What defines success?

Haha today's CLE session was quite cool for me, because 409 helped me to redefine the way I look at success.

Is it monetary achievement? Coporate achievement? Friendship? Happiness?

After going one big round to look at SUCCESS, I think that I would say I'm successful when I've managed to leave my imprint on another person's life. When I've made a difference to others.

After all, how successful can you be when you haven't impacted any change at all?
:}

The aftershocks of an earthquake are never easy to bear. Especially an emotional one. What we can say to ourselves is "Stay strong". But I think that this experience of death really taught me something: To treasure those around you (but still keeping a consecrated life) and try to make a difference while you can.

Here's a poem that Rachel shared with us:

The Dash Poem, by Linda Ellis
I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end

He noted that first came the date of her birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own;
The cars, the house, the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

Really thought-provoking.
And I just wanted to say, I really love everyone who's been in my life these 16 years. Sounds fake and overly-cheerful right? Somehow, despite the hurt or anger I've felt these years, somehow, everyone whom I've met before shaped me in ways I can never describe. Especially my BFFs and GFFS, who I can count on to make me laugh despite my tears.

A virtual hug for whoever's reading this.

Just wanted to say a BIG THANK YOU to:

Aaron,
Grace Ooi,
Geena,
Charmaine,
Ben and
Jonathan.

And Lydia too.

Haha two more days to flying off for Cambodia. XP
Well, it's technically 40 more hours, because we'll be staying overnight at school on Saturday, then reporting to the airport together as a team at FOUR AM on Sunday morning.

I think I'm experiencing anxiety right now. The mentors got everyone to say their current feelings and the words that kept popping up the most were 'tired', 'anxious' and 'excited'. It was really surreal saying that we were going to fly off to Cambodia THIS sunday. That shows how close we are to leaving Singapore! On one hand I'm really happy because the entire year's hard work has boiled down to this next two weeks and we're finally going to see the results of our planning and discussions and team meetings. We'll get to help the Cambodians, we'll be painting the murals for them, we'll be serving them. On the other hand, I know I'm going to miss Singapore terribly, especially a certain person. It's going to be hard knowing that I can't talk to that person every single night. I'm going to have withdrawal symptoms!

And yet I really want to go Cambodia because I know that we'll bond as a team. In fact, we've bonded quite alot over this whole year. I really love my GLT comm members- Denise, Gloria, Tina, Zerline and of course, Grace Ooi. I know that we werent' very bonded at the beginning of the year, being work-focused and all, but as the year progressed, we went out for more and more comm lunches (YAY SHILIN) until we've come to the point where it'll be weird to not have GLT work anymore.

Okay, I've said alot and I still have finance stuff to settle so I better zoom off now:)

try reading this for yourself:)

-------------------------------------------

c'est possession vraiment étrange par guy' ; main de s. bien, je ne dirais pas étrange, parce que je l'ai apprécié. Il ne juge pas que dégoûtant quand il est quelqu'un vous aimez désormais beaucoup. faites- confiancemoi. il y a ce sentiment brouillé chaud et vous vous sentez juste heureux partout. aujourd'hui était un jour impressionnant.

--------------------------------------------

c'est bien.

School's really slack right now. The teachers transported the entire sec 3 cohort to Eng Wah cinema in Toh Payoh to watch My Sister's Keeper (wow so many caps in just one sentence). They booked 3 theatres for us! Hahah it would have been fun, since the entire cinema was filled with girls wearing pinafores, but there was also ACS (J) in another theatre. I tell you, someday, the government should ban rich kids from populating just one school. I mean, the little boys were queuing for popcorn and nachos and the queue stretched for miles, and miles, and miles... and miles - well you get my point. Hahah where do they get all the money from? When I was their age, I don't think I had enough money to buy stuff yet! I was still at the stage of bringing packed food to school >)

Anyway, the queue was so long that we almost gave up and were resigned to the fact that we'd just have to watch a 2 hour long movie without any food. Luckily, Smrithi, Sam C and I decided to go downstairs where there was another concession stand and buy our nachos (YAY) from there. I think we took about half an hour to get our food, but the movie hadn't started yet.

When the movie started, it was obviously meant to be a sentimental tearfest. Almost the entire theatre was sniffing. I almost cried at all the sad bits, and even some of the happy bits, but haha *some* people were so anticlimax! Hahaha at the bit where Kate went to the beach, Brian wrapped her in a towel so that she won't catch a cold. It was supposed to be all touching, but guess what PX said: "She looks like Darth Vader"

!!!!!

What? Hahah. I love my classmates. They're all so.. so.. (let's just leave the adjective blank here)

Speaking of movies, it's our one month anniversary on 5th Nov. I won't say which anniversary and for what, but it's a very nice anniversary :)

Got a bad case of post-exam blues. No, not really depression, just the flu cos I got caught in the rain on Monday. It's been raining everyday and I just stay at home.

Well, I miss my sis ALOT. I'm not going to admit it in front of her (:P) but I do miss her. No one to whine at and no one to talk to. She's sleeping over at my cousin Bryan's house and she's coming back tomorrow. Speaking of which, tomorrow Mindy, Michelle and Melissa are coming over to sleep over! Hahah I don't know what we're going to do.

Good night. Hope the flu bug doesn't bite!

