My philosophy in life
Just do my best, and then after that, it is beyond my control, and just pray and hope for the best.
Do what I love, love what I do. No excuses. It is my life. Not theirs. It is now or never.
I used to do things for people, but then I realized later that most of the time, they won't do the same for you. This applies to your family too. Most of the time, it is also your own blood that betrays you and puts you down. So do things for yourself first. Your own happiness comes first. One great piece of advice I've heard: treat yourself like someone you love so much. For sure, with women I get to like, I don't buy them expensive gifts or treat them to some fancy restaurants just to win them. Of course later on, you could do this for her but only if she's really worth it. The thing is if they like you enough, even your little gesture such as a piece of rose counts a lot to her. And I met women who are not materialistic and superficial and did a lot for me, especially here in Asia. My thing is if you start doing a lot for a woman, then that's a problem. It should be an equal exchange. Relationship is a two way street. But of course, based on my experience, external factors such as family and friends get in the way of the relationship. Well, that's another topic.
For sure, things change. People change. You can lose things such as money, a job, a real estate property, a phone, a camera, etc. You can lose people such as through divorces, break ups, end of friendship, and even death. Even your looks, your fame, your popularity fade away, and new younger people will take over your spot. Wealth does not even make anyone happy. My French ex-wife was quite rich with a vacation home right on the seaside of Normandy, France, a winter home up in the French Alps, a nice apartment in the best part of Paris, but even that did not make her happy. From what she told me, she was at the happiest when she was with me. That was kind of nice. It made me realize that everyone is special in their own way. I might not be special to everyone or any other people, but to her, I was. If you bring joy to someone, and she appreciates it. Do the same for her and let them know about it. Definitely learn to appreciate the people who appreciate you, especially for the right reasons, not the wrong reasons. For sure, there are people, even your friends and your relatives, who only appreciate you because of what you have that will be beneficial for them and what you can do for them, but once you can't do much for them or you stop doing things for them, you're out of the picture. It is now all about "what's in it for me" kind of attitude. That's why I love China. Maybe people will say China is like this or that. Don't judge a country by what you hear on the news. Maybe you don't like the government, well the government is not the country. It is the land and the people in addition to its unique culture. Besides, all governments are not perfect. Even the US does some crazy things. When it comes to a country, foremost I look at the people. For the most part, I had the best impression of the people I've met over there in China and made a lot of great friends who were there for me when I needed it the most, and with no hidden agenda, they were just willing to help. And as I continue to travel, I try to be friends with the locals, eat their food and appreciate their culture and respect their religions. Travel, for me, is not about me just enjoying the sights. If it is only for the sights, I would probably just go stay for just three days, see the sights and leave, but instead I stay at least for two weeks to a month and even longer. Traveling for me is definitely more than the sights. It is about assimilating the cultures and meeting the local people and knowing their stories. It is about the full experience. For sure, I learn so much about life and about people just by traveling. Along the journey, I've met a lot of people, not just local people but from other countries. And a lot of them go out of their way to help you if you're lost or want to know more about the place. Also quite a few also have also helped me with my project, expecting nothing in return. You really realize that you are just a speck in this world. It is not just about us. You are just a small part of this world. It's not all about you but everyone. You are just a small part of it. Anyway in the end, definitely experience and knowledge are something you would never lose. Even when your memory fades away, at that moment in time, you were right there, experiencing it. It is all yours. Not anyone's. No one can take that experience from you. It is forever indebted in your psyche as an everlasting experience. If only it can last forever, but that's wishful thinking because nothing lasts forever.
And this is now what I am trying to do with my book, photography and film project and exhibitions, to show this experience to the world and take down the wall that exists among people and build a bridge that will help us understand each other. In the end, we are just one race, the human race.
Maybe if everything works out according to my plan, my next project will probably be about South America and Europe. Even Africa. The world is a book with a lot of pages that need to be read.
