So many frogs and fishes in this beautiful lotus pond, next to the Japanese Pagoda, in the forest.

Very peaceful too. I was there with the children for four hours, playing with water and the lotus flowers. No one wanted to get out of the pond.

http://leelavadeeflower.blogspot.com/2014/06/beautiful-lotus-pond-at-japanese-pagoda.html

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Happiness … not in another place but this place,
not for another hour but this hour.

— Walt Whitman

When it is understood that one loses joy and happiness in the attempt to possess them, the essence of natural farming will be realized. The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings. ― Masanobu Fukuoka

“Happiness … not in another place but this place,
not for another hour but this hour.”
— Walt Whitman

http://leelavadeeflower.blogspot.com/2014/06/still-with-mother-nature-in-forest.html

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People have to forgive. We don’t have to like them, we don’t have to be friends with them, we don’t have to send them hearts in text messages, but we have to forgive them, to overlook, to forget. Because if we don’t we are tying rocks to our feet, too much for our wings to carry!

― C. JoyBell C.

By Ven. Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda

While the best thing would be to live close to our aged parents to help them physically, there are many other things we can do to show them our gratitude for their kindnesses to us when we were young. First of all, remember how when we were young, we always wanted our parents to talk to us, to show us that they cared for us? Well, now we can do that, by calling them on the telephone regularly, sending them little gifts or cash that they can show off to their friends.

Parents like to be proud of their children and talk about how good their children are. They need proof that their children are good and caring. The gifts need not be expensive. Even the occasional card saying, “I just thought I’d send this to you because I thought of you” is kind and considerate. We need not wait for special occasions. Of course, we should visit our parents as often as possible and let them know how much we miss them – Mom’s cooking or Dad’s advice.

Parents like to know that they are important in our lives. It is not good enough to say, “Ah, they know I love them. I don’t need to show it all the time.” Love and gratitude need to be physicalised.

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By Ven. Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda

Satisfaction with our condition is not equivalent to being lazy. This point must be seen in the context of distinguishing between our needs and our wants. Our needs are limited and must be fulfilled. However, our wants are infinite, dynamic and keep increasing and cannot be satisfied due to the inner craving within us.

In another context, is it wrong to be ambitious? No, it is not. However, we must know when to stop wanting as it is a desire machine within us that will never be satisfied, thus never being happy nor contented. Contentment produces happiness, but contentment is not equivalent to apathy or laziness.