Flying without wings” can mean achieving greatness or a feeling of euphoria through something other than physical flight, such as love, ambition, or spiritual fulfillment. It symbolizes transcending limitations and finding a sense of freedom and accomplishment through inner strength and unconventional means. The phrase can also have specific symbolic meanings in religion or be the title of the popular Westlife song, which is about finding the “one thing” that makes life complete.
When I learned my first Vietnamese song, it took me several weeks. I told my duet partner that I should perhaps try to sing short and easy kindergarten songs!
Khi tôi học bài hát tiếng Việt đầu tiên, tôi mất vài tuần. Tôi nói với bạn song ca của mình rằng có lẽ tôi nên thử hát những bài hát mẫu giáo ngắn và dễ nghe! (Google translate)
Charles Rodrigues (Listen to our duet” wasted days wasted nights) is going 80 and could croon effortlessly and soothingly with his guitar. Singing kept him going, he said. At his age, he still gets invited sometimes to sing in a pub!
“All rise” is a formal command for everyone to stand up, most commonly used in a courtroom to signal the start of a session when a judge enters. It is a gesture of respect for the court and its authority, and it can also be used metaphorically to call for collective action or to signify a formal beginning of an event, like a session or a vote
This article may change your perspective on life and help you face it with optimism.
Written by Zhou Daxin, a recipient of the Mao Dun Literature Prize, in his latest novel about aging—he profoundly describes the twilight years of life with words that strike the heart of every elderly person. Every sentence rings true. Thankful for the share ~
In our later years, we must become familiar with and accept six types of “landscapes” along life’s journey, so we can calmly enter the night. Night falls very slowly.
From the age of 60, we enter the later stage of life. Before night fully falls, there are certain “landscapes” we must remember. If we remember them, we will be mentally prepared and not panic.
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The First Landscape: Fewer people will be by your side.
Most of your elders—parents and grandparents—will have passed on. Your peers may be overwhelmed with their own issues. The younger generation is busy with their lives. Even your spouse may leave before you. You’re left with long, empty days. You must learn to live alone and face solitude.
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The Second Landscape: Society’s attention will fade.
No matter how brilliant your career once was, or how famous you were, aging turns everyone into an ordinary old man or woman. The spotlight no longer shines on you. You must learn to quietly stand in the corner, appreciating the excitement and success of the younger generation—without jealousy or resentment.
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The Third Landscape: Dangers along the road increase.
Fractures, cardiovascular disease, brain degeneration, cancer—they may all come knocking, whether you welcome them or not. You must learn to live with illness, to see sickness as a companion. Let go of fantasies of perfect health. Maintaining a good attitude and exercising appropriately becomes your mission. Encourage yourself to keep going.
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The Fourth Landscape: You may return to the bed, just as in childhood.
When we were born, our mothers cared for us in bed. After a life of struggle and hardship, we return to where we began—bed—awaiting the care of others. But unlike when we arrived, we may not have loved ones to care for us as our mothers did. If someone is there, they may not care as deeply. More often, it’s a hired caregiver, smiling outwardly but impatient inside. You must stay humble—and even grateful.
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The Fifth Landscape: Many along the road will try to deceive you.
Scammers know that older people often have savings, and they’ll use every trick—calls, texts, emails, free samples, miracle cures, “blessed” items, longevity pills—just to empty your wallet. You must stay alert. Guard your money. Spend wisely.
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The Sixth Landscape: Treat your spouse (or close companion) with kindness.
Speak gently and thoughtfully. Show concern. Especially to your husband or wife. They are your final “life savings.” After 60, relying on children is unreliable—they have their own families. In the end, it is the old couple who depend on each other. At this age, no one is looking to stray—we only fear losing one another.
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Before night falls, the final stretch of life dims gradually, making the road harder to walk. So after 60, we must see life clearly. Cherish and enjoy it. Don’t try to manage society or control your children’s affairs. Don’t act superior or speak down to others—such behavior only hurts others and yourself. In old age, we must learn respect. Accept this final phase of life with understanding, serenity, and spiritual readiness. Let nature take its course and remain calm.
