"Unsatisfied lives. Unfulfilled lives. Lives that haven't found meaning. Because if you've found meaning in you life, you don't want to go back. You want to go forward. You want to see more, do more. You can't wait until sixty-five."

Another thing which I dug out while cleaning... This was written by me for the Taylor's law school newsletter i.e. Lexicon, which in the end they said was too long, so they edited it and cut it short.. the one I'm about to type here, is the one used by a friend that I met during the programme, who so happens to be in the same college, and he said he needed it for his SAM book? or something... He took my super long report and cut it down to a mere 2 pages... which made it didn't sound very smooth flowing any more.. and it looks like he edited some of my grammar, into what I personally feel is wrong grammar..

Well whatever it is.. It's written by me. And I'm archiving it here... well with grammar as correct as possible, and well it's sort of altered... but the structure of the body remains the same..

My thoughts will be at the bottom... marked after the * so you can skip the report if you aren't interested....

Report on JUST's 4th Young Leadership Programme

This programmes was held from 22-25 September 2005 in Genting Permai Park and Resort, Genting Highland. It was attended by 28 participants from various NGOs. It was under the theme "Youth: Empowerment for Change"

On the first day, there was an introductory remark by one of the speaker of JUST and on that night they had the first session, the speaker, Mr. Augustine Loorthusamy, who shed some light on the things that people seem to loose sight off. Regarding the imbalance between the developed and underdeveloped world, how people are now living with all the negative influences brought about by the media etc.

On the second day, during the morning session, all the young leaders were required to discuss about the topic delivered by the previous speaker. The questions such as "What can we do?", "What will this demand for me?" and "How do I make this possible?" was to be answered by the young leaders.

In the afternoon, another session under the heading "The Family, Career and Social Responsibility" was delivered by Dr. Arujunan Narayanan took place where participants were required to answer questions such as "In what way is the family an essential part of one's becoming as a person?" and "Why is the institution of marriage so essential to society today?". These questions were deeply scrutinized.

In the evening the participants were required to watch a movie with the title "Tuesdays with Morrie." It was a story about a man who was stuck in a rat race, his profession being a sport journalist. He later found out that his professor whom he hadn't seen for 12 years, since the time of his college days, was on his death bed. He started to visit him on Tuesdays every week, and that was where he got his final lecture, about the meaning of life. He later led a more insightful life having been enlightened about life and death..

On the very morning of the 3rd day, Dr. Asma Abdullah enlightened the young leaders with the discussion on "Religion, Culture and Plurality". She elucidated the trend of Malaysia's culture and how to manage the similarities and difference in a pluralistic society in order to purse a harmonious Malaysian Nation.

Prof Amriah Buang had really triggered the sense of the young leaders when she tried to come out with a verdict on how people should loot at materialism and the concept of it. She was given the topic "Materialism, Lifestyle and Resources Management". The young leaders started to argue when she pointed out that materialism from al different corners is a bad concept to the extent that one should leave all material possessions behind.

One of the journalists from Malaysiakini, well more like the editor himself, Mr Steven Gan presented the young leaders with a talk entitled "Politics, Conflict and Justice". He spread a new dimension about Malaysia's politics to the young leaders, especially on how it was developed from and independant's journalist point of view. He also shared with his avid listeners, some happenings of the Malaysia political realm.

On the last day, there was a hearty moment when Dr. Chandra Muzzafar gave a profound impact to the young leaders with a speech entitled "Servanthood, Leadership". Dr Chandra outlined 7 characteristics of a good leader. It was during his last speech that he deeply expressed his thoughts to the young leaders that there must be a sense of empathy between all the different races in Malaysia.

During the last session of the programme, Mr Haridas and Mr Ram Karthugasu
resourced the discussion on "Empowerment". His experience on the journey of the soul gives the young leaders an understand that man must be sincere, and the first person that we need to be sincere with, is with one's own self. This was followed by yet another inspirational shrot movie on how successful people are internally motivated.

In conclusion, the 4 day programme was a very thought- provoking experience that demanded a revision of the Malaysian preconceived ideas. inter-ethnic dialogue was actively promoted, as the presenters believed that Malaysians should be more constructively engaged, physically, intellectually and most of all, emotionally, to ensure a harmonious community, and a better future for the next generation...

*****

my personal thoughts? well 2 years ago.. to me, all there was to life was going to class, and going home, going for piano classes, and walking the dog.. I really couldn't be bothered about the politics, or what was going on with the world, I lived in my own little world..

As long as I had food on the table, clothes on my back and a roof on my head (well anime and manga too).. I really couldn't be bothered if half of the earth decided to fall off.. That was how bad, or more like how ignorant I was, back then... Naive as well.. But well, I had nothing, and no one to spark my interest...

To be honest, I actually found that most of the time, during the speeches I was being bored half to death.. I really couldn't be bothered about the issues they were talking about... if only I've gone for the programme now...

I survived pretty well at the programme, using whatever opportunity I had to step out of the speeches for a while.... But well, that was the me then.. IF I went to that programme now.. I think I would have too much to say now haha :p
~~

Time changes a person... as we grow we gain more experiences, and our views on things changes... Even a minute or a second is enough for someone to grow, for example i might be discussing something with you know, and say something, but a minute later, i get a realisation.. and it's a new idea totally contradicting with the first.. i would still call that growth, we are growing both physically and mentally, every second, every hour, every day....

It's just like what xian ai said...Yesterday, I went back to my high school i.e. SMK Taman SEA, as there was a recruit camp.. and well, in a little chat, we jokingly brought up the idea of establishing a rovers section for our troop... it was brought up 2 years ago, and we kicked the idea out... what with the red tape and all...

When I was talking about it with xian ai, she said.. don't you remember that 2 years ago you were against it.. I was like... " I was?" and she said "Yea"...

so okay..., it's no point denying it then, even if I don't remember.. I could have been against it, thinking of the circumstances back then...In fact, it was highly likely, that I was really against it then... So what she said isn't wrong...

but well, circumstances change.. etc.. you can't expect me to keep saying the same thing then and now.. That would mean that I've never moved on and was still stuck as the old me 2 years ago who was ignorant, naive me...(not that i'm not anymore, but less..)

Time moves on... View's change, people change, I've changed, I know..
Oh yeah, I very well know how much I've changed...

-Oracl3-

"As you know, You learn more. If you stayed at 22, you'd always be as ignorant as you were at 22. Ageing is not just decay, you know. It's growth. It's more than the negative that you're going to die, it's also the positive that you understand you're going to die, and that you live a better life because of it." -Tuesdays with Morrie-