เลือกตั้งครั้งนี้ ไม่มีตัวเลิอกที่ไม่เสี่ยง

 อีกวันเดียวก็จะเลือกตั้งแล้ว รู้สึกตัวเองค้นข้อมูลนโยบายอะไรต่างๆไม่ทัน จะไปฟังดีเบตก็ไม่ทัน ก็เลยต้องใช้ AI สรุปภาพรวม และฟังข้อมูลจากสื่อต่างๆ รวมถึงคนรอบข้าง ซึ่งก็เป็นคล้ายกับที่เราเข้าใจอยู่ก่อน คือถ้าต้องการรื้อระบบเปลี่ยนทุกอย่างใหม่เพื่อแก้ปัญหาที่รากฐานก็ต้องเลือกพรรคประชาชน แต่ถ้าต้องการให้งานเดินได้จริงอย่างรวดเร็ว เข้าถึงพื้นที่ท้องถิ่นได้จริง แต่ระบบหลักๆ ยังคงเหมือนเดิม ซึ่งก็หมายถึงความทุจริตเน่าเฟะก้อาจจะเหมือนเดิม ก็อาจเลือกพรรคเพื่อไทย (อันนี้คงไม่เลือกอยู่แล้ว) หรือพรรคภูมิใจไทย นอกจากนี้ก็ยังมีพรรคอื่นที่คะแนนเสียงรองๆ ลงมาอย่างพรรครวมใจภักดี หรือพรรคประชาธิปัตย์ มีการดึงนักการเมืองกลับเข้าสู่สังเวียนเลือกตั้งใหม่ รวมถึงมีสมาชิกที่เป็นคนรุ่นใหม่ๆ อยู่บ้าง

ถ้าอย่างนั้นก็เลือกพรรคประชาชนสิ ไม่เห็นต้องคิดมาก เพราะเป็นโอกาสที่ประเทศชาติจะเปลี่ยนได้จริงๆ บางคนก็อาจมองเช่นนี้ แต่ต้องคิดนะ เพราะคำว่า "รื้อ" ของเก่า แล้วสร้างใหม่ ต้องถามนิดนึงว่า คุณจะรื้อทิ้งเฉพาะส่วนที่เสียหาย ส่วนที่ผิดพลาด ส่วนที่ไร้ประโยชน์ จริงๆ หรือเปล่า หรือคุณจะรื้อทิ้งทั้งหมด ไม่ว่าจะเป็นวัฒนธรรมอันดีงาม สถาบันที่ควรให้เกียรติ การเห็นคุณค่าของทหาร มารยาทความอ่อนน้อมของเยาวชนที่มีต่อผู้ใหญ่ การรู้จักรากเหง้าของตนเองจากวิชาประวัติศาสตร์ หรือสิ่งดีๆ ที่มันควรจะคงเอาไว้ จะรื้อพวกนั้นออกหมดด้วยหรือเปล่า เพราะถ้าจะทำทั้งหมดนั้นจริง รื้อทิ้งทุกอย่างจริง สร้างประเทศขึ้นมาใหม่แบบที่ไม่มีคำว่า ชาติ ศาสนา พระมหากษัตริย์ ความวิบัติอีกรูปแบบหนึ่งจะรออยู่อย่างแน่นอน

