very sick; I have high temperature and diarrhea. We need to travel tomorrow morning plus if I have a fever they will put me in Quarantine in Singapore” I asked him “Do you have a prescription for Cipro? He begged to give him medicines. I said “OK I have some non-prescription medicines that will help you with fever and stomach upset. Once we get to Singapore you visit Doctor”
Well, the rescue passage the “Sickly man” always carried helped him get to Singapore”
That afternoon, He returned from Doctor’s office with four different prescription medicines. But the ordeal had not yet ended.
At midnight I got a call from him “Anand I am feeling giddy. I am very giddy”
Pardon my poor English, I said, but what does giddy mean? Stop making fun of me, he replied. “I am feeling terrible”
Further inquiry revealed that he had taken all those medicines without food.
To our misfortune the hotel didn’t have midnight food service but the receptionist was kind enough to go to kitchen and made some warm food and drinks for him.
Next time we were traveling, I noticed that he was carrying one white box with him. Just to be a gentleman, I did not ask him what was inside. Seems he was Thinking Different. 😊
Here are two short videos with humor for Travel Tips.
From Left to Right: Row 1: Photos of City Ong (aka CT) and Adventures of Gautam. Row 2: Art of Shubhada and Signature Smile of Xiomara
By Phoebe Pineda
Point to Ponder: Success leaves clues. Go figure out what someone who was successful did, and model it. Improve it, but learn their steps. They have knowledge – Tony Robbins
Storyline: Recently, we’ve spotlighted some people who exhibit extraordinary passion, creativity, and kindness despite maintaining busy work lives. Looking at these remarkable stories, we’ve identified a few commonalities:
Childhood experiences: How people grow up is important in building the foundation for who they become as adults. Shubhada grew up immersed in art and science; Xiomara lived in a social neighborhood where everyone knew each other; and Gautam spent his youth watching sunsets and exploring forests in the remote outskirts of Mysore, India. For CT, the youngest child with the big age gap with siblings, he exercised his imagination while playing alone.
Support and encouragement: Having a supportive environment and people who are invested in your well-being is key. In addition to having parents who made sure he didn’t overwork himself, Gautam had a friend in high school who took him under her wing and helped him navigate the tumult of adolescence. Shubhada had very supportive parents. CT and Xiomara were deeply influenced by their mothers.
A turning point: Several of our subjects can pinpoint the moment they discovered their passion, whether by volunteering to take photos at a conference (CT) or borrowing money from their best friend to buy a train ticket to Nepal (Gautam).
Curiosity/risk-taking: Our subjects like to venture beyond the beaten path, driven by a desire to see the world in new and exciting ways. Shubhada utilizes out-of-the-box thinking (OBT) in both her engineering career and her artwork; Gautam seeks out the roads less traveled as he explores new countries; and CT finds his camera lens drawn to everything from sunsets to animals to a drop of dew on a leaf.
Building a relationship between passion and profession: Just because your interests are diverse doesn’t mean lessons from one can’t be applied to the other. Shubhada approaches both engineering and art with creativity and a methodical focus, and CT finds he’s at his most focused and ready to work after he’s spent some time taking photographs.
COVID as an opportunity: With the pandemic slowing life down, our subjects have embraced their passions. CT documented life in his Malaysian neighborhood, Gautam and his family hit the road to Florida and Yosemite, Shubhada drew daily charcoal portraits of inspiring people, and Xiomara encouraged those around her to remain positive despite the circumstances.
Love first: Though some make money from their passion, they do it primarily because they love it, and because they want to share the joy it brings them with the world.
Reflection: In Developing Talent in Young People, psychologist Benjamin Bloom identifies three key elements that are crucial to helping children discover and foster lifelong passions: exposure, support, and coaching.
My younger brother and I have been lucky enough to have parents willing to allow us to experience and experiment with different interests rather than limiting us to a rigid set of expectations. As a family, we love to travel–and to eat–and over the years my brother and I have been exposed to all sorts of different places (and different types of food). For my brother, a weekend is not complete if we haven’t hit the road–whether it’s a drive along the coast, a trip out to the new mochi donut shop, or even running errands at Costco.
