On Humility

by Thomas Heng

Humility, you are profound indeed!
You slip out of our grasp when we speak
You elude us when we stand to profess
Yet you reside in us when we are still

In silence we marvel at your nature
In solitude we wonder at your beauty
Rare indeed is the one who truly is
Humble amidst the company of humans

For you are not proclaimed through words or deeds
Not in accomplishments alone are you clearly seen;
But through the mere act of being amongst nothingness
Are you most accurately discerned

On Risk

by Thomas Heng

Risk is inherent in today's world. Some may believe that in an increasingly risky world, it would be best not to do anything at all and watch the world go by or sort itself out, that it is better to wait till it's 'safe' again. Nothing could be further from the truth.

While it may seem that the world has become a lot more dangerous today than ever before (by the way I would disagree with that, though it will probably best be left to another post!), the opportunity for ordinary people to become all that they can be is also greater than ever. Having said that, it would be prudent to examine the nature of risk before plunging headlong into a venture based on a nebulous concept of reward. For to undertake any meaningful enterprise without clarity as regards its potential risks and rewards is, well, very risky indeed.

It is essential to distinguish between the risks that are external to oneself, and those that are created within. Risks that are solely external to oneself are few and far between; most of the time such risks occur suddenly without forewarning, and can at best be managed only after the event. However, it is precisely the management of risk that can and should be the premise of the individual, that is, risk management is wholly internal in nature.

This insight provides comfort for those of us who feel that life is increasingly outside of our control, that business is becoming unsustainable, and that the future of our very existence lies in the hands of people (or other entities) whom we do not know, let alone understand. One of the keys is in our perception of risk and the occurrence of unexpected events. How one handles major global events is not identical to how another deals with them. Which means that we have the power of choice to determine the precise meaning of each event that 'happens' to us.

A strategic approach to life and business that incorporates the principle of risk management does not mean that we start treating the people in our lives as chess pieces. Rather, it means that we are acutely sensitive to the environment around us, and that we pay particular attention to how, on an individual level, affect others around us, and ponder upon our words, thoughts, and actions as we release them from our inner being.

On Pursuit

by Thomas Heng

Not to beat down the Other

Nor to promote Oneself

Not for Riches from without

Nor for Glory for its own sake

Not to avenge some Injustice

Nor to cast aside one's own Afflictions

Not for one's Redemption

Nor for Others' sake

You are but the natural Consequence; the

Sum of mind, flesh and ego; when

Aligned to universal Spirit; a

Response to divine Grace

The Mystery of Choice

by Thomas Heng

Choice, a word oft used yet much abused

When paired with Freedom, one finds War

When bounded with Rationality, one risks Conformity

When teamed with Dichotomy, Falsehood reigns

Choice, a word simple yet profound

When confronted with the mirror of Truth

Suppression flees, as does Fear and Loss

Only Purpose and Wisdom remain

Guiding one's steps towards Destiny

On Gratitude

by Thomas Heng

More than mouthing mere words

Rather a stirring from deep within

That resonates with the Other

One in union with the Infinite

More than a reflex action

Rather a deed of purpose

That initiates from the Soul

Rippling outward beyond boundaries

THE OLD MAN AND HIS SHOE

This is one of my favourite stories, enjoy!

__________________________________

One day an old man boarded a bus. As he was going up the steps, one 

of his shoes slipped off. The door closed and the bus moved off so he was 

unable to retrieve it. The old man calmly took off his other shoe and 

threw it out of the window. 

A young man on the bus saw what happened, and could 

not help going up to the old man and asking, "I noticed what you did, sir. 

Why did you throw out your other shoe?" The old man promptly replied, "So 

that whoever finds them will be able to use them." 

The old man in the story understood a fundamental philosophy for life - do not hold on to 

something simply for the sake of possessing it or because you do not wish 

others to have it. We lose things all the time. The loss may seem to us 

grievous and unjust initially, but loss only happens so that positive changes 

can occur in our lives. 

We should not always assume that losing something is 

bad, because if things do not shift, we'll never become better people or 

experience better things. That's not to say of course that we only 

lose "bad" things; It simply means that in order for us to mature 

emotionally and spiritually, and for us to contribute to the world, the 

interchange between loss and gain is necessary. 

