I am most thankful for my family, for always being there with support and wisdom - but most importantly, for their unconditional love. When I think about the true meaning of success, I think about my parents. How they were able to come to a new land with no money, and raise 3 little girls on so little, and yet be able to give them so much. I know that I can never fully comprehend how much hardship they have endure, and how many sacrifices they made, to be able to give my sisters and I the opportunities I often take for granted. I only know that the hardships they faced are mountains compared to my problems today, and yet, they never belittle my problems - but try to help me see past them. If I can become even half the person they are, I think the world would be a better place.
I'm thankful for my sisters, who are also my best friends. Somehow through the years, through pranks and teasing when we were little, we have somehow become young women. We share secrets, we share hopes and dreams, we share clothes and of course advice and wisdom, on anything from school to clothes to boys. We are very protective of each other, and may god help you if you hurt one of us! When I think of our times together, I think of laughter. My mom always asks, "Don't you girls ever stop giggling?" And it's true, when we're around each other, we just can't stop laughing and talking. I know I can be 100% honest with them and not feel judged. The bestest pals any girl could ask for.
Of course, my cousins who are always there for me as well. Basically, they are an extension of my sisters. All the above apply to them as well! I still remember that day when "it" happened. I remember Elaine and Con, hauled me off to Sobey's and we stocked up on Hagan Daaz ice cream (one bucket per person), Elaine made her specialty brownies with chocolate and peanut butter chips, and then we cut out pictures of hotties from the "Cosmopolitan" magazine and pasted them up on our living room wall. *sigh* You guys are the best and I miss our Cedarvale times!
My friends. You guys keep me sane when everything is going crazy, and you make fun times even funner :). I love surrounding myself with people who make me laugh, and that's what we did this year - laugh a lot. Anything from being stuck in the lab for 15 hours straight working on a term report, or our crazy shopping trips (whether in a mall, in the states, or in the UW store), going out for food, traveling in a foreign country with nothing but our Lonely Planet guides, hiking in a rain forest, or any other random ideas. You guys make everything more fun, and I can't wait for our last term for more laughs. My new friends whom I met from traveling, from work, and just randomly. I hope there are many more memories and fun times to share in the upcoming year.
It's funny how when I was little, the world seemed so simple and divided into neat sections. I remember one time I was in kindergarten, I thought that after I "graduated" kindergarten, I would go to university, then live happily every after. LOL... what a strange and funny kid I was (though I doubt I've changed too much...lol...) Imagine my shock when I found out I had to go through grades 1 - 12, and OAC AND university would be another 5 years. Now here I am, almost at the end of that journey, having gone through many obstacles and heart aches to get where I am - and it is truly the journey and not the destination that mattered. At the end of this part of the journey, although I believe I have grown and learned so much, I also realize how little I know of the world and life in general. Life really is a never ending lesson, and I hope I never lose this sense of wonder and yearn for learning.
I think one of the things that affected me most was the opportunity to travel earlier this year. I don't think I really had much expectations when I arrived in Singapore because I wasn't sure of what to expect. I didn't even know that I would be able to travel as much as I did. Luckily I had some great travel buddies, who were about as budget conscious as me - if not more so. So I got to see a lot of different places. For me, traveling is fascinating because I get to learn so much about different people and cultures. Every new destination is a new adventure with its own history, culture and people. The great thing is, there is so much to discovery - whether it be swimming in the ocean, scuba diving with sting rays, climbing a mountain, sleeping in caves, witnessing tribal rituals, or just soaking in the wonders of just being alive at that time and place.
When I visited countries which were torn apart by recent wars, such as Cambodia and Vietnam, not only did it make me realize how lucky I was, but I was also deeply humbled by the strength in the people. These people were able to rebuild their lives, when nothing was left and everything was taken from them. It also made me see how little childhood some children have. There were so many children, but they have to grow up so fast when living in such poverty - in order to provide for their family. Living in Canada, I didn't realize how oblivious I was to the poverty that affected the daily lives of so many people in the world. I will always be thankful for this eye opening opportunity. I hope that one day I will be able to give back to the places where my parent grew up, because a part of me is from there, too.
I'd like to end this post with some pictures from 2007 and the lyrics to Little Wonders by Rob Thomas. I believe that although there are big moments in our lives, it is in the little things which happen everyday which shape our lives and the people who surround us. Happy New Year to everyone, and all the best in 2008! Cheers! :)
Little Wonders - Rob Thomas
let it go,
let it roll right off your shoulder
don't you know
the hardest part is over
let it in,
let your clarity define you
in the end
we will only just remember how it feels
our lives are made
in these small hours
these little wonders,
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away,
but these small hours,
these small hours still remain
let it slide,
let your troubles fall behind you
let it shine
until you feel it all around you
and i don't mind
if it's me you need to turn to
we?ll get by,
it's the heart that really matters in the end
our lives are made
in these small hours
these little wonders,
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away,
but these small hours,
these small hours still remain
all of my regret
will wash away some how
but i can not forget
the way i feel right now
in these small hours
these little wonders
these twists & turns of fate
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away but these small hours
these small hours, still remain,
still remain
these little wonders
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away
but these small hours
these little wonders still remain
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