An Apple A Day..

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.. a very well-known phrase to remind us of the importance of health and how we should pay attention to the signs made by our body for prevention is better than cure.



Being diagnosed with a certain sickness or disease is not an easy reality to accept. A patient might be living a healthy life, and yet get confirmed with diabetes, or high blood pressure, or any other common sicknesses most people have nowadays - this is not easy to adapt to - the new 'life'.

To learn that life is precious from there is not true for every patient. Some might blame 'god' for treating them 'unjustly', some might be putting the guilt on themselves for being too content with their health all those while.. but the fact is that, the patient has failed to take an apple a day, hence ended up visiting the doctor frequently.


In life, adaptation is crucial for survival. We should keep an open mind to see new things, and adapt to them whenever possible. If we refuse to open up ourselves to the outside world, we will learn very little about life and not know how beautiful it really is. So take time to smell the freshness of the morning dew, and take a step into the wild to see what has been blooming - the experience can never be found elsewhere.

So the next time you are 'thrown' with new news, think about adapting to it; your life will be more interesting after that. Cheers!



-little cup-

Cravings

Chocolate cheese cake..

Ais kacang..

Ice-cream sundae..

We crave for good food most of the time. Just suddenly you would think of chocolate cheese cake, others maybe ais kacang or even ice-cream sundae.. and wished for it to be in your hands, but most of the time, it never happens miraculously.

Cravings may not be only on food. It can also focus on electronic gadgets such as iPods, laptops, new computer games and so forth. Or for some others, nice assessories to wear and look cool etc. As long as it is something you want at that spur of moment, that's the thing you are craving for.

Sometimes craving is a healthy way of shifting our current focus of attention to something else. It can help the person not to think so much on what has been bothering the person's mind. Instead, it helps soothe the mind at some point. Experience it before?

Craving is good, when there is a purpose. Sometimes what we crave for cannot be obtained. At those times, we should just be content with what we have. If you can't get what you crave for there and then, don't worry! There will be another time for you to have it - when it serves to be useful/more appropriate (at that time) for you.

So relax.. crave for ice-creams on hot days, and you won't feel so hot after that. =)


-little cup-

Time

Time is stupid. It is so dumb that it can't wait when we want it to; and it won't reverse at times we hoped it to.

Time is always on the go. No breaks, no pauses..nothing. It goes on and on until finally the 'battery' runs out and everything stops, for good.

Time is something precious - it is for everyone's use and tends to bring life into our lives. Without time, we would long be dead; or we won't even exist in the first place! There are so many things now that we own; that if not because of time, will not be owned by us.

My question is; why are we always short of time? I fell this way very often nowadays. As the saying goes, 'Time waits for no one!' I agree fully - since in my life, time does not wait for me. I don't know about you..but to me, time is moving fast. Sometimes, a little too fast for me to catch up with. Perhaps you have felt similarly.

Time cannot be reversed, no matter how modern technology is to have time machine. The past will remain the past; the present will soon become past if we do not make full use of it; and the future is something to look forward to - but if not managed well will soon turn out to be a total waste and end up as the past.

Time management is essential for a person to live a well-organized life, a life that is lived to the fullest (as people would usually say). Do you know how to manage your time? I have been struggling to adapt to the way I manage my time, and is still under discipline training to do so. It is tough to manage your time, especially those with extremely packed schedules. But I realized discipline is actually all it takes.

Try it! Start managing your time today~



-little cup-

New Things

Recently I started my new semester in college, taking up 3 subjects. 2 out of them are new subjects, whereas the other one was exposed in high school before. I always think that new subjects means new lecturers. However, this thought of mine was crushed today as I found out my 2 new subjects are taught by my 2 not-so-new lecturers.

Facing the previous lecturers means facing the past. Why do I say so? The past here refers to the previous semester where we had these same lecturers in class - with all the 'happy' moments we had together as student-lecturer. And I dare say no one likes going back to the past, especially when it is not so memorable.

To cut the long story short of the past I had, I admit I don't really look forward to this semester's classes..perhaps due to the lecturers. But an additional thought came and said "Hey, they're humans too.. and it's not so bad.. Think on the really happy moments you had during their classes; it was fun, wasn't it?"