Like the old man in the story, we have to learn to let go. The world had 

decided that it was time for the old man to lose his shoe. Maybe this happened 

to add momentum to a series of events leading to a better pair of shoes for the 

old man. Maybe the search for another pair of shoes would lead the old man 

to a great benefactor. 

Maybe the world decided that someone else needed the shoes more. Whatever 

the reason, we can't avoid losing things. The old man understood this. 

One of his shoes had gone out of his reach. The remaining shoe would not 

have been much help to him, but it would be a cherished gift to a homeless 

person desperately in need of protection from the ground. Hoarding 

possessions does nothing to make us or the world better. We all have to decide 

constantly if some things or people have run their course in our 

lives or would be better off with others. We then have to muster the courage 

to give them away. 

The 99 Club

Accordingly to an old folk tale, a king wanted to find out the source of one's happiness. A wise advisor suggested that the king secretly place a bag of 99 gold coins outside the house of the servant who seemed happiest to the king. So the king did as he was advised, and one night he went to the servant's house secretly, and placed a bag of 99 gold coins outside the door. 

The next morning, the servant opened the door and was thrilled to see the bag of coins. He counted the coins, there were 99 of them. Puzzled, the servant counted them again, and there were 99 coins just the same. Now the servant was sure that no one would leave a bag of 99 coins; he was certain that there was one coin missing, and began to search everywhere for it. Before long, this once-cheerful servant who was given the gift of 99 coins became frustrated and angry about the alleged missing coin, and showed up for work at the palace in the foulest mood everyone in the palace had seen since, well, since next to never!

Beware the insidious trap that is the 99 Club. The ways of this Club lead to people to find sorrow in every joy, suspicion in every intent, doubt in every faith, excuse in every cause, inaction in every choice, uncertainty in every step, malcontent in every event. Sometimes it may be better to consider the possibility that the blessings one receives, no matter how inadequate to human eyes, are in fact complete in themselves. 

Rather than pursue imaginary gains, one may do well to celebrate the victories one already has on hand.

Rather than mourn past losses, one may do well to take stock of what one can learn from such experiences, in order to gain from future opportunities.

Governance and Management

by Thomas Heng

Management of self is trivial; one cannot function effectively without at least consciously being in control of oneself.

Governance of others is equally trivial; one need only lay down the law clearly for others in order to define right from wrong.

There are few things more difficult to manage than the management of others, for others can never be fully under one's control.

There are even fewer things more difficult to govern than the governance of self, to act with fullness of purpose despite all emotions to the contrary; such is the purpose of one's life.

Letter From A Scholar

Five years ago this letter appeared in the Straits Times. I believe it still has relevance to parents today, and I am reproducing it here. Apparently the author is now working in the tourism industry, and enjoying every moment of it.

_____________________________________________________

EVEN WHEN MY DECISIONS WERE RIDICULOUS... 

Mum and Dad always stood by me 

I REFER to the letters by Ms Maria Loh ('Don't kill love for learning'; ST, Feb 3) and Ms Lena Soh ('Every child is gifted, tap his potential'; ST, Feb 3). 

I am a final-year arts undergraduate at the National University of Singapore who was brought up a little differently from my peers. 

My parents are considered strict by general standards. One's a nurse, the other was serving the army for the longest time. I always felt I had two disciplinary masters at home. 

However, my parents allowed me to learn whatever I wanted as a child. Whatever I had an interest in, be it swimming, art and craft or electronic keyboard, I was given the chance to pick it up, even if the cost was hefty. They might grumble, but then they gave me the money. 

Whenever my interest in something waned, like when I decided learning the organ was not too interesting after I passed my Grade 2 exam, they allowed me to stop. While they resented wasting money and ticked me off for giving up too easily, they understood that a passion for something can only be sustained by an interest in it. 

They did not start me on tuition until they saw the need for it, such as when a school teacher called them up and said my Chinese was beyond redemption or when I got a red mark for mathematics on my report card. 

Likewise, they stopped the tuition whenever I wanted out, or when my grades improved enough to make my Chinese teacher withdraw her 'beyond redemption' remark. 

They left me on my own to study from Primary 5 onwards. They could tell I was self-motivated. They drove me to bookstores, gave me a budget and let me pick out the assessment books myself. 

Of course, I did not finish them all, but because I chose them myself, they held my attention and commitment longer than usual. After a while, they even left the answer sheets behind and let me mark my books on my own. I had their trust. 

