Thank you

I was talking to a friend of mine yesterday and because he helped me make a decision, I said “thank you”. When he told me not to, and that it was such a small thing, this is what I explained:

When you ask someone for help and they help you, they have chosen to help you. They can easily say no and go about their lives, but they chose to take time out and make your life easier. The fact that they do this makes me say thank you because I appreciate the help, even if it does happen to be that they get me a glass of water. They are not forced to help, but decide to do it from the goodness of their heart. The least I can do is say “thank you”. No matter who you are, you like to feel appreciated, and those two words can put a smile on someone’s face and make them feel like their time is worthwhile.

The reply to this was “but it was something so small”. To which I replied, “you have to remember, something small for someone can be big for someone else”.

So even if you have no new years resolutions, just remember that a simple thank you can change a person’s day.

And I sign off on 2013 with that.

Thank you. To all my family for helping me and putting up with me throughout this year. To all my friends for staying with me through my crazy periods. And to you. For taking time out of your day to read what I write. It’s like I said, you chose to read this, and for that I appreciate it.

S

the small moments

As I was walking today to go and get my lunch, I saw an old couple standing in front of me. What caught my eye wasn't the fact that they were colour coordinated. It was the fact that she had linked her arm with her husband's and they crossed the street. Before you tell me that it was probably because she was old and needed support, let me tell you that both of them didn't need it.

And that's what made me smile today. In a world where people are so self-obsessed and many marriages end up bad, this couple who has been married for more years than I've been born, looked so happy. And I was surprised.

How was it that this couple looked so happy? How were they so content being with each other for so long?

And then I realised that it doesn't matter. They were just enjoying the small moment when he held her hand as she wrapped it around his.

That's when I knew.

It's not about grand gestures of love, it's not about earning tons of money. It's about the small moments. The moment where your fingers touch before holding hands, looking up at the stars on a clear night, or even just having a cup of coffee.

So make the small moments count. Because as you look back, those are the ones that you will remember and the ones that matter.

In a world where people are so impatient and in a hurry to get anywhere, these small moments are even more precious.

S

The kid on the inside

Christmas is just around the corner and I think even before the month started, I was humming and singing Christmas songs all around the office and managed to annoy a few people and make it contagious.

Regardless of that, I love this time of year because I can be a total kid and no one will say anything. I blame it on the fact that it's Christmas and it's the time to be merry.

That being said, I do behave like a kid most days and annoy mummy all the time. And even though I've been told to behave (countless time, I may add), I always ask why?

Why can't I be a kid once in a while? It's not like once I hit 18, I suddenly have to act mature and all grown up.

When we were young, we all wanted to grow up and yet when we grown up, we all want to be kids. And we can be. It's healthy.

Keeping the kid inside of you is fine, but you have to let him or her out once in while, because that's how you enjoy the simple things in life. Swinging on swings, having a snow ball fight, running around. Even though people may look like you're crazy, trust me, they all wish they could do the same and be carefree for that moment of time.

In the hustle and bustle of life nowadays, it's always a good idea to go back and be a kid once again and be carefree. That little moment of freedom, where you have no responsibilities and no worries is always worth it.

If you don't do it for yourself, do it for the 5 year old you.

This is the best time to do it too. Be a kid. Have snowball fights, sing Christmas songs at the top of your lungs, walk around with a rudolph nose or a santa hat. Basically have fun and be silly!

I know I do it because I'm a 5 year old on the inside. You should be one too.

Season's greetings from me and my 5 year old self :)

S

Being Thankful

There are some people who enter your life for a second, some people come for a week and some stay forever.

Whether they are there to bring a smile to your face or have made you cry, they have helped shaped who you are.

This is a time to be thankful to everyone. Even those people that have hurt you and walked away. Why? Because they've made you stronger.

With your first hurt, you cry for days, for your second hurt, it'll be hours and soon you'll be so strong that even if people come and go, you won't let it affect you.

So be thankful. Not only to the people that stayed, but to the people that left as well. Because by leaving, they've made you become a stronger person and have helped you see the world in a different way.

Wear it loud. Wear it proud. Everyone has scars that no one can see and yet we all know it. So it's ok.
Thank them.

I know I do.

S 

Help them fight

Everyone has their own struggles. Whether it's something small or something much larger. It could be a fight between lovers, it could be cancer. It could be a common day occurrence or it could happen once in a blue moon.

It doesn't matter.

Everyone has their own struggles.

Without knowing what they're going through, one shouldn't comment. We haven't walked in their shoes no matter how similar it is, no two cases are the same.

However, within us is a fight-or-flight instinct. When struggles come our way, we can choose to give in or fight through it. When we fight through our struggles and come out triumphantly or even if we haven't, the fact that we tried is enough.

Giving up is for people who have fought so much that they don't have it in them to fight anymore. These are the people that need help. These are the people that need hope.

Hope to believe that they will come out on top. Hope to believe that they will survive their battles. Hope to believe that they will be happy.

So please, help them fight and give them hope.

S

The Basics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjGL6YY6oMs

The interview above with Malala Yousafzai has been making it's round on the internet. It brings about one topic that has been debated on countless time and that is education.

I don't know if this was subconsciously in my head, but this happened to be the theme of today as I watched Aarakshan by Prakash Jha.

Both bring about the same points about education, that it brings about equality and no one should have it taken away from them. Of course it looks at it from different points of view, for Aarakshan, it was education for the lower caste and the reservation system while for Malala, it was education for women.

We come from a society where education empowers people. Education shouldn't have to be for selective people, but for everyone. When people say that someone doesn't deserve education, the answer should be that everyone does. Everyone is a human being. Education should be given freely to empower the future generation. If a women is educated, she is able to study for a degree and help her family by earning money. She doesn't have to sit at home and take care of the house if she doesn't want to. If she does, then great, but she should have the choice.

In the movie Aarakshan, the reservation system was brought into question. Whether people in lower castes should be allocated a certain percentage in colleges. Why should we live in a society in which such conditions exist? Shouldn't we live in a place where everyone starts off in the same platform? Shouldn't we able to provide at least basic education to our children so that everyone has the same chance for life and strive for a better future.

Every country talks about the future generation and how they will bring about a change in the world, but if a large percentage of the doesn't even get basic education for cleanliness, forget proper classes, then what hope do we have?

Free education should be given to everyone. No matter their caste, gender, religion, etc. We are all here to make the world a better place, so let's start from the basics.

S

Happiness comes from within

Happiness comes from within.

That's what I've been told all my life from numerous people, that you should never worry about what people say and be yourself.

This becomes a little bit hard when you are constantly criticized for who you are and when people are always trying to change you.

But one thing I've learned and I speak from experience is that no matter how much people pull you down, you always have to stand tall and smile.

Even when you're having a bad day, put on your best outfit and say you look amazing and it will put that extra bit of confidence in your step.

Surround yourself with people who understand you, support you and make you laugh.

Nothing is better than a good smile.

There will always be hard days. Days where you even question if you should still be here. The only answer to that is "yes". There is someone out there that loves you for who you are. Those little quirky habits that may annoy some people, make other people fall in love with you.

If you learn to love yourself and be happy with who you are, happiness only comes back tenfold.

And always keep smiling, you never know who will fall in love with it.

S