we are all so lucky

hello girls, i cant sleep.. duno why. or maybe i am not willing to sleep. was just reading 'the heart of compassion' a commentary on the thirty-sevenfold practice of a bodhisattva by dilgo khyentse rincpoche. its a great book.

this trip has reconfirmed many things for me. before my thangka lessons started out as a kind of fun thing to do while i am in nepal. even though i had interest in it, i wasnt really sure what i was getting into. i had plans to continue my lessons therefore i made another trip this feb to find out more about how i feel about it. meeting kim this trip was a great boost! and things are clearer to me, on how i want to take the next move.
i would be spending at least 5 mths this year in nepal learning thangka. well i will try. which means i have to juggle between kyurii and thangka. hong kong, nepal and singapore. foreigner students have the flexibility to do that, well as long as we are diligent and pass our exams in mar every year, then we can proceed on to the next year. so i am going to sit for my first year exam next mar. if everything flows. anyhow at this very moment, the most immediate thing to do, is to move out of this wonderful nest of mine by end march or early apr. to save some money. oh i am so going to miss this lovely house. but things can only be for the better. no point clinging on just becos we are used to our comfort zone.
i will be staying at my friend's house, also in lamma. so thats great. still close to nature. i am so lucky. she just bought a house when i came back from nepal last oct as her weekend holiday house. so i am going to house-sit for her when i am in hk. its very big and has really good vibes. i cant wait to show you girls the new place.
so yes changes there will be. i like to call it movement becos the word 'change' is corrupted by the emotion fear. when we tell ourselves, its just a movement of life. life is never stagnant then immediately there is a sense of adventure and exploration and with that, fear is transformed to a sense of curiosity which is much more beneficial. when we explore, we learn. and i feel really fortunate to be able to make choices for myself in life. i see people in nepal or any poor countries where they simply have no choice for the many things that happened and are still happening in their lives. so whenever we are in a position where we can make choices, i think we should rejoice. during the few days before the celebration, when there is no school. i like to help out at the art shop. phuntsok is 5th year student, he is also the art shop manager. and really funny. he is from bhutan.
he said this is laughing buddha. haha...
drolma woke up from her afternoon nap at the art shop. and gombo (rinpoche's dog) is outside in the garden. i always feel he is no ordinary dog. i really like gombo, he is the most gentle rockweiler. so so gentle. everytime i am in rinpoche's house, he likes to rest his head against my thigh and i will stroke his head. oh gombo.. we shall see each other in june. here is gombo on losar morning. ok i think its time for me to sleep now.. talk soon.
ok let me end this blog with a wonderful quote from shantideva, an 8th century indian buddhist scholar.

'All the suffering in the world comes from seeking pleasure for oneself.
All the happiness in the world comes from seeking pleasure for others.'

investigate and see for yourself if it is really true. sweet dreams.