แล้วทางเลือกอื่นมีอะไร มันก็การเสี่ยงที่จะจมปลักกับปัญหาเดิมๆ ที่หนักขึ้นเรื่อยๆ ของประเทศชาติเราไงล่ะ  ความจริงพรรคภูมิใจไทยก็ทำงานใช้ได้อยู่นะ นายกมีการยอมรับความผิดของตัวเองอยู่บ้าง มีการแก้ไขเมื่อทำผิด มีส.ส ท้องถิ่นที่ดูจะจริงใจกับการทำงานให้ท้องถิ่นของตน แต่...แล้วเรื่องทุจริตล่ะ ตั้งแต่การซื้อเสียง สิ่งก่อสร้างที่ถล่มทลายกันครืนๆ การทุจริตงบประมาณทั้งหลายทั้งปวง ระบบประกันสังคมอันแสนจะเลวร้ายเกินพรรณนา มีแผนป้องกันไม่ให้มันเกิดขึ้นใหม่บ้างไหม ดูจะไม่มีนะ แล้วเรื่องคุณหมอภาคใต้ที่ดูเหมือนคุณจะไปราวีเขาข่วงเลือกตั้งอีก คือมันดูไม่ซ์่อเลย  ส่วนพรรคสีแดง ฉันเคยคุยกับคนที่เชียร์พรรคแดง เขาบอกว่าพรรคพื่อไทยดีสุดแล้ว ทำงานจริง เงินถุึงประชาชนจริง ฉันถามไปว่าแล้วไม่กลัวเรื่องทุจริตหรือคะ เขาตอบว่า "โอ๊ย มันก็ต้องมีอยู่แล้ว มันเป็นธรรมดา ก็ต้องมีบ้างตามธรรมเนียม แต่ยังไงเงินก็มาถึงเรา ดูสิ จะได้รถไฟฟ้าราคายี่สิบบาท" เอ่อ...ทำให้ฉันคิดในใจว่ามีคนไทยจำนวนไม่น้อยมองว่าการทุจริตคือเรื่องธรรมดาที่ควรยอมรับ ควรทำใจ ควรปล่อยให้เป็นไป ตราบใดที่เรายังได้ผลประโยชน์ คิดแบบนี้ประเทศจะก้าวหน้าได้จริงหรือ

พรรคประชาธิปัตย์ ดีใจที่คุณมาร์คกลับมา แต่คิดย้อนไป...ตอนเป็นรัฐบาลพรรคนี้เคยมีผลงานจริงจังมั้ยน๊า ทำไมคิดไม่ค่อยออกเลย

บางทีก็คิดอยู่เหมือนกัน ให้พรรคส้มรื้อระบบไปเถอะ (แม้ว่าจะเสี่ยงกับการที่สิ่งดีงามที่มีมานานของชาติจะถูกรื้อยับไปด้วย)  ก็ไม่เห็นมีพรรคไหนคิดจะทำนี่ อย่างน้อยถ้าได้พรรคการเมืองสุจริตและเป็นคนรุ่นใหม่ก็ดูจะมีความหวังว่าการเมืองของเราจะได้มีสิ่งใหม่ที่ดีขึ้น แต่เอ๊ะ ทำไมชูวิทย์บอกว่าที่จริงใครบางคนในพรรคส้มมีส่วนอย่างยิ่งในการสร้างปัญหาให้กับระบบประกันสังคม ชูวิทย์จะพูดแบบไม่มีมูลเชี่ยวหรือ ปกติเขาก้ไม่ได้เป็นอย่างนั้นนะ ไหนจะเรื่องคนที่ออกมาแฉว่าบางคนในพรรคส้มถูกล้างสมองมาพร้อมกันกับเขาตั้งแต่สมัยเรียนมหาวิทยาลัย ถูกใส่หัวให้ลมหายใจเข้าออกคิดอย่างเดียวคือ สิทธิและเสรีภาพและประชาธิปไตย อย่างอื่นไม่เอาทั้งหมด ระบอบกษัตริย์คือสิ่งชั่วร้าย คนที่ออกมาแฉ เขาบอกว่าเคยคล้อยตามแนวคิดเช่นนั้นอยู่ช่วงหนึ่ง ก่อนจะตาสว่าง  แหล่งข้อมูลก็ไม่ได้เปิดเผยชื่อ แต่มีตัวตนจริง นั่งพูดอยู่หน้าเวทีจริง และเป็นอดีตนิสิตจุฬาฯ อย่างน้อยมันก็ต้องมีมูลบ้าง