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“Night Falls Slowly” truly captures the essence of the twilight years, with every word hitting home for the elderly. Dear classmates, colleagues, and comrades—let us gently and wisely prepare for life’s final stop… 🌅🙏🙏
Mirror, mirror on the wall, which is the tallest of them all?
I was driving when I heard about Malaysia being the fourth in the world to have many skyscrapers. So I stopped by the Lake Titiwangsa and took a view of our sky scrapers in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia skyscrapers, a view from Lake Titiwangsa
Yes, Malaysia has a large number of skyscrapers. Kuala Lumpur is the city with the most skyscrapers in the country and in Southeast Asia. Malaysia ranks fourth globally for the number of completed skyscrapers over 150 meters, behind only China, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates.
Since 2023, Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur has been the tallest skyscraper in Malaysia. It was built with an architectural height of 678.9 metres (2,227 ft). Merdeka 118 contains the tallest observatory installed in a spire and is currently the world’s second tallest building or man-made structure.
Merdeka 118 Tower has been officially recognised as the Best Tall Building (300m and above) by the Council on Vertical Urbanism (CVU), marking a proud milestone for Malaysia on the global stage.
Merdeka 118 looks like a walkie-talkie from a distance. Next to it is the Istana Budaya (a performing arts theatre in KL)
Istana Budaya Kuala Lumpur – Performing Arts Theatre. It has a unique structure. I attended a few live performances there.
“Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood” — Ralph Waldo Emerson.
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My question:
Is it the same, learning from other people’s experiences and not having to LIVE the lesson to understand a lesson in life?
– Chensp, 2025 –
Comments:
Ab and Geoffrey agree with Ralph above. I would say that sometimes we learn from other people’s experiences, for example, avoiding car accidents, drowning, drugs, etc.
The sun was low in the horizon, when we arrived in Qingyan ancient town two days ago. This town was built as a military base, dating back to tbe Ming dynasy, under emperor Zhu Yuanzhang. It still appears as a walled city surrounded by mountains n moats.
This ancient town was built entirely of stones n rocks. It withstood the weather n slow decay of the passing centuries.
After the “Golden Holidays,” there few tourists. Many local were wearing traditional attires n taking photos. We just wandered around, feeling good that we could “hike” into the 14th century. I recalled my history teacher talking about Zhu Yuanzhang, without registering it. History was boring when we were kids, but now I have great clarity of the many dynasties in China.
Often, I urge my friends to see the world, before we too become a minuscule fragment of history.
Hong Kong singer Frances Yip was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1996 and is now cancer-free, having recovered in 2002. Since her recovery, she has become an advocate for breast cancer awareness, participating in charity events like the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation’s fundraising concert and sharing her story to encourage others.
We journeyed from Hatyai to Bangkok by the sleeper train. It took us from sunset to surise the next day.
The train was a bit bumpy… goyanglah. Some of my friends couldn’t sleep. It wasn’t an issue for me. My melatonin is still flowing nicely.
More than twenty persons agreed on this trip, but eventually pulled out. Personally, I feel we ought to complete this sort of arduous journey when we are younger, rather than later. My type of travelling is often to see the world or to climb a mountain. It is tiring.
I relax my the beach when I am home by the sea. Probably, I would take cruises when further down the timeline.
“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one that has opened for us. ” – Alexander Graham Bell
Because that is when insurance stops covering our medical insurance!
“Hurray, we are disease- free after seventy!, said the ‘insurance’, after decades of collecting premiums from me!” cried my uncle. “Now is the time that I am unemployed and unwell, and the insurance doesn’t cover me. I have to dig into my savings!”
“My premium payments were the highest during my last few years!” said another uncle.
If every citizen pays those substantial amounts to a government initiated insurance instead, it would’ve helped fund a lot more to the ageing population. 😞
Should the insurance institution be taken over by the government instead! 🤔
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Ab got the point …
It’s so ironic and unfair that at a time when seniors need it the most, the coverage is not there.
Magical moments of sunbeam captured (by Mr. Toh leong, my former teacher)
Waking up to the rumble of distant thunder, I knew it was raining somewhere nearby. Fellow hikers reported a downpour in Teluk Kemang, yet in Port Dickson, we had only the drama of sound and fury without a single drop. I recognized it immediately as a convection shower—intense but brief.
