(Just a few of us celebrating Patrick’s birthday (guy at the end of the table) after a basketball practice… Isaan food on the street along a klong seems to be a nice way to enjoy a Friday and wind-down the week)
Is it me or do people always have something to complain about? Why is it that people tend to focus on the negative and not on the positive? It’s like people would rather wallow in why things don’t work, why there is suffering in society, and why pain takes precedence over pleasure… We see it all around us. The news generally focuses on disasters, killings, violence, and other horrible things to speak of. Every night between 5-7pm, we are witness to these things on via news on tv… Movies are no less guilty. But, wouldn’t it be great if news, movies, and people focus on the positives? On what we have accomplished rather than on what still needs to be done? I’ll be honest, I’m the type of person that thinks ahead as to what still needs to be done, but we can gain so much more by acknowledging what is good and positive in our lives. I need to readjust my perspective and I think most people need too as well…
(The view from Vertigo of the Banyan Tree Hotel… a very swish hotel in Bangkok’s business district)
People need an attitude adjustment… We take people for granted. When they’re there we don’t seem to notice or appreciate them, but when they’re gone we either miss or complain about them not being around. People are difficult to please no matter where you are… at home or in another country. Some people might think that this is a cultural attitude, but I think it goes beyond that. We are so accustomed to things and people being around us that we don’t appreciate that all things and people can be gone in an instant. I don’t want to sound like a grouch and probably am coming across as one, but we all need a little bit of enlightenment and adjustment in perspective, especially with the holiday season coming up.
(Enjoying some nice and slightly overpriced Thai food with Muriel’s hometown friends)
Anyway, maybe all this self-reflection came from turning 30 last week. It’s another milestone, but is it really? Growing old and moving from one decade to another is significant in life, but there is so much more to focus on than just getting older… how about being wiser?
(A night-time stroll around Chatuchak Park…just opposite JJ or the Weekend Market)
If you want to see what I got up to on my birthday weekend, just go to my photogallery. I’m not much of a party-er, but spending a quality weekend celebrating Loy Krathong and having brunch and bowling with friends was an excellent way to usher my 30s.
(This one of the best photo exhibitions I’ve been to in Bangkok. It was by 55 photographers who traveled around Thailand to capture Thai life, culture, and society. There’s even a very big coffee book called 9 days in the Kingdom)
Dear Vince,
You are right, people always take things for granted and don’t realize that life is a miracle every single day. I am very proud of you attitude and hope you are on the path to enlightenment 🙂
hey vince! nice blog – an enjoyable read. 🙂 you sound like quite a buddhist when you talk about the impermanence of people and things. perhaps buddhism has rubbed off on you here in thailand? hehe. also, that photo exhibit sounds pretty interesting. where was it and is it still on display?
Hi Vince
For me, this post is about something called, “gratitude and attitude”!
We can only control (take ownership of) what we feel and how we feel…
One of the first steps is ‘awareness’…
That photo exhibition looks very interesting,I have never been to one in Bangkok,whenever I ask at the hotels if they know of one going on in the city they always say no.