Our parents have supported us in all our ventures as we tried new things: while neither of us took a liking to soccer, I enjoyed my ballet classes at the local rec center, and my brother is an avid runner. Their support, both emotionally and financially, has enabled us to receive proper coaching in order to hone our skills, from my brother’s weekly cross-country practices to my continuing education in writing and literature at a university whose faculty are committed to helping their students develop their craft and grow as artists.
But you don’t have to be a young person to find your passion, to discover what excites you. Expose yourself to new things, open yourself to new experiences. Find a friend (or two–maybe more) to support and encourage you–and don’t be afraid to seek out a mentor! You’re never too old–or too young–to find what you love.
Originally from the SF Bay Area, Phoebe Pineda currently studies Writing and Literature at the University of California Santa Barbara's College of Creative Studies. In addition to storytelling, she enjoys sunset-watching, road trips, and making art.
Anand and Phoebe first met at a Kid-to-Work Day over two decades ago. Once a week, they meet to discuss the various stories, experiences, memories, and lessons he's collected over the years. They approach each conversation from two different stages in life, one looking forward, the other looking back.
“If you’re having a good time in your own company, it’s a good sign that you’re happy and you enjoy what you do.” -Shubhada
By Phoebe Pineda
Point to Ponder: “Discovery consists of looking at the same thing as everyone else and thinking about it differently.” –Albert Szent-Györgyi
Storyline: From majestic landscapes to portraits of renowned historical figures, Shubhada Sahasrabudhe’s art captures beauty in all sorts of places.
An engineer by trade, working at one of the world’s largest tech companies, Shubhada grew up in two worlds: art and science. “I lived in an engineering town that manufactured pumps, and my dad worked in research and development,” she says. “But art was in the house all the time. My dad did outstanding sketches and paintings, and we spent our evenings sitting side-by-side with him and watching him work, doing random art projects-Even his engineering drawings.” Growing up close to the process of creation, both at the pump factory and at home, instilled a strong sense of curiosity in Shubhada–“We were told to always be curious, not to stop at what but to ask why”–as well as a strong creative drive: “There was this push to be original,” she says. “My parents told me, ‘You have to create something that belongs to you. You're not an artist or a scientist unless you have contributed.’”
With limited supplies around the house, Shubhada often spent her childhood drawing in dirt roads with a stick which interestingly and unknowingly connected her to sand as a medium which she used years later. “It was like an unlimited canvas,” she says. Though she now has access to more traditional mediums, such as oil and acrylic, she still enjoys working with less conventional materials. “I’ve always been an experimentalist, so I always try a new technique–anything that stains with a pigment is my medium,” she says. “If I finish my coffee and I have a little left at the bottom, I will use it.” Her sand art in particular has garnered much attention, including a guest appearance on the Nickelodeon show Ryan’s Mystery Playdate.
Despite coming up in a workplace culture where hobbies and leisure time were challenging, Shubhada takes both her engineering and artistic career equally seriously. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt like art and science are distinct things,” she says. “To me they are so blurry and so similar. Yes, there is more system to science, but you see both elements–system and random–in different ways. When I begin a painting, I don’t start with the details: I do the big strokes first to get the basic form and values together, and that defines my painting. That’s exactly how I think of engineering: whenever I look at a problem statement, I look at the broad strokes and ask myself, What am I trying to do? Once I have those pieces, I know how to fill in the minor details. Knowing the end point helps guide your next steps.” Science and engineering also played a major role in Shubhada’s sand art, from constructing the worktable (which Shubhada designed and built herself) to finding the right type of sand: “I went to twenty different beaches to get as many sand samples as possible,” she says.
Though balancing work and life can be challenging, Shubhada says making time to do what she loves is worth every minute. “Painting for hours is meditative,” she explains. “It’s the most neutral feeling you can have, which is so rare in this day and age: not happy, not sad, just neutral and satisfied.” She’s made it a priority to share that feeling with others, whether it’s teaching three and a half hours of back-to-back weekly classes through her art academy or finishing and posting a charcoal portrait every day for 140 days during quarantine. Sketch a Day “I tried to use my art to combat the negativity and sadness,” she says. “If you’re having a good time in your own company, it’s a good sign that you’re happy and you enjoy what you do.”
