The perfect formula of success; three Ps.
Quote:
It’s the perfect formula for success; the three Ps!
Patience, persistence, and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.
– Napoleon Hill
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Anymore Ps to add?
Comment:
Pat: People Participating
Learning a lesson
“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.
Once in a while, maybe.
“Do one thing every day that scares you” — Eleanor Roosevelt.
I am not sure if I want to do it EVERYDAY, but maybe once in a while, I like to challenge myself to sing another country’s song (see below)..
Chensp, 2025
Any impossible journey?
“The only impossible journey is the one you never begin.” — TODAY.com
Qingyan ancient town
By Toh Leong, my former teacher,
(in trying to complete his bucket list)
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.
Waiting for his mechanic boy…
Visitors were leaving bidding goodbyes, and kissing hands of their elderly kins.
There was a line figure – a weak and emaciated-looking old man waited patiently at the door with clutched hands, looking at the long corridor leading from the lifts.
A young bespectacled teenager came running along the corridors. The patient’ s face lit up.
The boy’s dusty mechanic overall was smeared with black oil. His sweaty breath oozed heavily as he panted smilingly.
As they sat down to share food from a tiffin carrier, the security was already on his round with his baton reminding visitors to leave.
“My boy just finished his ‘O’ level’ exam. He became the breadwinner as I am now unwell. There are just the two of us in the family.”
“They won’t issue a pass because I am not so ill apparently ( not bed-ridden). He finished work at five pm. He rushed through the traffic jam to reach here. The security must have held him up a bit before allowing him to come up.” The old man explained sadly.
A pass was issued explaining their situation. His presence was very important to the patient’s emotional well-being…in fact, for both of them.
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Hatyai to Bangkok by sleeper train
(by Toh Leong, my former teacher)
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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.
Remember that sometimes not getting what you want, is a wonderful stroke of luck!
“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
Similarly, “to reach a port, we must sail- sail, not tie at anchor- sail, not drift.” Franklin Roosevelt, 1882-1945
Ever felt that way about life choices and happenings in choosing a partner or a career, or even friends?
Looking positively at life!
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Another reunion write-up by my former teacher
This article is written by a former teacher, Mr. Toh Leong. He writes well. I had his prior permission to publish any of his postings from Facebook. I read about his being invited to a reunion by another group of former students…
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Mr Toh’s write-up
I was just invited to a reunion for my former students. I didn’t want to stand on ceremony; it was a wonderful opportunity to meet them again, along with some old colleagues who were also invited.
My past colleagues looked much the same, though I noticed a bald head or two and a few heads of white hair. The years have certainly pushed us further down the timeline.
Many of my former students reminded me that I was their chemistry teacher. While chemistry was my main subject, I also taught additional mathematics and general science. I was delighted to learn that two of my students became teachers themselves and have now retired. How time has flown.
I still don’t feel aged. I hold on to the perspective that age is just a number, and I believe that a positive attitude is key to maintaining a sense of youthfulness. As they say, “You are as old as you think.” Ultimately, our behavior emanates from the heart and mind.
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My note here
So Chemistry was Mr Toh’s major subject! Is that why I never quite understood his physics classes?
Before the state final exam, I devoured the whole three-inches-thick physic textbook, and finally , some of his lessons began to make sense. If only I had studied before each class, sir! Well, I managed to get a good credit ( a private college didn’t want to accept me for A level because I couldn’t understand the Chinese language. In the end, the principal changed his mind when he saw my physics grade! )
Yet Mr Toh said, “Only a credit?” I was exasperated. (He had forgotten that I almost never passed any of his physic tests!)
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Chen Song Ping 