Skip to content

Sivin Kit's Garden

Planting Seeds for a Better World

Menu
  • About
  • Church
  • Disclaimer
  • Education
  • Writing
Menu

Random Thoughts in front of the Notebook

Posted on 20 July, 2004 by admin

notebook_sivin.jpg

It was good to hear Gareth having some fun on his “keyboard” today while talking to May Chin. I miss them tremendously and wish I could be home especially when they are physically not well. Apart from the phonecalls (with special rates Thank God!), email and chatting online has helped us keep the connection closer during this long trip away. WiFi access here has helped a lot .. Thank God for Wifi! 🙂

I’m glad I decided to bring the notebook for other reasons too… right now I’ve already uploaded about 1000 pictures in it. And will be looking forward to the Luther sites tour, I’m sure I’ll look like a typical tourist taking photos but as many of you might know. it’s usually more than that for me. The photos don’t just capture the places I visited but becomes a kind of spiringboard for reflections and deeper spiritual growth. This is enhanced with the stories behind the pictures or the commentaries our German hosts so graciousy offer.

There’s so much to write and reflect on … the official stuff is already “rich” enough, and then there’s also the “unofficial” stuff. The coffee conversations, the long talk I had with a friend a while ago, little observations here and there, surprises too, sometimes irritations, and a whole lot.

I suppose there’s a lot of “raw material” when it comes to what’s going on around us. So often we’re just too busy to notice, or we don’t want to be bothered. or other matters are more urgent. But, for me having this break “stengthened” the existing hunger for “depth” and sensitivity to people and life in general.

Today’s special “localized” historical study on Wilhelm Löhe and Neuendettelsau really made me appreciate the efforts made by people here to “remember” and “document” their roots and development. Often. I feel we in busy Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia are so caught up about the future and lost that connection to our personal past as well as corporate past.

There’s few of us who can tell the stories of our city or country or even the people who were very much part of its development. And yet these stories are part of who we are today. The stories we form and grow right here and now will be “absolutely crucial” for the “tommorrows” that await us.

Again … a fresh appreciation for the subject I hated in school … “History”. Now it’s one of my favorites! It’s more than recalling dates and some events, it’s about the places where these events happen, it’s about the people who played their part in these stories, it’s about the sense of plot and purpose in the whole journey.

In the past, the penned it on parchments, wrote in on documents, or nowadays recordings, videos, etc. For me, it’s here with the notebook before me … tools change, but the desire to keep something that will last longer than today is still there!

2 thoughts on “Random Thoughts in front of the Notebook”

  1. DB says:
    20 July, 2004 at 11:56 am

    ahh history of which Europe is so rich with, I felt the same when I visited the Forbidden City in Beijing btw. One thing that always moves me is the way stone has become shiny with the touch of so many generations. How I would love to go back and see the ordinary life of when these ancient places were built.

    I was also impressed with my colleague and hosts knowledge of his city. I wonder if we displaced people (emigrants)do not feel the same kinship ?

  2. Ben says:
    21 July, 2004 at 12:14 am

    Ah, history… One of my most dreaded subjects in school.

    History, in and of itself, is not a bad subject. It’s really exciting, but the way our education system has made history a rote subject doesn’t help a bit…

    I still feel history should be taught in a way that gives room for reflection and inspiration, rather than merely memorizing facts.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

  • Moved to Medium
  • The End | The Beginning
  • I Will be Back …
  • It’s Been a While …
  • GE13 Malaysia: Who to Vote for? (A Christian Contribution)

Recent Comments

  • Malaysia: Government Vows to Review Web Censorship Law After Protest · Global Voices on STOP 114A: INTERNET BLACKOUT DAY
  • List of Participants in Internet Blackout Day! « #Stop114A on STOP 114A: INTERNET BLACKOUT DAY
  • Join Us and Support Internet Blackout Day « #Stop114A on STOP 114A: INTERNET BLACKOUT DAY
  • JB on Imagining My PhD Journey
  • Alex Tang on Imagining My PhD Journey

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

CALENDAR

July 2004
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031  
« Jun   Aug »
  • Academics
  • Bangsar Lutheran Church
  • Beyond
  • Bible
  • Blogging
  • Books
  • Christian Year – Lent
  • Church
  • Conversations
  • Emergent/Emerging Churches
  • Events
  • Family
  • Five Sentences
  • Friends in Conversation
  • Fun stuff
  • Gracious Christianity
  • Ideas
  • Images
  • Leadership
  • Learning
  • Lists
  • Lutheran
  • Lutheran Church in Malaysia & Singapore
  • Malaysia
  • Meditation
  • Micah Mandate
  • Mission
  • Movies
  • Music
  • New Stuff
  • Norway
  • Norwegian Notes
  • Personal
  • Philosophy
  • Podcast
  • Preaching
  • Prezi
  • Project 365
  • Random Links
  • Random Thoughts
  • Random Tweets
  • Random Utterances
  • Religion
  • Resources
  • RoH Malaysia
  • Second Thoughts
  • Seven Series
  • Simple Steps
  • Spirituality
  • Technology
  • Theology
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Video
  • World
  • Worship
  • Writing

Archives

  • November 2020
  • November 2014
  • April 2014
  • February 2014
  • April 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • August 2012
  • June 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
  • December 2007
  • November 2007
  • October 2007
  • September 2007
  • August 2007
  • July 2007
  • June 2007
  • May 2007
  • April 2007
  • March 2007
  • February 2007
  • January 2007
  • December 2006
  • November 2006
  • October 2006
  • September 2006
  • August 2006
  • July 2006
  • June 2006
  • May 2006
  • April 2006
  • March 2006
  • February 2006
  • January 2006
  • December 2005
  • November 2005
  • October 2005
  • September 2005
  • August 2005
  • July 2005
  • June 2005
  • May 2005
  • April 2005
  • March 2005
  • February 2005
  • January 2005
  • December 2004
  • November 2004
  • October 2004
  • September 2004
  • August 2004
  • July 2004
  • June 2004
  • May 2004
  • April 2004
  • March 2004
  • February 2004
  • January 2004
  • December 2003
  • November 2003
  • October 2003
  • September 2003
  • August 2003
  • July 2003
  • June 2003
  • May 2003
  • April 2003
  • February 2003
  • August 2002

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Pages

  • About
  • Church
  • Disclaimer
  • Education
  • Writing

Social Media

© 2022 Sivin Kit's Garden | Powered by Minimalist Blog WordPress Theme