Wednesday, February 29, 2012

hopes and dreams

These two days I feel accomplished. Because...
I went to A1 comeback concert yesterday and then the greet-meet session today (and they gave hugs!)!

They are both my first because while I have always wanted to go for a concert, I have never been to one and while I've always fantasized about meeting my favourite singers, I never had the courage to brave crowds to go for meet greet sessions.

and so, meeting A1 was a childhood dream back then in primary school. so long ago, but this is one of the band that I really liked, still like and am in love with not because of the people (okay partly..) but because of the good music.

and these two days, I made that wish come true for myself.

With another milestone of my life coming to a closure, I have been giving my "life" a greater thought and I realised how much I have been trying to live up to people's expectations or the "image" that I carry about. And I realised how different I have become, that I am no longer true to myself and my personal agreement of having no regrets. I grew sad, because I realised I have too many unfulfilled hopes and dreams for myself. Too many regrets.

You see, I read this article and it really made me think. Life is unpredictable. And I really don't want to live with regrets but unfortunately I found myself relating to all five regrets.

(http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/feb/01/top-five-regrets-of-the-dying)
Bronnie Ware is an Australian nurse who spent several years working in palliative care, caring for patients in the last 12 weeks of their lives. She recorded their dying epiphanies in a blog called Inspiration and Chai, which gathered so much attention that she put her observations into a book called The Top Five Regrets of the Dying.

Ware writes of the phenomenal clarity of vision that people gain at the end of their lives, and how we might learn from their wisdom. "When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently," she says, "common themes surfaced again and again."

Here are the top five regrets of the dying, as witnessed by Ware:

1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

"This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it."

2. I wish I hadn't worked so hard.

"This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret, but as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence."

3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.

"Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result."

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

"Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying."

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

"This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had 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 change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content, when deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again."


I want to live life true to myself and not the life people expect me to have.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

All the sharing about our life changing moments with God, reminding me of the greatness, goodness and faithfulness of God.

If it wasn't for Him, I really may not be here today. I cannot imagine how my life would have been without Him. He didn't just give me life. He saved my life.

I was once depressed, hurt through and through, suicidal, having no purpose in my life. And He, gently called out to me, reminding me that I was and am never alone. I have Him.

As I sit on the bus now, I am reminded of that one day as I sat in the bus desperately crying out to Him to heal my hurts, tears silently rolling down my eyes, and how He saved half the bus space just for me. It was amazing how not a single person walked to the second half of the bus, but sat right down in the first half, giving me the much needed space mentally and physically.

Amazing, faithful.
Gently loving me in ways that at times the human mind don't comprehend. But through it all... Thank you Jesus, for saving this life.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

再理论又能怎么样?
已经渐渐习惯失望的滋味了
也了解到也许最好的决择还是不要有任何期望。