*For her contributions in the field of science, Shubhada recently received an esteem award "Women Engineer of the Year" by American Sociery of Mechanical Engineers. Being recognized in the areas of her profession as well passion demonstrates her commitment to excellence in whatever she takes up.*
Reflection: I’ve always envied creatives who work in math and science: my physics and bio major friends who draw, write, and paint, who can navigate these two seemingly opposing fields, one world as foreign to me as the other is familiar. Talking with Shubhada gave me insight into that fluidity: it’s about having a certain mentality, an approach that combines order and creativity and, most of all, an eagerness to learn.
At the end of the day, though the work may be different, the processes are more similar than we think, and the ultimate goal is the same: both science and art attempt to make sense of how the world works. Science tells its own kind of story, the histories of who we are and how we got here, how the world moves around us and how we move within it. And art is its own kind of science, an ongoing process of trial and error and building on the ideas of those that came before you, expanding our view of the world, defining and redefining truth.
For Anand, the son of two artists, interviewing Shubhada brought back a lot of memories of his own childhood, and how drawing on those creative experiences influenced his approach to problem-solving, enabling him to look at things differently and formulate solutions.
Our community of readers consists of people with a variety of different passions. Though these may seem different on the surface, all have similarities in terms of process and approach, and all have valuable lessons that can be applied to different contexts. But most importantly, no matter your line of work, putting your heart, enthusiasm, and soul into your endeavors will help you succeed.
You can support Shubhada’s work by visiting her WEBSITE or following her on Facebook.
Attachments: Versatility of the artist.
*late addition paragraph by Anand*
Originally from the SF Bay Area, Phoebe Pineda currently studies Writing and Literature at the University of California Santa Barbara's College of Creative Studies. In addition to storytelling, she enjoys sunset-watching, road trips, and making art.
Anand and Phoebe first met at a Kid-to-Work Day over two decades ago. Once a week, they meet to discuss the various stories, experiences, memories, and lessons he's collected over the years. They approach each conversation from two different stages in life, one looking forward, the other looking back.
Points to Ponder: We are never really happy until we try to brighten the lives of others - Helen Keller
Story Line: Friday Reflections Through The Years ( a few sample images from 713 posts)
Reflection: What began in August 1985 as the stories I would tell our children on weekly Friday Evening rides became an asset while launching an Out of the Box Thinking class in the year 2004 in Penang, Malaysia and Cavite, Philippines. Participants liked the different concepts that were explained through stories of people, places and experiences. Per their request, Friday Reflection on internet was officially launched on August 5, 2005. Thanks to all for your encouragement, ideas, feedback and support for past sixteen years. ❤️🌅
Images above represent the seven values of Friday Reflections. Some of these were shared by readers and featured in reflections through the years.
Seven Values Are: 1. Keep on Learning New Skills. 2. Assume Responsibility 3. People and Relationships 4. Flexibility 5. Take Risks 6. Passion 7. Performance and Results.
Points to Ponder: “Dance like no one is watching. Sing like no one is listening. Love like you’ve never been hurt. And live like it’s heaven on earth.” – Mark Twain
Story Line: July 16th is the birth anniversary of someone I know from the day I was born. It is also birthday of three wonderful people I met through my various work assignments. Happy Birthday.
The person I know from childhood taught me many good lessons through mentoring, coaching and care. Over past 16 years, I have shared those lessons in Friday Reflections. Not so well versed in Science and other school subjects, He (my father) along with my mother spent considerable time giving me exposure to three areas they considered as very valuable for life; Reading, Sports and Theater.
When it came to theater, I was nervous at first, afraid that I may look silly or foolish in front of the audience and they would laugh at me. To that he would say “If you can make people laugh with your silliness and make them happy; You did good.” He emphasized that too much thinking would cause nervousness. He taught me how to perform (sing, act, dance) impromptu to gain confidence. His encouraging words were “Dance like no one is watching. Sing like no one is listening. Love like you’ve never been hurt. And live like it’s heaven on earth.”
