2012 ~ A Busy Looooong (Dragon) Year ahead!

The Numbers ~ 2012

Besides the intriguing Mayan prophecy, this year is an important year for me, a change in the course of my life - one is for a greater challenge, and the other... is for a new challenge.

Finally, I am waving goodbye to my five years in the place that brought me many good friends, and a very good learning experience. This is a decision I have been struggling with since the 2nd year I was here, but with things changing faster than I could imagine, I managed to pull through rather smoothly in the next 3 years, which brought me to where I am.
New opportunity came, and I knew the time has come.
I'm looking forward to the new place, and I just hope that I can juggle well this year while fussing over my other BIG challenge!
Yes, marriage is a BIG thing!! Preparing for that wedding day is already a huge task for me! It didn't really sunk into my head that 'I am getting married' since the proposal last Feb'10. But now that we are almost coming to the end of Feb'11, I realise I need more time to get into shape! That's one of the first few items on a standard bride schedule list. And many other things which I've not started... :(
The real challenge in marriage is having to share your life with someone.
The companionship adds warmth, but could also mean getting into the way of how you used to do things... alone! Somebody's opinion needs to be sought, somebody's feelings need to be regarded, somebody's well-being needs to be looked after!
No wonder words like your 'better half', your 'other half' are used.
It really feels as if he is somehow Me in another form. Just as stubborn. haha...
Well, all in all, I am very excited and really looking forward to this!

As the saying goes, Love overcomes all obstacles!

Unfinished Business

I am currently reading Unfinished Business by Lee Kravitz.

Just the title itself is enough to set my emotional thoughts at work.

(Extracted from the Web)

There are so many things we got to do.
We need to grow, we need to engage, we need to rest.
Every day of our lives, time is ticking away.

We find ourselves growing older, wiser and yet, some of us still behave and do things as if nothing has changed. Babies know when they need to learn to flip, when they need to start bending their knees to crawl, and when they’re able to lift themselves up and start to walk. There is a smooth progression path that babies know instinctively.
But why, do adults stop knowing what they need to do or progress towards?
Adults can stay in a same job for years and do the same thing for years, everyday leading their lives as if their sole purpose in life is to keep doing what they know best.
They do not know what else they can do with their lives.
I got tired.
~
Every phase in our lives, we meet new people.
People come and go.
Some stay for long as lifelong partners, some stay for a short while and left, some are mere acquaintances and there are those who leave a significant mark in our lives.

I’ve made several incredible friends along the way.
We’ve experienced fun and laughter, shared life chapters, embarked on adventures, my life would never have been this colourful if not for them.
Thank You.
Some may be somehow neglected along the way as we moved on and focus on other priorities in our daily business, but they are never forgotten.

Reminiscing those memories at times made me smile.
Everything in one's life - every person and experience - is part of everything else. - Lee
~
Every time we feel tired, we feel like giving up.
We sleep. We stop. We retire.
But, just what do we do after that?
Hopefully we can think of something better to do, that is.

I received an interesting email article on retirement which questioned the fundamental paradox of man.
We do not know what we want to do after we stop doing what we’re tired of.
Most would answer that they would want to travel around the world when they retire. However, that would take 3 months, or perhaps a year (like Wen!). And, what’s after that? Idle…?
Not enough time, too much energy.
Not enough energy, too much time!
Retirement plan is important (not selling any policies here!) and the article suggests planning for this at a very young age. I think it’s a good idea. Whether we drop dead tomorrow or not, it doesn’t matter. Planning sets your mind with a goal, and something positive gives you something to look forward to.

I am planning.
~
The best portion of a good man's life: the little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness & of love – Lee

Ignorance is bliss... How true?

If you don't know something, it can't hurt you.

Don't question, don't probe... let nature show you, let society lead you...
Know that the sun shines, don't question when the rain comes..
Know that he loves you, don't probe how much as compared to his past girl friends...
You just want to keep yourself safe, safe from being hurt, safe from feeling pain.
Life starts and ends with yourself alone, isn't it?
So what's wrong with being happy and not care a thing about the world?
Ignorance is bliss, is it not?

No.
Being ignorance means avoiding the truth.
It means not wanting to put yourself in a situation you hate.
It means not giving it a shot should it turns out to be more beautiful than you expect.
It means living in fear...

I'm torn in between.. what should it be?
Why am I even thinking?

