2010 is going to be beautiful – Ashley Chan

Indeed 2010 was beautiful in its own way.

It all started by the roadside, where she stood.Watching how the rays of the sun pierced through the puff of clouds, so forcefully,and yet so natural at the same time. The day couldn’t look more promising. Her suitcase sat heavy with new expectation, and new resolution on the ground by her feet, waiting with her to embark on a new journey.

 

Then came a roaring sound of engine of a bus. The destination reads : 2010. She has never seen so many people inside one bus. It was wrecked, with iron steels bare exposing the rust and seats close to the one in front. But it was filled with people from different places, backgrounds, culture, but all looking forward to their destination.

 

Little did they know that 2010 was no destination because 2010 begun in that bus. Friends were made, old friends got closer, some got further. Lessons were learnt, some are easy but most were hard, just like medicine, the bitterness settles for good. She learnt to let go of something she has been holding on for something new. Just like how a climber would let go of one rock to get to another above. Letting go was never easy, but it was a move that brought her to greater heights. It was in that bus that tears and pain was shared. And it was through the pain and tears that best friends and strangers turned into family. It was in that very bus that so much joy and laughter was shared.

 

While there were a few who waited for her to stumble and fall, there were also the ones who waited to embrace her when she fell, to help her up on her feet. She thank God for these ones the most.

It has been a long journey.From a distant she see a stop. The bus slows as it reaches to a halt. Getting down the steps, she reflects on the many beautiful memories made in the bus of 2010. She remembers the lessons, she remembered how she found her Maker again.

 

And soon enough, as the bus of 2010 left us, another roaring sound of an engine came approaching. This time, this bus reads : 2011.  The bus ride up 2010 was good, but it was where the ordinary was. The roads were safer, the struggles were the same as any ordinary man. So this time, she decides to hitch hike up 2011.

 

Where the road might take her she don’t know. Her baggage is no longer with her. She doesn’t have the sun to shine for her, the moon to light her darkness, nor the wind to blow away her coming tears. Instead she has the Maker of all this.

Let the adventure begin!

Blessed 2011.

Dream chasers

A journey of a thousand mile starts with a single step.

She speaks of dreams like its a forgotten chapter in the life’s manual. But that gives us all the reason to speak of it more. For when we were little, we knew little, but we dream more. As we grew, we knew more, and dream little.

There was a little chapter in her life’s book, it reads- Unfulfilled Dreams- as the title. Yes, there are some dreams which goes unfulfilled. Yes, I am a believer of dreams, I believe that if you believe in something so bad, go for it. But there are times when some dreams have some other things attached to it, sometimes its other people, sometimes the time just isn’t right, sometimes, we give it up for the better.

As you write the pages of your life, there are times, that you can’t help but turn the pages back. And see all that remains of it are just unfulfilled hopes and desires. And its difficult not to wish all of that came to pass. Yes, we are grateful and blessed for all that we have, for all that we have achieved and all the things money cannot buy. But that lingering feeling of what if things were different.

She knows, maybe you do too, that there is a time for everything and for everything there is a time. We may know the time of the day, and the season of the year, and our timeline on earth as we live each day. But there is a great Timekeeper who knows the times and seasons of our life. Although knowing this raises hope and faith but that isn’t going to diminish the feeling we have about the dreams that are still in our heads and not a reality.

History maker.

I never got to wrap my mind around what that actually means. For it seems like it carries so much meaning then just living and building a past to reminisce about. How do you make history when its something that is no longer the present? I didn't know until now.

Someone said live today like there is no tomorrow, and dream as if you have a long time to live. Instead she learnt this, live today as if all the unfulfilled dreams and desires in the past are better off remained as just dreams because in reality you are so much more than what could have been if that dream were to come true. A history maker changes the course of history by writing it. So the only way to change the direction of the where your past is leading is by living differently now. But that’s just about changing your history. What if you lived for a greater cause, imagine what greater history you might make.

