"It's not where we're going, but who we're with" :)

Oh yes, it has come and gone :(


Four days didn't seem like enough to any of us, leaving was so hard although we know we were gonna see each other the next day hehe :p


We never really have big family holidays like this, so, this one, it was a big deal.

The last time we were all together on a holiday was when my aunty from the US came down about 10 years ago. So really, it has been a long time.

But to me, the most important thing about this holiday was to have my grandparents with us. They weren't too keen on going at first, but we convinced them to come in the end, and I am more than glad that they did come, cause it might be a bit too long before we have our next Sreeni holiday.

pretty view,mm? :)

I had Shania Twain's "You've Got a Way" playing the whole way to Penang, the same song, yes the same song, a little much I know but I just love the song so much, no idea why, it just makes me >:)

and I had my crackbud with me to make the trip there a tinsy bit more comfortable he he :p

(thanks for letting me lean on you, hug you, litterally put my whole body on you without you muttering a word nyehe loveyou) that's why I always sit next to you in the car,sissy :)

Day one, we headed to Ipoh first, to eat yummy dim sum, mmm :) and then we all headed to Penang, to Sua Tau Lane to have delish hawker food but the old man that used to sell the yummy kaya pancakes isn't there anymore! So I searched everywhere for it, but noooo, I still couldn’t find it. SIGH, big spoiler :(

For the next few days, we just spent alot of quality time together.

we put our bags down.

3 minutes later, we were at the beach.

:) (this includes sunil, he's always been one of the girlies! haha)

I could sit and watch the waves for hours.

It's so calming and peaceful :')

The captain ball & volleyball matches in the beach,


Being THE loudest people there(haha what's new),

Burrying Ati in the sand ;she's too cute. Such a drama queen la our little “POmelo Anderson” running in the beach in her one piece suit. Oh, Baywatch flashback! Hehe :p

Watching Gramps play volleyball with us, he never does that! :’) Which almost 80 year old can you say that about!?,

Ordering ONE burger from room service and splitting it amongst the 5 of us haha and paying it with Sunil's coins!,

PARASAILING! I only have a picture of Shayna all geared up, the cam died on me :( buuuut yay! I finally did it, although I was so freaked out before going, I'm afraid of heights! but after all that hastle, I was so relieved that I actually did it, hee :) everyone did it except my papa :/
It was so calming looking at my legs dangling in the air, feeling the cold breeze, looking at the pretty ocean and plus, i had a good partner, alayna :p

Karaoke : reliving our past with S Club 7, Spice Girls and the Backstreet Boys, with dance moves and everything! hehe, oh good times,

Baby shav sang to Love Story.

Although I don't like that song, when she sang it, I couldn't help but like it, too cute! :p

Anddddd :)

Gramps sang to Frank Sinatra :')

my schweets :)

Watching gramps and meems walking together, holding hands, it makes me feel all fuzzy inside :')

THE most amazing couple alive,

Our everyday pool & snooker games which made me laugh so hard till my tummy ached,

The ENDLESS laughter and weird, crazy, sadistic, retarded jokes in the room HEHE. You guys are real schmucksss,

And on the last day, we decided not to sleep, well Ally, Nil, Alayna and I mostly. We stayed up and talked for hours and hours about random topics, life, love, family, society, everything and then walked out onto the balcony and saw something that we don't usually get to see : a sky that was filled with the most prettiest stars I have seen, it was breath taking :')

yeah.. but nayna dozed off, obviously.

We tried taking pictures of the star-filled sky that night, but, it doesn't look so good on camera :(

Our last night made me really happy, I just love it when we have our late night sessions, it's always so meaningful, I love you girls(and guy) :') and this time, it meant so much more because Ally and Sunil joined us, SUNIL joined us! He isn’t exactly the mushy mushy type, but he really opened up that night :)

Before we headed home, we decided, since Grandpa was with us, and since he hasn't been to Ammama & Achacha's(my Grandpa's parents) grave for years and years now, we'd take a quick two stops to both their burrial grounds, Ammama's in Butterworth and Achacha's in Taiping.