They never interfered with my decisions, such as what subjects to take and which junior college to go to, nor my subsequent decision to reside in the students' hostel at university for four years even though the campus is a 10-minute bus ride away. 

To them, my decisions at times were ridiculous, and the financial strain on them was apparent. They offered advice and voiced their unhappiness but still they supported me. 

They had to endure my constant requests to go travelling and when they could give me the money to do so, they would. One day, when they could not, my dad decided it was time to upgrade the home computer to wireless broadband, so that the family could surf the Net and find out about the world from the comfort of home. 

Today, I am an above-average student working for an honours degree in Geography, specialising in tourism studies because I had grown to love travelling and exploring various parts of the world since Dad took me to Brunei on my first trip at five when he had to lead an army team there. 

My thesis is on backpacker tourism, a natural choice as I started backpacking with my friends at age 20. 

Because I had learnt whatever I wanted to learn when I was young, I can play any song I hear on the piano, teach children handicraft, swim well enough to not drown, sing (I joined the choir in secondary school) and take part in sports (joined the athletics team in junior college). 

I was never the star runner or the champion, sometimes very far from it, but I followed my heart and I have no regrets. 

One day, if I do not get a job, I will print my namecard, stating my profession as 'Jane of all trades, Mistress of none'. 

I may or may not make it big. Either way, I will survive. And I will be happy doing what I am doing. I have had my share of failure and learnt that some of my decisions were indeed ridiculous, and that maybe it was true that Mum and Dad always knew best. 

Either way, whether I succeeded or failed, I discovered the joy of learning new things and letting go when it was time to do so. 

When asked about my hobbies in any conversation or interview, I always reply: 'My hobby is to pick up new hobbies on an annual basis.' 

Last year, I learnt to play the drums for two months, giving up when I realised I would never be good enough to play for my church band. I picked up the guitar, and I can play well enough to sing some fellowship songs with close friends. 

This year, I am going on more backpacking trips. My parents cannot bear to see me travel this way and are clearly worried, but I need to backpack to complete my research. They told me that if I could not get enough research funds, they would top up the rest. That's what I mean by support. 

I do not think I am qualified to teach people older than me how to raise their children. But I knew I had a story to share, and I believe my story might just change some Singaporeans' perception on how a child should be brought up in a society like ours. 

I am sure there's no hard and fast rule. I am the product of my upbringing, and I will always be thankful to my parents. My parents found their balance; I hope you find yours too. 

SANDRA LEONG SWEET EE (MISS) 

On Courage

Courage is the persistence to demonstrate the validity of one's beliefs despite the awareness of one's apprehensions. Society plays but a secondary role in determining one's actions in the ultimate analysis, although it must be clarified that the two are not mutually exclusive by any stretch of the imagination. Far be it for me to claim that only the anti-social, counter-cultural elements of society can be said to be courageous; some of them may in fact be running away or avoiding from that which is their genuine purpose. 

Courage is found in both the dramatic and the mundane. The journalist that gives his/her life in order to accurately communicate the truth about repressive regimes in war-torn areas of the world; the parent who disciplines the child firmly but gently, so that the child knows the importance of respecting boundaries of space and time; or even the strength of someone afflicted with an incurable illness to keep striving for the next meal when the authorities, society and loved ones stack increasingly insurmountable odds against him/her.

A prime example of Courage in Singapore is when MP Christopher de Souza defied party lines to oppose the passing of the Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA). Rare is the man who stands up for what he believes in, despite all opposition to the contrary. For this little act, you'll go down in history, so take a bow, Chris...

On Maturity

by Thomas Heng

Maturity is the ability to sufficiently distance oneself from one's faults, and indeed from one's strengths as well, so that oneself and others can benefit from the collective wisdom of objectivity.

Maturity is having the strength to relate the most painful of truths directly to the one who benefits most from such revelations, without causing unnecessary collateral damage or hurt to others.

Maturity need not mean that one deprives oneself (and others) of one's innate sense of humour about the things and events in this world, inane as that humour may well be!

Maturity is the clarity of oneself to remain focused and committed to the primary priority of one's essence of being, in relation those of others, so that what has been created remains a matter worth cherishing and striving towards.

Maturity comes from the gift that is Wisdom; apart from Wisdom what remains more often than not turns to Cynicism.