Well, there have been stomach-pain laughing moments and very pressuring assignment moments; but aren't all those part and parcel of life? As I write this, I not only educate myself to face the past - with hope that it will be different this time - yet I urge myself to strive to prove the best of myself for this new subject. Easier said than done, but..we'll see how things go. Perhaps different subjects have different styles of teaching. You'll never know what's new about the new subject, and the lecturer.


-little cup-

Courage

"Courage! Do not be afraid!"

When we enter a dark hallway alone, we take quick glances left and right, then walk quickly through (praying every second) until we reach the lighted area. Then we breathed in a breath of relief, glad that there was nothing eerie happening on the way..

This is one of the many times we need to have courage. There are other times where others will remind us to "Take courage, don't be afraid." It can be a wrong accusation against you for stealing, or any situations where you feel the fear surrounding you.

Not many people has the true courage where they fear nothing. One must surely fear at least one thing - own mother, phobia, and so forth. Each person has been afraid before. But in these situations, where does our courage go to?

Indeed it is in these kind of fearful moments that we need to find our lost courage and bring it back into our selves. If everyone were to let their courage run loose, fear will certainly take over everyone's lives. We must play our own part and bring courage back in our own midst.

How is that so? Remind yourself in those fearful moments that the fear is just something small. Then tell yourself that courage is something so big that you can't see it till you can't find where it is; yet you know it is there somewhere. If you have a religion, trust in what your religion teaches you about courage. God is BIG and He will always be there to crush the small fear. At times we can't find God because he is just TOO big for us to see! but we can be rest assured that He is there.

So the next time you face fear in life, call upon your courage and you will experience from there how life is not fearful after all.

Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees all others. - Winston Churchill

-little cup-

House Warming

I went for a house warming party this afternoon. The party was for 'selected' people only and i was one of the 'selected' ones. As I thought about the party and how it got its name "house warming", a small thought crept up behind my head.

House warming is something to celebrate about because the owner of the house has got a new house! Everbody knows a house is a necessity in our lives on earth. Without a roof over our heads, where are we to spend the night?

Then I looked back and thought - what about those without roofs over their heads? How do they live their lives..without any means of shelter?

I am so lucky.. I thought. I have a house to live in and sometimes I complain this is not good, that is not good..or my room is too small, or the livingroom is so hot.. All these complaints are unnecessary. Why can't we be grateful that we have houses to live in, no matter how big or small they are, and not complain? Some people don't even have a place to shed during heavy rainstorm..and here we are, living luxuriously with air-conditioners and sofas, computers and televisions..

I'm not saying that we shouldn't have all these good stuff; by all means if we can afford, go ahead and enjoy life at home. But just a little note to keep in mind: appreciate your house as it is. Complain no more.. You have a little bit more than others do.


-little cup-

Friends again?

There are times when conflict happens between two person of the same kind; it can be you with your family, or you with your close friends..

I bought two new fishes two weeks ago and they couldn't seem to get along with each other despite being fishes of the same species. In the end I had to separate them though they stayed in the same aquarium.


Recently parents and children have not been getting along very well. Perhaps it was due to the 'old-fashioned thinking' of the parents or the 'modernized-thinking' of the children. But whatever reason it is, why can't we tolerate each other for their weaknesses?

We all live under the same roof, and if we don't get along well with each other, how can life be meaningful and cheerful? And if two person of different species can get along well, why can't those of the same species be good to each other too?

Now my two fishes become friends again, after adapting to the 'separation period'. If the fishes can get along, why can't you human beings?


-little cup-

What Lies Beneath

Each one of us has experienced situations where we’ve found ourselves lashing out at someone without meaning to.

We later berate ourselves for losing control and feel guilty for treating the other person badly. And while it is human nature that our emotions and moods will get the better of us from time to time, we can learn to navigate our feelings and negotiate difficult situations without losing our center.

Often, when we lash out, it is because we are having a difficult time containing the emotions that are coming up inside of us.