Reflection: Today, I like to share how I have incorporated some of his learnings in my life. A break from normal FR subjects to have some lighter moments. Each video is a few seconds from longer events.
Dance like no one is watching: Penang, Malaysia in 2005. Intel Materials Group World Wide Summit.
Sing like no one is listening: Suva, Fiji in 2015
Love like you’ve never been hurt:Campbell, California in 2011.Dinner after our staff meeting. Caution: handle with care. you may never have been hurt before but after this activity you might.
Live like it is heaven on earth. An Evening in Okinawa, Japan, 2020. In Okinawan Cuisine. Snapshots from a long evening of dancing.
And It’s gotta come from the heart if you want it to work*: In the streets of Busan, Korea in 2013. Celebration of the United Nations Day Anniversary on the beachfront road.
I hope my father would be proud of my impromptu adventures. Happy 94th Birth Anniversary.
*This line from a song “Come from my heart” by Susanna Clark and Richard Leigh.
The key question to keep asking is, Are you spending your time on the right things? Because time is all you have. – Randy Pausch
Story line: It was summer of 1991. We were returning from vacation from Pacific Northwest. Traffic had come to a stand still on the Highway 505. After a while, traffic started moving very slowly and we reached the location of the traffic jam. Horrific accident, worst I have witnessed in my life; I still shiver thinking about it. Cars were slowing down or had completely stopped to witness the terrible human tragedy. After passing the scene, people seemed stunned silent in their cars and traffic was moving way below the speed limit. But after about 20 minutes cars gradually started picking up speed and very soon it was back to “let the old ways roll.” Many cars started speeding way above the speed limit. Since that day, I have carefully witnessed the movement of the cars while crossing accidents on the road. Unfortunately the behavior I witnessed on that fateful day in 1991 continues to repeat.
During this Pandemic, I think often about this experience. In the beginning months of Covid, there was overwhelming load of information circulating amongst well-meaning friends and social networks about; human connections, respect for nature, environment, love for all living beings, “essential workers”, simpler life, prevention focus and more. I can go on and on about the reflections and realizations that made us think and act deeper. People seemed to recognize that “The things that matter most should not be put at the mercy of the things that matter least.” This event brought many people closer, made environment cleaner and raised prevention awareness.
Reflection: However as the Pandemic shows the sign of subsiding, my mind keeps drifting to that day in 1991.
As the old saying goes, “Things that come to you come at a time when you need them the most to go to the next level”. Few days ago, I remembered a gift I had received a decade ago from a friend from Costa Rica. It was the book called: The Last Lecture by Professor Randy Pausch. Randy was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and had few months to live. He delivered his “Last Lecture” titled “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams” in September 2007. The Last Lecture talk series was based on the theme “What wisdom would you try to impart to the world if you knew it was your last chance?”
The book is worth reading not only to reflect on what world went through in past 18 months but also to shape bright wonderful future for us. Next month happens to be the 13th anniversary of Randy Pausch’s last day on earth. (July 25, 2008).
The shorter video on the top of this article covers some key messages from his book. For people interested in learning further, below is the link to his full lecture.
“It’s not about how to achieve your dreams, it’s about how to lead your life…If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself, the dreams will come to you.”
Point to Ponder:"Hope is a good thing, may be the best thing, and no good thing ever dies” - from the movie Shawshank Redemption
Storyline: Previously published on May 2011 under the title "Old Soldier never dies,he/she only fades away" - Repeat with an update on 10th Anniversary:
In these times of global health crisis, major political and regional conflicts, economic challenges and employment worries, I would like to share the remarkable life story of a "common" person that has been anything but common. Her friends and relatives affectionately call her “My Lola” (Grandma). I met her during my visit to Manila in 1978 and got to know her more during my expatriate assignment in the early '80s. Here is her story:
She was born to a Chinese father and a Filipino mother. In her teenage years, she lost both parents and was left to take care of three younger siblings. In order to survive, she started a small business: she supported the family by selling fruits, vegetables & fish to locals in the market.