No one is in charge of your happiness, but you - Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old.

Death Management

When your time is up, everything goes against your favour.
When your time is not, every little help comes your way.

Dying is no longer considered a waiting process at your ripe old age, it hits on us at any age, in any way, any where. My curiosity about death started at a very young age. What is it like, where do we go, will I be alone? I used to cry at the thought of gasping for air and staring blank in space like in sleep. That's my definition of dying. Silly me.

But now, death brings chill down my spine from a whole new perspective.
Ask me about my fears, I can name you a few, cats, heights, slaughtering animals...
But which fear will bring tears to my eyes and makes me shudder, there's only one fear:
It is the fear of living to witness death of loved ones.
I break down. I'll lose it, I'm afraid.
That's probably what I'll be when it really happens.
How do people overcome this? How do you watch sufferings, and sleep soundly at night, when you know that the able and fit you can do so much but just not sure what you can do to ease their pain?

To Condition
I'm trying to condition myself now, to train and prepare my mind for the worst.
Easier said than done. Perhaps I can start by thinking of the stages.
The helpless period >> To mourn >> To pick up.
Well, it looks like it's going to linger on for quite awhile. A long while.

Pessimism helps... Me.
(I'm not encouraging this to everyone, just me.)
I don't have 100 friends on facebook, not even 10 friends on facebook. I dont keep a facebook.
I like friends, I love company, but I dont seek for friends or try to re-connect with friends.
I keep a circle of close contacts and I like it that way.
I don't need many friends, but just enough good friends would be good enough.
I treasure good friends whom I can click with. My thoughts can get strange and fuzzy and following my trail is not easy. Hence, these few good friends are important in my life.
Family is without a doubt just as, if not MOST important in my life.
I can't imagine losing any one of them. So might as well not try to expand the circle.
It is my form of consolation or delusion, you may say. I think this works well for me.

Constant Reminders
On the brighter side, I like this fear.
The clock is ticking. It helps to keep me in check.
It reminds me that there is nothing more I need to fear when you have fear for something already that great;
it reminds me to be more tolerant to difficult people or situations;
it reminds me to treasure people I love;
it reminds me to treat people with respect and compassion.

Will I be able to manage this?
At least I'm writing about this, I think I can. I will & I must.

Beautiful things don't last...

Butterflies live for 2-6 weeks.

Sweet dream lasts for 1 night.

Fireworks last for that moment.

Rainbow lasts for a day

Expression in the sand stays until the next tide comes.

Bubbles last for few seconds.

Images are extracted from the web

Nature has explained, so why yearn for eternity?

Don't Laugh At Me - Mark Wills

~
~
~

~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
A person is able to become truly strong when they become capable of protecting the one they cherish
~
It's never too late to become what you may have been
~
True friends stay when everyone else leaves
~
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind
~
Cowards die many times before they are dead
~
The tragedy of life is what dies inside a man while he still lives
~
Imagination is more important than knowledge, it brings you further too!
~
Imagination, not intelligence, made us human
~
Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself, so start sketching!
~
Happiness is a path, not a destination
~
Living leads you to death by the minute - stop procrastinating!
~
Don't Laugh At Me - Mark Wills
Chorus:
Don't laugh at me
Don't call me names
Don't get your pleasure from my pain
In God's eyes we're all the same
Someday we'll all have perfect wings
Don't laugh at me

Time Tested Beauty Tips



(Extracted from the web) A poem greatly adored by Audrey Hepburn - a beautiful timeless classic, just like she is.

~
For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes,seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; Never throw out anybody.

Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands;
one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears,
the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes,
because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole,
but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.
It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows,
and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!
~
Sam Levenson

Silent Expression

Courtesy of Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography award winner Kevin Carter (1994)

A poverty-stricken Sudanese toddler struggling to make her way towards a United Nations food camp, located a kilometer away. A vulture landed itself close to the little girl, hoping to witness her last breath and to rip the little flesh left out of her. The ultimate fate of the girl was unknown. Unable to contain the vivid memories of killings and of starving or wounded children, Kevin committed suicide shortly after winning the award.

I see greed that we are shamelessly after.
I see pain that we wish we do not need to endure.
I see how we are left to fend for ourselves in this world.

If you think you are the only person battling the worst days of your life, know that you are never alone.
Lonely, but not alone.