'Unity'. We need a change within.

This is about the first 'trophy' I got in my life, back in 1996 (should get a confirmation from Mommy). It was a colouring competition. It was also the day I left Dungun, Terengganu and get back to the place I was born, Muar, Johor.

Back then, I was an introvert, and started to draw and write even before I get enrolled into kindergarten studies. I loves to fill blank pages with colours, and draw. Just before I left Dungun, my Mom get me to a colouring competition - which is my passion. (I feel thankful, and blessed to be in this family. My Mom is a good educator.) It was a care-free competition, which I got to colour the blank page as usual, but my art work will be judged. After I done my coluring, my family got me to a good breakfast/lunch, as a reward of me completing the piece of art. Fair enough =P

With pure passion, and without the goal of wining in mind, I got my first trophy in life. I was just 5/6 years old, when the word 'winning' does not even appear in my vocabulary list. Of course, this brought a lot of happiness to my family back then.

"Winning a race is so important that, most of the time, we unconsciously end up losing our character."

"Winning a race is so important that, most of the time, we unconsciously end up losing our humanity to love."

Things got different when my life goes on to preliminary studies, secondary studies, pre-university studies and now in my third year degree. We found out knowledge and examination result are the way the society judge our success. Students are even labeled as 'A' class, 'B' class and 'E' class. We segregate the students with good results and those who cannot score good results.

Before we talk about unity and 1 Malaysia, this question strikes me on 7 January 2014. It was from a conversation with my course mate after a chilling dinner at Fat Boy's Burger. 

"How much segregation are we promoting among our people in our daily 'systems'?"

Segregation among people, which can be similarise as label and classification, become a trend in our social circle. If we talk about social circle, we need to study the causes from family system, education system... Yes, I am talking about the entire ecosystem where human exist. A developed democratic country with unity should not be a political effort, but it should be a collective effort by all the people who are living within the system. It is easy for us to blame the leaders and politician, but, are we playing our role as a citizen to unite our children, and all the differences in our people? It starts from within.

Of course, I respect those who have great realisation in this matter, and started the change from within. However, we need more realisation. At least, start the change within the family.

It was a heartbreaking news featured in NST on January 6, 2014. "Mental Health Screening for More Students." Since when, we thought we are providing education to our children, but within the system, we found out our children do not even learn how to live a better life as a human being? 

If you don't act on life, life has a habit of acting on you. Looks like life is acting on us like never before in 21st century.

A lesson learnt. Always get back 'home', to a place where you are being yourself with clear life purpose, values and passions. Only when we stay grounded on the values, then we could lead a life of virtue.

"Arts of Living", I love this phrase more than ever while writing this post.

Well Trained Slaves

It was a Monday morning, kicked off with a cup of black coffee and a great book, accompanied by twilight and shower. Read and write to start off a day, it was a milestone in experiencing the Arts of Living.

Back then in my 13th year of living, I was forced to copy 20 essays in Bahasa Malaysia on weekly basis. It was a terrible night-mare. It was my secondary education, that a teacher can easily spot which tuition centre you went or which reference books you referred to for your revision. 

We have this so called 'Buku Nilam' system, which every students are 'forced' to read, and write the book review in a small blue booklet. The person who wrote the most review (read the most) will be appraised with a certificate. It was a good system back then, to foster and track the reading habit among students, but somehow, the system fails when the art of reading is not valued. Students end up getting 10 to 20 books from the library and copy the review within the book. Yes, it somehow indicates that we are superheros who could read 10 to 20 books in 1-2 hours, even, with a great review.

Don't it worth a Guinness World Record? 

Obviously, this is not reading, this is an 'activity' to serve the Ministry of Education's needs. A good read is accompanied by deep thoughts, reflection and learning from the writer. This makes a good review for a book, genuinely from the reader's thoughts and perspectives. Yet, my friends and I survived 'reading' like a superhero for 5 years. Is the educator out there blinded enough to not even spot this habit of copying, or they consciously chose to close one eye because they don't really care?

Of course, there are still students (my friends) who do read with heart, as well as educator (my teachers) who read the students' review. I am just speaking about the majority.

It was 10 years later when I am now in my tertiary studies, I found the why of reading and writing. I hope the system back then is reviewed, improved and followed through by educators. First homework, we need educator who educates with passion.

We are the 21st century's Well Trained Slaves. The grades of an essay is neither judged by how much the students read, nor how mature is one's thoughts process. This is the saddest part in the history of civilisation and literature. A great piece of essay is judged by how well the students write according to the schema answers provided by the ruling body. Looks like we are expecting our children to be fortune teller, who are able to read the teachers' mind. When was the last time you get excited, reading a great piece of writing from a student?

Somehow, I wonder what is the purpose and joy of educating our children? Or our educators are handcuffed with the rights to value a piece of art from an authentic student? Is there any meetings being called among educators, just because a student wrote a good piece, which was not even according to the schema answers? There is a need for us to realise, the value of the arts of reading and writing. These are great thoughts from the students, which worth educators' encouragement. They are the dare devils who voice out their inner thoughts in young age when everyone don't. 

I believe school is the best place to build up a civilised, and democratic country, backed with the freedom to deliver our thoughts.

This is a wake up call for a better education for future generation. It's time to get back to the basic of education, and stay grounded to bring out the best from our people.

Let's study the Arts of Education. We are still in time to make a good progress. =)

How It Started?

It was in the end of 2013, while most Malaysian Degree students (those studied in Local University) are going through examination week, a youth in his early 20's did a deep reflection on his life journey. The reflection process took about 1 week. He was longing for a care free life since his secondary studies, it was during his mid-10's. 

It was a flash back on how his life changes from 15 to 22. It had been 7 years, which we do allowed a huge change and turning point in a youngster life. Same goes to this young man, who realised he had been living in guild for years. It can be similarise with self-doubt, which all the guilds are created by the inner self of this young man. The guild towards family, love ones, friends, teammates etc.

Follows is a quick run through of the one week happenings. He went to a simple count down party with his teammates from AIESEC (A global youth run leadership organisation); he took an examination paper on 3rd January; he picked a book from his shelf - Life Lessons From The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari - by Robin Sharma; he took a two hours bus back home for a family reunion party blessed by his one month old niece, Aidan. It was a tough week when he seldom speaks, just because he needs more time for himself.

He is a thought person, which sometimes also known as a 'thinker'. The decision was made after he communicates with Robin Sharma's piece of art. 

"Yes Robin, this is a nice book. However, I knew most of these. These 'mindset' or 'theories' to live a care free yet purposeful life.", he said.

"Looks like, I had been living under others' expectation for a few years."

"Nope, it's the high expectation I created for myself. The eagerness to succeed, and the egoism in me. I care how others' perceived me as a person. Till then, I did not live the life I longing to my fullest."

He lost his character in a daily basis, and get too taken away by the voices out there. He made up his mind to listen to his inner voice more often, hence, he decided to reborn and live one more time. It is just his early 20's, which he decided to live to his fullest. 

He took out his note book and pen. Next, he asked himself, how he would like to make everyday counts without being distracted by the mainstream voices out there. He defined what is important for him, and reaffirm the values he uphold.

'Arts of Living' is a platform for him to record the milestone of his life journey, for him to connect the dot backwards, while moving forward with a life purpose.

The Artist started to paint the palette on 5th January 2014. Let's read the Artist's mind, and live a beautiful life.

"This site is dedicated to my family, friends and every soul on Earth. I love you, and let's enjoy our life with humanity."

Truthfully,

John Lau C.K.