Praise be to god for such noble deeds.

Every human heart has kindness and beauty in its core. And this manifests itself in the charitable ways of our brothers and sisters of this world. This is especially so during a time of cheer such as the Chinese New Year.

This year, for example, The Art of Living, Sungai Petani, has some very noble ways of celebrating the new year.

First, there is a round of requests for donations from the members themselves so as to prepare red packets and food for the more than three hundred inhabitants of the Old Folks' Home in Bedong. For ordinary folks with no desire for any publicity to think of helping the old folks to enjoy together with the group, it is such a wonderful thought.

Then comes the idea of praying for our wildlife, releasing some of the wild birds, fish and frogs back into their habitat together with a prayer that they could find the way to rebirth into a higher form of life. Whether this is possible or not is immaterial. What matters is the thought that went into the action. The fact that these people think of those whom they believe are less fortunate at a time when there was no necessity to do so proves that they believe they are in a way responsible for not just themselves but for everything that is in their environment. If everyone in this world could come together as one in such noble thoughts, this world would have no wars, no killing, no unnecessary death, no unneccesary fear, no ugliness and life would indeed be beautiful or one and all in this world.

I happen to be one of those who still have some way to go to achieve such noble thoughts though I have realised for some time that this ought to be the way. I can only console myself that I am willing to learn to be as noble, willing to strive to be a better man. Well, as a nature lover, I am certainly never intentionally cruel to animals or things of nature. I used to pluck some of the leaves on my way up or down the hill and there was this lovely friend who obvilusly knew better how to care for nature and she told me not to pluck the leaves. Since then, I have realised that those plants could possibly feel hurt by my action and now I refrain from such an action. Thanks to the friend.