The Cooling Stream

I can't remember since when I stopped dreaming. Life has become a routine and boring. There just isn't anything new happening.

I remembered my younger days when I dreamed a lot. Whether I slept early or late, fanciful and delightful dreams just happened one after the others. Sleep was always nice and sweet, and I always looked forward to it. I realized later that I used to wake up with sweet smiles. Sometimes, I chuckled unknowingly.

Sometimes I also daydreamed. It just happened and I dropped down a few times from my chair.

One of my many regrets until today was that I never had the thought, the desire and the urge to write down all my childhood dreams.

Gone were the dreams from my life, and reality started to set in...

It would be really nice to be able to read through all our fantasies and secret desires of our childhood years.

It would be very rewarding and fulfilling to see how our dreams came true. It would be very pleasing and thrilling to look back on our successes over the years, knowing that they were conceived and born through the little fragments of dreams and fantasies.

Of course, for those who never thought of reaching for the skies and realizing their dreams, reflecting and analyzing their pasts would surely bring more sorrow.

For many, childhood dream may be a response and a step closer to reality. But for some, life is cruel and merciless, and you don't dream to get what you wanted.

But childhood dreams have spur me on in most of the things I do today, and I am happy about it.

To me, childhood dreams are dreams come true.

Some of us are ready for bigger challenges in life. Many others are still bogged down by their struggles in difficult conditions.

Some of us are free from the hustle of daily struggles for food and shelter. They are ready to pursue greater height of living standard and quality living. But majority are still crying over their misfortune and have to work really hard to make their ends meet.

So then, what is the chief purpose of life?

Some believe in meeting all their needs and wants. So long as they can have a decent living, that is good enough. Of course they will continue to improve their living standard and emphasize quality living.

The affluence will continue to look for bigger challenges. They furnish lavish and luxurious lifestyles. They yearn for prestigious living, fame and power. They crave after dominance and superiority over others. Ultimately, they want to conquer the world, the universe, and become God.

Yeah, there are so many challenges and struggles in so short a time. Some make their life shine when they are still young. Majority do achieve their dreams after much struggles in later years. Still others continue to live a defeated life until the end of their lives.

This need not be so if we all live to enjoy the presence of God in all His blessings and guidance. Until then, we will never really enjoy our lives.

When work becomes routine, when it becomes a requirement in life, we can get burned out easily.

For the past many weeks, coming to the office has become more stressful. Sitting down quietly and turned on the laptop, I looked at the desktop blankly.

There is no enthusiasm whatsoever. Depression, anxiety, and anger dwell on for a long while. Piles and piles of work are waiting and there are many datelines to meet. Work has really becoming more and more demanding and taxing.

It is alright when work is carried out on a personal basis. We can work according to our strategies and plans. We can prioritize the various tasks at hand according to what and how we want them. There is no interference; we can do them full speed or take our sweet time.

But often work is a matter of teamwork. It is okay if everyone knows their roles while respecting other people's roles. It is okay if everyone knows their strengths and weaknesses. But often what we have in a teamwork is all talks and no actions. Leaders do not show good examples and most of the work is delegated to the subordinates without proper instructions and guidance. Someone somehow will get burned out in no time.

Sometimes I feel like punching the air and screaming at someone. But retaliating will not do any good to anyone.

Often I will take a quiet walk around the garden or sit quietly alone at one corner of a canteen sipping my nescafe while looking and greeting others. It always does the trick.

Keeping my part of the bargain is just fine. After all it is just a job. Enjoy work enjoy life.

A great task was given to our team. Everybody began to grumble about the extra burdens.

The task was to be accomplished in two weeks. Blames and grievances were thrown in all directions. But we knew that we were barking at the wrong tree, for everyone sitting in the round table was a victim. So we smiled and laughed at one another, shaking our heads. Nonetheless the grumbling session did help us to release most of our tensions and stresses.

