Live in the Moment

Once my friend who was living in New York City sadly said that it is such a tough thing to find real friends in New York. She said it to me considering me as a real friend when I was about to leave New York in 2006. I could not have empathy with her because it was not the case for me. Now, I am living in Los Angeles, which is a big city as New York, I sort of understood what she had meant by that comment. Still, it is not the case for me, but I felt it through my friends around me. People come and go in a big city. It is understandable that people are hesitated or disinterested to commit themselves to any sort of relationship with someone who they probably would never meet again in their lives.  However, as I sincerely believe, one has to live in the moment. A shallow and superficial relationship or friendship is a sign that one does not live one’s life; after the moment is gone, there is nothing to remember. It is just blank. That is, melancholically, not a life.  [KP]

真友

朋友。真正的朋友，他不會始終說些甜言蜜語。他會說你最不想聽的話；你最想逃避的現實；你最恐懼的真相。也許你會討厭或厭倦這樣的朋友。但是，當你知道你身邊有這樣的真友，其實你是個很幸運的人。要好好地珍惜這樣的朋友，因為他們可遇不可求啊～！[KP]

Stereotyping

‘People are most aware of their stereotyping when they have no information. When given information that confirms to their beliefs and the individual case observed, people become less aware of their tendency to stereotype and therefore more likely to engage in stereotyping.’ This statement, which is extracted from my GRE test prep textbook, accurately explains my thoughtless, general and yet stereotyped comments regarding Taiwanese, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and Americans. For describing cultural difference and peoples’ behavior of these countries, I seem to mindlessly apply this logic just because I have confirmed my beliefs and observed individual case in these counties. Ironically, it is exactly something that I would dispute, or even disrespect. Stereotyping is never a justifiable description when you are a subject to be labeled. I believe that when people stop applying stereotyping to others, this world would be truly globalized and borderless, physically and mentally. I would love to be someone to work on it silently. [KP]

Relationship

Relationship is such a fragile-delicate, yet lovable thing that everyone handles everyday.  We hear so many stories about broken relationship among friends, husbands and wives, friends, business partners, and even countries. It is such a complicated and interrelated web in which you cannot foresee when and where you get things wrong. However, we should not feel hopeless or miserable since there is a remedy for every braking relationship. That is “communication” with an open mind. When there is even a subtle signal of a crack on the relationship, we need to face it first, to identify the problem second, then to communicate and find a solution. For communication, we need to be fully aware that being truthful to yourself is crucial.   Because without that, owing other’s trust is quite impossible to achieve in real sense. It is because a superficial concern or an ersatz sincerity will not even touch or amend damaged feelings. It could be more likely an insulting. Do not fear the confrontation; do not hesitate to take an initiative. A great relationship is hard to maintain, but it is even harder to get by. Take a good care of it. Do not take it granted or be casual about it. It is dear to our soul, and it is our life, itself. [KP]