What defines success?

Haha today's CLE session was quite cool for me, because 409 helped me to redefine the way I look at success.

Is it monetary achievement? Coporate achievement? Friendship? Happiness?

After going one big round to look at SUCCESS, I think that I would say I'm successful when I've managed to leave my imprint on another person's life. When I've made a difference to others.

After all, how successful can you be when you haven't impacted any change at all?
:}

The aftershocks of an earthquake are never easy to bear. Especially an emotional one. What we can say to ourselves is "Stay strong". But I think that this experience of death really taught me something: To treasure those around you (but still keeping a consecrated life) and try to make a difference while you can.

Here's a poem that Rachel shared with us:

The Dash Poem, by Linda Ellis
I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end

He noted that first came the date of her birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own;
The cars, the house, the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

Really thought-provoking.
And I just wanted to say, I really love everyone who's been in my life these 16 years. Sounds fake and overly-cheerful right? Somehow, despite the hurt or anger I've felt these years, somehow, everyone whom I've met before shaped me in ways I can never describe. Especially my BFFs and GFFS, who I can count on to make me laugh despite my tears.

A virtual hug for whoever's reading this.

Just wanted to say a BIG THANK YOU to:

Aaron,
Grace Ooi,
Geena,
Charmaine,
Ben and
Jonathan.

And Lydia too.

Haha two more days to flying off for Cambodia. XP
Well, it's technically 40 more hours, because we'll be staying overnight at school on Saturday, then reporting to the airport together as a team at FOUR AM on Sunday morning.

I think I'm experiencing anxiety right now. The mentors got everyone to say their current feelings and the words that kept popping up the most were 'tired', 'anxious' and 'excited'. It was really surreal saying that we were going to fly off to Cambodia THIS sunday. That shows how close we are to leaving Singapore! On one hand I'm really happy because the entire year's hard work has boiled down to this next two weeks and we're finally going to see the results of our planning and discussions and team meetings. We'll get to help the Cambodians, we'll be painting the murals for them, we'll be serving them. On the other hand, I know I'm going to miss Singapore terribly, especially a certain person. It's going to be hard knowing that I can't talk to that person every single night. I'm going to have withdrawal symptoms!

And yet I really want to go Cambodia because I know that we'll bond as a team. In fact, we've bonded quite alot over this whole year. I really love my GLT comm members- Denise, Gloria, Tina, Zerline and of course, Grace Ooi. I know that we werent' very bonded at the beginning of the year, being work-focused and all, but as the year progressed, we went out for more and more comm lunches (YAY SHILIN) until we've come to the point where it'll be weird to not have GLT work anymore.

Okay, I've said alot and I still have finance stuff to settle so I better zoom off now:)

try reading this for yourself:)

-------------------------------------------

c'est possession vraiment étrange par guy' ; main de s. bien, je ne dirais pas étrange, parce que je l'ai apprécié. Il ne juge pas que dégoûtant quand il est quelqu'un vous aimez désormais beaucoup. faites- confiancemoi. il y a ce sentiment brouillé chaud et vous vous sentez juste heureux partout. aujourd'hui était un jour impressionnant.

--------------------------------------------

c'est bien.

School's really slack right now. The teachers transported the entire sec 3 cohort to Eng Wah cinema in Toh Payoh to watch My Sister's Keeper (wow so many caps in just one sentence). They booked 3 theatres for us! Hahah it would have been fun, since the entire cinema was filled with girls wearing pinafores, but there was also ACS (J) in another theatre. I tell you, someday, the government should ban rich kids from populating just one school. I mean, the little boys were queuing for popcorn and nachos and the queue stretched for miles, and miles, and miles... and miles - well you get my point. Hahah where do they get all the money from? When I was their age, I don't think I had enough money to buy stuff yet! I was still at the stage of bringing packed food to school >)

Anyway, the queue was so long that we almost gave up and were resigned to the fact that we'd just have to watch a 2 hour long movie without any food. Luckily, Smrithi, Sam C and I decided to go downstairs where there was another concession stand and buy our nachos (YAY) from there. I think we took about half an hour to get our food, but the movie hadn't started yet.

When the movie started, it was obviously meant to be a sentimental tearfest. Almost the entire theatre was sniffing. I almost cried at all the sad bits, and even some of the happy bits, but haha *some* people were so anticlimax! Hahaha at the bit where Kate went to the beach, Brian wrapped her in a towel so that she won't catch a cold. It was supposed to be all touching, but guess what PX said: "She looks like Darth Vader"

!!!!!

What? Hahah. I love my classmates. They're all so.. so.. (let's just leave the adjective blank here)

Speaking of movies, it's our one month anniversary on 5th Nov. I won't say which anniversary and for what, but it's a very nice anniversary :)

Got a bad case of post-exam blues. No, not really depression, just the flu cos I got caught in the rain on Monday. It's been raining everyday and I just stay at home.

Well, I miss my sis ALOT. I'm not going to admit it in front of her (:P) but I do miss her. No one to whine at and no one to talk to. She's sleeping over at my cousin Bryan's house and she's coming back tomorrow. Speaking of which, tomorrow Mindy, Michelle and Melissa are coming over to sleep over! Hahah I don't know what we're going to do.

Good night. Hope the flu bug doesn't bite!