We may be feeling overwhelmed, afraid, frustrated, stressed out, or angry. Having these feelings boiling up inside of us can be very uncomfortable, and it is natural to want to release them. But when we release our feelings from our body by directing them outward and toward someone else, they inevitably impact the "innocent bystander" to whom we are directing this energy.

They not only get the brunt of our anger, frustration, or stress, but also they can actually experience this energy as a physical force hitting their bodies.

When you find yourself in a situation where you are about to lash out at the person in front of you, try to center yourself by breathing slowly and deeply. A few slow inhales and exhales can help dissipate the intensity of your feelings before they escape you.

Later, when you find yourself in a more reflective state, sit down for a moment; recall the feelings in your body just before and during your outburst; note where you feel sensations coming up in your body; and ask yourself if they are connected to any core issue or experience from your life. If nothing comes to mind, then revisit the situation again, exaggerating the details of what happened by indulging in outlandish "what if" fantasies. Exaggerating events after the fact can help expose the unconscious subtext behind your heated response. Understanding the motivation behind your reactions can help you avoid lashing out again when a similar situation comes up. In learning to navigate around your emotions, you are giving yourself the tools to feel better the next time your emotions start to boil.

In doing so, you will be taking care of yourself by alleviating your own uncomfortable feelings while respecting and protecting those around you.


-taken from Why We Lash Out-

Late..Again!

We weaved through the traffic and finally got to our destination. The car hit its brakes and the door went 'Slam!' as you rushed out with your belongings and yourself to class. You looked at the time - 10 minutes late. Sigh..Mrs Ling will bash me up this time for real..you thought.

"You are late.. again!" And the 'talking' went on and on until your face turned red, and you finally sat down full of guilt.

Who has never been late before in their lives? No one. Even the most punctual person has been late at least once, with good reasons I presume. But the fact here is that - everyone has been late.

We can avoid being late simply by being prepared early, and be at your destination on time. But we tend to say, "Not enough time to get ready.." Ya right, everyone has 24 hours. If your friends going for the same function can be there 10 minutes earlier, why can't you? "Because I have something else on before that..." you might reason with me. Again, I say "Ya right, as if your early friends are 24 hours shaking legs?"

No excuse for being late! Late means late and unless you have a good reason for being late, there's no excuse. Traffic jam is the worst excuse ever! If you could just leave your house at the time when there's no traffic jam, will you be late?

Most importantly - time management. How many of us knows how to manage our time well in order not to be late? If we are as busy as bees, then make time! Even the bees never got late for dinner, and what about us?

Being late for social functions is still not so bad. But if you're late for formal functions, don't hope to participate in the function at all. Might as well be absent for it if you are the 'late-person'. I'm saying this not to offend anyone but as good citizens, we should always try to be on-time and not be late.


-little cup-

Take Control

To take control of something means to have full command of it. There are so many things in our every day lives that we need to take control of - our intake of food, way of presenting ourselves to the society and so forth.

One thing that we as humans always miss to take control is ourselves. Try to think about the past few days where things have gone wrong, or things did not happen the way we wanted. We tend to overlook the fact that (most of the time) we let 'others' have control over the things that we were supposed to be in control.

Take for example; a little problem comes your way and you are aware that the problem is small and can be solved easily. But somehow or another, you take the problem for granted that it can be solved by itself and left it as it is without bothering to have any conection to do with it anymore. In the end, the problem is left unsolved and you fret over it not being solved as you wished it to be. Sounds familiar?

Well, that is not what taking control means. To have full command of the problem means there is a need for responsibility. In the first place when the problem comes, find out the root cause of it and think of ways to handle it best. Don't wait for someone to do it for you - you have your own brains and I trust that you can distinguish good from bad as easily as a little kid knows who is the father and the mother. You are old enough. You have the capability to decide for yourself, and take control of your own problems. You control your own life.

So friends, think outside the box. Do not constrain yourself to what is inside only, but look outside and open your minds to learn the differences. Learn to deal with problems yourself, and be independent. If you don't start now, when are you going to learn?


-little cup-

Burn Burn Burn...

Just the previous blog I wrote about the increasing heat around us. Then recently I saw my neighbors burning dead leaves in their house compounds..and I thought, what a BIG contribution they are making to our earth.