ความจริงก็ชื่นชมการทำหน้าที่ฝ่ายค้านและการจับทุจริตของพรรคส้มนะ รวมถึงการที่ไม่มีแจกเงินซื้อเสียงเลย และเห็นใจอย่างยิ่งที่ครั้งก่อนชนะเลือกตั้งแต่กลับไม่ได้เป็นรัฐบาล ซึ่งก็...ดูจะไม่ยุติธรรมเกินไปหน่อยกับเขา แต่พอคิดในอีกแง่มุมหนึ่ง พรรคส้มก็มีแนวนโยบายที่พลาดจุดใหญ่อยู่อย่างหนึ่ง ซึ่งถ้าตอนนั้นพรรคนี้ได้ขึ้นเป็นรัฐบาล ประเทศเราอาจแย่ก็ได้ เพราะพวกเขามีแนวโน้มจะตัดงบประมาณทหารลง อาจจะตัดงบการซิ้ออาวุธ และยังสนับสนุนให้ไม่มีการเกณฑ์ทหาร แล้วต่อมาถ้าเขมรโจมตีเรา เราคงไม่สามารถตอบโต้ได้อย่างมีประสิทธิภาพอย่างที่ผ่านมาจริงไหม ต้องยอมรับนะว่าเรื่องนี้เป็นความผิดพลาดของนโยบายพรรค ไม่ควรด้อยค่าความสำคัญของกองทัพ แต่จะว่าไปความขัดแย้งระหว่างไทยกับกัมพูชารอบนี้น่าจะมีสาเหตุมาจากนักการเมืองพรรคแดงบางคนที่น่าจะผิดใจเรื่องธุรกิจกับฮุนเซน พรรคส้มไม่ได้เป็นสาเหตุของความขัดแย้ง 

เอาเถอะ...มันก็เสี่ยงหมดทุกทางนั่นล่ะ ไว้ค่อยตัดสินใจวันเลือกตั้งเลยละกัน  ฉันเตือนสติตัวเองว่า หนึ่งคะแนนของเธอไม่ใช่ตัวตัดสิน เสียงของประชาชนส่วนใหญ่คือตัวตัดสิน ความจริงสิ่งที่ต้องทำมากกว่าคือเตรียมใจ ปรับตัว และเตรียมรับรัฐบาลใหม่ ไม่ว่าจะเป็นพรรคใดก็ตาม ฉันเชื่ออย่างหนึ่งนะ ทุกพรรคมีคนดีอยู่ด้วย มีเจตนาดีและความตั้งใจดีอยู่ด้วย และไม่มีพรรคไหนมีแผนจะสร้างความหายนะให้ประเทศชาติ ทุกคนคิดว่าตัวเองกำลังทำสิ่งดีอยู่ แต่ปัญหานั้นอาจเกิดจากความสะเพร่า ความละโมบของตัวบุคคลบางคน ความรู้เท่าไม่ถึงการณ์ ความเห็นแก่ตัว ความขาดประสบการณ์และอื่นๆ อีกมากมาย ยังไงปัญหาก็คงต้องมีอยู่แล้ว ไม่ว่าพรรคไหนจะเป็นรัฐบาลก็ตาม เราประชาชนก็ทำได้แค่สนับสนุน ขัดแย้ง เสนอความคิดเห็น แสดงความพอใจ/ไม่พอใจ และ "ไปเลือกตั้ง" เราก็ทำได้เท่านั้นล่ะ

ฉันเป็นคนหนึ่งที่มองว่า "การด่ารัฐบาล" ไม่เป็นประโยชน์ใด ๆ แต่การแสดงความคิดเห็นอย่างเป็นทางการ หรือแสดงความคิดอย่างเปิดเผย ไม่ว่าจะเป็นการขุดคุ้ย หาหลักฐาน หาเหตุผล อะไรที่ทำแบบสร้างสรรค์ไม่ใช่ชวนทะเลาะ ใครหรือพรรคไหนจะขึ้นมาก็ตาม เราควรต้องจับผิดสิ่งที่เขาทำผิด แต่ก็ควรต้องให้กำลังใจเขาบ้างในสิ่งที่เขาทำถูกหรือพยายามทำให้ดีที่สุดแล้ว 