So we visited the grave, said a few prayers as a family for them. Grandpa's usually the strong one in the family, and I never really see him get sad or upset, actually, I never do, but when he was there, praying at his parents grave, he was more emotional than I have ever seen him to be.
I could see how much it meant to grandpa to get to visit his parents grave.

I still have memories of Ammama's funeral.
And I still remember the chants and songs played during her funeral and I'm constantly reminded of her when I hear those songs being played again, though I was so so young when she passed away.
I remember kissing her hand heh :')
I sometimes just get this feeling, when I'm going through a tough time, that she's watching over me, and well that.. that makes me smile.
But the day ended well with Taiping food :) Yeah yeah, we eat alot.

My mummy was talking to a close aunty, and she asked about our holiday, so mommy said “Oh it was great!” and then Aunty started to cry. She said she was reminiscing on her old memories when her family used to go for trips together or just spend time together. Not much anymore.
It just reconfirmed my realization that these little things really are things that I should be so grateful about. I love the fact that I have a huge family, extended family or not, we’re a big family and I absolutely love it. We’re noisy, everyone talks at the same time, I swear, we’re like those Italian families you see on tv hehehe :p We joke, we cry, we EAT, we bake, we fight, we serve together, we organize, we make photo albums to keep for life together :’) we.. love.
In 20 years, we’ll have another huge family holiday and take OUR kids with us. yee :)



anyway

I love you,family.

The Battle at Kruger

I've been so busy lately that I haven't been able to blog for so long!

I'm still really occupied with things to do so, here's just a video I watched at the Leadership Camp about a week ago. Never in my life have I watched a video this moving.

I'll tell you why, but just watch the video first, very carefully. Watch the whole video.

(Tune out the music - this was the only short video that I found unfortunately with a not-very-good malay song. The one I watched at camp, the music was.. sooo good)

If you watched the video closely, you would've seen the four lions crouching first, getting ready to get it's prey. Then after awhile, one lion goes for the baby buffalo and the other follow behind to help. The few other buffalo's that were with the baby buffalo ran away. So yes, now the lion's fallen into the river, and an alligator comes out and gets hold of the buffalo and the lion and the alligator start tugging on the buffalo, each trying to get something to eat.

But all that is besides the point I'm trying to make.
If you realised, after awhile, all of a sudden, hundreds and HUNDREDS, maybe thousands of buffalo's, I don't know, that huge herd of buffalo's came to save that ONE baby buffalo. I remember, while I was watching this at the camp, I started to tear(yeah I know, you might think "WHAT? she cried about buffalo's and lions ah?!" but seriously, this really moved me) I remember thinking, if animals, creatures without the power of CHOICE, without a consience, can come together just to save ONE baby buffalo, why can't WE, us humans, gifted with the power of CHOICE, with a consience, CANNOT come TOGETHER, UNITED, to help contribute to save our generation, to save the next, or to just help make this world that belongs to.. ALL of us a little bit better.

You know, I learnt this at camp too, about Ownership. Sometimes, we forget that, this world of ours, or the people living in it, it really belongs to every single one of us.

And yeah, everyone says "Yes yes, it's my Earth too, my world too" but if it really is something that BELONGS to us, don't you think that it isn't only the duty of a fraction of the world to make this place better to live in? Shouldn't it then be the duty of ALL of us? I mean, for instance, our room belongs to us, and we take care of it well, because well, it belongs to us, so yes, we want it to be nice and decent and pretty and comfortable, so it's the exact same thing with the world we live in.