During the second world war, she learnt the language of the occupying enemy army, cut her hair short and dressed like a boy to survive. One day most of the people in her town were slaughtered by the occupying force before retreating. They didn't want to leave any trace for the American forces that were advancing towards her town to rescue the local people. She escaped death only because of the kindness of one enemy soldier. When Americans arrived, not knowing they were friends or enemies, she hide herself and came out only when one American soldier who had noticed her offered some chocolate.*
Seeing her struggles, a relative placed her in wealthy family as a housemaid. Her little earnings helped in taking care of her siblings. But her request to go to night school after day duties was denied. So she took it upon herself to study by listening to people, observing and inquiring whenever oportunities came up. In her early 20s, she got married and started another business that provided a comfortable, middle-class living for the next 30 years.
Sadly, in the mid '70s, a fire destroyed her home and her business. Before she could launch another venture, one of her teenage sons developed a rare disease and died, after long and very expensive medical treatment which drained the family savings. Most of the meals during that time were vegetables with soy sauce and rice. She would eat leftovers after everyone was done eating. A year later, another teenage son met with a vehicle accident and died, when returning from work to earn for the family. One would think that this is enough misery for one person in one lifetime.
Unfortunately, in the early '80s, her eldest son (23 years old) and her husband died. She was left to support the three remaining young children by herself. She learned to read and speak English while taking care of a young boy; she would make the little one read a book, and while moving her finger on every word, listen carefully and pick up the pronunciation.
Eventually she went abroad and for the next 27 years her life turned for the better. In December 2008, on her 77th birthday, I asked her for a formal interview. After recapturing many of her experiences, and her creative approaches for surviving and eventually thriving in life, I asked her the final question. “What kept you going on in life with all that has happened?”
“Hope” she answered. “I never gave up thinking that tomorrow will be better than today and kept on going. Every day was precious and I gave my best efforts.”
Personally I have not met anyone who has been through so much in one life time. But what she said in her final answer is what I witnessed every time I saw her. On one Sunday in 2009, I chatted with her about the massive global problems going on at that time. She told me, “Trust me. Things will get better.”
This story was originally published in November 2008. Shortly after, “My Lola” (Mrs. Lim) developed some major health issues. In next two and a half years, she defied five calls by specialists for her demise and showed remarkable recoveries each time, to the surprise of all. Her willpower was inspirational to all who were fortunate to witness it. But on early afternoon of May 5th, 2011 her body gave way. During her life she fought every adversity/battle hard, never gave up and came through. And her last battle was no different. She demonstrated in all conversations and actions that she was going to give every ounce of energy she had and not give up on her own.
As her care taker put it: “They leave the way they live.”
Reflection: Some people and their stories leave lifelong memories and learnings. Through the years, there have been many Friday Reflections about such people and thier remarkable stories. Today, May 5th, is the 10th anniversary of My Lola leaving this earth. She left a legacy; her life story, determination, drive, strong work ethics and good moral values are carried on by her daughter, her roommate of 21 years (her grand daughter) and her grandson. Also she never forgot that enemy soldier who saved her life and also "American"* soldier who rescued her with chocolate. Later in life she would tell that story to her granddaughter's husband who is "American". I am incredibly fortunate to have met her in this journey and learned from her practical wisdom that was incorporated in my work and personal life.
Remembering the words of the artist and author Flavia Weedn:
"Some people make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon. They stay in our lives for awhile, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same."
Title Line 'Tough Times do not last, tough people do' is a quote by Robert H. Schuller
The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.
Point to Ponder: Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. – Margaret Mead
Story Line: For past month I was thinking of an appropriate story for this special week of Good Friday and Easter. As an old saying goes “Things come to you at a time when you need them the most to get to the next stage, but you must learn from those things first.”