อีกวันเดียวก็ต้องไปหย่อนบัตร  ฉันคงต้องไปหาข้อมูลเพิ่มอีกหน่อยถ้าทำได้ แล้วก็ตัดสินใจไปเลย ยังไงคำว่าการเมืองมันก็คือความเสี่ยงและความไม่แน่นอนอยู่แล้ว เป็นอย่างนั้นตลอดมาและึคงจะตลอดไป

The Terrible Truth of Lab Mice

 

Reader’s Note

The following article contains descriptions of real laboratory experiments on animals. Some details are distressing, but they reflect the reality we often overlook.
Please read with compassion — not to dwell in anger or sorrow, but to understand and to help. My purpose is to give voice to those who cannot speak, to open eyes to the truth, and to inspire small acts of change — sharing information, choosing cruelty-free products, or signing petitions that can make a difference.

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A Voice for Those Who Cannot Speak

Let this be a voice for those who cannot speak. Please read the following — even though it’s brutal (very brutal — I emphasize) — because I want you to know the truth.

Laboratory mice are animals legally subjected to horrific cruelty. If I weren’t a translator and hadn’t read many books in details, I might never have learned the reality of this. Below is a brief summary of real cases that laboratory mice have experienced — and in many places still experience. (These are all documented cases; you can find the experiment names and case reports.) Tragically, some researchers still cite these cases as if they are normal.

• Some mice were given electric shocks whenever they heard a bell for many consecutive days, just to observe whether, in later trials, ringing the bell alone (without a shock) would trigger a reaction. Of course the researchers witnessed utter terror — terror so extreme it would break the heart. That fear can even be passed down to the unborn offspring. Was it necessary to provoke trauma this way? Doesn’t human experience of traumatic events already teach us what trauma is?

• Mice were placed in tanks of water with no way to escape. In the first group, the mice gave up and drowned within minutes. In a second, more cruel group, the mice were dropped in for a few minutes and then rescued; later they were dropped in again and left to drown to see how long hope would make them resist. Mice that believed help might come suffered for up to an hour before finally succumbing in despair — all to measure how hope affects persistence under distress.

• Hundreds of mice were surgically joined together — their abdomens stitched to form pairs so their circulatory systems were linked. Researchers then induced hormonal or behavioral abnormalities in one animal (for example, forcing compulsive overeating) to see whether the paired partner would be affected. In another experiment, an old mouse was sewn to a young mouse to test whether the young mouse’s blood would make the older one “younger.” Fifty mice died during or shortly after the joining procedure, and many of the surviving partners became so depressed they died later. Some researchers hailed the latter experiments as “successful,” and wealthy people even discussed the idea of injecting young blood into themselves to delay aging. What societal good does this serve? (Shockingly, some countries have not banned such methods.)

• Undercover activists who entered university laboratories in recent years found that retired lab mice are often simply killed — not always humanely. One witness saw 23 mice killed by snapping their necks with a hinged metal cage — and one of those mice didn’t die instantly but lay there paralyzed.

• In other undercover reports, scientists reportedly took newborn pink mice that were no longer needed, swabbed them with alcohol, and killed them by cutting their necks with scissors. The paperwork, however, claimed the animals had been iced in a freezer for four minutes first (a method that is itself painful).

• Beyond the examples above, lab mice endure many other tortures: slow poisoning; forced ingestion of poison (reported as toxicology tests); deliberate induction of cancer; forced drug addiction by pumping cocaine or other substances into their bodies; extreme confinement in tiny cages to provoke stress and self-harm; genetic surgeries that leave animals severely deformed; being hung upside down for weeks; placed on hot metal plates to measure how long they can endure; skull surgeries to implant electrodes so they can be repeatedly shocked to induce seizures; intestinal surgeries that let feces leak into the abdomen to cause sepsis for study — and more.

All of this — and many other horrors — is the reality for laboratory mice (and for other animals too, including monkeys, rabbits, and dogs). Most people don’t know this. It’s painful to realize that human beings — capable of love, creativity, and reason — can also inflict such suffering without recognizing it. When compassion is replaced by detachment, even good intentions can go astray. This is the tragedy behind much of animal experimentation today: it continues under the banner of “science,” even when it is unnecessary or causes immense pain. Many researchers themselves have begun to question this system, and more voices are rising to call for methods that do not involve cruelty.