Maybe you think that what you do now, has no effect on the betterment of the world. Maybe you think that there are enough people out there trying to make this world a better place to live in. One of the facillitators, Daniel, said "You might not be able to change the whole world but you can change the world of one". Isn't that already really good? Even in the video of the lions and the buffalo's, if you were watching closely, only a few of the buffalo's in the front row attacked the lions, and the rest of them were there, behind all of them, playing their parts, whether it be big or small, they were playing their parts. The impact that it made, when ALL of those buffalo's came together united, made all the difference in the world. We think sometimes that it's only the work of the government, the NGO's, or activists to be the ones upfront, okay well, that's who we SEE doing all the work, and we think that's enough and we always say "Leave it to them to do it", but it really does make all the difference in the world if everyone, and I mean, everyone, comes together, works together for something that really, we all want. The little things that we do to contribute really does make a difference, whether or not you are being noticed for it.

"Not everyone is prominent, but everyone is significant"

Yup.

I love gaining new insights.

leaving for Penang in 8 hours :)

I need a goooood break.

Movers of today.

Camp was amazing! I had theeeee best time :)

It was by far the most empowering and impactful camp&workshop I have ever been to.

MBPJ did an amazing job asking the Generasi Gemilang young adults/youth to facillitate the leadership camp(in line with helping to create a Child Friendly City of PJ)

yay so happy, and I actually miss everyone at camp!

I've got alot to say about what happened, and I'll post up some pictures too.

But as of now, I'm dead tired and in dire need of rest.

One day of rest, until Saturday, for the Open Mic Night! yay:)

plus, I'm counting down the days to Penang with the cousies d:

7days to go!

I'm actually excited for camp tomorrow :)

yay:)

Feels like home.

Things are getting busier by the day.

With the Open Mic Night, the leadership camp in Bukit Tinggi, and some youth activities and meetings in Pantai Dalam.

But.. I kinda like busy. I feel productive,proactive, and useful.

Now, that's how I want to spend my holidays. Doing things that I might not be able to do as much once school starts, something productive and meaningful.

I want to make the most out of the time I have.

But time's passing so quickly, that, I don't like.

But.. here's to a good December :)

Penang in 12 days with my favourite people. yay:)

Stand up for change ; An Open Mic Night

A few other youth and I are organising an Open Mic Night for sustainable development. Details on the event are stated in an invitation in the above. So, please take a look at it :) (Click to get a better view of the invite)

If you can't read the details above(Sorry, it's a little blurry. I don't know how to change a document into a picture,yeee ): ), here are the details :

Date : Saturday, 12th December '09

Time : 7.30 pm - 10.00 pm

Venue : DJROA Community Centre, Damansara Jaya

RSVP to me(or write in my cbox) or to this address : standup4change.youth@gmail.com

If you'd like to take part and perform for the Open Mic Night, please call me @ 012-3477049 and I will explain to you further details. You can sing a song, dance, read a monolog, act out a skit, read a poem, anything artistic will do. The only requirement is that it has to be about sustainable development, or about any social issue.

Or.. you can just come and watch others perform but also take part in the other segments of the evening :)

It's going to be an interesting night filled with insightful perspectives and artistic performances, with a nice full crowd (crossing fingers! :D) :)!

Please let me know latest by the 4th of December if you'd like to attend. Limited seats, so please hurry :)

See you there! Hopefully :)

It is 1.34 am now.

34 minutes after the Ascension of Abdu'l-Baha and for the first time in my 16 years of life, I feel so connected, more than before.

Today's programme was amazing.

I couldn't stop thinking about the dream I had when I was 9.

That little boy who saved me in my dream turned out to be You. That never fails to put a smile on my face.

I don't usually remember any of my dreams but this one, it stuck with me, and.. hopefully until the day I die :)

Our Angel

Yesterday : Jayattan's Memorial.