Wisdom, the mother of Maturity, is the craft of reconciling all known possibilities within one's scope of experience towards a fundamental decision that one can genuinely sustain through the course of time and space, so that once that decision is made, there is little or no need for review -- the result brings Joy, Hope, and Peace to oneself amidst the fickle vicissitudes of life.

Hamsters On A Wheel

(this comment first appeared in the Singapore Angle in November 2008)

Since the independence of our island-nation, the establishment has sought to inundate its citizens with the value of being hamsters on a wheel -- that somehow there is a worthwhile payoff for being busy by going nowhere fast, and somehow the payoff seems to get larger the faster the hamster goes nowhere. And I suppose the hamster can experience the payoff as he earns another peanut, while conveniently ignoring that the wheel he runs on keeps the establishment warm at night (incidentally if anyone tries this at home, don't be surprised to have SPCA knocking on your door lol).

Which is perhaps why some hamsters choose to groom themselves better than the others, in the hope that they will be rewarded with more peanuts. Some may choose to run on the wheels longer than others for additional pet massage time, even if they cannot really understand why the establishment would value the powering up of one additional lantern (pet massages are of high perceived value to hamsters in case you are wondering). These are the hamsters who will leave when the establishment has no more food, or when another locale has better food (for the sake of argument, hamsters have freedom of movement).

And if hamsters somehow get the idea that they will still be fed without running on the wheel, they are sorely mistaken. Firstly, there will always be hamsters who are willing to run on the wheel, even if they are originally guinea pigs from another locale. Secondly, hamsters that don't perform on the wheel as they should will be replaced by new, hungry and, dare I say, more cost-effective ones. In this sense, hamsters who skive don't really bother the establishment; things will thus carry on regardless. Asking hamsters for their opinion is simply for (mutual?) entertainment.

Lady hamsters (please take this tongue-in-cheek as guy hamsters are not known for being exceptionally tactful) do not have much of a struggle compared to their male counterparts. The dissonance between peanuts and freedom tends not to apply as much to lady hamsters. For this group (in general), the game plan is to run as steadily as one can, raise a few baby hamsters, and gently lobby for as equal number of peanuts as guy hamsters when the opportunity arises. And if this means teaching newly-formed hamsters the (economic) value of being one, so be it -- they are not known to be particularly argumentative, except when having a discussion with their guy partners ;-)

Having covered the local situation, let's turn to hamsters abroad (hopefully I'm not stealing your thunder, Wayne!). Perhaps local hamsters view them with envy, that somehow there ought to be more peanuts 'over there', and wonder why they cannot have the same where they are. Perhaps overseas hamsters view local hamsters as weak and dependent, and may occasionally return to cause a minor mess to the establishment (through their droppings perhaps). Neither is desirable, because when a burglar enters to steal valuables (hamster food included perhaps?), the hamsters will scatter. Which self-respecting hamster would stay in a place where there are no peanuts?

I believe what the establishment needs are not so much hamsters (yes I know they keep one can warm at night -- don't try this, seriously, SPCA is watching!), but a Jack Russell Terrier (JRT). JRT's are intelligent, resourceful, observant, cute, quirky, and yes, some of them can be rather loud at times (JRTs call this 'an independent streak').

However, JRT's are fiercely loyal to the cause, not only because they do have ample dog food, but more importantly because through *interaction* with the establishment over the centuries, a mutual understanding of substantial meaning between the two has been reached. It is said that JRTs are among a select breed of dog that intimately understand facial, vocal and kinesthetic cues of humans, so much so that even before trouble strikes, the JRT alerts the owner. And rest assured that when burglars attempt entry without the establishment being around, JRTs rally to the cause, and battle tooth and nail to ensure its turf, even if they are next door exploring the next place to bury their favourite bone.

These are increasingly uncertain times. Eighteen months ago it seemed that there were plenty of peanuts to go around. Hamsters are sorely ineffectual during stormy seasons. If the establishment truly wants to safeguard this island's shores, get a JRT, and treat it like one i.e. no peanuts please!

On Talent

Book review by Thomas Heng

Talent is an oft-misconstrued concept, according to a bestseller by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman. First, Break All the Rules is not nearly as radical as the title suggests. However, it does contain some revolutionary insights into what makes great organisations work, or rather, what great managers in these organisations realise that others already know but somehow don't put into practice. Central to this work is the way great managers approach the issue of Talent, and what they do to harness it for the benefit of all concerned.

