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Showing posts from August, 2011

The Help, injustice, and courage

I just saw the Help, a movie based on Kathryn Stockett's book of the same title about African American maids who came forward with their stories about working in white households in Jackson, Mississippi during the early 1960s. While non-black audiences like myself come out the theater sobbing and weeping in disgust and disbelief of the hostility towards another race, I've heard black audiences walked out tall and proud for what they and their race have lived through with dignity. Injustice disturbs our hearts. I wonder what book and/or movie the future generations will make about us and our injustice towards one another. Perhaps we also are too comfortable in our unjust acts. Courage was mentioned in two significant moments in the movie. Don't we all need some of that to do the right thing? Disturb us, Lord, when We are too well pleased with ourselves, When our dreams have come true Because we have dreamed too little, When we arrived safely Because we sailed too close to

My lunchtime runs

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. -Isaiah 26:3 This week, I had two lunchtime run. I confess that I couldn't concentrate at my desk. Everyday, having been working and sitting down for three to four hours, I start dreaming about trails and mountains and hearing my own running footsteps on soft soil. I often wonder whether my co-workers realize how much I move around in my chair during certain time of the day. There's something else this week. I started to worry about things that I shouldn't have and lost sight of what I should keep focusing on. Running distills my thoughts. Perhaps even my life. Everything becomes simpler while I run because it reminds me once again being human and acquiring joy is simple and innate. God has designed us to be able to experience joy in running, by being in nature, and by acknowledging that He is in control. Although in return, we complicates our lives by finding our security somewhere else

LOST race

LOST Race 2011 Lake Ontario Swim Team hosts an annual race at Lake Ontario, starting in Oakville. It began four years ago with only eight swimmers and grew to 68 last year to become the biggest swimming event in the area. This past weekend, I was in town coincidentally to be one of the 85  participants at the race. The race starts in Oakville, ON, and follows the shoreline for 3.8k / 2.4 miles to finish at the Lighthouse Pier in downtown Oakville. The lighthouse is the perfect landmark for sighting, and finishing means touching the giant Canadian Flag which drapes over the side of the pier. Water temperature was 70F, which was considered warm for Lake Ontario and to the LOSTies who were experienced in swimming much cooler water temperature. For me, it was as cold as I had ever swam. Seeing over half the people with wetsuits ease my mind for having one. Aside from cooler temperature, the water is relatively calm. It became choppier at the end when the wind started to pick up;