The slideshow of Uncle's entire life was being shown but the only thing I could hear or pay attention to was the grief and sorrow that my aunty, Jayanthi felt. She was crying, no, weeping with Sanjay in her arms ; he was crying too. That was the loudest and most devastating cries I have ever heard. I couldn't imagine how she was feeling. I still can't. I realised that I cry and weep sometimes for the littlest of things, I sometimes forget to appreciate my Mummy or my Papa, Shayna,Sunil or Sonia, and especially right now, my grandparents. I don't want to wait for their last breath before I feel guilty for the way I've treated them, I don't want to wait until they aren't alive for me to wish that I had treated them or anyone for that matter, better. Jayanthi experienced a terrible loss, and so did we but ofcourse, she was affected by it most.

Yesterday, I realised how wonderfully amazing my granduncle was. He was actually one of the youngest in the family, just a little over his 60's but he was always the one who stood out most amongst the 8 siblings. He was the one who first initiated our very first big family gathering with the thought of only wanting to bring the family in unity, for all of us to appreciate,love and be united. He always put family first.

Jayanthi said this last night, that when Jayattan was first diagnosed with cancer, the first thing he said was "Let's throw a party! Get everyone to come, the whole family, call everyone and let's have a party."

Really.. how many people do you know that would say that?

His joyous spirit was so immense and so great that eventhough I never really got the chance to know him well, he left a huge mark in my heart just by being the jovial, loving spirit of the family.

I do love my uncle although I never really knew him well and I know that he's okay now.

EMPOWER.

EMPOWER

It feels like forever since I last blogged.

Anyway.

The EMPOWER Workshop finally happened.This workshop happened last Saturday and is actually and hopefully one of the many workshops that EMPOWER will be organizing. The whole purpose of EMPOWER speaks for itself, to empower youth to become agents of change.

Inspiring is one thing, but to empower, it lasts long, it motivates and enables people to actually DO something, to pay it forward and not just to sit around and think “Wow, that was a great workshop. It really made me think.” , but to actually empower youth to be a part of change.I was actually really amazed at the turn out. I didn’t expect to see so many people but I was so glad that these youth came, it really made me happy inside :) The main facilitator that day was Fiona, who works for United Nations and has facilitated many of these workshops before.

The theme last Saturday was “Self Esteem”.

One of the activities that we did was called “Shopping Spree”.

We made believe four stalls.
One of which I “owned” :)

We had stickers that stated characteristics of people like fat,short,casual,sporty,pimply,plain,sexy,pretty, etc. We stuck these stickers onto each participant’s forehead without them knowing what was said on the stickers. So, they had no clue what kind of person they were, they just had to go with the flow. The participants would go to each shop and the owner of the shops would treat each person according to what is stated on the sticker. At the end of the game, the participants would attempt to guess what kind of person they were. Then, we talked about how different people get treated based on their physical attributes.

Then we had an activity that broke the group into two different groups and just discussed about self esteem. I saw a few people from school that came for the workshop, and some of them were very outspoken about the types of peer pressure we face in school, the way certain people get judged just because they might be a little different from the norm, how some people feel the need to be a certain way just to fit into the mould that society creates.

But then, in the end, it was nice to see how everyone began to realize that there is no reason to constantly please society but to be happy with yourself and if you’re happy with who you are, then you shouldn’t have the need to follow what society asks of you to do. The last activity was a Pay It Forward activity. Like I said earlier, this workshop isn’t only to inspire but to empower these young bright youth to become agents of change, to become the driving force of the transformation of society.

Just a few from the many photos :

Overall, it was a good, productive, insightful, energizing and empowering day.
I’ll post up the dates for the next workshops(hopefully!) next time.

Do come! :)

I don't know if you've realised but, Google is so cute with it's "Sesame Street" theme! It was Bert and Ernie one day, Big Bird another, Cookie Monster d: and today it's Oscar the Grouch!

See!

Ah, I bet everyone knew this, but still. I miss Sesame Street. I miss being young and small. Everything seemed so simple before.

Here we go, there's nothing left to choose.

