~ SEP 16 2002

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Finding Inspiration
From: US
- I feel so different from everyone around me. It's difficult for me to become inspired or impressed with anything/anyone here.

Reply:

In a world that so driven by looks, money and success - where rudeness persists and morality is sometimes quite low, it can be difficult to find inspiration from those around you. But this all depends as well. I'm one of those people who believes that 'most' people are genuinely good people. But the ones that stand out in my mind are those that are kind in general, even to complete strangers or to those in need. These types of people are my inspiration. They help to remind me that not everyone is rude, mean or racist.

You can also derive inspiration from those in your life (ie. a friend or family member) or others you admire (ie. a celebrity). It can also be derived from reading books. Many people seem to turn to religious reading. And in some cases it's not all bad.

On that note, one suggestion is to read Buddhism books. There are wide range of Buddhist books that deal with many issues and those that also discuss how certain individuals from all walks of life have utilized Buddhism in their lives and how it enriched their understanding of life's questions/issues. I used to think critically of people who read religious books but now I understand why since I have found reading Buddhism books to be quite enriching. Note however I'm not a super religious person so for a person like me, this could be considered a big deal. This is just to show you how wonderful or impressed I have been with reading more on Buddhism. I encourage everyone to do the same.

Reply:

It's important to know that sometimes people may not necessarily be blood related to a former royal but perhaps they or a family member or relative held a high position within the hierarchy of the time. So in these cases some people will sometimes say that they are 'related' to the former royals.

In either case, one way would simply be to scour old Laotian history books. Be sure to look at names, dates and places. See if there are any similarities to those in question. These published books (or websites) should list the main former royals and their children. Another good source of info. would be to ask others in the Lao community (usually the adults). The adults who lived in Laos during those earlier dates would know who was related to which royal. They can usually indicate whether or not an individual or family in question was a part of the former royal lineage because for them it's usually general knowledge.