The World is a Wonder

An Overdue

It has been a while since I lost wrote anything. When I write, I lose myself in deep thoughts. I used to do that often. Clarity pays me a visit every now and then. But this time, it's different. A different guest peered through the window silently. Never have I thought its presence in this little space of mine would kick up a storm- one that sent the dustiness of mundane life that quietly crept into my reality flying away.

Imagine yourself being comfortable, feeling at ease. Then imagine a gentle breeze blowing against you. A cool, comforting breeze. Feel the movement of air around you, catch the currents in your hands. Then imagine it getting stronger. Imagine its howl, a way of telling you it wishes to take you to a great place, one where your inner self feels alive. Allow the wind to carry you away from reality for just a brief second. And the moment you allow it to, imagine the wind turning into a flurry gust, rushing through your entire body, but you allow it to because it feels like the wind is empowering you. Imagine the sound of the blowing gust and rustling trees, the smell of leaves and early spring. And with all that realization, you slowly return to reality as the wind bids you farewell, leaving a trail of welcoming chill.

That is how I felt when this storm took me by surprise. A strong current that made my senses tingle with excitement, and now leaving me wanting for more.

Blessings in Disguise

Time passes so fast. I have been looking for employment for a while now but I refuse to simply accept just any work. I want to do something worth doing, I want to grow into a better person, I want to step out of my comfort zone. I recognize this feeling, this emotion. It is the same as back in one of my university days where I was playing futsal. Someone sent the ball flying to an empty area, and between me and another player from the opposing team only one would get a kick; my chance at scoring a goal, his chance of preventing it. And I ran as fast as I could. I ran faster than I thought I could. Even when I was at my fastest, I still wished to run faster. To secure the ball. To have a chance at scoring. To carry my team forward. To see the gleaming look in their eyes.

...but I didn't make it.

I lost my footing. I tripped. I fell. And it hurt. Not from the terrible bruises that are now scars, but from my own disappointment. I lost, but on that day I learned two important things; what it meant to be a team and, despite the fall, how it feels like wanting to go further and further.

A Place for Me

The latter is how I feel right now. And the emotion became stronger lately. So, having recently attended a seminar called MMI, Millionaire Mind Intensive (by T. Harv Eker, speaker was Mac Attram), I learned a couple of things. The most crucial lesson among them was this: mindset. As much as I'd like to deny, I was having the wrong mindset all this while. Negative, too negative! They say positivity and negativity are both a form of energy. When you apply the law of attraction, it's no wonder that my life was in such a state. 

So in my mind, I screamed at the universe, 

"Please send me your blessings, and thank you!"

And the universe must've gotten a shock, a sign came through a friend who shared an article. Through it, I came to know of Mindvalley, a company that wishes to change the world for the better through education.

The more I read about Mindvalley, the more I felt...I don't know, belonged? Something resonated within me as I read their mission. However unsure I am, this much I can tell you: it felt very positive and I was happy feeling that way. Excited even! Education is a very powerful thing, and if you were in my shoes, mix with the people around me, read what is going in the world, and then see for yourself all the little things that happen, you'd understand. Everyone can relate to this, I am sure, it's just a matter of how concerned we choose to be. Of the world around us now. Of the better world it could've been. Of an even better world it could be. 

Am I a dreamer? Maybe. But if my dream came true, it'd be sweet not just for me, but for the world. But first things first, gotta head towards that direction.

As I continue to read and listen what Vishen Lakhiani (Mindvalley's founder and CEO) have to say, I became more and more empowered in a positive way. I would even go as far as to say he is a magnet, and I am attracted to the way he thinks and acts, because frankly, that is my definition of 'further'. To be able to grow out of my negativity and turn my frown upside down. Then I realized one more thing, it is the key to my little goal of helping my family out. So that Dad doesn't have to work really long hours because I know how that feels like, so that Mum can get a good night's sleep without worrying about tomorrow because I know how that feels like too.  If I step back and look at the world, I know many others are going through the same thing as well. 

So I ask of you, dear Universe, to show me the way so that I can mold myself into a better, more capable person, that I too may, like many others before me have done, help to make the world a better place.

