As we grow older, learning new things or skills is no more about achievement but simply because we find joy in doing them. To Gary Hayden, time spent learning something new is always time well spent no matter how old you are. In mastering a new skill at an older age, though we are unlikely to be highly proficient at it, we are however cultivating our inner being. Ultimately, take joy in learning something new. Read more...

In this article, Gary Hayden reflects on whether we really know how to love. He is convinced that the most important thing in life is to love and be loved. Probably most of us are not giving and receiving love the right way. The quality of the love that we give stems from a deep understanding of the real needs of that person we love. Gary introduces us to a book called ‘How To Love’ written by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, teacher and writer, who says “Understanding is love’s other name. If you don’t understand, you can’t love.”. Read more...

Ever wonder how the right diet choice can result in a healthy planet with reduced carbon footprint and environmental damage? Eco-diets, as they are called, not only improve personal health but are now a feature in the Paris Agreement on climate change and a subject of several high profile research studies including that of the World Resources Institute (WRI). According to researchers, eco-conscious eating habits are not another diet fad. However, many concepts or forms of eco-diets have since emerged – Climatarianism, Reducetarianism, Flexitarianism, VB6, Entomophagy. Find out what they are in the article. Read more...

Hong Kong, 31.10.2015 11:28am - Watching amazing Hong Kong over a latté and blueberry bagel at Pacific Coffee across the street from my hotel in Wanchai, sentiments and some anxieties begin to cloud my mind. Hong Kong never fails to amaze me every time I come back to visit since leaving here in 1991 after 5 years of residence.  Read more...

A few months after a friend retired, she told me she had stopped reading the newspapers. All her news came from online sources and the BBC World Service. That was several years ago. In the past two years, the way I get the news has changed too. Yes, stepping off the corporate threadmill has that effect. All my news now comes from online sources – not just because I’ve turned to e-papers to avoid getting ink-stained fingers.  Read more...

On 20 May 2015, seven of us left Singapore after much preparation and anticipation to make a 26- hour trip to Jaidoh in north-east India. Thanks to the generous donations in cash and kind from friends, we carried faith, hope and love to share with this little village of about 145 families. Jaidoh is in the state of Meghalaya, which shares a border with Bhutan to the north and Bangladesh to the south. Meghalaya, which means “abodes of clouds”, is a region of scenic beauty. Read more...

I am an addict. I need a fix every day. I can almost tell the time by the moment the craving hits. 4pm. Every day. That’s when I have to drink a cup of tea. I don’t like tea bags; loose-leaf tea is what I prefer. Right now I am drinking a Broken Pekoe from the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia. Bukit Cheeding No. 53 – full-bodied, strong, just the way I like it. Read more...