当下 moments

佛说，当下。活在当下，过去和未来只是时空上的概念，原来这个理念是起源于佛陀？

珍惜当下，以下记录这个礼拜七件让我停留脚步，体会当下的时刻。不知道七在佛教里是否是个特别的数字，我总觉得七是个有灵性慧根的数字。

I chanced upon a Buddhist saying on 'Moment' which I couldn't locate or remember the exact words. 'Cherish the current moment, be grateful of what life has given, live each moment with an appreciative heart'. This was what I believe, meanwhile, I didn't know it was the wisdom of the Buddha.

The 7 moments of this week, where I stop, inhale the fragrance of THE moment.

 * A piece of Jazz on the way to facial at Paragon. Live music by Martin Elias Reyes in the podium of Paragon with grand piano. Many shoppers stopped, listened, applauded. This is probably why Paragon is the high end shopping center. Music En vogue. A moment of peacefulness.

拜三下午休息，我难得的兼职安排，从最初对这个面部护理的沮丧，到现在接受事实，决定去享受既然已经不可以改变的事实。于是很平静的呼吸，踏进百利宫，听到抒情的爵士乐，伴着大钢琴的音质，在百利宫里绕梁。其实这里几乎每天中午都有现场的音乐，只是今天的心情特别平静，准备好了去体会当下。- 平静的当下。




* After the facial, a cup of hot ginger tea, on a raining day; a bowl of red bean soup in white china. The white china in smooth curve, reflecting lights and entice returning customer, which I am not one of those. This place is still out of my lead, probably for quite a while in life. Nonetheless, appreciate it. A moment of indulgence.

做完护理，一杯热的姜茶，在一个下雨天，窝在让我显得弱小的大沙发里，还有一窝不甜腻的红豆沙，装在流线弧度的白色细瓷里。不去管商家的用心，这一刻，我只想享受慵懒。 - 慵懒的当下。




* It was what Han Jin said 'raining dogs and cats' on Thursday morning. Daddy called the whole family for a stop at the road side, to watch a giant snail embracing the rain. It stretched out of the shell, crossing the metal grill on the drain carefully, and happily enjoying the morning rain. Four of us watched it crossing the drain. Snail isn't quite as slow as I thought. A moment of discovery.

拜四早上下着瓢泼大雨，瀚今开心的重复英文里的大雨（直译就是下猫下狗）。爸爸叫住我们，看路边一直胖胖的蜗牛过水沟。我想象它是快乐地享受着毫不吝啬的雨和无人打扰的静。那种在雨打芭蕉中的静，那种忽略周围一切变动，向内看的静。原来蜗牛并不如我想象中的慢。 - 发现的当下。

 * Reached home at 7:20pm on Friday. Caught Han Jin and Mei at the lift who were going to LCentral. Joined them. Returned home. To my great surprise, my helper made curry chicken and bun for the first time in the 3 years she's with us. Ha, hidden skill! Fabulous tasty curry, and original Chinese bun. More to it, I gathered the courage to knock my neighbour's door and shared the food with the Grandpa next door. Sally asked me to keep an eye on Grandpa while the rest of the family went to Malaysia for a stay over. I touched his trembling hand when passing over the bowl. Grandpa is in 70s, I believe. My kids greet him every time passing his window, a few times a day, within me lifting Mei up so that she can meet Grandpa's eyes. Kids and me love the feeling of having a Grandpa nearby. - A moment of sharing.
拜五晚上下班，在电梯口遇到一对小儿，来不及回家，穿着三英尺的高跟鞋抱着14公斤的妹妹去送瀚今上学习班。回来，惊喜发现保姆煮了咖喱鸡和馒头，地道的不加糖的馒头。这里外面买的包点全是甜甜的皮，当时沿海一带的口味，所以什么都不加的馒头是好久没有吃过了。敲了邻居的门，在钢筋水泥的快节奏中，敲邻居的门其实是需要一点勇气和冲动的。Sally一家去了马来西亚过周末，爷爷一个人在家，递过那一碗咖喱鸡的时候，爷爷老迈的手有点抖 （不是我在煽情，是老人家不自主神经的抖，我婆婆以前有一阵子也这样）。我的一对小儿每天经过爷爷窗口时都要打招呼，一天几次，每次一定要抱起妹妹，她看得到爷爷才开心。我们自己的两个爷爷都不在身边，小儿和我都喜欢这样有一个就近的人可以叫爷爷。- 分享的当下。

* Friday morning, rushed to office, noticed something on my desk. Rushed to an interview. Back to my desk. A nicely packed gift from Monica, a colleague from another department who dropped by the day before and noted my family photo on my desk. She packed something for my little girl. We have been working on a project together, great working relationship, but usually I do not expect a personal touch. Wrote a line on email, deleted. Picked up the phone and said thank you. Monica: Hope that the small gift will make the day for your girl. Oh, dear, it definitely made my day. A moment of appreciation.
拜五清早到了办公室，急着去面试新人，回来才发现一个可爱的小礼包。Monica，另外一个部门的同事，我们在一个项目上有合作，前一天她来我的位子看到我家人的照片。一个可爱的小礼包送给我的女儿。一般在公司不期待私人水平的交流，所以会感动。写了电邮，删掉了，拿起电话说谢谢。- 感谢的当下。

* On way to work, noticed an orchid growing in a tree, a common sign in Singapore. However, it touched me this time, maybe because the lively green and purple tenaciously growing.  A moment of life.
上班的路上，发现了一簇长在大树上的胡姬花，在热带里很常见的景色，让我驻足，可能是因为鲜艳的绿色和紫色还有顽强乐观的生命。- 生命的当下。

* Han Jin's newly shaved head, by me. The point is not that I saved $10, though I am happy about it too. It was a family time, with Daddy, Han Jin and I. We simmered the moment, just three of us with a lot of laughter. A moment with my first born.

瀚今新剃的头，我剪的。他已经在理发院剪了近一年。愿意给我理，很荣幸的。这一刻，只有爸爸妈妈和瀚今。妹妹睡了，妹妹现在经常是注意力的中心，对妹妹我从来只有妥协。所以我珍惜这一刻，和我的大儿子。- 家人的当下。