Reflection on the passing year

As we'll be sailing into 2022 soon, I'd like to end this message by reflecting on what's been going on with this email group and me na ka.

First, amid the covid19 which allows us to have more time staying at home, I've managed to do quite well doing some little projects to keep myself busy ka. I have to admit that once in a while, I ask myself how much longer I'll keep this egroup alive after over 20 years since I started. The answer is what you've seen ka....my weekly email as always though I decided not to fix any day of the week. Will write only when there are issues or stories that I really feel passionate to share ka.

Second, for the past few months, I've begun to think of 5 things I feel grateful for everyday. So for this year, I also with to share my 5 things on top of my list ka:

1) More family time despite covid19 keeps me feel gooood!

2) This egroup and Podcast, 'Learn Plern Plern' are alive! For the Podcast in particular, the final episode for this year is Ep 82 ka... all possible  with sharing and help of over 80 guest speakers (in the programs and behind the scenes).

3) Singing is still on and I've signed up for the 4th month in January already. I was asked if I could sing well. My response was 'Sing a little better but I feel I know a little more about singing ka.'

4) I feel thankful for opportunities to help give talks, design and try some new activities,  and continue my monitoring project; all of which have enhanced my desire to learn and ponder as well as an increase in listening to many podcast and youtube programs ka.

5) Through all the above activities and some social gatherings, I feel connected to many friends and networks while making new friends far and wide ka. 

Happy holidays na ka. See you all in 2022 ka.

Bonds and generations

 Dear all, hope you all have more festive moods ka....don't consume too much news to help you boost the moods kaa.

A little get together of my ship group was organized over the weekend (Our batch participated in the Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program in 1985) and so I had a chance to talk with our younger ones who came with their parents ka.

One girl (still our 'girl' in our eyes, even though she's a professional chef!) said her mom loves this ship group a lot and she's heard her mom talk about it very often since she was young. She along with another girl from another family admired us for our strong bonds after all these 36 years.Both agreed it was so different from their generation as they don't really know how to nurture this type of relationship and how they wished they could do it as they have their smart devices to make life easier. 

When many research studies show clearly that after all, relationships matter and they help us live longer, I can't help but think of how our younger generations define and will define their happiness and contentment in life na ka.

What's best our older generations can contribute mai ka? Or life goes on and we can simply let go?

What's your response ka?

Happy Monday ka.

Near-death experience story

 Hello all! Get your festive moods already? Amid worries about COVID 19, it seems people are relaxing more na ka.

I have one story to share from talking with a junior friend lately ka. 

He said he felt tired very easily and one morning he got up with a very cloudy brain so he drove himself to a hospital to learn that his blood was 1/3 gone.

As he had to be admitted immediately and was asked to sign a consent letter for the treatment, he decided to sign it without consulting anyone. He didn't tell anyone in his family either. His mind then was telling him, 'When I came to this world, I was on my own and if I have to leave, I leave alone too.' 

Luckily, the treatment was successful and he told his family after he was discharged. He said he was on the verge of depression and got back to his whole self after a friend kind of forced him to change his environment. To make the long story short, it turned out to be a blessing with an unexpected academic offer ka!

His Near-death Experience (NDE) led us to talk about a few things in life. I was telling him about one of my favorite books, 'Chasing Daylight' (introduced to me by Ajarn Chaiyod years ago) and the circles the author drew to classify people who were close to him to spend his last months with. Amazingly, my junior friend has this similar note for him to show his gratitude, well before this experience na ka. I'm honored to be included ka.

He's redesigned his life, making it clear to care for relationships over business and giving more time to his inner circle.....spending longer hours on one-on-one meet-ups with friends. I admired him for taking time to plan and arrange a delightful visit to a museum for his PhD advisor and her husband. His to-do list is gradually completed too.

I've learned about life again with several keywords ka: time, relationships, gratitude, to-do list.

Yours?

Happy Thursday ka.

Integrated communication skills

 Happy Wednesday ka!

I devoted the past 4 months of my podcast program to sharing about communication skills from listening and speaking to reading and writing ka!

It was fun and challenging how to present them and all turned out quite well with over 17 guest speakers and more behind the scenes.

The finale was given by Dr. Romyen Kosaikanont or Mo, Director of SEAMEO RIHED whose sharing showed clearly that after all, every skill is linked. If proficient, we’ll be able to put them to great use in work and in going through hard moments in life ka. In any case, we all need practicing, not just the four skills but also the main objectives of communication, ability to observe, know social etiquettes, and how best to act on specific occasions.

In addition, here is the synthesis of the 4-month learning I’d like to include in this week’s note ka:
- Start from the skill we're good at to develop further to link with other skills...though listening stands out loei ka. Looking for role models is helpful too.

- All good communicators are storytellers  whose stories make it simple for listeners to get to the points and feel touched.
- Links between skills mean increased deeper learning and more opportunities to form firmer relationships.

- Use our 'heart' to communicate which will show our sincerity ka.

Any more thoughts to add mai ka?