Two tearful movies in a day - My Sister's Keeper, The Time Traveller's Wife, no, not doing me any good.

I don't understand why I watch sad movies when I'm sad, stupid, yeah, stupid, but I do it anyway.

Mat Kearney all night long. I need to get my head straight again.

This time, I want to forget. Please let me.

I'm just gonna take a deep breath in, and forget.

I need...

a big dose of hugs.

:)

I had the best sleep today, well, the best in about a month!

Anyway I'm only posting something up today because well.. today, someone very special turns 18,yet another year older.

Hi Sukh :) I wanted to call you and text you at midnight, but well, I couldn't, I have no credit.

Well anyway, happy birthday! It's been awhile since we spoke and I miss you! HEH

Remember when you used to be my... (I'm hesitating writing this because it's so embarassing!but...) "petbro" and I was your umm "petsis" (gags) I can't believe we used to say that haha but :) It seems like it was just yesterday but it really was abooooout 5 years ago! Woah. Time's really passing too fast. I always respected you for your strength(inner strength d: don't get funny ideas) and your faith. I think you're a good role model for other youth today.

(no picture with you ): )

We'll go out, my treat(since I'm just too free now d: ) :)

Happy Birthday,love!

It's so crazy how we condemn others so easily. It's like the "new trend" today is to be rude and to use foul language. I don't understand how that can be. Foul words come out so easily nowadays. It's almost as if we've forgotten that we have a conscience. I admit, it never really mattered to me before, about the use of foul language but.. times have changed, things have changed, and I would like to think that I am a changed person,not perfect at all, no no, just changed, I hope.

I don't know, I guess, sometimes, I truly do get hurt when people use such language, or say harmful things just for the sake of making you angry. Most of the time, I think, I don't really show how vulnerable I am, well, maybe because I don't want to. I think I get scared sometimes, to show my vulnerability. I think that's because of my past, and because I was so vulnerable before, I'm scared because well, I don't want to go back to my past. Not that I'm forgetting my past, I will forever remember it, as a constant reminder to never repeat it again but back to my point, harmful words will and can never resolve anything. Harmful words only harm others, and mostly, yourself. In the end, we live our own lives, we choose what we want to say or do and in the end, we only have ourselves to blame, we are answerable to God for our own faults. So technically, we are only harming ourselves when we harm other people.

I just wish that we would actually use this precious gift God has given only to us (our conscience, our right mind) and stop ourselves before using such words, to think about the consequences, and then.. act.

Nil was thinking of what to wear to prom, so he took out his suit but instead of wearing it himself, hehehehe, Nayna tried it on :D!

Ah,yes,that's my baby sistah,alright.

:p

I had a goooood dinner with the family at our usual dinner spot :)

:)

Here's to a productive Sunday, full day of studying. 3 more days!

This picture, yes, it's the same picture that's on top ^

I was browsing through old holiday photos and found this :)

It was so serene there oh and there were seals on the beach! I love animals.

La Jolla, San Diego. It exudes perfection.

My Nayna has her own blog now :p

Being the big ol' (and good d:) sister, I decided to help her with the layout,title,da da da.

You aaaare welcome, baby sis :)

www.thebridgeovertroubledwater.blogspot.com

And yes, may this be a good fresh start.

Love you.

These wounds won't seem to heal.

I think I'm in love. No,really,I really think so.
I remember posting a video of him(ortoPilot) a couple of weeks ago.
I never really cared for this song before. I suppose I just didn't like it much? But after listening to his cover, I was in awe, mostly of him.

He's really really good and notice his accent when he sings this part :
"When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I held your hand through all of these years"
It's so.. *big huge happy in love sigh*
I get butterflies in my tummy listening to that :)



So good :)

You left me feeling high and dry.

I couldn't sleep at all last night :/
So, I was listening to songs on my mp3 in hopes that it would stop my mind from thinking so much and well, to ease my mind.

