Happy Independence Day, Malaysia

"I didn't know you are so patriotic" - a friend quipped.
Another sarcastically commented that my beloved country is not paying for my livelihood today.

I won't claim to be a patriot but no matter how far I have traveled and moved on to, a part of me will always be rooted in my homeland. I am who I am today because of my roots. So, on this day, I am proud to shout out to the world : "Merdeka!"

Not forgetting my all-time favourite Independence Day song. It is blared from speakers across the nation on this day every year, without fail.


Go here to listen to the YouTube and sing along.

Love you loads, my beloved Malaysia.

Restlessness + Tiredness

 Mind running at 100 mph but body wants to stop.

When the bombshell was dropped late last week, that's how I have been functioning since then. Wanting to do a million things all at once. Thanks to experience, I now have a tiny voice at the back of my head that goes "Stay focused. One task at a time. Filter out the noises. Keep goal in mind."

Fruit, as much as I dislike you, I guess we are in this together.

Couple more weeks and the roller coaster ride begins.

Divine Intervention

Just when we thought we've come to the end of the rope.
Just when we're fighting so hard to keep it all together.
Just when we believed that we're truly trialled.

The pieces just fit together, somehow.
Our smiles reaching the corners of our hearts.
Your excitement tickling me inside.

And as temporal as we may be,
we do believe that something has fallen into place.
And finally.
We see the light.

Because we never stopped believing.
Because we soldiered on relentless.
But most of all, because we deserve it.

You and I.
We definitely deserve to be happy.
Together.

What doesn't kill, strengthens

Instead of worrying too much about how I am able to carry the added responsibility placed on my already-tired shoulders, I guess I should be thankful to be presented with the opportunity to go further than most folks are allowed to venture.

So, thank you to a dear someone who sent me this today.

The fun part starts after 0.52 secs.

So stronger we will grow! :D

Of love and family

When we commit ourselves to another person, we are actually committing ourselves to the family as well. By extension, that is.

Sometimes I wonder, do folks really get this?

Do they really think that they can be happy if their other half tells them "I love you and I don't care what my family says/thinks about it. Heck, I will disown them if that's what it takes to be with you!" Or "As long as we love each other, what our families think of/behave towards us is of no importance"

Years ago, I used to believe Love is the Almighty that yields above everyone and everything else.

Years later, I still believe in the power of Love but I also learnt to believe that family plays a pivotal role in the health and happiness of the relationship. And I also learnt that to be truly happy, one must learn to manage the entire combination in order to obtain the best equation.

Easier said than done, for sure.
But absolutely necessary, I believe.

Maybe it's a culture thing with us Asians.
Or maybe it's just me.

Cutting the rope

A recent late-night conversation with a dear friend reminded me of something.
A very important life lesson.

Go here and here to read about how Batman reminded the writers of this important lesson too.

For as long as our comfort zones are there for us to fall back on, we will always be limiting ourselves to a certain degree. Only when we let go of that fear of failing, that we will truly succeed. Either succeed or die.

So book that one way ticket, baby.

For as long as you don't keep looking back, the only way is forward, yes?

New experience

Most times, we sail through well. 
Sometimes though, it gets tough and on those tough days, each hour seems to crawl slowly by.

And as time inches on, I feel frustration tear at my every cell. I know you feel the same too.
Yet, we keep up a brave front. To others and to each other.
Focus on the positive and push away the negative.

"I'm not used to this, you know. I don't usually hold on to something that hurt me. I usually fling it out and move on", I told a good friend today.

"Take it as a new experience. Give it time and something spectacular will happen that'll make you realize that what hurt you is no longer important", the good friend said to me.

Well, I am not sure if I am liking the new experience.

Questions

I am reminded of this post today.

All I can say (and repeat) is : No one is ever not good enough for anyone.

There will always be someone out there who is richer, smarter, keener, etc..

By the same token, there will also always be someone who is less of all the above.
Does that make them any less sincere? Any less deserving? Any less certain?

If we try so hard to be more than who we truly are, does that make us real? Importantly, is that sustainable? Even if we can push it to last a long, long time....can we be truly happy? Not just with others but with ourselves?

Think about it.

Time for thoughts

Some of the many thought-provoking, smile-inducing quotes seen over the weekend.

And here's a watch we'll never ever get to see.

It's neither 11 nor 12.
Can you see it?

Hope your weekend was as fulfilling as mine was.
:)

The Gift of Time

The night I met you

I never thought I'd love you

Well, not the way I have grown to love you

Or the way you have grown to love me

Friends had their doubts
Family was as nonchalant as family could get

Yet, you and I

We hung on to each other 

Through the test of time

Days, weeks, months and years rolled by

Our love and belief in each other stayed tight

"It was so good to be true that I kept waiting for the bubble to burst"
I smiled a teary smile

Admitting that I've felt the same somehow

But burst it will not, my beloved

For we have given each other true and precious gifts

The Gift of Love
The Gift of Trust

The Gift of Time

Happy birthday, Lion City

Tears of a true leader.

Malaysia needs a true leader to rise again.
We truly do.

 *titbit* Not many know that Singapore's national song is in Malay.  

What amazes me is that not every Singaporean can speak the Malay language and that means when they sing the national anthem, they don't really know what they are singing. Or do they? Hmmm.

Go here to read an interesting article on the Lion City's national song. 

Happy birthday, Singapore!
You have come far in the past 47 years and have made Asia very proud.

:D

Dare to Dream

To quote a funny friend,
"One day, I'm gonna sink me a Titanic!" 

Yup, here's to wishing that we will all eventually find our very own Titanic to target and conquer.

:D

Staying with the fight

We continue to amaze us.
With our resilience, our dedication, our beliefs.

:)

We must continue to stay focused. Continue to soldier on despite the many disappointments. Continue to fight for what we want, what we deserve and what we truly believe in. We do not stop to rest or to ponder. Doubts have no room in our plan. Sure there'll be obstacles thrown in our path. But give up, we will not.

As the motto of our favourite workout regime goes, Stay with the Fight!  

It has only just begun.

*Note* This vid is rather long at almost 9mins. Watch at your own risk/time but one thing's for sure. It is truly inspiring.

Emotional Cycle of Change (ECC)

'The only thing constant is change' - so goes the famous quote.

I couldn't agree more.
Be it work or personal, it is totally applicable. Our job, our family, our freedom - anything at all.

Found this very simplified but effective chart explaining ECC.

Read about how it works here.

Another different (and more complex) way of looking at ECC is as below chart.

Go here to have the chart explained.
May be abit dry and boring to those who are not people-managers but is still good knowledge. 

This just reinforced what I've always believed in.
Never stay constant. Always look out and be ready for changes.

Which brings my mind to the next thought :
I think it is time for some change in my life. Again.

:D

Etiquette

There are some things you do, and then there are some things you don't do.
You just ... don't. Period.

And then, there are some things you go straight to the point. Whilst there are some that you know best to keep your mouth shut.
You just ... know. Period.

Some get it, some don't.

The ones who don't, will end up being loose cannons. Running all over the place crying wolf. Irritating the s**t outta everyone.

Let's decide who we wanna be.
Then stick to that decision, shall we?

The best of Us

No one is ever 'not good enough' for anyone.
If you have given your all with your heart and soul, you are more than good enough.

All you really need is a soulful of sincerity and chestful of strength.
To shout to the world how bad you want something and how hard you'd work for it.

That, to me, is not just good enough.
It is the best that the world will ever get of you.

Until I am wrinkled and grey, I will always treasure the best of you as long as you promise to treasure the best of me.