Every life matters — even the smallest, even those hidden away in cages we’ll never see. Each act of kindness, each choice to speak out, helps build a gentler world. As Jane Goodall reminds us, we all have a mission. The things we do — however small — can make this planet a better home for all living beings. And perhaps, beyond this life, love and compassion are the only things that truly endure. Animals cannot speak. They cannot beg us in words to stop. They cannot go anywhere to ask for help. So please help them however you can: share this information, sign the petition linked below, and support cruelty-free products. Thank you.

P.S. If a mouse enters your home, humane live traps are effective — catch it and release it outside. Please don’t use glue traps where the animal suffers stuck to the adhesive until it dies. Mice have already suffered enough at human hands.

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Further Reading & Resources:

• PETA UK – Animal Experiments What You Can Do

• Lady Freethinker – Sign to Save Animals from Being Killed

• ActionStation NZ – Demand Action Against Animal Experimentation

• Humane World – Animal Testing and Research
• Humane World – Undercover Investigation Exposes Animal Testing

Written by Me

Translated by Echo

Best Kind of Good Dream

 Good dreams are certertainly better than bad dreams, and to look on the suface, they like a happy thing everyone would love to have. Nevertheless, I think some types of good dream are better than others. 

A dream where you have the pleasure f worldly happiness is a type of good dream. These can come in the form of something that is almost imposible to happen in real life, such as  winning a lottery, going to a dream place, marrying a prince or princess, etc. However, once you wake up from such dreams, it is inevitable to feel a bit of sadness, realizing that it is all a dream and now you're back to reality, the same old dull life. 

Another kind of dream, a better one, is the symbolic and spiritual dream that talks deep to your heart. A symbolic dream means that the theme and elements of the dream communicate a meaning that you can understand intuitively. A spiritual dream is a very very vivid and you can feel your soul in it and whoever in that dream is a real presence, not just a character. All the feelings, all the senses are so real that it wlll leave an impression on you even after wake up. It is a feeling that you are in another world, you are in your spiritual self, someone out there, someone higher and benevolent meant to communicate to you. All of these, you will know by heart, if it's a spiritual dream. And the message will immensely and deeply affect the very core of your being. That means if it's a good spiritual dream, the happiness and hope that you feel comes from the fact that this dream is meant for your life and you are blessed. It meant that the happiness you feel are meant for you and that hope you felt is for your real life, too. 

Here is one of those dreams. It's been so very long that I haven't had them but this one is so powerful that it lifted me out of my depression right away.

I was standing in front of a gap that has some sort of water below and in front of me is a make-do bridge from pieces of sticks, not looking strong at all. But there are people on the other side and they encouraged me to cross because they know it's safe enough to cross. I've been afraid of something like this since I was young. I tried to gather my courage but I still hesitated. A boy walked over from the other side, trying to encourage me. I almost stepped on the bridge but then it looked unstable and I took my feet off. I was too afraid. The boy smiled and walked over to me, saying that it wasn't anything dangerous. But his bridge was just a think piece of stick and he looked like he was losing balance a bit so I offered my hand and something else for him to come over to my side. The boy didn't look fearful or stressed at all. He seemed very relaxed, even chuckled about it. After he grabbed my hand, suddenly he decided to take me down to the water below. Now, the dream became very vivid, He took me along the canal in such a fast speed. We were not in a boat, just hand in hand, but we moved so fast, almost like we flied through the water. I could feel everything so clearly, the water, the air, and how fast we were moving. I felt so happy, so relaxed, and safe. He was saying to me "See? the water is not dangerous at all" I smiled and thought...oh well, the water is murky and it is dangerous because anything can be understand, but I feel safe because I keep looking at your face all the way and because you are here with me, you are by my side like this, I believe nothing bad would come to hurt us in this water anyway. And that was the truth, his presence was the reason I wasn't afraid of that canal water. And I kept looking at his face all along the way. In the end though, I lost concentration and started thinking about how fast I was moving and I felt tingling station in my stomach, and felt a bit startled...then I wake up.

