Wednesday, February 29, 2012

~A Basket Full of Hearts~

Allow me to start by sharing with you a simple short story; :)


A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items on the table in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, about 2 inches in diameter.
He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks.
He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “Yes.”
“Now,” said the professor, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the important things – your family, your partner, your health, your children – things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.
The pebbles are the other things that matter – like your job, your house, your car.
The sand is everything else. The small stuff.”

“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued “there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life.
If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal.
Take care of the rocks first – the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”
                                                      ~The Important Things in Life;
                                                        Author: Unknown.

The messages portrayed are simple yet struck the heart of readers immensely. Branching out to the theme of "Importance of Relationship over Urgency of Materials", it's time for us to start asking ourselves questions similar to "Must I get this? Well, yeah.. but do I have to?" kind of thing. Coming down to day-to-day situations, do we NEED 'it' that much until the extend of having to throw tantrum or feeling disappointed or being upset over our personal desire? And hurting those we love because we're being so self-centred, ignorant and temporary forgetting how much they've been there for us through thick and thin? Yes, being selfish is not love at all. Love is being selfless and feeling happy about it. :) So..

And mean it by proving it! :)

I woke up at 11.30 a.m. this morning *gulp* but my mom was in a surprisingly good mood. I head to the bathroom, took of my spectacle to have my face washed and while I was happily rubbing it all over with foams~~ I felt an light cold 'splat' of pressure on my right knee, as if something has just fell on it. Then, I felt it.. it started off with a 'wiggle'.. and moved up to my lap.. *Eaakk* Obviously that I couldn't see what's that thing without my specs on so I shoved it off my lap, quickly rinse the foams off my face. And for a moment, I was so proud of myself..

Until I saw it..

A LIZARD.

A baby lizard, almost the size of my pointer.

So, I felt very very very bad instead. :/ The poor baby accidentally mistaken my leg as a 'wall', and obviously I scared the shit out of it. (I'm shooooo sorryyyyyy!!) My sister came to the rescue and gently 'fish'ed it into a container and released it into the greens, outside our house. When she's done, she told me this:
"在这一时刻的巧合, 了他生命. 你是他的感恩人
:) See, this is just one small reason why people can't stop loving my sis. :) 

Somehow, this picture reminds me of my sister. It's as if I can feel the warmth, serenity, innocence, trust and patience from the eyes and smiles that emits from the little girl, just like how I feel when I'm with her.

There're definitely times when you have to climb over other people's head in order to be competitively advantage in certain situations. Let it be in terms of education or workforce, especially in this highly competitive era. It is indeed, completely understandable because, we do not have much of a choice, don't we? I mean, smart and talented individuals are all around the street but rather then seeing them as a competitor, why not as 'allies' instead? Allies, people who you can lean on when you need help the most and you too, are capable to help them in advance. More like a 'give-and-take' and supporting each other's back as you climb the ladder together. My best friend's father, who's a CEO of a big company once shared that "trust is the utmost important element in anything you do. Once you break a trust of a person, there might be no other way you could do to retrieve it back. It's that serious.", he told me.


No matter what a strong fighter you are, you can't be a solo warrior forever. So, find a friend, someone who you know you can trust and depend on to work things out together and never raise a doubt on him when things get tough. Do not turn your back first, against him, without any appropriate reasons but rather, have another back-up plan if betrayal happened during the process. The best armor for oneself  is to stay open minded and open hearted at all times. Genuine people are every where, you just got to find the right one.. and keep on searching. :)

You said that my smile is what you love most about me but you didn't know, you're the main reason behind all those smiles. Silly pineapple. :) 


When life gives you 100 reasons to cry, show that you have 1000 reasons to smile. :)

~ Thoughts of the Day 10 ~

Imagine the world's at your feet and you're given the opportunity to collect anything from anywhere as far as your eyes can see and feet can go.
If you're given an empty basket, what would you fill it up with?
:)
But that's not my main question. :)
What if.. the basket represents your life and the land represents the journey, what would you pick along the way?
What if.. the basket got full when you're only halfway through the road, what would you do?
With the basket so limited in space, what are the things that you would let go and the newly things you would add into the collection?



Replace tears with smiles,
Replace hatred with love,
Replace fear with hope,
Replace loss with growth,
Replace dreams with goal.

We all start with an empty basket. So make sure the things that you collect are meant to last forever.

~Hugs~

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

~ Pursuing the Uncertainties ~

Life's a journey on the roller coaster.


Sometimes, when things are particularly bad, I'll shut my eyes off everything and force myself to sleep. Either that or I'll go do some work out. It works all the time because after the rest, I do feel like a fully recharged person, bursting with energies, bounced back with a clearer state of mind and confidence back reloaded. Makes me go "Aaahhh.. very refreshing" kinda thing, you get the idea. :) No, "Waking up and thinking it was just a dream" is never my clinch but seeing it as an unavoidable situation that I'm telling myself, I can overcome. No matter how difficult it is, how slim the chance would be. I can do this. Yes, I can. :)


Because you are the warrior in you.


