The years flash by. This little joker is now 22.


 Good experiences pile up. As does responsibility, stress and problems.
But life is beautiful when this combination gives meaning and memories.

I want to thank all of you: family, friends, acquaintances. Firstly, for making my birthday memorable. But more importantly, for helping me get this far yet. And I want to thank God, for still believing in me.

Here's a thank you video I made today, instead of working on Contract Law ;)

Like in KTJ, term-time life in Cambridge can be a bubble. We can get so engrossed in work (and if lucky, perhaps activities), and often find ourselves bumbling from one supervision or essay deadline to the next.

Hence this ingenious graffiti we find on the lamp-post in the centre of Parker's Piece, where the Cambridge bubble apparently ends:



Indeed, it is sometimes only when we get that far enough away from the town that we realise that there's more to life than just Tripos, academia, theories and equations.
(Unless, perhaps, you're from Girton or Homerton :p)

We remember that there's a world out there. Dogs, kids, skies, cities, villages, businesses, families. It's not just lecture and supervision, formal and slack. We remember that there's more to life than what consumes most of our day. If you've ever been down to London during term-time, I'm sure you'll relate somewhat to the refreshing 'reality check' I'm talking about.

I've found lately that an early morning run ending at this lamp-post has helped infuse some refreshing perspective into my busy schedule. Of course, it has been more than a vandalised pole that has inspired me. The fresh air, glowing skies and morning stillness are great invigorators. Also, the chance to chat aloud with Jesus, unheard by anyone else in the middle of the great expanse where the rules of modern football were once invented, has been very joy-filling.



Busyness can be fun and is great for producticity.
But equally, a 'reality checkpoint' every now and then inspires perspective :)



Have you had one today?

This post was triggered by the following video put together by Channel 4's 4thought.tv program:



Dharmender's main point seems to be that Christmas should not just be for Christians, but everyone. To support this argument he gives examples of how this festival is secular rather than religious.

I have to say that I agree with almost everything Dharmender says. Christmas today is certainly more than a religious festival. Most rituals associated with it (the tree, gifts, Santa, hollies, etc) revolve around the theme of humanity and hail back to pagan origins. There is no reason why anyone should be excluded from celebrating this festival. As he says, it's a great time for family, food and reflection.

But I differ on one important matter. He states that all the rituals associated with Christmas is "mainly pagan." Granted, he is careful in chosing the word "rituals" (activities), so his statement does not deny the obvious point that millions of people associate this time of the year with Christian "ideas." However, he's not just "not denying" this fact - he's evading any discussion or acknowledgement of it. Moreover, even if we're only talking about rituals, he seems to forget the ubuquitous tradition of singing carols about the virgin birth and putting up decorations of the nativity scene. Surely these rituals are not "mainly pagan." Although you may say that I am nit-picking over semantics, I think that his presentation is potentially very misleading. By omitting any references to the Christian aspects of this festival, Dharmender paints an unrealistic 'black and white' notion of secular Christmas, when in truth, it is a holiday which means different things (both secular and religious) to different people.

So yes, Christmas is for everyone, atheist, Muslim, Buddhist or Hindu. Like any day which people associate with various values, it doesn't really belong to any particular group.
 
But all that does not emasculate the season from the Reason so many Christians associate it with: Jesus, who appeared as fellow human to reach out to us.



I'm not upset with Dharmender for this oversight, which I'd like to believe was not deliberate. But I'll be saddened if we who've tasted and seen Christ's give of love, paint ourselves a predominantly secular notion of Christmas.

To everyone out there: Merry Christmas, with wishes of peace and joy!