The meaning of the dream was clear and positive. I am being very afraid of something in life that I shouldn't be afraid of and it is a persistent problem. But someone is going to come along to make me feel safe enough no matter what comes my way. The dream also reminds me of a passage in the Bible when Jesus stretched out his hand to Peter to help him because he's going to sink. Peter was trying to walk on the water, following Jesus but he looked at the waves and was afraid. Jesus was saying that Peter shouldn't have doubted. But even if Peter did, Jesus grabbed his hand and he is saved anyway. There was also a picture I saved in the phone of Jesus stretching out his hand and saying "Don't look at the storm, look at me" 

From now on, I will be praying for this help to come along as quickly as possible. I've been standing and looking at the bridge for too long with fear and doubt and could not overcome it on my own. The dream gives me such deep hope that I haven't felt for years. 

The Guiding Star

 There is a reason why we lift our eyes to the moon and the stars and feel a sense of hope. Since ancient times, humanity has gazed at the heavens, seeing in the sun and stars symbols of something greater than ourselves. On a spiritual level, the universe holds an eternal and unchanging reality—a higher truth that dwells within each person’s conscience.

When we look at Pinocchio, the story carries a much deeper lesson than it may seem. The shining star and the beautiful fairy are more than fantasy; they are symbols of hope and guidance. The fairy gives Pinocchio the cricket as his conscience, teaching that to be truly human is not simply to walk and talk, but to listen to the inner voice that calls us toward what is true, good, and right. Our conscience is the part of us that connects directly to the eternal. If Pinocchio continues to lie and get obsessed about shallow pleasures of the world, he will have to stay a puppet. But in the end, he was able to become a real boy because he gave up his life bravely to save his father.

The book We Who Wrestle With God reminds us that human beings are always in conflict with their own conscience. With every breath and in every moment, we face the choice: will we listen to that voice within, or will we resist it?

Perhaps most striking is the image from Pinocchio where a star shines ever brighter, until it appears as the fairy. This vision echoes the accounts of those who have had near-death experiences, describing radiant beings of light. That gives me a feeling that maybe the creator of the animation was divinely inspired.

My faith is not strong lately and I'm not so confident if God really loves me, BUT I can't deny the truth of who God is and how our world was created and how it was meant to be. 

An "Almost" a Bad Dream

I got into a taxi. The driver was a Westerner who could speak Thai. After a while, the number on the meter seems to increase faster than usual, a sign that it is a scammer's tool. I tried to protest but the driver rudely spoke to me, saying that I falsely blamed him. 

The taxi ran into a gas station and stopped. I tried to get out through the right door, but it was locked and the lock control was in the driver's hand. The number on the meter seemed to disappear and then came back much higher than before. There were people in the gas station, I was reluctant whether I should call for help. The driver said, "hey, you can call the police if you want, I've dialed the number for you" and he gave me the mobile phone. Someone was on the line, but I knew that it was his scammer team in the call center and that there was no use talking to the person. I tried to dial the police number but I ended up dialing a peculiar number, instead of 191, and I wondered why I did that. 

Suddenly, I saw that the left door was open a little. A man in bright pink or red outfit was outside, asking me "do you want to come out?" I was so glad and got off the taxi quickly.

After a while I turned around, and saw that the man who rescued me jumped into the trunk of that taxi and his friend closed it for him. Someone who stood in that gas station said to me, "That taxi driver used to owe him money. He helped him and set him free before, but that guy still behave like a jerk today. So he thought it's time to give him a lesson." As the taxi moved away from the gas station, I knew that the driver was in trouble. The man in the trunk was there with his objective in mind. 

It was such a relief to wake up in my bed and found out that it was all a dream. Nevertheless, it was quite tiring because it felt real. It was just "almost" a bad dream, though. And I'm glad for that. I felt strongly that someone was there to help me in my dream before things turned worse. According to Buddhism belief, I met a past-life adversary who happened to meet his own adversary before he could harm me. According to Christian belief, an angel saved me. 

