A Mother's Promise

As a mother, I promise to give careful attention and love to nurture my daughter. I promise not to be too hard on myself and her. Accept my girl for who she is, and not to try to control her, learn to let go and let her experience her own life.

I promise to focus on praising her positive behavior instead of criticizing what she lacks. Accept the things I cannot change and have the courage to change the things I can. Give her space to handle her own challenges and guide her as her Guardian instead of controlling her.

I promise to put aside whatever I am doing and give her my full focus and attention when she want to tell me something.

Quotes that I Live By

I thank my dad for cultivating my love for reading. I recalled the times he took me to the "Book Rental" shop near our home and each time I will borrow at least 4 books. I will have my book with me while eating, walking to tuition, and sneaking every moments just to complete the book. I love my "Famous Five", " Nancy Drew"....

As I get older, I develop an interest in reading Motivational Books which has impacted me much in my university days and even through my life turning moments.

Some of the quotes that I like are:

Two things stand like stone, kindness in another’s troubles, and courage in one’s own.

--Adam Lindsay Gordon

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.

Whether it is the best of times or the worst of times, it is the only time you’ve got.

--Art Buchwald

Don’t ask for an easier life. Ask to be a stronger person.

Create your tomorrows with your thoughts and actions today.

--Catherine DeVrye

Find purpose- the means will follow.

We are disturbed not by the things that happen but by our opinion of the things that happen.

--Epictetus

Experience is not what happens to you. It is what you do with what happens to you.

--Aldous Huxley

Each player must accept the cards life deals him or her. But once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game.

--Voltaire

It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.

--Seneca

Don’t be afraid your life will end-be afraid it will never begin.

--Grace Hansen

Fear is the thief of dreams.

Life is not the way it’s supposed to be.It’s the way it is. The way you cope with it is what makes the difference.

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.

--Albert Einstein

Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.

--Kahlil Gibran

Do not compare yourself with others. You may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself… Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass…

We cannot discover new oceans until we have the courage to lose sight of the shore.

--Gide

Life is what happens when we’re making other plans.

--John Lennon

The poor man is not he who is without a cent but he who is without a dream.

--Harry Kemp

Regret for things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable.

--Sydney J Harris

Reflect upon your blessings, of which every man has plenty, not on your past misfortunes , of which all men have some.

--Charles Dickens

Not everything that is faced can be changed but nothing can be changed until it is faced.

--James Baldwin

Tough times don’t last- tough people do.

Laugh

Laugh

Nothing endures forever.

Everything perishes in time.

So laugh and love while you may,

Help who you can-work while you must

And when the end comes so be it.

All fame ends in oblivion and is soon forgotten

But it is fun to strive, joy to win.

It is a challenge to lose and try again.

And victory always comes if you try hard enough.

To lose is not to fail.

The only failure is to lose and not try again.

The pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist, the opportunity in every difficulty.

--L.P.Jacks

All things happen for the good of those who believe in Him

Do you ever think of someone, a friend or a love one and to receive either a call or message from them the next moment? I had not once but on a few occasions when I miss a love one so much and to receive a call from them right away. Is this telepathic or God way of showing us that HE is listening to us.

This week was a week of reminder of life vulnerabilities and uncertainties. A 31 year old friend had a heart failure and passed away suddenly leaving behind his expectant wife and 2 years old boy. That happen on Tuesday and on Friday, the papers reported that a reputable financial advisor had a heart failure and died too. Occasionally, such news will strike my sensitive cord and I will think of my own misfortune 7 years ago. Before I will tear but lately, my heart goes out to those wives whose life are changed due to the loss of their spouse. I want to help these women by showing them that life has changed. Our love ones are in a better happier place. I know because I have seen images of my love with Jesus. Tears will never stop flowing and we will never forget. But all things happen for a reason. God has a plan for all of us and when we trust in Him and have faith. All will be well again.

Desire to BE

One of the main criteria for happiness is having something to look forward to, i.e. hope.

It is desire, not ability that determines one success. You can get anything, you can do anything if you really want to, and the only limitation is what you put on yourself. Desire is the fuel that drives one forward towards the destination which is represented by our goals.

I was bought up conditioned to believe that success was all about academic ability. But over the years, I have come to realize that formal education has one purpose only in life and that is to get us our first job -self education earns us our living. The school, college and university years are immensely important, but the actual knowledge gained during those years is not necessarily of use in providing students with their standard of living. It there for becomes even more important the knowledge and experiences gained after leaving formal education become more valuable from a monetary future viewpoint.

I am in no way deriding university education. As a parent, it is one of my dearest wishes for my girl to go to university. Nevertheless, education without questions, in all its various forms, whether formal or otherwise, is not a prerequisite for success and achievement. I want my child to be a confident young lady who has the social skills to interact with various individuals just like her father. I want my child to be a lady of character- compassionate, honest, kind hearted and most importantly a woman of grace and intergrity.

Problem

"Problem" is such a negative word. if you tell yourself you have a problem, you normally dwell on it and worry about it. if, instead, you delete the word " problem" from your vocabulary and use the words "situation" or " challenge", your brain will respond more effectively. it becomes creative and proactive and, furthermore, you are on your way to overcoming the situation. Remember the old cliche " When the going gets tough, the tough get going."

Farewell my loyal friend

Thank you my faithful doggy pal of 16 years. Just writing this bring tears to my eyes. Mummy remember how you first came into our life in Australia. The memories of you as a naughty puppy are so vivid that mummy is relieved to know that you are now in Heaven running free and catching butterflies with daddy. You had suffer for a year. There was nothing we can do to help you regain your mobility. While mummy regrets not being with you on your last journey, mummy is glad that I did not get to see you breath your last. I just want to remember you as the cute and obedient precious son. Miss you boy. Be good and keep daddy company.