Happy Birthday To Myself

Instead of counting candles,

Or tallying the years,

Contemplate my blessing now,

as my birthday nears.

Think about the memories,

Passing years can never mar,

Experience great and small,

That have made me who I am.

I count blessing everyday,

Another year is a happy gift,

Here am I saying to myself,

"Happy Birthday!!! =)"

Life Is Full Of Blessing

This life is full of blessing

You have offered more

I have a lovely dwelling

And family I adore

This life is full of blessing

Delicious foods to eat

Trees and flowers growing

Their beauty is so sweet

This life is full of blessing

More than I really need

Love and peace abounding

It’s time to plant a seed

This life is full of blessing

Enough for me to share

With those who have nothing

To let them know You care

This life is full of blessing

Freedom in Your grace

My soul is ever soaring

I wait to see Your face

This life is full of blessing

To You I give my praise

For the gift of life everlasting

I’ll savor endless days

Eternal life is the best blessing

To dwell with You on high

With all the saints worshiping

As Your feast draws nigh

The Lion Dance

This year, my uncle decided celebrating Chinese New year with Lion Dance, a traditional art form the incorporates physical training commonly associated with martial arts and ascetic expressions.

The lion performances the "Picking the greens" 菜青 to usher an auspicious new year. The lion during such performances are also associated with Nian, the mythical creature who is frightened away with firecrackers and red color during the Chinese New year.

According to Chinese lore, hundreds of years ago, a Chinese village was under constant threat by local bandits, who dressed up as demons to scare away villagers. Te marauders then took the townspeople's food and valuables. To defend themselves, the villagers concocted their own creatures - dragons and lions - out of papier-mache. The villagers banged their pots and pans as their colorful creations swayed, scaring away looters and evil spirits. Thus the lion dance was born.

Subsequent generations adopted the lion dance as traditional part of the Chinese New Year celebration, as well as festivals and other special occasion. The lion dance is believed to bring peace and good fortune.

Look at my grandma, she is so excited about seeing the lion dance yet so afraid of the loud drum and gong sounds!

Die With No Regrets

After reading an article recommended by Danny which is named “The Top 5 Regrets people have on their deathbed” and it really makes me think a lot about my life.

The Top Five Regrets of The Dying:

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.
3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my feelings.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

“People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality. I learnt never to underestimate someone’s capacity for growth. Some changes were phenomenal. Each experienced a variety of emotions, as expected, denial, fear, anger, remorse, more denial and eventually acceptance. Every single patient found their peace before they departed though, every one of them.

This is surprisingly common one. Many did not realize until the end that happiness is a choice. They stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of changes had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content.

When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.” ~ Bronnie Ware.

Sometimes, the realistic of life is really confusing almost everyone. We work hard to earn more money, to get a better car, better house, and better lifestyle. You thought you have everything you want and you wish, however, there’s something you will never realize until the day you are dying…

I’m trying to recall back the ‘me’ when was 17 years old, a girl with lot of dreams and passions towards her life. It is very important to try and honor at least some of my dreams along the way. I fought so hard to get myself a chance to study Fashion Design but I know I have never put more then 60% effort into it yet. Sometimes, I do feel shame on me. God gives me a pair of talented hands to draw, to sew and play piano but I never fully utilized it.

It's time to find back my dreams and do something for it. I don’t want to end up my life with full of regrets. I do remind myself, life is so short and it has no repeat. If there’s a single chance for me, I would try everything that I want in my life before I die. It’s always easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled when life is almost over due to the choices they had made or not made and I know that it’s always too late from the moment that we start losing our health.

"Life is a choice.

It is YOUR life.

Choose consciously.

Choose wisely.

Choose honestly.

Choose happiness."

My Resolution of 2012

Happy New Year to everyone...

Time passed so fast as it's already 2012. Reviewing on what I had done for myself on the previous year, so far so good. I managed to get myself a car, further improve myself in different sector beside fashion designing and drawing. Start letting myself getting involved into sales and customer service so that I can improve my communication and negotiate skill as I really very poor into it.

I know it's not the best yet to me as I really haven't try my 'super best' to achieve all the goals that I set for myself but yet... 2011 was still a wonderful year to me. I'm still a clumsy girl as every one knows but feeling grateful to those who had helped me a lots during 2011. Without them, my 2011 is not going to be so wonderful and amazing as I wish.

I have a Resolution of 2012 for myself before the new year starts, three things that I wish I can achieve within 2012:

1. Quit smoking!!!

2. Get myself a property!!!

3. Start promoting my own design creations!!!

I guess that's might be too much confidence but I think I am going to get what I want and nothing is going to stop me now! That's decided. I will try to fight whatever comes my way!

"When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light, for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food, and the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies with yourself."

Tecumseh, Shawnee Chief