pieces of me

"over the hedge" + "the five people you meet in heaven"

over the hedge

i hardly write movie reviews for good movies; i don't know what to wirte. but this time i made an exception, because i think that over the hedge is really a nice and meaningful animation one has to catch (only applicable to animation lovers and fans)

over the hedge(DreamWork Production) is far better than the wild (Disney's Production), both released around the same time and they are about animals.. it's a movie about protecting the environment and caring for the animals, and it's being bring forward to the viewers in an obvious, yet subtle, direct, yet interesting method.. the characters are really adorable(unlike the wild, they looked kind of stupid and a little too serious for children).. hmmm.. actually i really don't know how to describe a good movie.. hmmm.. aiya! just go catch it la!=]


the five people you meet in heaven

when i first heard the title, i thought it sounds interesting, so when i saw it in the MPH bookfair, i bought it straight away, without any hesitation (my mum read the chinese-translated version & she told me it's good).. in the end, the book did not disappoint me at all. just like what the title suggest, it's indeed an interesting book.

this book is a short novel, a story about a man, named Eddie, after he died and he went up to heaven.. and he met the five people that had crossed his path and affected his life, directly or indirectly.. i've not finished reading it (only half way through the third person), but the book has already mesmerized me..

when we talk about how heaven is like, most people, including myself, would picture it as a place with lot of flowers (or clouds), with the birds chipping happily away and harps playing merry and smoothing tunes..basically, to us, heaven is like utopia.. however, the author gave a total different perspective of how heaven is like: heaven is not an utopia, heaven is a place we learn and understand our past and for us to repent the mistakes we made when we were alive.. death, is the end of our lives, but it's also the beginning of another journey, a journey of self-realisation, to unsderstand ourselves and the reasons for all the happening in our lives..

each of the five people Eddie met after he died taught he a lesson about his life, and by reading the book, i learnt a few things about life as well.. the story has taught me a few important values.. for example, the second person Eddie met taught him that humans made sacrifices when they are alive, big or small, with or without us knowing.. there is no fair or unfairness in this; it's just the way of life..

what i like about this author and his style is that he does not lecture his readers, he does not go into a big long lecture about life and how and what we should do. instead, he stopped right after he made his point, and the readers are given rooms to absorb and ponder on the points he made.. and bviously, different individuals will come up with their own understanding of his point, but i think that is exactly what the author want us to do; to think on our own.

for example on the second lesson, i learnt that since we are making sacrifices all the time, knowingly or unknowingly, so we should not complain or grumble if we have to make any sacrifices for someone else.. becuase no matter how, we'll definitely have to make sacrifices, so what is the point in complaining?

the five people you meet in heaven is really a good and inspiring book , one should not miss such a good book, do read it! (well, can borrow from me if anyone is really keen..haha.. i don't mind sharing great books with people..)

posted by +abrac[A]dabra+ @ 11:29