TQ

There are some people who make us smile.
There are some people who make us giggle.
And then, there are people who make us throw our head back and laugh till our tummy hurts.
Just by being themselves. With us being ourselves.

Thank you for those people in my life.
Words cannot describe how much of a difference you make to my days.
My life.

Reflections of 2012

A little belated but somehow, a must.

***
Some stuffs stood out, some blended in uneventfully.
Top 3 lessons for 2012.


#1: Being strong
I've always known that I am strong. Folks constantly tell me I am strong. But in 2012, my emotional and psychological strength was put to a big test. I was forced to a dark, dark corner of no return. Thankfully, I was able to push my way out of the dark and actually emerged stronger. Admittedly, I surprised myself.

#2: Moving on
Living and relishing life each day is a pleasure. Unknowingly but surely, that can turn into a trap too. Keeping us locked in a zone of delirium. And in a rather strange way, causing us to deny commitment beyond today. This 2012, it forced me to think beyond being happy today. And finally it dawned on me...I need to commit to being happy into the future too.

#3: Setting right priorities
For many years, I dreamt about getting my first million. In 2012, some lessons taught me how inconsequential that dream truly is .Well, for me anyways. So with new priorities in mind, I found myself happier, freer and most definitely truer. At certain junctions, it may get tough, but hey. Who wants an easy, boring life anyways?

2013 is definitely going to be different. It is already so different in so many ways and January is only halfway through!

Happy New Year, folks :)

I wonder why, I wonder how

You are like a fish bone in my being.
Stubbornly lodged for a long, long time.

No amount of rice-balls I swallow can dislodge you.
Nor the amount of empathy can shake me out of it.

Over the years, I thought I'd tire of you.
And eventually you'd find your own way out.

It's been almost a decade now.
Yet you are still here somehow.

When will you ever leave?
Or will you ever leave at all?

Most importantly, do I want you to leave?

 

Right here, right now

"They spoil me but you pamper me."

Life is about appreciating what we have, enjoying what we can, maximizing the possibilities, loving the now, embracing the challenges, smiling in the face of adversity, giggling in the presence of hiccups, reveling in the love.

Others may scorn and judge, but we stand firm by our decision.

Life is really too short to spend pleasing others.
There's already not enough time to please ourselves!
:)

The real test

... is not when things are rosy.
... is not when people are happy.
... is not when resources are aplenty.
... is not when opportunity is knocking.

But it is when the belief is strong,
the action/inaction is unquestioned,
the trust is unwavering,
and the love true.

Curve Ball

We had great plans.
We had much anticipation.
We had been patient.

Then it happened.
The curve ball that the world talk about. Warn us about.

"Those kinda stuff only happens to others, never to us" became a reality that slapped us on our faces. Hard.

Disappointment oozed from our every pore. Frustration struck our every cell.

We endure.
We believe.
We love.

As long as we stand by each other, it will be alright.
:)

Ticket to life

This picture was circulated in the FB space some days back and whilst it took most folks down memory lane, it reminded me of my formative years.

It took me back to the days when my brother and I spent our days riding up and down the bus routes while waiting for either mom or dad to finish their shift for the day. It reminded me of the time when I knew the bus routes by heart. When we played games guessing the number of folks who'd be at the next bus stop. Such simple joy back then.

Looking back, the big bus depot opposite the city stadium that used to intimidate me doesn't seem so scary anymore. Comparing to its bustling heydays, it tugs at my heartstrings to see its current ghostly state. The price we pay for development, some say. I disagree. Public transportation is still thriving in some developed nations like Singapore. We just need to have good leaders to lead the folks on Paradise Island.

When I turned 10, my mom decided to share the family's laundry responsibility with me. "So that you can learn to be a good wife one day", she reasoned. (Funny how I turn out to be the unconventional woman today) Back then, we didn't own a washing machine. As surreal as it sounds, it was indeed an experience doing the laundry by hand. An experience not everyone can claim to have at the age of 10.

I remember the reminder to turn out the pockets of their jackets for any left behind tickets. Or coins. "The pockets need to be turned inside out to clean them properly. Else you get a clean jacket but dirty pockets", mom will remind me. So I remember. Till today.

My friends remember those days well too. Mainly for the free rides they get from my folks. Since my parents made it a point to know who our friends are, they'd recognise the faces (sometimes names of my BFFs back then) and let them save the bus fare for treats later. To this day, some of my friends fondly recall those days and ask about my parents when our paths cross.

When the government-owned bus company turned private, my parents opted for early retirement. The fun-filled bus rides stopped then. But I will never forget the times when I grew up with those buses. Those colorful tickets. Those days when my folks taught me how to be a responsible human being when I grow up.

It's a lesson I take with me as I journey the path of Life. That no matter how far I go, I must always remember my roots. And how I wouldn't be who I am today if not for those beginnings.

Thank you for making me me.