Make all that broken dreams seem like its best broken, for where you are now might not be where you would have been should that dream turn into reality. A journey of a thousand mile starts with a single step, take that step with the Timekeeper, for time is in His hands. After all, He Himself made and is still making history.

So dream chasers, turn around, walk to your broken dreams and thank God its broken, because right now, you’re a history maker. Live for a greater cause, desire for greater things and make history. Don’t stop dreaming, there’s where the unimaginable starts looking not so impossible.

The world is waiting.

Blessed Christmas and have a Rocking New Year.

Story writers.

Story writer.

If life was a story, then we must be the writer. And every blank page is a page filled with endless possibility, with no limitation. It is only when we begin to write them down, limitations exist, boundaries to our dreams.

Dreams are such beautiful things, filled with hope and desire. One of the three things a man can never be taken from are his dreams, that is unless you give them away.

“If you have a dream, you got to protect it.” - Pursuit off Happyness

You know how she used to say, when dream shatters, and hope seem to have lost its way, pick the pieces up, put them together? The past few month was different. More so today.

Sometimes the broken pieces are so heavy, sometimes picking it up might only cut you even more, it might cut the healing wound. And so, in her anecdote today, she learnt to let it go. I’m not saying throw all your hopes and desires, I'm saying let it go – for now. I won’t lie, its not easy to build something and watch it parish, but move on. Because there is someone who would come picking up the the broken pieces. Whether He decides to put the pieces together or to throw them altogether, I am unsure, but I am sure He loves us too much to watch us walk away with brokenness.

A new step.

Its never easy making a new step. A step of faith, of trust. Trust by itself has its own strings of disappointment attached to it. Perhaps, that is why we rather not trust. But a new step she chose to make anyway. With this new step, who knows where the road might take her, the stories she might write,the footprints of this journey that marks trust, faith, hope and love. A new chapter in her book, maybe a chapter that would never close. Just maybe.

Even if the new stories she writes might have smudges that looks like disappointment. She knows there is an Editor, who knows better. He knows the beginning and the end of every story she writes. He knows yours too. And He will make sure the end will be a beautiful one for He knows your heart and your desires.

So write your story, and trust the Editor. It’s going to be one great book. Take a new step while you’re at it. A fresh start.

Bless this Broken Road

In her journey the last few months, she has been walking along a familiar path. Only this one seem worse. Cracks, potholes and what not. She tried to cover the holes and cracks oblivious to where that path was leading her.

It takes two to make but one to break.

And what stood before her was a long, narrow, broken road she must take. Sometimes the roads aren't so smooth, the sky seem gloomy, all the colors in life might fade, and that is the only road there is. Take it. Let hope be your strength, love guard your steps and faith your light. Take this road for it will lead you to another place. If that place is going to be better or worse, nobody knows. We can only ask that the Lord Bless This Broken Road that it may wake us up to better days.

What doesn't break you, only makes you stronger.

But if you do break, let time heal you.

Until then, hold on. Its going to be a rough ride.

Good day.

Resurface-ing.

Its been two days.

I cannot wait to meet with you again, under the dark skies, the bright stars. Your smell refreshes my senses, calms me down. With your every touch, comes new adventure. When you carry me, it feels like I am carried by everlasting arms. Even if I fall, you are always there waiting to catch me. and when I fail to breathe, and my world seem like its slowly crumbling, you push me up to breathe,to show me - there is still hope.

Underwater. There was where she has been dwelling.

Reasons.

Come to think about it. We all need a reason to breathe, to resurface. But sometimes in life's journey, we loose our reason. Or the very reason we have been holding onto, might seem like it wasn't worth holding on to after all. But sometimes, there really isn't a reason, not one. That's when you begin breathing underwater. Because you realize there isn't a reason worth fighting for, there isn't a reason to change the situation. So you let things be.

People. They walk in and out-of our life. But there are also the ones who does more walking in and sharing joy and tears than taking the exit. Those are the precious loved ones. I am more than thankful for them.

On a lighter note, you who are broken. There has been so many reason made over the years, reasons for you not to believe again, reasons to break your dreams and to give away your childhood.