I was listening to a few Rooster songs and *sigh* I miss them!
I remember how crazy I was about them. I absolutely looove Rooster.

I don't know, some of you might not like them. Actually, I've heard alot of people telling me how much they don't like Rooster but I kinda like 'em. They've got a different vibe. They're just.. different but I love :) Their lyrics are so so, but for some odd reason, their music makes me happy. Their live performances are actually pretty good too and and the lead singer, Nick Atkinson,oooh, I looooove him. That husky,rough voice can melt,literally and his extremely good looks is a plus :)

Two of my favourites :)





Unfortunately, the band split after their second album :(

I found this pretty pretty flower/plant in my backyard.

I just realised that I haven't exactly taken the time to observe the things around my house.

Mm, the wonders of beauty, the wonders of God :)

I think everyone knows what the right thing to do is but yet, we do the complete opposite,including myself. I get so angry at myself sometimes.

Sometimes, when I'm about to do something that isn't quite right, I find myself arguing with myself almost,contradicting myself. I realised that my inner voice is always right. I need to remember to listen to it more often :)

Despite knowing what the right thing to do is, we keep doing the total opposite.
and some people say "That's just the way I am, I can't change who I am" or "Why can't you except me for who I am?" How is it possible that doing the wrong thing makes you who you are,right?

But then didn't God create all of us noble and good and pure?
So, isn't that who we really, truly are?
What I'm trying to say is that, we shouldn't put in our mind that we do the wrong things because we have to or because that's just the way we are, we should at least strive with all our might to make the right choices in life, and to remember how we were created in the first place.

"Noble have I created thee, yet thou hast abased thyself. Rise then unto that for which thou wast created."
-Baha'u'llah




Okie dokes, off to study.

Hello :)

Yuna - Deeper Conversation from adam on Vimeo.

I was browsing through Soul Pancake when I came across this question,

If you were to write a one-line message on a paper plane that a stranger would find, what would you say?

I have yet to figure that out.

But then again, I think a simple "Hello" and a warm smile can make a person's day. Well, I know a simple "Hello :)" would make my day.

Society today almost makes us think that it's just "weird" and "confusing" when a random person says "Hello" and flashes a big,bright smile at you but why?
Is is wrong to be friendly and say Hello or Goodmorning? or smile at you, just.. because.

Some people might think that it's a small step for society(in Malaysia) to overcome this, but I think it's a big step. Our culture has yet learnt this.
But then, some people are scared due to safety reasons. Mhm, I remember talking about this during Ruhi last Saturday, and you know, to me, in my opinion, it's okay to say Hello and smile at someone you don't know but I'm not saying you have to cater to eeeeveryone. Everything we do requires thought and wisdom. For example, if a suspicious looking person were to come up to you and say Hello and started asking you personal questions and it didn't seem safe, you shouldn't just follow him and da da da, you get what I mean.

I just think it would be nice to walk out of your home, and to have a neighbour you've never met before say "Hello", or even to walk in the street and to have someone smile at you and wish you "Goodmorning :)". Wouldn't that make you feel so warm,happy and loved?

I remember in my visit to the U.S. a couple of years ago, the people there were so warm and welcoming. People in the street would say Hello and smile at you and that made me feel so warm,happy and loved inside.
Even the cashiers at the grocery store would just start random conversations with you, asking you "How are you today?", "Has your day been good so far?" and things like that. Wouldn't that be so nice?

I think that's one of the things we should learn from Western culture, to be friendly and warm to everyone.

You are my heart, little sister.

I managed to patch things up.

For my baby sister, Shayna ;

I had fun with you today.
Doing a few covers with you,
Jogging with you, laughing like idiots trying to pull my shorts up that kept falling down while we were jogging and ended up stopping because I couldn't jog with falling shorts (hehe)
So, at the park, we sat on the swing, and talked, alot :)
I cannot remember the last time we did that. I don't think we've ever talked like that before but it was good, a good change.
Now, I really feel like we're sisters(haha). Well maybe because we've never really just... talked? but ah anyway I looove you.

