My New Year's Resolution

Some of us think watching too much television is not the best pastime. Yes, I agree that being a full time couch-potato leads me to nowhere. But sometimes, lucky star does shine upon me, a remote control snatcher with an over size thumb. Once for a while, I do get to learn a thing or two from this passive activity.

And this is one of these shinning moments for me.

A few weeks ago, unknowingly I got to revisit an ancient Chinese philosophy on a British detective show I watched. The popular television program "Heartbeat" is based on the books of a retired Yorkshire bobby, Nicholas Rhea. Mr. Rhea told stories of the simple but hearty people of a remote farming village well. But I would say his patch over the heather-covered moors be the last place one expects to hear teachings of Laozi, founder of Taoism beliefs in 600 B.C.

In that night’s episode, "Ups and Downs," its clever producers wrote in a busload of Laozi’s devotees in the script. On their way to deliver a gold-gilded Buddha statue, their double-decked bus conveniently stalled at the village square. Among other stories in the plot, the precious statue got stolen but recovered. Upon departure, the spokesperson of this pious group shared the tenets of their religion with the hospitable locals. He told them they believed in:

- Kindness,
- Simplicity,
- Modesty.

As usual, "Heartbeat" is always an entertaining and enjoyable show to me. But this episode left me with something extra to wonder about: the perceptiveness of an old Chinese religion.

Their beliefs seem to be straight forward and simple. But the relevancy of these principles is timeless. And they were embraced by a humble Chinese philosopher some 2,600 years ago. He taught his followers to be kind to other beings(including Mother Nature), to live a simple life, and to be modest. If the people in Laozi's generation had practised what they learned from this insightful master, none of us will be living in the midst of the disastrous consequences of wars, climate change and financial meltdowns today.

I do not know if I am able to live a life according to Laozi. But I do know that I have to look no further for my New Year’s resolution. - Ayee