My new year

It's quite a quiet new yaer for me. I got 4 holidays for this celebration. One and half day was spent on the retreat which was great. One day was for cleaning my house. Half day was to visit my relatives. The last day was for writing my proposal and my translating work.

I feel quite peaceful at home though I didnt go out to have a big celebration anywhere or even to entertain myself as the new year is concidently 'Wan Pra'. So I have to observe eight precepts (I watched a movie a bit at home and I felt not very good after I broke my rules). I also enjoy sending and receiving New Year sms from my friends.

Another thing that made me feel good is I spent 'the count down time' in the shrine room at home. I chanted with my youngest sister. We do like this every year if we dont go out to other place. I always think that the new year is actually the conventional truth - as human need to set it for the convinence of life. But it's still great that we do something good on the first minute of this conventional truth.

I also got a chance to count down with my lovely close friend. He is in Australia where has three and half hours earlier than Thailand. So talking with him did not disturb my chanting time. I got a chance to say 'Happy New Year' to him at midnight time of Australia. We also sang 'Auld Lang Syne' together. It's was quite nice that we got this chance. I told him that I hope we will have another chance to do this in the next new year.

My wish for the coming year, apart from wishing everyone to be peaceful, is I hope that I can cultivate my meditation a lot more. I also want to be more aware of my restless thought arising almost every minute. I have found that mind never stops working even when we are slepping. It comes in a kind of dream. If I can be more mindful of the thought, some kind of sufferings such as loneliness, anxiety will be noticed and withdrawn from my mind more easily.

Another wish that always arises in my mind is I hope to get a chance to contact my 'Loung Nong' again. I want to talk and share my Dhamma experiences with him. i also want to say 'Thank you' to him for many reasons. But it's quite impossible -it's ok anyway. Just let it go : )

Another wish (I am quite greedy) is I hope I can continue the friendship with my new friends I met at Wat Pa - Robert, Khema and Shu shuan. i am very glad to meet them and other people there. We are now walking on the same path, but by different roads as everyone got their own lives- probably old Kamma that will lead us to different ways of lives. I wish that they will be able to fulfill their dreams - which is very similar to me.

Happy New Year to everyone