I mean, look at your surroundings! The air is so misty that those who have breathing problems breathe even more difficultly than usual. I have friends who now admit themselves into hospitals to grab hold of their dear lives for another few minutes just so that they can survive the night. Some others without problems have now developed sicknesses due to dirty air.

Why burn, when you can recycle? Why burn, when you can bury? How to burn, if your best friend or loved one has asthma? How to burn, if you yourself can't breathe well..?

Think about the damage caused from all the smoke..

Think about the people damaged by the smoke..

Think about your loved ones, damaged by the smoke from your act of burning..

Please, stop burning. Have a small pinch of consideration for those around you. It might not affect you now, but it will have effect on you later on. One day, you will regret. But please don't wait till that day..

-little cup-

Hot Weather

The weather is getting warmer and warmer each day lately in Malaysia, don't you think? Well for Asean country, this is very normal. The weather is either hot (very very hot that ice-cream melts in 5 minutes) or cold (cold but still can sweat at the same time). So in this hot weather, what is there to think about?


My brain is sweating so much that apparently nothing comes to my mind to write about. However, as I switched on the fan (instead of the air-conditioner), and fixed myself on this comfy 'hot' chair of mine, I realised we should be thankful for such a weather! "Be thankful for such...'burning' weather? You must be kidding me..." you might object, but why do I say so?

At some cold countries, they have never experienced this kind of hot weather where you just sit still under the fan and sweat at the same time (correct me if I'm wrong). We Malaysians on the other hand depend so much on air-con that we complain at the slightest hot air we feel, am I right?


Think about the time of our grandparents. They never knew what air-con was. They hardly felt the existance of fan. All they had was warm air on hot weather, cool air on cold weather. And have they ever complained? They lived with atap roofing and wooden floors, and was there any complications when it comes to weather change? Of course there was...but to them, "No big deal!" Don't believe me? Ask your grandparents (if they're still here), or any old aged people, and hear for yourself. You might get this in the end, "You people nowadays are soooo pampered." Don't blame me if you get that.

So friends, be thankful that you have sunshine and rain. Despite the many 'problems' we face due to the weather, at least we can tell others that, "Hey, I love the sun. It dries my clothes!" or "I love the rain, it cools the earth."


At the end of the day, we still live well enough for the next day...=)


-little cup-

I'm Dead....

We hear this so often whenever a problem creeps in or a situation where we think we can't handle comes our way. But after the problem is solved (somehow) or the terrible situation is gone, we're not dead yet! So why do we say we're dead in the first place?



No problem is without a solution. If we accept our problems to be something we can overcome, things will be different - on the outcome and our own perspective of looking at it. Problems come and go, and it's up to us how to make full use of it for our own benefit, instead of letting it destroy us. In the end, you either say "I'm dead.." OR "Problem, you're dead!"

Then you might say, "Hey, so easy for you to say...so hard for me to get it done!" I will ask you in return, "Have you ever tried? And have you tried hard enough?"

So do you use your problems as stepping stones? Or have you let your problems destroy you?

You make the choice.


-little cup-

Goodness

Everything around us is good. In the first place, they are all created good! But why are they now not as good as before? Do we appreciate the goodness in everything?

There are so many good things in life that we can appreciate - ourselves, family, friends, society, community..the list goes on. But have we forgotten something very important in our lives that we always forget to appreciate?

Air to breathe, light to see, water to drink and clean, food to nourish.. These are so common in our daily lives that we just don't remember to appreciate. The world provides us with so many good things, but above all these; the Creator is the one we must appreciate for being the generous giver.

How to appreciate the Creator for his creations? Realise the goodness in everything you do, have, and want. We tend to overlook these kind of things, because they are so common!..but it's never too late to be a little bit more appreciative of life and its goodness. =)


-little cup-

Name

Everyone has a name. It can be Chris, Sylvia.. as long as it's a "thing" your parents first called you with, that's your name.

Name is something very interesting. Many might have similar names, but there's is never a similarity in their characteristics. In my previous high school, we had 4 person with the name 'Michelle' and 3 with 'Stephanie', but none of them are duplicates of each other. I am sure in your school, you have come across those with same names, or you might be one of them too.