In the maze of business jargon, one is bombarded with 'words of wisdom' or 'catchphrases' that seem to say much but in fact mean precious little, or the meaning of these well-intended utterings is so disparate that one is too confused to admit the face, and yet out of sheer frustration, uses them willy-nilly anyway. Surrounding the word Talent are its poor cousins Skills and Knowledge, and its even poorer relations twice-removed, Competencies, Habits, Attitudes and Drive. The key to sorting out this royal mess may be to simply ask, 'Which of these are easily modified through management, and which are not?'

For a start, if the word Talent suggests something that is innate, then Skills and Knowledge are learnt attributes, no matter if one has honed it since age 13 or age 30. For instance, being able to do arithmetic or science is a Skill, as these can be taught by steps. Knowledge however is the sum total of what one, um, knows, for example knowing the Highway Code, or knowing when to close a sale -- one gains Knowledge through learning and experiencing all that life has to offer.

That leaves Talent, which one can best summarise as 'that which is embedded deep within one's being that cannot be passed on easily to another with desirable consequences'. I suppose one of the classic examples would be to train a bubbly, outgoing, spontaneous person to remain cooped up in an office with no windows and one door, where all that needs to be done is typing and verifying accounts, and to expect this person to love doing it week in week out without a single word of complaint! Clearly you would agree that this person isn't really doing a job that s/he loves... Personally, Talent can be further broken down to Motivation (what drives someone), Psychology (how someone thinks) and Sociability (how someone relates to others).

At this point it would be useful to add that Talent is not confined to an exclusive set of individuals; each person is Talented in his/her unique way. The unfortunate situation is that in a 'meritocracy' such as ours, Talents are often suppressed by historical facts of past academic achievements. Take a closer look at the bus captain as he goes about his routine, and see if you can find the unique Talents required to persist in such a role day in, day out. If anything needs to be raised it's not bus fares, but bus captains' salaries!

Conventional wisdom holds that Competencies, Habits, Attitudes and Drive are manageable parts of a whole that, if tweaks often and long enough, will somehow transform the struggling employee into something Perfect. I cannot emphasise enough that nothing can be further than the truth. First let's take a look at Competencies; just what on earth are they, something trainable? Can one truly impart Creativity, or is it something that needs to be drawn out? Great managers are able to identify and discard language that doesn't serve their ultimate purpose: the betterment of the employee for the betterment of all involved.

Habits are behavioural, and can be changed with effort, but then again this requires management of the utmost sensitivity. The best person to drive such an effort is the employee and not anyone else, as it should be one's journey to learn through experience what Talents one already possesses can be best placed into one's work, social and personal life.

Attitudes are innate. There, I said it. The next time you hear someone say 'Change your attitude' you are most welcome to quote me ;-) The key to management is knowing how to best place the Talents at one's disposal; there is nothing worse than a Talented employee placed in the wrong job, as square pegs in round holes would undoubtedly agree.

Similarly, Drive is nothing more than an imitation for Motivation, waiting to be charged with identity theft. I'm not sure why some managers insist on lighting metaphorical fires to see how employees would squirm, as if somehow the Drive would miraculously surface and by some act of God, remain in sustainable fashion. There is only so much fear that can be imparted into employees before they bail out of the organisation altogether, regardless of their affinity to the enterprise prior to the implementation of such scare tactics.

Management is not easy, nor is it meant to be. Lighting fires to uncover Talent is as effective as burning plywood in search of virgin wood; one simply cannot hope to find a particular Talent by destroying the other Talents. However, with a little objectivity, one can still build a decent wardrobe with the plywood one has at hand, while continuing to seek out the virgin wood that one desires.

Choose Freedom

Have you ever felt unappreciated for the things you do, or worse, for being who you are? I have, and trust me, it's not the greatest of emotions! I mean, after working hard for something that I truly believe in for almost all my life, only to realise that the things I hold dear mean next to nothing to the organisations that we shall collectively call SpongeDry Inc. Sure you may say 'The company is not supposed to consider employees needs and wants, let alone feelings', which begs the question, just what on earth is a company for anyway? To satisfy the owner's ego, or siphon off shareholders' equity, or to create havens for money that is ill-gotten? Doesn't anyone create companies for something other than for their own shallow selves anymore? Or are we so blinded by the profit of the here-and-now that we forget that organisations have the potential to outlive their owners and their descendants?