For my little sister :)

Jess Delgado's voice is amazing.
She reminds me of Norah Jones.

Okay,huge shift of emotion from my last post.

I watched this from Soul Pancake and it's just.. hillarious!



A true born speaker, indeed :p

It's time to repaint myself.

Mummy and I were just talking about it yesterday.
About the person he is, or rather.. was.
The doctor asked Aunty Molly to call the family to go down to Singapore.
I think everyone knew it was time.
but there was still a slight doubt in my mind that it wouldn't happen so fast.

I don't know him well and we weren't very close but the times when he was around, I could feel the warmth and love he had for the family and for everyone he met.
When we had the big family reunions, he was always the funny, fun loving, happy, and loving one. Despite not talking to him, I could see that he just really wanted everyone to be happy.
Mummy said what he really wanted was for the family to be united. I think he made it happen.
I've never really experienced loss, except when my great grandmother passed away, but then again, I was really little back then, only 5.
I see things differently now.


Like how Mummy was telling me yesterday when we were talking about uncle,

Life's too short for hatred and anger.

I realised, on my death bed, whenever that may be, I'd want to be satisfied and happy and fulfilled about who i am, and know that I have given more than enough and hopefully contributed my part to better the world.

Mhm, which reminds me, I've got alot to work on and I'm not going to wait another day before I start to change or at least to try my very best.

I have some things that I must patch up today. It kills me to think that I'm only doing this now, after what happened but I guess.. at least, now, I know.

I hope he's happy, wherever he may be.
I know that he's not suffering anymore. He's in good hands.

God bless his soul.


9th October 2009, 1.45 am : My granduncle, Jayattan, passed away.

In such an ugly world, something so beautiful.

This never gets old :)

Please,stand by me.

I had a long Saturday yesterday.
A good Sunday today,I hope.

I had Ruhi yesterday.
Uncle Naren told us to watch this clip about three siblings in Africa struggling to survive.
It's just terrifying and painful to watch.
But that's reality and that's what's really happening today.



It's too sad.

All we can do is keep breathing.

Sometimes, listening to other people's take on the world is a little painful, it's almost.. depressing.
I feel that alot of us have lost hope, and given up on the world.
I wouldn't blame them. Yes, the world is crumbling right in front of our eyes, with murder, rape, kidnapping, war, prejudice, stereotypes, hatred, and disunity amongst everyone.
We see it everywhere. So, how can someone actually be positive anymore, right? How can we possibly have hope if times are just getting harder and harder, if the world continues to get worse? Maybe that's why hope is lost.

The conditions in the world are indeed getting worse, but yet, we wait and watch other people try their very best to make it better, instead of ourselves.

We cannot possibly keep saying that we want peace and unity if we ourselves don't create it. We mould the future of this world, of ourselves, and if the world comes to a state where it is beyond bad, then, we only have ourselves to blame.
I don't think that service to humanity is the job of only a fraction of the world, it is the duty for everyone one of us.

I think what we need is people that HAVE hope and people that help contribute to making this world a better place.
To me, both must go hand in hand.
Hope is what will keep us going. It is what will inspire and empower us to do our part to create a better world.

It seems like such a big thing to do,to "cure the world" and well, it is but we start here, where you live, with your life, the environment around you. We have to open our eyes and see that there are so many things that has to be done just around us.

That reminds me that I still have so much to do. We all do.


The day before I had to speak at the forum, I watched this video.
She moved me to tears.
She was only 12 when she spoke in front of thousands of people at the UN EARTH SUMMIT. She spoke there!
So if you think you cannot make an impact, think again because you know, you reeaally can.
Maybe not through public speaking, but everybody's got their own parts to play.

Amazing.

I love this song. Mhm, the lyrics are simple, a little bit cliche, but it's just a nice, feel good song.

