Counting your blessings

One of human's biggest flaw - not having the capability to appreciate and be contented with what they have got.
[ I think I have written a post before regarding this but nevertheless]

You, me, I am sure you come across one of those days where questions beginning with -
'If only I was that skinny..' 'If I were a millionaire..' 'Why is it so unfair..'
It is perfectly fine to have big dreams and ambitions, 'cuz those will be the fuel and motivational drive you need to achieve success in life.
By success, everyone has their own definition of it.

I have been a culprit for being unsatisfied of things - be it the cause of vanity or decisions made, I always had something to complain about. But of course I have been and am trying my best to appreciate everything I've got and it has definitely made me a happier and satisfied person beginning year 2011.

Just as I was complaining about a group of girls cutting the queue while I was queuing up to board the plane back to kuching today, a group of juniors of whom I happen to know were apparently chased by a swarm of bees the very same afternoon. All of them were admitted in the General Hospital after the incident. Some went into a coma and most were injured. When I heard of the news, my heart literally sank. Twenty two of them in total.

[Just two weeks ago, I was around the same area with jian ming burying dead jelly fish that were swept to shore - i had multiple huge gross sand fly bites from that incident of which I was fussing about , but come to think of it, it is nothing compared to the pain of being stung by bees.]

I couldn't possibly imagine how their parents must have felt to hear of the news and the thought of having to wait for your child to wake up from a coma, the anxiety must be overwhelming. Right now, it's best if we just offer them our prayers and that God will pour his blessings unto them.

It's so scary. And the shooting incident in Norway, taking away lives of innocent kids - where is the compassion in that?

Anyways I shall not go astray from the topic I intended to write about.
Yes, counting your blessings.

Honestly,I do sometimes meet people who tell me that I'm weird because I smile too much, or that I try to be too positive and such. One or two gives me weird faces of annoyance telling me that I do not want to accept the truth that there are hardships in life. Wrong.I can, and I will face any hardship life throws at me with a positive outlook and a smile.

Since the beginning of 2011, I have been praising and thanking the man up there for all the things that has happened in my life so far. Well to be honest, it hasnt been a walk in the park for me. So many obstacles came in the way and altered much of my future that has yet to come. But coming to think of it, maybe all of these happen for a reason. I always tell myself, God has plans.

During my time in Tsinghua, I got to experience so many new things, and meet so many wonderfully colourful individuals. My initial plan was to stay back in Beijing to continue my undergraduate course in Global finance, however, mid april, I received a phone call from a professor saying that my name was not in the registration list and that I would not be able to enter the undergrad course. I was horrified by the news, how could that be? I registered ages ago! And so, after crying and comforting myself with overseas calls to malaysia and the uk, the registrar finally agreed to let me reapply even though the deadline has passed - not knowing that I had to sit for a physics, chemistry and maths paper in CHINESE. I've only started to pick up the language and to be able to memorise all the names of molecules and atoms in a week's time, is just not possible! I was mortified. Mortified was not even close to how I felt. Thank god I was busy preparing for an exam and performance at that time to take the stress and worries away temporarily.

*A few months earlier, before this whole 'chaos' in my life occurred, I have applied to a few universities in the States as well.Well, I've gotten offers from those I have applied to, and I had to choose which one to go to. As advised, go to the one with the best scholarship and warmest staff members. So I accepted. Actually, I went for the one which I thought suited me and my study interests best, and the one with a pretty campus and surroundings. This became my safety net. Not knowing that this was the University I was heading to for real [ back then I thought I would have most probably end up in Beijing for undergrad ].

And now, come to think of it, maybe it's a blessing in disguise that I'm heading to Seattle now. maybe it was all god's plans after all. Amidst the stress, tears and hair loss I have gone through, things are finally looking brighter! But of course, throughout the whole phase, I am so thankful to have such amazingly supportive parents and friends to help me through. So thankful for the chance and opportunity to be able to discover a different country even though it was only for a 5 months course! So thankful for everything that has happened - the good and not so good.

I was watching a documentary last week of how this boy from south sudan had to find work to support his family of 5. Four months walking barefoot from village to village, looking for work and there was none offered because jobs were scarce. His mother had to go and beg for food, which left him feeling like a failure [although it was not even his fault that jobs were extremely hard to come by] the entire family's breakfast lunch and dinner was a plate of some sort of flour, poured some water unto the flour, the dough-like mixture was the only available source of energy of which they survived on.
That compared with stress over where to study? No maths needed.

And to you who happens to be reading this, don't forget to count your blessings,
you don't know how lucky and blessed you are :)

Hope you have a blessed day there!
with love, :) .