Saturday, February 28, 2004
There was a talk by one of the doctors about her life in the medical profession during our orientation. I would have wanted to write about it much earlier, but there was simply too much on my mind at one stage and I also wanted time for it to roll in my head before I started. She said that the power to change lives granted to us in this profession can be very addictive if we didn't be careful. What I feel is that power, in any form, is very very addictive. That is why we have dictators over the years: They allowed the power to consume them. As for myself, I have never seriously thought about the power she spoke about the other day. But I think if taken in the right retrospective, it wouldn't be as addictive as she claims it is.The power to change the life of a person is huge, and as Sir Winston Churchill once said, "With great power comes great responsiblity." Great is the responsiblity entrusted to us by the patient and also by God. He has given man the knowledge to conquer illness and destroy suffering and I am one of the previleged few who have been chosen to undertake a study of this knowledge. We are the Guardians of Life itself when we graduate and this comes with a knowledge and humbleness that only God can heal. I do not heal, we do not heal, but only God heals. We are merely his instruments and through us, He heals his children. That's what I believe we should always keep in mind when we graduate: We are entrusted with the knowledge over life and death, but ultimately we do not control such matters, only God does and only God can heal and cure, even the most ill of patients. That way, we won't get addicted to the power, because we know that ultimately we know nothing at all, because God is All and All is God. Only through Him that all things are possible, that man will not suffer, but see His loving face through us because God is Love and Love is God.
2/28/2004 08:44:00 PM , lovin till it hurts
Sunday, February 22, 2004
Thought of the Day
Today is the start of my hostel orientation. As usual, it started with a mass. It's pretty unusual compared to back home because you do not really kneel and stand as we do back home, and there's actually no hymns being sung? But what is significant is today's readings. The theme of the readings focus on love: Agape love. Something that has always been close to my heart. I have kept thinking about that concept of loving even if the other does not love you. I have tried and tried, but it is difficult to be as loving as Christ wants us to be. As the gospel today goes, it means also to love your enemies. It does not literally mean that way, but I think it means more of being able to forgive and not go out of your way to trip up those who are against you. I think that is already a difficult enough aim. In the case of Jesus, even when he was on the cross, he forgave those who have persecuted him, those who have hurt him both physically and emotionally. Can we do the same, to a lesser extent since it is unlikely that we will have to reach the point of forgiving a person who killed us? Each of us have sinned greatly against God and others, but we have been unable to forgive those who have sinned against us. Their sins are much less than those we have commited against our friends, and yet we find it difficult to forgive, we need to take revenge to feel a sense of fulfillment. Come to think of it, what sort of sick mentality is that? We enjoy seeing others suffer? There's food for thought.... Always keep in mind the old saying, "An eye for an eye and the whole world will go blind."
Dear God, I know I am a sinner and I seek forgiveness. I hope you give me the grace to forgive those who have sinned against me, because these are much less than what I have done against you or others. I also beg you give me love in my heart, the love that you have and the love that made your son die for our sins: The love that is unconditional. Amen.
2/22/2004 03:08:00 PM , lovin till it hurts
Saturday, February 21, 2004
Thought of the Day
The weather has finally cooled down over here. It has rained today and the weather's now 25C out there. Thank God!!! Anyway, next week is the last week of my holiday here, school starts in March. It's been good, but there's too much time around and leaves the mind to wonder about things it would never have if you're busy. I'm glad to finally start school and get down to doing what I'm here to do instead of daydreaming and letting the mind wonder. Met a few new friends around the hostel so far. The seniors are telling me not to worry cos if you want to study, you just tell them and they'll pretty much leave you alone to study. If that's the case, I have no issues with it. Anyway, take care you all. I'll update when I have the time.
2/21/2004 01:10:00 PM , lovin till it hurts
Thursday, February 12, 2004
Ok, finally got a chance to blog again, though in an internet cafe rite now. I've got so much to say. I'm going out to the suburbs this evening. Daph and her mom has gone shopping, and I'm done with registering my electives, so this seems like the best thing to do at the moment cos I don't want to be out in the heat. I've settled on my 2 electives as Macroeconomics and Morality, Society and Man. School only starts on 1st of March, so until then, I'm wasting my time on their crappy orientation programme. The worst thing is that it is 40C out there. If you thought Singapore was hot, that's heaven compared to this. Now I know what they mean by the phrase "Hot like hell". I'm getting cooked out there big time. I said I looked like a lobster the last time? Now I'm already looking like an overcooked lobster.
As for my accomodations, mine's pretty good. It looks good enough at least, big, spaceous and freshly renovated. I don't mind staying in it for the next 6 years unless something happens to change my mind. I'm pretty fortunate cos I have one of the fewer renovated rooms around. My poor friend next door got an old room. Hopefully she gets to change rooms to a newer one. School enrolment has also made me realise one thing: why do they always think Medical students are superhumans??? eveyone has got a 12 point load per semester, guess how much they made us take? 21!!! We're just as human as they are, why are they doing this to us? They're out of their mind that's why! The Medical School building also looks pretty old, I think it needs a paint job for it. But ain't all Med Schools just like that?
Adelaide is looking good on the whole. Pretty small though, they are right, so less distraction as well. All we can do is study and study. That's good cos I can't foresee myself having time for anything else. My electives look interesting but can be a silent killer as well. Macroecons can't be that easy, and the other? I'll worry in sem 2 cos it isn't due to start until then. Anyway, gotta go, update when I can.
2/12/2004 02:50:00 PM , lovin till it hurts
Sunday, February 01, 2004
Thought of the Day
If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.
Love
I may be able to speak in the languages of human beings and even of angels, but I have no love, my speech is no more than a noisy gong or a clanging bell. I may have the gift of inspired preaching; I may have all the knowledge and understand all secrets; I may have the faith needed to move mountains-- but if I have no love, this does me no good.
Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous; love is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offense, and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in the sins of others, but delights in the truth; it is always ready to excuse,to trust, to hope and to endure whatever comes. Love does not come to an end.
Love is enternal. There are inspired messages, but they are temporary; there are gifts of speaking in strange tongues, but they will cease; there is knowledge, but it will pass. For our gifts of knowledge and of inspired messages are only partial; but when what is perfect comes, the imperfection disappears.
When I was a child, I speak like a child, thought and acted like a child; now I am an adult and I have no use for childish ways. What we see now is like a dim image in the mirror; then we shall see face to face. What I know now is only partial; then it will be complete-- as complete as God's knowledge of me. Meanwhile these three will remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of this is love.
This came from the reading in church today. My favourite chapter in the entire bible: definition of love. To me love and kindness are one. You can't be kind to others without love, nor claim to love your neighbour without being kind to them. It is what is often called on by Christ to his followers: Love one another as I have loved you. I may not have been very active in church all the while, but I believe this is ultimately more important than that: To live Christ's most important and final commandment. This is my ultimate aspiration: to become as loving as I possibly can. May God help me. Amen.
2/01/2004 07:21:00 PM , lovin till it hurts
