This One is for Christchurch!

While I admit that I was gutted to see my favourite sevens rugby team Fiji dumped out by New Zealand in the Cup Semi-Final of this year's Hong Kong Sevens, I was nonetheless happy that the Kiwis became eventual champions, beating England by 29-17. One of the players said that they had tried hard to win the tournament as they wanted to dedicate the victory to Christchurch.

You did it, Kiwis. Well done!

Japan, another nation hard hit by earthquake, didn't do so well though. They lost to Canada in the Final of the Bowl Championship. It must have been difficult for them to prepare for and play in this tournament at a time like this.

Before I die

The recent calamities and tragedies in different regions of the world, especially New Zealand and Japan, may have prompted many people to put life into perspective. I myself have been thinking about what I would like to do before I die.

American artist Candy Chang started a project with an abandoned house in New Orleans in her neighborhood. She transformed it into a chalkboard where people may complete the sentence "Before I die I want to ..." on the wall. Once the wall is filled, she cleans the board so that others can finish their sentences. She documents the sentences and will include them in a book.

What would your sentence be?

Animal instinct?

Another shattering earthquake in New Zealand. Again in Christchurch.

I feel for the people of New Zealand, especially those who have lost loved ones in the tragedy. It is important that the families of those who are still missing do not give up hope, and I pray for the miracle that at least some of the missing ones will be rescued alive.

Prime Minister John Key said the disaster "may be New Zealand's single most tragic event". A friend in New Zealand told me that her 94-year-old aunt has coped very well with the earthquakes all her life but not this one which was very close to the surface and has wrecked havoc.

A few days before the devastating earthquake, more than 100 pilot whales were beached on Stewart Island. I wonder if the two tragic incidents could somehow be related?