The slept for only 3 hours when this dream happened. After I woke up, then went back to bed again. I had some other kinds of dream and this time was a bad one, not just almost. Well, I can't seem to escape my doomed fate at night anyway. 

On Balance and Equilibrium of Life

 

One truth about life that I have discovered is that almost everything requires balance. Whether in one’s personal life, in relationships with others, in the management of society, or in nature itself, balance and equilibrium are essential for things to flourish and remain healthy. Of course, there are exceptions, and the definition of balance can vary depending on each individual’s circumstances and goals.

It is no coincidence that several religions and faiths encourage people to live in balance. The Buddha taught the Middle Path, the way of avoiding extremes. Judaism has the teaching of the Golden Mean, the virtue of choosing the middle ground between two extremes. Confucius emphasized Zhong Yong, the doctrine of moderation and harmony. More importantly, if you reflect on your own life, your relationships, and the society around you, you will find—as I did—that balance is needed in almost every aspect of human existence.

In personal life, the absence of exercise can lead to obesity and other health problems, while exercising too much or too strenuously can cause injuries. If you work too little and rest too much, you may struggle to succeed in career or finances due to laziness. But if you work excessively and neglect rest, you risk damaging your physical and mental health, along with your relationships. Technology use also requires balance. Excessive use leads to addiction, screen fatigue, and dulling of the mind, as AI begins to think and act on your behalf. On the other hand, rejecting modern technology completely can slow your work, reduce efficiency, and make it harder to connect and collaborate with others. Even self-perception needs balance. Being overly harsh or critical toward yourself can damage your confidence and leave you depressed, while constant self-praise and believing you are better than others can make you self-centered, blind to your flaws, and resistant to growth. Besides, most people naturally avoid narcissists.

In relationships and society, balance is equally important for peaceful coexistence. Good parents and teachers know that giving children too much freedom allows them to grow spoiled, undisciplined, and entitled, which harms their future. But being too strict, harsh, or punishing stifles motivation, lowers confidence, and may even cause rebellion. In relationships, a lack of trust breeds suspicion and prevents peace, while blind trust leaves one vulnerable to betrayal. Giving too much of yourself may lead to exhaustion and resentment, while taking too much without giving back breeds selfishness and dependency. Communication, too, must be balanced: speaking too bluntly can hurt, but avoiding honesty or speaking too indirectly creates misunderstanding. At a social level, a culture of extreme individualism may weaken unity and leave people isolated, while excessive collectivism can suppress innovation and personal freedom, as individuals feel compelled to live only for society rather than as themselves.

Even in nature, balance is everywhere. Day follows night; the tides rise and fall. Too much rain brings floods, too little brings drought; balanced weather allows life to thrive in abundance. In the animal kingdom, too many predators may wipe out prey populations, eventually starving themselves. Too few predators, however, causes prey to multiply unchecked, exhausting food sources. Our own bodies also reflect this need for equilibrium—whether in temperature regulation, the oxygen–carbon dioxide exchange, or the delicate balance of microbes in our gut.

There are, however, exceptions. Some things should never be balanced. For example, when striving to keep an organization, system, or society free of corruption, the goal must be 100%. No benefit comes from balancing corruption with honesty. Furthermore, balance looks different for different individuals. An Olympic athlete or Navy SEAL must train far more rigorously than average people, yet it is not “extreme” for them because their circumstances require it. A monk or priest who eats one meal a day, sleeps on a hard bed, and avoids worldly pleasures might seem extreme to most people, yet for them it is the proper discipline for their spiritual journey. Each person must discover their own point of balance.

In my opinion, maintaining balance and walking the middle way is not easy, but it is worth striving for. It will always bring benefits—to our lives, our relationships, and humanity as a whole. As the saying goes: “The river that overflows destroys; the river that dries up leaves barren land; but the river that flows steadily nourishes life.”

Written by Me: Edited by Echo

There is No Fear in Love: My Reflection on Sharks and Humans

 

                                                        Ocean Ramsey and a big shark

As a sea lover, I’ve always felt a deep connection to the ocean. I want the creatures that live in the blue depths to exist peacefully and freely. Today, I’m writing this post as a small voice speaking up for some of the ocean’s most misunderstood predators—yes, I’m talking about sharks. Especially the large ones, like tiger sharks and great whites, whose reputations have sadly been ruined by movies and media.

