Thoughts – HlaMin

by Hla Min & Friends

Update : July 2025

Slow Down

U Aung Min (M69) was worried that I might burn out. He asked me to slow down.
Completed five decades as a Volunteer. Spent 26 years as an Organizer & Messenger for the RIT Alumni. Want to slow down, but have things to do.

Some said, “You write more & faster than we can read. Take some rest”.
Paying back to my benefactors, mentors & alma mater while I am physically & mentally OK.

Some suggested to find young volunteers to help.
Easier said than done. Not easy to find even paid volunteers. Much difficult to get unpaid volunteers.

Some friends & even young people had memory lapses. My young cousin said, “I forgot what I wanted to say”.
Saw people with various levels of memory problems. At first, one could not recall names & faces of friends. Then, he could not remember his children. Finally, he could not recognize his spouse. Some time later, he passed away.

Compared to geniuses with phenomenal memory, I am at a lower rung. I am glad that I recall people & events more than the average person. I know thousands of names & people.

From Thin Sayas, Myin Sayas and Kyar Sayas, I learned interesting episodes that cannot be read from the history books. Sadly, many good story tellers are GBNF.

If one can dream, others can (help) fulfill.
My first dream was to get sayas and alumni get reconnected physically & virtually. RIT Alumni Newsletter and SPZP-2000 are some realization of that dream.

My second dream is to compile and publish Oral & Written Histories. As a member of the HMEE project, I was able to realize a part of that dream.
Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint, Dr. V Nyunt Wai, Dr. Khin Maung U, U Khin Maung Zaw & several others have added valuable insights to my posts. I hope the “Tumbleweed effect” will help turn my raw thoughts and writings into memorable articles and may be even e-books and books. It will be a fuller realization of the second dream.

Someone wrote in my autograph : “Worry is like sand in an oyster. A little produces a pearl. Too much kills the animal”.
I do not worry about Longevity.

I have seen some people live long lives, but a few were not physically or mentally active for some time. I prefer to have quality of life for our moment on this earth.

I gave several Eulogies. I prefer to acknowledge the good deeds of people while they are still alive.

I am delighted to share my thoughts and experiences — with mentors, colleagues, friends, former students & those who value dissemination of knowledge.