An Ode To The Past

Every day, Facebook is showing up all the past memories which I have posted previously. So heartwarming to remember some of those sweet memories. Let's recap...

My friend Judy has left 6 years ago. I've known her only for a brief 3 years but she has shared with me so much about her life in the Dharma. She made me realised we need not necessarily live a long life if a short brief life was truly meaningful learning and practising the Dharma. 

A NG group shot. We have taken so many group photos over the years. How fun we were in the past after each event or puja.

The constructing of the gigantic 35 Buddhas thangka in progress and it was finally ready last year. So many people came forth to make their offerings for this. #lastinitiative

Ice cream sharing sessions on random weekday evenings after a simple fish soup dinner.

One Vesak Day 3 years ago which we spent raising funds for the building of the new centre. A meaningful day doing car wash for people.

A month long retreat made so much endearing with homecooked soup every dinner by Mama.

Numerous momo parties with monks. They made me start loving momos and appreciating the Tibetan culture. 

First visit to Zong Rinpoche's house 7 years ago, the start of meeting many authentic teachers.

Two years ago when we were painting, washing the new centre, I was there every single weekend and some weekdays too.

How the cleansing pujas on Sundays have benefitted those who needed it.

Dhasa memories with the group, we were like monkeys at times. At least I've fulfilled HHDL's instruction to me.

Hanging around and free to roam Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup's house for a few days, admiring his holy relics, proof of his practice.

How tiring each Grand Puja was but how ever-ready we were when we prepared for it.

Having many makan sessions with this bunch. We used to go for supper or dinner or special occasion. Missing Annie, my senior Dharma sister who left almost 2 years ago.

Surprising Mari with an impromptu cake on her birthday. Surprises, sometimes not pre-planned, are so much more fun and sincere.

The group of monks having a fun moment during a coffee break.

Collecting pre-loved stuff for Haitian donation drive. We were literally on our feet the whole day guiding traffic and collecting stuff from donors, rain or shine for continuously a couple of weeks. 

Surprising someone with a birthday cake. When I heard it was the first time this friend had ever received a cake for a birthday, I was very touched and humbled.

Buying mixed nuts mooncake as a surprise for a Dharma friend during Mid Autumn Festival as he had just lost his wife a few months back. His wife used to buy this moon cake for him every year. 

Thanking Zong Rinpoche for being here. May I in all my lifetimes be able to meet precious teachers and Dharma until enlightenment.

Remembering Geshe Ngawang Longtho who was such an accomplished monk in his time. 

Adding potatoes to curry, so many wonderful meals and happy times in the kitchen at the old place. 

Singing /chanting to the lovely tunes of Rinpoche's name mantra at the Retreat House. The tune is forever stuck in my head and my guru is in my heart always. 

Personal audience and offerings to a visiting teacher. May the teachers come again and again to benefit us, in this lifetime and future lifetimes. 

This is ancient and precious ... Lati Rinpoche's final trip to Singapore. My niece was with me too. 

17.07.2017. Magic date of the opening of the new centre. I remember I was so exhausted that day. I was taking the photos instead of carrying holy objects  like the rest during the march in. 

Port Dickson trip with my guru Dagyab Rinpoche and monks. So fortunate to hang out with my teacher as he strolled along the beach, but I was so OMG shy in front of him. Thank you for guiding me, Rinpoche. 

Many instinctively fell to their knees when Choden Rinpoche arrived. I might not have received that many teachings from him, but he had touched my heart deeply. He promised to guide me in every lifetime. 

At a holy place reciting the heart sutra. Thank you for being so kind to me at times when everything was against me.

At a kelong doing animal liberation. I always feel I do not do enough of this. HHDL said, if you cannot help others, at least do not harm them. So please do not eat live animals. 

Six years ago, what an enjoyable pot luck party. Each volunteer brought their own food and we had BBQ which we prepared ourselves, games and performances. Everyone played a part in the food prep too. 

So many fruits for the monks. With Mama Karen around, there was no shortage of food or fruits. May I be as generous as she was. 

A few NDPs ago, the monks had a fun day experiencing NDP like a typical Singaporean, including taking a MRT ride. 

I'll end with this memorable pic of myself at The Arc @ The Great Ocean Road, Australia. 

Way even before I got into the Dharma path, I had quite a smooth sailing childhood into adulthood. Although my family did not have much, my father paid for this Australia trip, which is probably one of the few family trips we could go together in this life time. 

My father was a loyal clerk who worked for the same bank his entire life. My mom, too was a civil servant all her life, serving the government. They both taught me what loyalty is, whether it is to their job, their company, their friends and to each other. Both of them have known each other since primary school, and have stayed loyal and together for more than 50 years. Perhaps this 'loyalty'  trait has rubbed off on me. 

Maybe one day I'll post my parents' photos from their younger days. The photos are in physical albums and hard copies, so it is quite tedious to scan, sort out and organise everything together. May I be able to do so one day, as an ode to the past, their past. 

As for me, I've had wonderful lovely memories I made all these years of which I've truly no regrets.