Some time ago, I have had the last straw in my experience of being in full-time employment. Somehow, being in the position of employee entitles the employer to shuffle staff like a deck of cards, with little or no regard for prior results, preliminary consultation, nor the space to address potential disagreement or resentment from the person most affected by such a move.

So out of the realisation that I would never be able to reconcile my values with those of SpongeDry Inc, I wrote these as a postscript to my resignation letter:

• People Above Profits
  
• Family Above Career
  
• Truth Over Rules
  
• God Above All
  

Maybe my mind has indeed gone to cuckoo-land, but if organisations don't realise that there are limits to what they can do to their employees, then pardon me, but they must be Crazy...

Inspirations 009 -- Ten Companions

Ten Companions

by Thomas Heng

Success is my duty

Wealth is my reponsibility

Sharing is my passion

Learning is my desire

Speaking is my hobby

Reading is my habit

Dreams are my staple

Courage is my friend

Spirit is my guide

Love is my footprint

Inspirations 006 -- The Return

This was something I wrote on the flight back from a year long stint in Australia.

The Return 
by Thomas Heng

Talk is so cheap 
Rhetoric, just as dear 
Money's to be made everywhere 
Open your eyes and dispel your fear 

You already know what works 
and what doesn't for you 
Listen to others' counsel 
But the final task is yours to do 

Regard others in truth 
But also love yourself 
Worry not about the future 
For within you is real wealth 

Life is full of trivial pursuits 
Dispense with them fast 
Seize the memorable times 
Lengthen them; make them last 

True sustenance that inspires 
For a lifetime, is made 
Of fleeting seconds 
Never let them fade 

The return to hustle and bustle 
Is impending but in a while 
Cherish the last quiet moment 
Stow the memories in your organic file 

Inspirations 005 -- Being Myself

Being Myself

by Thomas Heng

Who would I be

If I didn't say what I mean?
What good external piety
If deep within I'm unclean?
A confession proclaimed
Or one silently professed
The goose and the gander
Both equally ad-dressed
Pronouncements are but vanity
Prescriptions of insanity
Minions remain not blind
To the suffering of our kind

I'm not a role model
I'm not a saint
I'll share with you what I believe
But I can't be what I ain't

Inspirations 004 -- The Weight of Values

Something I wrote to keep me on an even keel...

The Weight of Values

by Thomas Heng

See; but look deeply

Hear; but listen carefully

Know; but discern critically

Fear; indeed fear God
Fall; but get up
Cry; but wipe the tears away
Laugh; but guide firmly
Teach; but learn more than twice
Be; but be complete
Let the eyes look neither up nor down
for the self is level and true
Let the head turn neither left nor right
for it is but the slave of those who see
Let the ears suffer neither praise nor strife
for these lead to meaningless distraction
Let the lips serve the pure heart
for truth resounds from within
The way of the body is neutral to Creation
Yet the way of the soul is Perfection renewed

Inspirations 001 -- Lessons of Life

I came across these few short but profound sentences somewhere, and I've changed some of the phrasings for easier reading (hopefully you will agree, but it looks alright to me!) 

I feared being alone until I learned to like myself.

I feared failure until I realised that I truly fail only when I don't try.

I feared success until I realised that I had to go for it in order to be happy with myself.

I feared people's opinions until I learned that people would have opinions about me anyway.

I feared rejection until I learned to have faith in myself.

I feared pain until I learned that it's necessary for growth.

I feared the truth until I saw the ugliness in lies.

I feared life until I experienced its beauty.

I feared death until I realised that it's not an end, but a beginning.

I feared my destiny, until I realised that I had the power to change my life.

I feared hate until I saw that it was nothing more than mere ignorance.

I feared love until it touched my heart, making the darkness fade into the radiance of truth.

I feared ridicule until I learned how to laugh at myself.

I feared growing old until I realised that I gained wisdom with each passing day.

I feared the future until I realised that life just kept getting better. 

I feared the past until I realised it could no longer hurt me.

I feared the dark until I saw the beauty of the starlight.

I feared the light until I learned that the truth would give me the strength.

I feared change until I saw that even the most beautiful butterfly had to undergo a metamorphosis before it could fly.