Huwaaaaarrhhh~ *stretch*

Of course, I am a human myself too and there're times when I get really tired and feel so defeated like a flat 'pin guo' (Quote Pineapple) but there are things that keeps me hanging on. Every time I feel like giving up, the voice inside me starts screaming and it gives me the strength to pull myself up and keep fighting, And the number one rule is: Keep my cool down, cuz' thing's ain't going anywhere if I start losing a hold on my patience. And it's all for love, responsibility and promises.


It's okay. Just sit back and enjoy the ride. Teehee.. :D

Deep in the meadow, under the willow
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes
And when again they open, the sun will rise.

Here it's safe, here it's warm
Here the daisies guard you from every harm
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true
Here is the place where I love you.

Deep in the meadow, hidden far away
A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray
Forget your woes and let your troubles lay
And when again it's morning, they'll wash away.


Here it's safe, here it's warm
Here the daisies guard you from every harm
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true
Here is the place where I love you.

                                                      - Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I absolutely  this part of the book. So beautifully written with deep and meaningful meanings beneath the lyrics.. And it kinds of reminds me of a quote a good friend gave to me last year;
"No matter how heavy is the rain, your smile will be the rainbow after that."
He taught me a very valuable lesson there, through that gift. Obstacles come but they will definitely go if we preserve long enough. :)

Anyway..

*Gasp* HUNGER GAMES will be screened on cinema on the 23RD OF MARCH!! For those who didn't read the book, you guys should really watch the movie, like SERIOUSLY. But obviously, books are still better than movies (so you will miss out a lot of the other interesting details etc. if you don't read) but doesn't matter. Just go watch alright? :)

Katniss, the girl who's on fire. :)

P.s.: Thank you Shanine darling, for introducing and borrowing me these great books of yours. :)

It was the Chap Goh Meh yesterday, also known as the Chinese Folk's Valentines Day. :) So, my family and I went out for another relatives and friends reunion party for some 'lou sang'/ 鱼生 to mark the end of the 15th day of CNY 2012. So, while the adults were happily chatting like usual, we (cousins, siblings and I) got together and we were all talking about the tradition of single girls throwing oranges into river and the guys scooping them out, such cute tradition indeed. :) Sad to say I didn't get to throw any oranges with my number tho. Well, just say if I do have the chance, I don't possibly think I'll follow cuz.. why depend on an orange to search for the love of your life ey? 
:)


Love changes a person because when you truly love, you'll have the courage, belief, strength, time and patience to do things that you never thought you could for people who shared your heart and you too, have a place in theirs. People who you know, love you as much as you love them. And you know they deserve nothing but the best from you. :)


To the wonderful couples out there, may every journey be a smooth ride when you have each other by side. It's very comforting to know that there's someone who will be there for you and hold your back at times when you need a smile of assurance that you know you can trust. And you know that thing's gonna be alright when you have your partner to walk with you through the dark into the daylight.


Just a simple sharing: Being tolerant doesn't means losing but simply treasuring the relationship over egoism. :)


While to the singles out there, I hope you will be able to find your Mr. or Mrs. Right soon. Keep searching cuz your love is out there searching for you too. That's why you're still being single! :) For the mean time, be yourself and live life to your fullest, do things that you enjoy because it keeps a happy person smiling.. and stay youthful that grows from the heart. :D


Express kindness with your eyes and through the tone of your voice, not only with your choice of words.
- J Donald Walters - Gill xx


I'll keep this simple..


There're times when I feel so lonely inside, I can't help but to push myself forward to my knees, hugging them into my arms and it kinds of comfort me in a way.. although it's only for a short moment of time. And when I'm missing someone so badly, I'll grab my pillow and hug it so tightly until I fall asleep.


Thank you my pillow..


~ Thoughts of the Day 9~


If only everything in the world is done with the heart, the world would be a beautiful place to live. From simple day to day activities like waking up smiling to the sunshine's warmth, greeting everyone you meet with a nod, saying thank you to the security guards or the cleaner lady and lecturers at the end of the lesson. Funny that how all of us used to greet and thank the teachers back then in primary and secondary school but upon entering college.. the tradition literally disappeared.. Just a simple thank you doesn't hurt, doesn't need much effort nor time. So what makes it so hard to say the word 'thank you' as a little sign of appreciation from you?


You don't know how much it means to someone..


Just two words and it makes the lecturer smile after a hard day of work.
Just two words and it keeps the guard motivated to continue protecting safety.
Just two words and it helps the cleaner lady to continuously provide a comfortable environment.
Just two words and it pushes your maid to provide only the best for you.
Just two words and it vanishes the tiredness away from your mom's body.
Just two words and it relieves your dad from his work stress.
Just two words and it strengthen the bond between your siblings and you.
Just two words and it creates respect in your peers.
Just two words and it puts a beautiful curve on your face cuz you feel happy doing that too.


:)


Treat people like how you want to be treated.
  Forgive people like how you want to be forgiven.
    Talk to people like how you want them to speak to you.
      Work the way like how it should be done.
And put your heart in everything that you do, every conversations you have and whatever that matters to you. Cuz you're the one who determine how you want to live your life. :) 


~Hugs~