It's one of those songs that pick you up and make you smile when you're feeling a little gloomy.

Alot of people have covered this, even AJ, but none are even the slightest bit close to Michael's original. It's his vooooice :')

His voice.... It's just so.. (I'm hyperventilating just thinking about it) amazing. haih.

and plus, he is goooorgeous.

Mona

I have known about this story for so many years.
Hearing it over and over again. Constantly reminded of it.
Everytime I hear about it, I am in total shock and awe.

But never has it struck me the way it does now.
It is the story of Mona.

On the 18th of June, 1983 in Shíráz, Iran, ten women were executed by hanging for their unwillingness to renounce their Bahá'í belief in the face of the Islamic fundamentalism that had recently overtaken their country. This act was particularly disturbing since usually only Bahá'í men were targeted for execution. The incident brought outcries from the world community appealing to the Iranian government to implement basic human rights for the Bahá'ís. This international pressure had its effect in that recent years have witnessed fewer executions, but Bahá'ís are still denied basic rights of education, employment, assembly and legal protection. The Bahá'í Faith is a religion native to Iran and is considered apostasy by the religious leaders of Shi'ih Islam. Since the religion began in 1844, over 20,000 of its adherents have been martyred.

Of the ten women executed in 1983, the youngest was only a teenager. Her name was Mona Mahmúdnizhád.
Mona and her father were taken from their homes, and imprisoned in the year 1982. They suffered phsycological and physical torture for 5 months. Her father was executed first on March 12th 1983. Mona and the nine other women were executed on June 18th 1983 by hanging.

Mona was only 16 when she was imprisoned and only 17 when she was executed.
To think that she was my age?
I cannot begin to say what I really feel now.
It is unexplainable.
All I know, is that I am completely humbled.
She is an example to youth, to me.
Imagine being her age, she was a Baha'i,a children's class teacher who embodied the meaning of service, and because she did not recant her Faith, and for that reason, she was imprisoned and soon after, executed.
Her courage and faith and love for the Faith was so much.
She gave her life for the Faith.
I have a lot to learn, and I want to hopefully follow in her footsteps to serve as much as I possibly can.

She is a hero.

Their mass grave in Shiraz contains their bodies and despite the fact that their families were never allowed to give them a proper burial, a rosebush grows over their grave and is a powerful testament to their beauty of character and their fearless courage.

Mel Gibson is now producing a movie about her, called, Mona's Dream.
http://www.monasdream.com/

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While Mona was still in high school, she wrote an essay protesting the persecution of her family’s Baha’i faith. School authorities promptly confiscated the paper, her home was raided, and all copies and remnants of the work were thought to have been suppressed. First Mona’s father, and later Mona herself, were hanged by the authorities. But her first notes for the essay were smuggled out of Iran by members of the Baha’i community and published in the west. Here is Mona’s Message:

"Freedom’ is the most brilliant word among the radiant words existing in the world. Man has always been and will ever be asking for liberty. Why, then, has he been deprived of liberty? Why from the beginning of man’s life has there been no freedom? Always, there have been powerful and unjust individuals who for the sake of their own interests have resorted to all kinds of oppression and tyranny…

Why don’t you let me be free to express our goals in this community; to say who I am and what I want, and to reveal my religion to others? Why don’t you give me freedom of speech so that I may write for publication or talk on radio and television about my ideas? Yes, liberty is a Divine gift, and this gift is for us also, but you don’t let us have it. Why don’t you let me speak freely as a Baha’i individual? Why don’t you want to know that a new religion has been revealed; that a new radiant star has risen? Why don’t you push aside that thick veil from your eyes?

Perhaps you don’t really think that I should have freedom. God has granted this freedom to man. You, his servant, cannot take it from me. God has given me freedom of speech."

"I wish I had not only one but a thousand lives to give in the path of God"
--Mona Mahmudnizhad