Two weeks ago childhood friends shared information about Akshar, a foundation and the school in Assam, India that accepts plastics (bottles, bags..) as fees in exchange for practical education and also uses innovative approach to utilize child labor to eliminate child labor Child Labor. Many of these children would have otherwise been working as laborers to earn living for their families and they would have never gotten an opportunity to go to school. It was fascinating to see out of the box approach for three Rs’ (Reduce,Reuse,Recycle) in all aspects of their operations.
Last week I had a good fortune to attend a short talk by the founder of Akshar, Dr. Alaka Sharma who has dedicated her life in the service of poor people and indigenous tribes in North East India. At the age of 22, she left her home in Mumbai to help people in the faraway land. In 2014, together with her daughter and son in law they started this school that has created a paradigm shift in education. Vision: Teach them how to save the world.
Instead of writing details of their approach and results here, I would like to share comprehensive and inspiring information about this organization that is already presented well in the website.
I believe their story of service to people in need is timely and appropriate to review and reflect for this special week.
Reflection: In the past 16 years of over 700 posts, there are just a few stories that have classified under all seven values of Friday Reflections. This is one of those rare stories that is true to FR motto: Things that are given away are never lost and all seven values; Passion, Assume Responsibility, Keep on Learning New Skills, People and Relationships, Flexibility and Performance and Results.
In the words of Mother Teresa “At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by “I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in.”
by the children playing in the street corner. Siem Reap, Cambodia. Photo by Luisa Go Shah
Point to Ponder: ‘If children grew up according to early indications, we should have nothing but geniuses.' Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Story Line: During our trip to Siem Reap in 2016, we saw these five little kids playing in a street corner. They had just released the model UC; convertible, all-wheel drive, thread controlled human pull car with the capability of carrying heavy load. Each one of them was taking turns in test driving this new model.
Reflection: The model UC (Unlimited Creativity) was the product of these kids’ imagination and the excellent team work. They had engaged in the creative use of resources (milk bottles, caps, wood sticks, pebbles themselves etc). All materials used in building this product were domestically produced and obtained at no cost from garbage can, trees and river bank.
And they seemed to be very happy enjoying their Made in Cambodia product.
Remembering the words of Great Teacher Tony Robbins: It's not resources but resourcefulness that ultimately makes the difference.
Republished with the comments of readers from the first publication dated July 14, 2016.
We experience it in Pulp industry in Indonesia (or anywhere else). Pulp production produces good and poor quality pulp (off grade). Our Norwagian Pulp mill manager announce there's no off grade in my Mill. Off grade has its uses like using for brown papers, Cartons, paper bags, etc. It has a price.
Imagination, Visualization and Creativity are skills that are all different and some children are allowed to learn them, some learn them on their own and some it is just part of their DNA. Imagination is the faculty or action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses. Imagination and dreaming can coincide to help people feel something they want to do. Visualization is the formation of mental visual images or actually sting pictures in your mind of what you are want to do, say or build. Some people have a hard time visualizing, some have a difficult time visualizing in color or more than two dimensionally but kids allowed, taught and encourage learn to take what they imagine and put it in mental pictures in three dimensions and /or put it on paper or express it through art. Many adults have lost that skill. Creativity is the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination. Many children and some adults are creative but many are taught to "stay within the lines" or "don't imagine things you can't, shouldn't or don't have the ability to do. Children in the right environments learn all three more easily than adults mostly because they have learned that they "can't."
Anand - I applaud your creativity along with that of these kids. I may have seen a similar scene several times on a trip to India- but I could never have "seen" it in the way you have, much less described it in this way. Fun can be had without high tech fancy gadgets. Its great to see that these kids actually are outdoors- and looking around at the surroundings-( vs. a screen) and creating - without parental interference :) I second the sentiments from @ Jason
I noticed this photo among a set that you shared among a group of friends. I was very impressed but didn't mention it to you. So how nice to see the photo given a spotlight in FridayReflections!
I am reminded of an adage I once heard about parenting, which is attributed to Dear Abby (Abigail van Buren, real name Pauline Phillips): “If you want your children to turn out well, spend twice as much time with them, and half as much money.”
