...sun rises as the sign of God's love...

A 99 year old woman said this evening, "what more do I have to ask from God?" She further said, "I am reaching 100 year old, I just want to be thankful to God for my life." She said, "as the sun rises every morning that is how God is showing His love to me."

...it looks poor but the existence of calm serenity is there...

Experience the sense of calm serenity. Enjoy the beauty of village life. Beloved Borneo! I am proud to be a Borneon.

Sabah Pogun Tokou- Tuhun KadazanDusun Id USA.

...in solitude with God...

Yet I am always with you;you hold me by my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel,and afterward you will take me into glory.

Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heartand my portion forever . . .
As for me, it is good to be near God.

I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;

I will tell of all your deeds. (Ps. 73:23-26, 28)

Mother Teresa on Loneliness

Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work. Mother Teresa

Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty. Mother Teresa

Loneliness is the most terrible poverty. Mother Teresa

"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace"

This prayer is specially dedicated to all those caregivers who are ministering the elderly individuals in our society.






Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury,pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;and
where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

"...just being very empty..."

She selects an oak tree as a metaphor. She feels that an oak tree is the symbol of her life, bending way over, and then straightening up again. Symbolically she states that her life encountered some harsh blowing wind that has bent her over, but when the wind ceases, she stands up again.
She is a retired 77 year old payroll officer. She explains, "It is particularl lonely when going to some place, like a party or a wedding, seeing couples and you are alone." She admits, "It is the most difficult part of being alone." She delves into this feeling of "just being very empty" and she admits loneliness exists in her life.

...how I wish I can be like you..

As I was walking alone into the room, I saw this 88 year old woman on the wheel-chair. I asked her, "how are you today?" She responded, "I am not fine." "Today is really a bad day for me, I just feel not good," she added. She asked me, "how are you doing?" I replied, "I am fine, thank you." She quickly replied, "how I wish I can be like you."

This last sentence of her, "how I wish I can be like you" has given me the opprtunity to delve-depth of what she said. Yes, I might be saying, "I am fine" but you know what is really inside my heart and mind. When we continue conversation we other people each day, we will understand the uniqueness of each person.

...a little deed can make another person happier...

While I was eating, I heard this 89 year-old woman was coughing. I saw her struggling to cough and I went to her table and asked, "are you ok?" She replied, "I am trying to cough but it is difficult." I advised her not to talk but to inhale few times before coughing again.
It worked, she finally coughed and able to enjoy her food again. I asked her, "how is the food?" She answered, "it is....de..li.cious." Just a little deed can make another person happier and the food can be very delicious...

...empowerment is the answer for her...

A 99 year-old woman said to me this afternoon. "I like the drumming session which you conducted, I felt peaceful after the session." She added, "surprisingly I was able to join with the others to produce that beautiful melody." "I wonder, how you get people to sychronize the whole sounds?" She concluded.

Some of the questions that can be asked before and after the Peaceful Rhythmic Hand Drumming.

1. What rhythms are you aware of in your life?
2. What are your life rhythms?
3. Describe yor life tempo. What is a normal day like for you?
4. How does your life rhythm and tempo affect you?
5. How do you fell your day-to-day rhythm cohesiveness with who you are as a person? To what extend is your personal rhythm influenced by others?
How is your life rhythm affected by situations and circumstances around you?
The following questionare was devised by Jim Anderson. (Friedman, 2000).