Sometimes I wonder, why are people afraid to tell others their names. Take for example, a name tag. Some would go to the extend of 'vandalising' the name on the name tag till it cannot be seen. Others might just hide the name tag (somehow) to "prevent further humiliation". It doesn't make sense, does it?

Our parents gave us nice, beautiful names. It can be as simple as 'Mary' or 'John', and you may say "Boring..." but hey, that's a name too! A name does not need to be high and mighty, or so extraordinary that nobody has it in the world except you. No, a name is a name. It carries your identity. It tells the world who you are, and how unique your life is.

So tell the world your name. It's not something shameful! That's your name, and no one else who can be the same 'you'. You're unique for who you are, not by your name alone.


-little cup-

Learning to Fly

Everytime we look up into the sky, we will see at least one bird flying across it. Have you ever thought of that bird as yourself?

Flying is not as easy as we think it is. It needs faith in one's self, strength from the wings, and determination to flap it strong and hard. Some times the strong wind might be blowing against us, so we need to be fully trained and skillful enough to use the wind as a 'stepping stone' to help us fly further instead of let it stop us. Are we prepared to head towards our destination?

Do you have what it takes to fly?

-little cup-

Apologise

"Sorry, I'm so sorry.."

You walked down the alley and bump, knocked someone off his shoulder. Seeing that he looked like a bad-kind-of-guy, you quickly brushed his shoulders clean and apologised as many times as you could until he walked away satisfied. You watched him move steadily away and breathed in relief..

When you got home, you ran into your younger sister who rushed to open the door for you. "Get out of my way," you said. She was hurt - not only did she tried to please you, she realised that she was a nuisance for you..


When we meet a stranger, how easy it is to say 'Sorry' when we have offended him/her. But how hard it is to apologise to our own family members every time we wronged them..have you ever realised this?

It is true; strangers are people not known to us, so we won't know how they will react if we do something wrong against them. For that we apologise. Family members are those we live with..but this does not mean that if we know how our family members will react, we can just wrong them any way we like, and not apologise. This is wrong! Our family memhers are humans too, they have feelings just like those strangers we meet.

Why is it so hard to say 'Sorry' to our parents, siblings or relatives..? Yet it is so easy for that 5-letter word to be said in front of those we do not know so well? We should not have this kind of thinking. Won't you want others to apologise to you when they have wronged you, especially if they are your family members?


We might have just hurt their feelings a few minutes ago too, have we apologised?



-little cup-

Short-Term Memory

In our every day lives, there will be times when we experience short-term memory lost. This short-term memory is a 'small factory' that receives information perceived and selectively attended to in the sensory memory, or just retrieved from long-term memory.

How is short-term memory related to you? Everyone has short-term memory lost once in a while. One second a friend tells you, "Hey, this is supposed to be like this - The chicken runs towards the chicks." The next second, you looked for a piece of paper and a pen, and you went, "What was it again? Chicken, chick.." and you went back to ask again. In the end, what you remembered was, "The chicks run towards the chicken" because you clearly remembered 'chicken' and 'chicks' but not 'who runs towards who'. Had this before?

I used to have this problem; causing a lot of "huh" and "what was it again" and scratching of head which was not itchy at all. So now I came to the conclusion that there must be a way to overcome this. I tried different ways..yet none worked. But there was one way that takes some effort, and despite sacrificing time to learn..it worked!


My style: Whatever the other person says, repeat after him/her immediately. If possible, have writing materials close at hand to make quick notes. Make sure you polish your listening skills so that you don't get the wrong information! I assure you, this is one of my best way to make notes while listening in class lessons. =)

So if you happen to be like me, try it out. If this doesn't work for you, think of your own style. Let your creative mind be opened for once. All the best!



-little cup-

Stop Running

I had a dream about being chased by a tornado. I ran and ran..but I couldn't get away from it. It seemed to know every path I ran through and every person I met on the way. It was trailing me like my own little shadow.

When I finally dropped down on the ground tired from all the running, I turned my back to look at the tornado. It wasn't that scary as I thought it was. It wasn't that big as I thought it would be. It was just a tornado, a baby tornado.

