Angkor Wat, Dawn to Dusk

 I visited Angkor Wat in March 2005. I took a bus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. Even though my host advised me to book a taxi the night before my visit to the complex, I opted not to. At 4:30 am the following morning, I walked out to the main road and waved down a tuk-tuk. After bargaining a price for a full day exclusive service, I hopped on the tuk-tuk and got outside the main gate. A few minutes later, I witnessed a photo-perfect sunrise.

It was a very hot day and my driver would have to constantly urge me to visit the sites. The architecture had a strong Hindu temple feel although Buddha statues are everywhere in the complex. Archaeologists from Scandinavian countries were restoring the structures.The biggest difference between an Angkor Wat Buddha head and a "regular" Buddha head is the gentle smile on the Cambodian one as characterized by the sculptured towers of the Bayon.

Another feature that had me awe-struck is the bas-relief walls telling the stories of the battles between the Hindu Gods. The complex warrants a multiple-day visit not just because of its immense size but also the artistic value of the structures. Seldom would visitors find fine detailing even on the exterior walls. I have reasons to believe that the artisans of these structures came from India. Only in Khajuraho and Hampi, India had I witnessed such elaborate embellishments on exterior walls of temples.

My driver took me to a village on the perimeter for lunch. As I sat down with a plate of deep fried fish and rice at a tree-shaded table, a group of elementary school-age children approached me. I asked them why they were not in school. They replied that they already had classes in the morning. Some tried to sell me postcards and souvenirs. But for the most part, they just wanted to practise their English. To my surprise, these kids were very knowledgeable about capital cities all over the world. All the American coins in my pant pockets parted with me at the end of my lunch.

The signature shots of tree roots penetrating into temples of Ta Prohm are on all the promotional materials for Angkor Wat. That part of the complex is a magnificent display of the force of nature. Yet whatever remained standing was so preciously intact. My day ended with watching the sunset with a lot of noisy tourists on top of a temple at Phnom Bakheng. The next morning I took a fast boat back to Phnom Penh.

Definition of love

My nephew's 7th birthday is in early October. Yesterday I spent a better part of the day trying to find a birthday gift that he would like and is within my price range. It brought me a lot of joy to find that "ideal" gift. I had to consider his likes and dislikes, etc. by recalling the times that we spent together. He lives in a city that is 8 hours drive away from me, and I do not see him that often. He might never know how much time and effort I put in finding his birthday gift. The thought that the gift could make a difference in his life motivated me. What did he do to elicit so much love on my part? Nothing. Maybe I see a lot of similarities between us. I love my nephew.

I was only sixteen when I got accepted into university. Every day I would have to spend 2 hours each way commuting. My parents did not give us (their offspring and grandfather) allowances except for bus fares. As I was getting ready for school around 5 a.m. one particularly cold, damp winter morning, I heard someone cooking in the kitchen. It was my grandfather. "Why are you up so early, grandpa?" He wanted to cook me a hot breakfast before I got out of the house. Microwave ovens were not around at that time. He then gave me two dollars to buy a hot lunch for that day. "Go back to bed, grandpa. Your rheumatism must be hurting you." My grandfather loved me.

St. Paul's definition of love has always been my guiding light.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

The same principles are also applicable to romantic love. In reality, few people are more obsessed in possessing and/or controlling their loved ones. A lot of lovers cannot bear the thought of being separated from each other especially when they first fall in love. In my opinion, this is nothing more than a form of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and self-centered behaviour. As the saying goes, "If you love someone, set them free. If they come back, they're yours; if they don't, they never were."

It is indeed very difficult to define love. I suppose when I love someone, I am only concerned about their well-being and happiness. Sometimes there is sacrifice to be made to preserve the well-being and happiness of my beloved; it is also when I ask myself how deep is my love.