Satjadham presents the next installment in our series "Different Perspective of Life." Written by Pao Saykao : My journey in this life.... What is the meaning of life? Well let's try this exercise. Imagine your own funeral. Go into detail: What are people saying, thinking, feeling? What would you like them to say, think, and feel? Looking at your life, at the end, are you satisfy with your achievements? Any regret? Record your impression as use this to decide on what is important for you in this life. I read some where that there are less than 5% of people on this world who are planning seriously about their lives and that the majority of people just drift with life, so busy, working so hard and never realise that they are on the wrong track until they have arrived at the wrong destination. I heard someone said not long ago that we know for a certainty that no one will get out of this life alive - but interestingly, many people just want to get there safely! Today we are very fortunate to be at the right time, in the right place. We live in the land of abundance, a world of golden opportunity. We have the freedom to do whatever we want. We have the opportunity to achieve whatever we have a heart desire. We are basically the captain of our own ship. But the majority of our people never live to their fullest. Why? I think that I has something to do with the lack of belief in themselves, lack of imagination and visions. They have the potential and the opportunity but many simply don't believe enough in themselves. And at the end of their lives many die with empire wrapped inside their brain. So, what sort of life do we want to have? Let's me share with you my journey .... When I was young, I remembered the days that I had nothing to worry about but just myself. Then in 1980, my father died suddenly in the same week as my final examination. As quick as flipping a coin, I became the head of the family. What must I do? Decision need to be made quickly. This is the first time in my life that I learned to set goal: once the objective is clear with a dateline, it was easy to formulate a plan for me to do my exam on the same day as my father’s funeral. Since then life has continues to change for me. Beside inherited a family (as I am the eldest child in my family in Australia) , I got married and over the next few years I have four children. So I move from a carefree person to a carer and to nurturer for my family, not to mention the responsibility to go with it. My immediate task was to get a job to earn some money and to buy a house big enough for all the family. In addition, I had to fulfil my role as a doctor, a husband and a good example for my family. Three years after graduation, I had to decide on my career option since I could not return to Laos to set up my dreamed flying doctor service. After a long consideration, I choose to go into general practice, a branch of medicine that I can help more people and affect more life. Life change again: more responsibility as a doctor. Few years later, I was making a good income from my practice. Then one day I was ill and had to stop working. While I was lying in bed in the hospital, I suddenly realised that I had no income coming in!; that my income was solely depend on my being there. But I had commitment - car payment, a housing loan and other expenses. Soon, my children will be in school and there would be more commitment. If any thing happen to me (the money machine) my family will have to suffer financially. I had to face the fact that I was broke and I had no financial security. Before this, I never have to face this truth. I was terrified! I wonder how many people would feel the same way as I did. It is funny that we need a crisis to wake us up!. When I came out of hospital, knowing that I have no financial security, I decided to diversify by going into other business. Money has never been a big thing for me. I grew up in a poor family but I have never have a want to have lots of money. Today all I want is to have enough money to care for my family now and I want to leave a permanent income behind when I am gone. Oh yes, and more money to help others and to fund my flying doctor service project. So I need new goals, new knowledge to move on in my new the life of a businessman. Over the years, I am very fortunate to be able to help many of the Indochinese refugees in Australia, to represent the Lao, the Hmong and the Indochinese and the Asians in various capacity in Australia - not that I knew much about them but because I am all of them. So my goal in life expands...to serve the community, to serve my new country and to play community advocate and more. But I have only have 24 hours per day! Priority needs to drawn and time has to be managed efficiently. In addition to the above role, I have to keep my professional life going. There are journals to read, seminar to attend and new discoveries to catch up. There seems to be no end to this ongoing education. But this is life... I must do the best I can in each area that I decided to get involved. But there is so much that I don't know... Time has changed so fast and some of the knowledge are outdated as soon as I learned them. So I embarked on a self education program - I believe that self-education is the key to the future. But how? I read any book that I can get my hands on about goal setting, public relation, human skills, communication, business and management and more importantly on personal development. Few years ago, I met Charlie E. Tremendous Jones, during a business seminar, he made the profound statement that "You are the same today as you'll be in five years except for two things, the People you meet and the Books you read". Since then, I set time to read at least 20 minutes per day and to finish at least one book per month. I have audio cassettes on all subjects and listen to them when I drive around. My aim is to be the best I can be and to contribute the most I can do in the areas of a husband, a father, a doctor, a family head, a community member, an advocate in some area, a Lao and a Hmong , a member of the Indochinese community, a member of the Asian community, a business man and now a member of SatjaDham and Laoweb. And yes... I have some wild dreams - a free flying doctor service in the north of Laos, a magnificent dream that I have since I was 12 years old . Now I just need more money, more people ... this will happen one day!. Any one interested? So all I can say is that my life in the West can be a wonderful adventure. I have not achieved any thing great in my life yet, but I know that I have done by using some sound life principles and that I have touched some people in some small ways.. I know what lie a head of me. More challenges, more works and more dreams to achieve. And I need to learn more... do more...share more, to achieve more and most importantly to contribute more. And when my time expires, I hope that I have made some worthwhile contribution and if I have the chance to view my own funeral, I know that I would be proud of that person’s life... After all, there is only one life to live so why not live it to the fullest and do wildest thing that will improve the world around you permanently?. But remember to smell the roses on the way...... ***************** Please email comments to: laolit@tuddy.cc.monash.edu.au or post to soc.culture.laos.