My instinct proved correct. By 7 a.m. sharp, we were hiking through Tanjung Tuan, our plans untouched. We felt truly blessed.
Our reward came at the lighthouse. There, we were greeted by an extraordinary spectacle: a rare moment where trees, mist, and brilliant sunbeams converged to create something eerie and surreal. We managed to capture a few photos of the fleeting magic. It was a rare moment of luck, and we were fortunate to witness it.
“Karma Chameleon,” by Culture Club, is often interpreted as reflecting Boy George’s experiences as a gay man. The song’s lyrics tells about fear of alienation and the struggle of being true to oneself while navigating societal pressures, including homophobia.
Iceland, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Canada are the top five most accepting countries, and acceptance has increased over time for LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or intersex).
Quote
“Love him and let him love you. Do you think anything else under heaven really matters?” – James Baldwin
Overview During WWII, Rick, a nightclub owner in Casablanca, agrees to help his former lover Ilsa and her husband. Soon, Ilsa’s feelings for Rick resurface, and she finds herself renewing her love for him.
“Casablanca” (1942)is a classic Hollywood movie set during World War II, about love, sacrifice, and wartime intrigue.
Casablanca, means “white house” (casa meaning “house” and blanca meaning “white”).
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Listen to my song, Casablanca, if you are in the mood for music.😊
I have donated half my library for others to readCataloguing books? I film-wrapped each category
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Mine, all mine!Cannot throw!
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No! This is important!
No, that is important, too!
Ten years ago,
and ten years more,
you will be saying
the same thing!
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so I cleared
a few items at a time,
yet they noticed!
Oh, that jacket?
you haven’t worn it
the last five years!
Someone may need it more!
See?
You are doing a good deed!
(Instead of hoarding!)
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Quotes – serious
If a man has an apartment stacked to the ceiling with newspapers, we call him crazy. If a woman has a trailer house full of cats, we call her nuts. But when people pathologically hoard so much cash that they impoverish the entire nation, we put them on the cover of Fortune magazine and pretend that they are role models. Lester B. Pearson
Nice prawn fried rice, I love the chilli sambal more!Red beans peanuts rice ballsPuer milk tea with red bean and sea salt cream and water melon juice ******The chilli sambal that made a difference to the fried rice
Shinrin-yoku” means forest bathing ( by co author, Mr. Toh Leong, my former physics teacher)
“Shinrin-yoku” means forest bathing in Japanese. It’s a kind of eco-theraphy that involves a hike in d forest. Connecting with d forest n being with nature is a natural way to destress n leave behind our troubles. The beauty of d flora n fauna as well as super fresh air is most soothing for our bodies n minds.
I am happy to be able to sing this lovely Malay song ( listen to my solo Musim Sonata Salju) as I remember the Korean drama, Winter Sonata. It was such a heartfelt drama, the chemistry between Bae Yon-joon and Choi Ji-woo was beautiful to watch, but so sad.
Overview After losing Joon Sang in an accident, Yoo Jin decides to marry her childhood friend. However, she meets someone looking exactly like her lost love, putting her in a bind. (The ending story here)
I can not stand a certain group chat culture. So, I chose to withdraw from that group twice but got reinserted. Some say, ” Oh, just ignore some of them!”
Could we? Should we?
Do not let the behaviour of others destroy your inner peace- Dalai Lama
“Happiness is the highest form of health.” — Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama captures the essence of well-being in this quote. True health encompasses not just the absence of illness, but a state of happiness and contentment. When the mind is at peace and joyful, the body naturally follows suit.
I read about a theft at the grocery store, where a woman stole 5 eggs to feed her hungry kids at home when questioned by a police officer. The latter took her to the grocery store to buy some items instead of arresting her!
Sometimes, one has to apply humanity instead of the law. Such compassion!
Here is a police officer who used his brain instead of arresting and putting behind the bar, the thief who needs help; … the thief whom societal safety net and politicians have failed.
“The Sound of Silence,” a song by Simon & Garfunkel, explores themes of social isolation, the inability to communicate, and the feeling of being disconnected from others and oneself…”
Chen Song Ping 