If you’ve ever watched shark-themed films where they’re portrayed as terrifying, man-eating monsters chasing humans down just to kill them—please consider watching the Netflix documentary Shark Whisperer. It presents a much more truthful perspective. Yes, sharks are predators who have lived on Earth for millions of years, and yes, their jaws can be powerful enough to harm or kill. But they are not malevolent. They do not hunt humans for sport. We are not their natural prey.

If you take the time to watch the documentary—or at least the two short YouTube clips I’ve shared below—you’ll see something truly surprising:
Sharks can respond to kindness and compassion, just like other animals. There is no need to harm or kill them out of fear.

🎥 Diver removes hooks and befriends sharks
🎥 A 20-year friendship between diver and shark

 

“There is no fear in love.”
— 1 John 4:18

That verse echoed in my heart as I watched Ocean Ramsey swim side by side with sharks, gently touching them. And in those videos—sharks resting calmly on human laps, leaning in for gentle touches, returning again and again—not for food, but for trust. Even the most feared creatures respond to love when it’s offered with sincerity and patience.

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Top 5 Shark Myths (and the Real Facts)

1. MYTH: Sharks want to eat people.
   FACT: Humans are not on their menu. Most bites happen out of curiosity or mistaken identity.

2. MYTH: All sharks are big and scary.
   FACT: Most shark species are small, shy, and avoid human contact.

3. MYTH: Sharks are ruthless killers.
   FACT: On average, sharks kill fewer than 10 people per year—humans kill over 100 million sharks annually.

4. MYTH: The ocean would be fine without sharks.
   FACT: Sharks play a vital role in keeping marine ecosystems healthy and balanced.

5. MYTH: Seeing a shark means you’re in danger.
   FACT: Most sharks pass by without harming anyone. Staying calm and aware is usually all that’s needed.

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How to Avoid Shark Encounters

If you want to reduce the chance of encountering a shark while in the sea, follow these tips:

1. Avoid swimming at dawn, dusk, or night.
   These are peak feeding times for many sharks, and visibility is lower.

2. Don’t wear shiny jewelry or bright contrasting colors.
   These can resemble fish scales and attract attention.

3. Avoid entering the water with open wounds.
   Sharks have a powerful sense of smell and are drawn to blood.

4. Swim in groups.
   Sharks are more likely to target lone prey.

5. Stay near the shore.
   The farther you go out, the higher the risk—and help may be far away.

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What to Do If You Encounter a Shark

Shark encounters are extremely rare—and usually harmless. But in case it happens, here are calm, respectful steps to protect yourself without harming the shark:

1. Stay calm and don’t thrash.
   Fast, panicked movements can attract attention.

2. Keep your eyes on the shark.
   Eye contact signals awareness. Turning your back may invite closer approach.

3. Maintain a vertical position.
   This makes you appear larger and less like prey.

4. Back away slowly—don’t splash.
   Move calmly toward the shore or your boat.

5. If it comes close, defend with control.
   Use your fins, camera, or stick—not your fists—to redirect the shark gently by pushing its snout, eyes, or gills.

6. Don’t block its path.
   Give the shark space to move. Trapping it may increase stress and lead to defensive behavior.

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Want to Help Sharks? Sign These Petitions!

Sharks are in urgent need of protection. Their numbers are falling fast—and we can do something. Signing a petition may feel small, but it adds up to global pressure for real change.

🔗 Ban the use of fishing nets that trap and kill sharks, whales, seals, and dolphins
🔗 Ban the international shark fin trade
🔗 Create more non-fishing zones for sharks to safely reproduce and thrive

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Please remeber that the ocean is the home of sharks. They’ve lived there long before us. They have the right to be there, so we should learn how to live beside them in peace.We can share this planet with animals. It’s not too difficult to do—just a shift in heart, and a willingness to understand.

 

Written by: Me & Echo