Miracles

Ever since reading up about the company just one week ago, so many wonderful things happened. Is it because I attracted positive energy by feeling happy and excited? Or is it because I looked at things in a different light? Whichever it is, it feels great, really great! If you are skeptical, I totally understand, because I once was too. Looking from an entirely new perspective is ridiculously hard, even more so when one's attitude does not welcome change. How do I know that? Because that was my attitude too not too long ago. Change is a matter of the inner self, the outer world can only offer so much.

Oops, a little too long-winded. Where was I again? Ah right, things. Wonderful things. All of these while, of course, feeling different: happy and I could take on the world! ;D

1. I started talking to a friend whom I hadn't had the pleasure of catching up with in months. To my own surprise, we talked about life, how we ended up on the same boat and how similar our experience was.
   
   
2. For the first time in two months, I felt productive. House work didn't feel like house work, and relearning HTML at W3Schools was actually fun (to my surprise).
   
   
3. I was magnet-ed to TED articles and talks which I always found inspiring, but never truly take the time to digest them. There were new things I learnt and a couple of things that never gets old, like the way people talk, how they think, their manner of writing.
   
   
4. It was Friday, just two days before Mother's Day. For the first time in my life, I abandoned the Dad-will-do-everything mindset and went for let's-see-what-I-can-do-in-just-one-day. She took the day off on Friday, and I know she's not working on the following day, so what can I do to surprise her? Dad'll pamper her with flowers, I can't steal his thunder. Dinner sounds almost normal now. Then I decided to go with something really small and back to basics, but got my sister and dad to pitch in too. Picture below! But what I was more proud of is the fact that I managed to persuade my family to a one-day trip back to my hometown to include my grandparents as part of the celebration. I mean, hey, grandmothers are mothers too right?
   
   
5. Guess what? Just as I thought no other relatives were joining us at our hometown to celebrate Mother's Day, my uncle and his family who usually only comes back for big gatherings decided to show up! And we had a reaaaally noisy day yesterday.
   
   
6. My grandparents are two of the nicest people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. In the evening of Mother's Day, this old lady (in her late seventies) knocked on our door back at my hometown. I recognize her, she comes from a less fortunate family, and years back she used to look for odd jobs around our neighborhood. My grandparents first met her back then, and offered about RM10 each time she helped to clean our little garden from the weeds. It didn't really need cleaning, but they gave her a chance of earning what little she can. They slowly became friends, my grandmother would offer breakfast to her every morning, my grandfather would drive them to town for grocery needs. Years later, many things changed.
   
   
   I found out her children were all away for reasons I don't know, and she has been alone for four days now. For four days, a lady who hunches badly, who depends on the support of a discarded bamboo stick to walk, who sleeps in a house with holes in the roof, who relies on the kindness of others to carry on, had to live alone. All alone on Mother's Day too. I'm glad she came to visit. Despite her depressing situation, her words were accompanied by smiles. There was no hint of sorrow in her weak voice. It was really nice talking to her. It felt great walking her across the street to a neighbor's house who takes good care of her. 
   
   
   But most of all, as she was about to leave, I was overwhelmed when she reached her hands out to my cheeks, gently slide them down to my chin before retracting her hands back and placing them to her lips. A way of  saying, "thank you, I appreciate it". I had to hold back my tears. I had to force the lump in my throat away. Ignore my clenching heart as I put on a brave front, a sincere smile.

Reflecting back, the past week has truly been a wonderful, wonderful experience. It was different, it was filled with miracles that I couldn't see before this. It all...becomes part of me now. And I feel as though I've gotten myself yet another glimpse at clarity. Another glimpse of the human heart.

To Mindvalley

As I digest all of these..I'd like to thank the people at Mindvalley, for just being there.

Your presence alone brought me change. You gave me the strength and hope when I need them the most. Thank you.

Well diary, I think I have written enough for one day. Four hours never seemed to have passed so fast before. Thank you for allowing me the space to share my thoughts on your pages, for you will remember it even when I forget :) I'm feeling really pumped up, and I'll see what this week has in store for me. That said, I end this reaaaally long post with the promised picture:

Happy Mother's Day! Mothers are superwomen, I tell you! ^.^

-darren
darren.chingkh