"EMPTY YOUR CUP" a Asia Travel Page by imho

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<blockquote><font color=gray><i><b>A university professor went to visit a famous Zen master. While the master quietly served tea, the professor talked about Zen. The master poured the visitor's cup to the brim, and then kept pouring. The professor watched the overflowing cup until he could no longer restrain himself. "It's overfull! No more will go in!" the professor blurted. "You are like this cup," the master replied, "How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"</blockquote></font></i></b>
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<font color=#993459><b><p align=center> The strangest thing about preparing for this exercise was the realization of how full, yet how empty, my "cup" is with respect to the continent I live in. I am from the Philippines in Southeast Asia, yet what I know about Asia and Asians in general is little more than what I was taught in school or what I've seen on television. Filipinos trace their roots back to the Indo-Malays who crossed the seas on boats called <i> balanggays </i> or via the land bridges (depending on whose theory you believe), but, rightly or wrongly, empathize more with the culture and some of the traditions of our Western conquerors, the Spaniards and the Americans. The result is a sad detachment from the magnificent culture our Asian neighbors have managed to keep alive over the centuries, as well as an unfortunate, yet rectifiable lack of identity as a nation in this splendid region.

My "cup" is full of academic knowledge of Asian culture and heritage. I guess I understand now that I should empty it by experiencing first-hand the riches --cultural, spiritual, and sociological --- of this glorious continent I am blessed to live in. So Richie, I guess I won't need that old college text book after all!</font></b></p>

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