Looking beyond

Looking beyond what meets the eye...

Today is the 9th day of my Europe trip... The past few days traveling through Barcelona to Madrid and now in Paris, cause me to think a lot..

The rich culture and art from the places inspire me to start designing again and motivated to make my designs appear when I visit Paris again next year!

Being on this trip with a combination of interesting people cause me to think... What do I want in life? And what is it that I'm trying to achieve...?

On this trip, there are the rich who do not flash their wealth; there's the rich whom I don't know if they are really rich cause they hang their riches on their lips..

There was a lady whom I thought she was quite indifferent and do not want to talk to anyone, but to discover that she is very warm and friendly but was sensitive to people calling them mainland china Chinese..

A group whom I knew of before the trip but never had the chance to really know them.. Thought they are bossy people but to realize how friend and sincere they are..

There's also one whom I always thought was a really nice person even before the trip, and got to know her better during the trip.. And realize the pride that is subtle but yet sharp...

I haven't been perfect either.. I tried my best and prayed really hard that I will not end up judging.. But just simply observing people.. Throughout the trip, I prayed that I will be a good testimony and not judge anyone for their actions or words.. And that God will open up doors for me to know them in a different way...

Most of them are quite well off and like any other Europe trip... Combing the brands are like a ritual that cannot be missed.. Then the comparing begins as they see who could afford a more expensive branded item.. The comparison kinda irritates but I choose not to be affected nor to be part of this rat race.. It is inevitable for them to compare but I just don't care.. Not that I don't have, but I choose not to depend on these branded items to define my self worth and value.. Though I admit, thoughts do run through my mind, on where will I be in 5 years time...

Today we went on a business dinner on cruise. It was suppose to be a very class and fine dining experience where we got dressed up for.. Then a group started singing and talking and laughing loudly... Then another loud roar of laughter from another table.... And then people start getting drunk from yet another table... At the beginning the embarrassment was overwhelming.. But then I saw the sorrows in their laughter and smile.. And I realized.. They may have everything they need or want but they are not truly happy.. They have wealth and riches but they do not have true joy and peace.. Their pacing up and down with more cigarettes and more alcohol only reveals their deepest sorrows.. Speaking very much of the opposite of what they are going through...

Sitting there... I understand that yes they may seems to have all that they want and could afford anything.. But true joy and peace only comes from above...

A few days back, our tour guide shared with us a story:
There was once he was at the hospital waiting for his turn to visit the doctor with one of his cilent. On his left was a Aunty scolding and shouting at the top of her voice in Spanish.. Not understanding what she is saying, he just assumed she was scolding the husband, who walked passed her and patiently went to the public phone to make a phone call.. Everyone was looking at her but no one went up to her.. A policeman nearby just gently say "Aunty be patient".. Feeling annoyed like everyone, he just continued using his phone.. Suddenly when he looked up, the Aunty was sitting right in front of him and he realized that she was actually blind.. She is shouting because she could not see the husband..

Sometimes things may seems like one thing from the back and a completely different thing from the front..