When I reflected on it, I saw all the problems I have been facing. All those rubbish which I thought was like dung heaps, but NO! Those rubbish are just in ONE bag, and the rest of the heap was its shadow! How silly of me!

Have you ever had similar experience? Thinking "Ohh...so many problems.." when the problem is only ONE - yourself! Many times we blame the problems, but like the tornado, we may think it is big, destructing, but actually it is just a small one, not destructing at ALL..it is just a gust of strong wind..

So I suggest to you: don't run away from your problems anymore. They are not as big as you think they are. Turn around and face them. After all, there will be a time when you get tired from all the running and drop down and finally take a look at your problems..

Remember that the problems are not chasing after you; you are running away from them.

-little cup-

Do you fear The Fear?

Fear, everyone has fears - well, at least one kind of fear. It can be fear of darkness, fear of heights, fear of spiders..these are the common ones. Well have you heard of this kind of fear: fear of one's self?

What is fear? Fear is basically being afraid of something, perhaps due to past traumatising experiences or some 'interference' during the growing up process. Even the strongest, biggest man/giant has fear - just like the big elephant fearing the tiny ants. However, it is very normal when you have fears.

I used to hear people asking, "Do you fear anything? What is your greatest fear?" Then I thought to myself; I fear this, I fear that..but what IS my greatest fear?

The greatest fear I ever encounter was The Fear of myself. Silly isn't in? Why and How would someone fear his/her own self? (laughs)


Give this a thought:
You know what kind of person you are, and yet you did something that opposes your personality. You went across the line, and entered a new world where there is a 'new' you; a totally opposite you. When this happens, your mind will be confused which one you are, since now you have more than one.

Take for example, a situation where an old, supposingly blind man wanting to cross the road. When you saw him, you quickly ran towards him to offer help to guide him across. Then as you ran, a new thought came to you and said "No, there are others who are standing next to him who will most probably hold his hand across. Or, or..he might be a robber or a pickpocket, pretending to be blind!" And you stopped at your steps. Then another thought came and said, "Go ahead and help. See how hard it is for him to walk without sight?" And you just don't know which one to listen to, who to be.

In the end, these mixed characters will make you end up being afraid of youself - because you don't know who you really are and how to react in different situations. Have you experienced this before?

So how can you overcome such fear?
First you need to be in control of yourself by keeping focus on the right personality you used to be. Get professional help from psychologists if need be. And most importantly, you need to know why you get the 'additional' personality in the first place. Is it because of peer pressure, stress, or social influence? Reflect back on past happenings and try to find the root cause. Once you know yourself again, there will be no more fear.

Above all, for whatever fear you have, be brave. Face it. Do everything you can and should to overcome it. You are not alone. Like I said before, if others with the same fears are now immune to them, why can't you be immune too?

But not to forget, motivation and gentle acceptance for the fear is also essential. However, if you can live with your fear and not be too bothered by it, then by all means go on with it. As long as it doesn't harm you mentally, it is fine. =)



-little cup-

Achieving Dreams

I was having a rest this morning when this thought came to me: What is my dream? What do I want to be in future? What do I want to do when I grow up, when I'm capable of living my own life?

Then I thought; I know what I want to be, who I want to be. I want to be a successful person; one who can make a difference in the lives of others, one who can live life fully according to God's teachings. That is my dream, my goal, my purpose in life.

I am sure everyone has dreams - to be a successful businessman, the manager of the biggest company in town, a science professor, an English teacher or even the happiest parent of a proud son/daughter. Every person you feel you want to be is your dream, and that dream can come true only if you are willing to work hard enough to achieve it. So are you prepared to work for it? That's the question I always pose to myself, am I ready?

The one who knows his goal in life and dares to work hard for it, no matter if he fails to achieve that dream, he is already labelled successful for his effort.

-little cup-

Empty Cup Left Aside

When you see a cup of fresh brewed coffee on the table, you would take the cup and have a sip. But when you have finished your cup of coffee with continuous sippings, the empty cup you just leave at the side of the table.

The cup of fresh brewed coffee usually symbolizes new things in life that come across your path. It is human's nature to grab hold of that new thing and take a look at it, smell it, and experience it. After some time when that thing is no longer new, it is left aside just like that - ignored. This is very commonly seen in family relationships.

