One Wish...Happiness to all beings !

A friend said this to me, "Manddy, a nice wish, I know you are a kind lady now !" 

Maybe a little overated...but I take it as a compliment, thanks ! 

I do have a kind heart, I think I am also soft hearted too and I feel helpless and sad when I am unable to help friends easing them from the trouble and problem and bring back the happiness.

All I wished for this year and many more years is seeing more happy people around.  Everyday, I will visualise friends having great smile on their faces.  Honestly I don't know if it works that way, but sincerely that is all I wished for !

 

I have seen and been through sad days where I couldn't not feel the inner peace inside me, I felt helpless and I can't pick myself up.  I really hate myself when I am down.  I know I deserve a better life, and a lot more smile on my face.  Sigh...don't want to see myself like this anymore !

Typically of me and anyone I think....haha, we feel sad when we hear bad news, or seeing someone feeling down.  Deep down inside me, I really want happiness and being happy just for a few minutes a day can mean something to me.  Aiyah..so easily satisfied !! 

I often asked my self, what is the good thing I have done today ?  By counting the blessing...you will feel good ! At times, I would think are they suffering as I do ? And how can I make them feel better or happier ?  So that is when I will visualise a nice smile on the face :-)  

Lately I haven't been happy.... thinking a lot and I have agonized over it.  Finally, I overcome my fear by confronting it and I feel a sense of relief.

Though I wish for everyone to be happy, but it is still the mindset of the individual :

"Your attract what you hold in your mind.  Your mind is a magnet"

Once again my wish for everyone be happy always !

Love Is Unconditional Acceptance

Lately I have been posting songs and most of them are love songs...

Obviously there is a reason for it...I feel romantic and the desire for that "someone" to share this romantic true love journey with me!

Love songs from old days till now, the lyrics are well written and it means so much to me when I listen to these songs.   Through songs, they helped me to express my feeling and thoughts.

My life has taken another new journey 2 days ago, my sister reminded me it is a good start of my life where I know who exactly I am, and what exactly I want, and what exactly I am willing to give.    

My mom called me this afternoon, told me my cousin one year older than me died of cancer ...Life is too short to start worrying about what may not happen !  Why not just live to the fullest and love to the fullest ??!!

I do not hesitate to give my love to the one I truly love...as I believe "Love is unconditional acceptance, Love is something you bless others with". I don't give promises easily and I posted the song "When I fall In Love", it means something to me. Someone came to my life and taken a place in my heart...who brought so much joy, laughter, even tears. Guess it is all about LOVE !  His presence in my life left me great memories, at times I will smile when these memories flashed back...what we have done crazily....eating 4 ice creams in one afternoon..haha !  

There is always this special place for him in my heart !

Handling yourself with gentleness

I have this little book about LOVE IS ALL ABOUT YOU !

And I want to share this !

Love goes hand-in-hand with kindness and gentleness.

Whenever you are tired, sad, moody or angry

Handle yourself with gentleness.

Be kind and gentle with your actions and speech

Pamper yourself with loving touch

A hug or a massage

(Even if you have no one to hug, just give yourself one!)

Love is an act of endless forgiveness, 

A tender look which becomes a habit 

- Peter Ustinov

What is the good thing I did today ?

I had this topic written sometimes ago and thought it would be nice to post what I felt good for the day !

1. Accomplished some tasks at work though stressful.
   
2. Reconnected with Metta meditation class.
   
3. Through Dhamma, I have learned something about mindfulness, attachment.
   
4. Recalling some events took place yesterday that left great memories in me.
   
5. Seen some improvement in my son's report card, though not excellent, overall he has improved in many areas, most important is his courage.
   
6. Metta loving kindness to all including loved ones and enemies...including those who have hurt me before...

Lemongrass Juice

Have you tried this before ?

Recently I had this conversation with a friend about lemongrass juice.  I loved it very much and I recalled my first sip was at Passion Road located in Damansara Heights.  It was a lovely restaurant, very impressive ambience for a private event.

Few months back I was conducting a food tasting with my client at a 5 star hotel, it was a western menu and surprising chef suggesting to try out lemongrass juice to compliment the dinner...Somehow, it wasn't accepted by the client..felt a bit weird, supposed to be a fusion menu.

And just 2 weeks ago,  I tried at a kopitiam in Bangsar serves excellent lemongrass with ginger...but be prepared for the 'unexpected fart' after that... :-)

Since I love lemongrass juice so much, I found this useful information on the net about the benefit of lemongrass....hope you will enjoy as much as I do.  Next time when I make the juice, I will offer to share with you if you share your comments that you like to try...haha !

Lemon grass or the local tanglad (scientific name: Cymbopogon ciatrus) is one of those wondrous herbs that one can always associate with Asian cooking Thai, Malaysian and Vietnamese homegrown meal enthusiasts always have this tropical grass at hand for its aromatic citrus flavor with a trace of ginger. Few people know that its other popular name is citronella - the common scent you usually find in candles, perfumes and soaps. 

Citronella is known for its calming effect that relieves insomnia or stress. It is also considered as a mild insect repellant. But more than scent, tanglad or lemon grass provides a lot of health benefits. Studies have shown that the lemon grass has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Mixed with pepper, it's a home therapy for menstrual troubles and nausea. Drank as tea, it is an effective diuretic. When it comes to pets, citronella is used to neutralize excessive barking of dogs. Since dogs hate citronella, it is sprayed to dogs to prevent them from barking or just to lessen the behavior. 

The Lemon grass is a good cleanser that helps to detoxify the Liver, pancreas, kidney, bladder and the digestive tract. It cuts down uric acid, cholesterol, excess fats and other toxins in the body while stimulating digestion, blood circulation, and lactation; it also alleviates indigestion and gastroenteritis. It is said that lemongrass also helps improve the skin by reducing acne and pimples and acts as a muscle and tissue toner. Also, it can reduce blood pressure. Just make a concoction by boiling some lemon grass leaves, let it cool for a while and drink the liquid. 

The leaves and base of this tender perennial are used as a food flavoring, particularly in fish and poultry dishes, and its essential oils are used medicinally. Its distinctive flavor balances hot chillies and contributes to the elaborate, multi-layered flavors of many dishes in South East Asian cuisine. 

As the long, thin, grey-green leaves are tough and fibrous, the outside leaves and the tips are usually chopped very finely or discarded from the dish before it is served. The base is often ground. Citral, an essential oil also found in lemon peel, is the constituent responsible for its taste and aroma. 

Lemon grass, also known as Sweet Rush and sometimes called Fever Grass in the Caribbean, can be used as a remedy for ague, fevers, and colds.