We began to get everyone to discuss the task. There were new comers in our midst, who knew little about the various points of discussion; they just smiled sheepishly. There were the boastful and the arrogant, who dominated and led the discussion. And there were the big mouths and the small minds, who did draw some attentions and caused a stir. Big ideas and dreams were thrown on the table, but nothing much was accomplished.

Finally we drafted out our strategies and started to divide our roles. The outspokens kept their mouths shut and tried their best avoiding responsibilities. But the majority were optimistic and ready to help.

We had the necessary frameworks and were ready to involve our colleagues and subordinates to implement the various tasks.

We smiled to one another and understood the values of teamwork.

Sometimes we just had to forgo personal differences if there was a insurmountable task at hand that might bring down our organization.

Work is enjoying and fulfilling when we love the tasks we do. But it can be very taxing and tiring when we end up doing things that we don't like.

I love to work in a place where there is division of work. Everyone is doing their works according to their qualification and expertise, and there are always mutual respect and appreciation. Mutual consultation and team work are then possible, bringing the organization to a greater height.

But work becomes stressful when we are given a task that is not in accordance to our qualification and expertise. We will then unable to produce the best that is required because our best will never be the best for the organization. And with the scrutinizing eyes, accusing looks and humiliating words, life will become a real torture for the man in target.

Work also becomes stressful when others do not respect our qualification and expertise. They keep heaping on us what they can do and what they will do if they are in our place. But we know that empty tin always makes the loudest noise. Some of us just refuse to accept that experience grows with years of practices.

Work also becomes stressful when we are arm-twisted to do other people's tasks. These people hold a high post in the organization but know naught what they can do. This is especially true when work status is according to seniority, skin color, or any other social preferences. And when they are unable to do their part, they threaten their subordinates to do for them or coerce fellow colleagues to help them.

Work also becomes stressful when the supervisors just cannot rely on their subordinates. They never stop monitoring their works and they always observe every single detail. This is especially depressing. We know that when parents pay too much attention to their children, the children will never be independent and self-reliance. They will never grow up in time to face real challenges.

So if we are unable to respect one another in our tasks, work will never be enjoying.

And if we do not do our tasks wholeheartedly and diligently, the organization will remain a slowly progressing institution.

And if we always overload others with our burdens, no one will want to work together for the good of the organization.

Ultimately, work satisfaction is only possible when everyone enjoy their works and respect other people's works. But as long as there are parasites, bacteria, viruses, and fungi among us all the time, work is always stressful.

A friend of mine was once working far in a remote district where river transport was the main mode of transport. He had to travel in a speed boat most of the time. Here is a funny story that he has related to me.

According to him, he was resting in a speed boat when he witnessed two villagers hopping into the boat one day. They were bringing along two fighting cocks. Apparently they were going for a cock-fighting session in another village.

Being an enthusiast in fighting cock, my friend instantly sat up straight and paid close attention to the fighting cocks. "They are of good breed and a sure winner," my friend said to the two men. The two men laughed heartily. They then had a chit chat on cock fighting.

There was a group of foreign tourists sitting at the other end of the boat. They were enjoying the river views and the surrounding sceneries. It was a clear and shiny morning.

Suddenly one of the fighting cocks escaped and was running wild. The two villagers immediately chased after it. It was a tough chase since it ran and jumped. Many of the passengers were agitated. The two men had to say "sorry sorry" for a long while.

The fighting cock finally hid under a seat where the foreign tourists were. The two villagers scratched their heads and didn't know what to do; there was a beautiful lady sitting on that particular seat.

Eagerly wanting to get their precious fighting cock under the seat, one of the villagers finally blurted out, "Lady, can you open your legs please, my cock is down there." Many of the passengers bursted into laughter, including my friend. The foreign tourists were very angry, thinking that the two villagers were very rude. The beautiful lady immediately stood up and sat in another seat, while the two villagers squatted down and grabbed hold of their fighting cock.

The two men felt very shy and sheepily walked to a quiet corner of the boat.

Sometimes, in the spur of a moment, we do make silly mistakes in talking, what more the ignorant villager who had limited vocabulary.

Any way, everyone finally had a good laugh, and the journey was smooth and full of fun again.