Today, or so it appears to me, time for children is too structured (art, gymnastics, sports, dance, scouts, music, etc. ) and although some of this is needed, there needs to be time for kids to just learn how to entertain themselves doing things like: playing in the creek, climbing trees, breaking glass bottles in an illegal dump, knocking down bees' nests, building tunnels with hay bales in the barn, riding your bike to the fishing hole. As Levi posted above, all these things can be accomplished with little or no money. When I was a kid, when we went fishing, we each bought a can of soda and a big of chips for $.25 to take along with us for the 4+ mile ride.
Recycle, Reuse, Reduce.
Posted by: Save our Planet | July 14, 2016 at 08:28 PM
Don't let this Benchmarks get to our management.
Soon they will replace us all, last of the survivors, with Cambodian kids.
Posted by: Wortied | July 14, 2016 at 10:05 PM
We experience it in Pulp industry in Indonesia (or anywhere else). Pulp production produces good and poor quality pulp (off grade). Our Norwagian Pulp mill manager announce there's no off grade in my Mill. Off grade has its uses like using for brown papers, Cartons, paper bags, etc. It has a price.
Posted by: Suresh Shah | July 15, 2016 at 02:41 AM
Make Cambodia Great Again initiative? 😂
Posted by: Rajan | July 15, 2016 at 07:14 AM
Imagination, Visualization and Creativity are skills that are all different and some children are allowed to learn them, some learn them on their own and some it is just part of their DNA.
Imagination is the faculty or action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses. Imagination and dreaming can coincide to help people feel something they want to do. Visualization is the formation of mental visual images or actually sting pictures in your mind of what you are want to do, say or build. Some people have a hard time visualizing, some have a difficult time visualizing in color or more than two dimensionally but kids allowed, taught and encourage learn to take what they imagine and put it in mental pictures in three dimensions and /or put it on paper or express it through art. Many adults have lost that skill. Creativity is the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination. Many children and some adults are creative but many are taught to "stay within the lines" or "don't imagine things you can't, shouldn't or don't have the ability to do. Children in the right environments learn all three more easily than adults mostly because they have learned that they "can't."
Posted by: Lonnie Hurst | July 15, 2016 at 07:19 AM
For you every encounter is a learning experience.
Thanks for continuing to share your experiences.
Posted by: Jason | July 15, 2016 at 07:51 AM
Anand - I applaud your creativity along with that of these kids. I may have seen a similar scene several times on a trip to India- but I could never have "seen" it in the way you have, much less described it in this way.
Fun can be had without high tech fancy gadgets. Its great to see that these kids actually are outdoors- and looking around at the surroundings-( vs. a screen) and creating - without parental interference :)
I second the sentiments from @ Jason
Posted by: Madhuri | July 15, 2016 at 09:21 AM
This is such a great reminder/lesson… we spoil our kids when we don’t need to and we ruin their natural imaginative powers.
Take care
Posted by: BHSC | July 15, 2016 at 10:15 AM
I noticed this photo among a set that you shared among a group of friends. I was very impressed but didn't mention it to you. So how nice to see the photo given a spotlight in FridayReflections!
I am reminded of an adage I once heard about parenting, which is attributed to Dear Abby (Abigail van Buren, real name Pauline Phillips):
“If you want your children to turn out well, spend twice as much time with them, and half as much money.”
Posted by: Levi's | July 15, 2016 at 04:01 PM
Pardon me but the model in above picture seems two wheel drive.
Still a great idea and superb reflection. Thanks
Posted by: Auto Fan since childhoodh | July 15, 2016 at 05:04 PM
Today, or so it appears to me, time for children is too structured (art, gymnastics, sports, dance, scouts, music, etc. ) and although some of this is needed, there needs to be time for kids to just learn how to entertain themselves doing things like: playing in the creek, climbing trees, breaking glass bottles in an illegal dump, knocking down bees' nests, building tunnels with hay bales in the barn, riding your bike to the fishing hole. As Levi posted above, all these things can be accomplished with little or no money. When I was a kid, when we went fishing, we each bought a can of soda and a big of chips for $.25 to take along with us for the 4+ mile ride.
Posted by: Mark Dennen | July 16, 2016 at 04:30 AM