Have you been through something similar? Perhaps you are the one drinking the coffee..or you might be that cup of coffee being drunk and all that's left of the empty cup is put aside?


Everyone experiences rejection or neglection at least once in their whole life, especially as a child. Some might even be rejected all their lives! When we feel rejected, neglected..surely there is this emptiness in us that makes us find 'alternatives' to fill in.

But think about it in another perspective. Move the attention back to ourselves. When was the last time we pushed away our parents when they asked us to sit down with them for a meal? How long has it been since we tell our family members "I love you, thank you mum, dad, for raising me up to be who I am now" when all these while we have been repeating to our friends "Thank you for being my friend. I appreciate all you've done for me."

In many ways we have unconsciously neglected our family. It may be when it comes to spending time with them over meals or telling them how much we love them for being good 'friends' to us. We always go out with friends and have supper together, or even we tell our friends our sadness and share with them life stories that we've gone through..but why can't we do the same with our parents? After all, they have gone through the years that we are going through and are surely more experienced after eating more 'salt' than us.

Then you may tell me, "But they won't understand! They will misunderstand whatever I say and tell me I'm wrong." Well, have you ever tried?

I once thought my parents will never understand me. They went against everything I wanted to do, gave reasons to oppose everything I said..but when the time came and I was in need for a listener, I just shared with them in the car on what was bothering me that day - and just as I thought, mum opposed and asked questions etc..and in the end I resulted in saying "I share this with you because I trust you as my parents. I thought you would understand, but apparently not. I really hope you will try to understand what I'm going through." And just like that, they became silent. They gave those words a hard thought - and surprisingly, they apologized and in turn shared their own points of view and gave me the pat on the back that things will b fine.

So give it a try, you'll never know how amazing your parents will be. Do not shove them aside like the empty cup. Sometimes when we feel as if they are shoving us away, but actually we are the ones pushing them away first. Think about it.



-little cup-

Get Up and Walk Again!

"Get up and walk again!"

We hear this often from parents with kids just starting to learn how to walk. "Come on now darling, don't cry.. Stand up straight and come to mummy.. Yes, that's it.. Slowly, slowly.." and finally the mother managed to wrap her arms around the little girl and hugged her lovingly, congratulating her for the effort to stand up and walk again on her own.

There are many times when we fall - school academic performances dropped, relationships failed, until finally we feel as if everything we do is a failure. In all these times when we fall, there are people around us giving moral support and encouragement to stand up and try again.

"But I've tried so many times and it's still the same!" you may cry out to those who kept reminding you that boring 'try again' phrase. But do we know that that negative response of ours; being tired of trying again and agan and failing is actually making us fail psychologically?

We can stand up again if we fall down. We can walk again despite the injury we had after the fall. Everything is possible if only we think we can. That is positive motivation. At times when we feel we can't go on with what we are doing or facing, we need to remind ourselves that "If others can do it, why can't I? If they can, I can too! And I will do better!" In doing so, we are psychologically motivated to think positively and will strive to perform our best. And those around you will always affirm and assure you that your enthusiasm and courage to stand up and walk again is the right thing to do.

If we fall down and all is retrieved with the spirit of courage, that is where respect for your effort is earned.

-little cup-

The Beginning

I entered this world with an empty cup. Everyone does. We were all so innocent as little children, until we reach a state when we can think for ourselves and know this thing called life that everyone is going through.

My cup has been filling up since the minute I stepped into this world. The first thing that was poured into my cup was hot water - my mother's love when she held me in her arms for the first time. The sugar was then added into the cup - my father's warm embrace. That sugar water remained in my cup for a very long time, and though many times I feel as if the cup is being drained of its content, that layer of sugar is still there - untouched. This cup of mine has never been washed clean.

As I move on in this journey called life, there are many happenings that caused my cup to overturn and pour out its content. Despite all that, there are still happenings where this cup is put back into its original position and tastier drinks are poured into it.



My cup is here; 1st row, 2nd left. What about yours?

This is just the beginning, the end is still a long way to go.


-little cup-