Find a reason to breathe. A reason - worth fighting for.

Believe again. Resurface- to a new beginning. Its waiting for you.

Good day.

I'll meet you on the other side of the world chlorine water.

The stories we tell the kids.

"You may spend years building something, and someone might just break it in a moment. Build it anyway".
-poster inscription.

It didn't rain that day, miracle had lost its way. But friends and family found their way, support and encouragement came, and at that point, that was all she needed.

Sometimes we need to fall, to be strong again. And that day, she did. It was going to be a hard crash, but it didn't hurt that much because there were beautiful people waiting to catch her from below. Most importantly, one mighty hand. He didn't let go, and He never will.

" Everyone falls, the only difference is how fast do you rise up again."
- Dr Suriya

The stories we tell the little ones are of dreams which comes true, that good man always win. But as we grow, we learn not all dreams come true. Good people do loose sometimes. But then again, that is for you to decide. Your dream might be crushed and stepped upon, and you can leave the broken pieces laying there, or, pick the broken pieces up and put them together again. When you pick it up, that is when heroes are born, and good people win. Because too many has had their share of vision broken, many has blown off the burning passion, the world needs to know that the flames are still there, its waiting for you.

You can be a hero.

Pick the pieces up, so we wont have to tell the kids a different story.

Good people do win. Dreams do come true. There are happy endings, but for now, the story hasn't ended.

Good day.

A toast to uncertainty.

She waits.


INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoon of Time
2 1/2 tablespoon of Sweat
1 large tablespoon of Tears
1 large squeeze of Passion
2 leaves of Vision
2 cups of Courage
A pinch of Faith and Persistence
A handful of Believe
A jug of Hope


1. First, get a large empty container. It might be dry and empty, but that would still work. Put in 2 leaves of Vision. Be sure not to tear them apart.

2. Then add in 4 tablespoons of Time. It usually takes more than just 4 tablespoons but don't use too much of Time, or there won't be anymore left for your family and friends and yourself.

3. As time settles in the container, it will need 2 1/2 cup of sweat and 1 large tablespoon of Tears.

4. The smell of the ingredients put together at this point might be bad or rather tiring, but that can be solved with a large squeeze of Passion.

5. Then, some would like to add 2 cups of fear instead of Courage, but I would highly recommend that you add in 2 cups of Courage. You might need more, depending on how the others might think of the Vision.

6. Now, it might smell taste like doubt, so add in a pinch of Faith and Persistence. Yeap, that's all the Faith you need, a pinch. Don't forget to throw in a handful of Believe.

7. The final part is adding one of the important ingredient. Pour in a jug of Hope. You will need a lot of it.

8. Now stir them and let them sit in the jug. Let it settle.

NOTE : This drink might taste like disappointment, but it might also taste like sweet victory. It all depends now on the time left to set aside and the amount of miracle foam that might appear on the top layer. Yes, the Miracle layer must form by itself. You can try asking though its not sold.

Miracle Foam, wait for it. Don't prepare this drink by yourself, you might get really tired and you might just fall off. Be sure to get a good friend to make it with you.


There they wait, to make a toast to uncertainty.

Good day.

Take A Different Turn

She was going to the rivers, but she took a different turn, and she found herself near the ocean instead.

Breath of life. She encountered those three words. It sounds so refreshing, so fulfilling, words cannot describe. What does it mean really she doesn't know. She cannot define it. But she feels it. Familiar?

Definitions.

Its almost funny how as the earth decays, and we step into a new day, our arguments, our discussions, and decisions are made based on definitions. Define God or define love. Those are the two questions many still prefer boggling their mind over. For the record though, God is Love.

Back to defining, in other words, giving meaning. That is the whole purpose of having definitions isn't it? Or at least it was the purpose initially. Now, the instead of giving meaning and painting a clearer picture, instead it serves to limit our minds, our feelings. Funny isn't it?

Breath of life.

Life - you are without definition, and yet we're thrown into you. Just when we thought we have it all figured, you toss and turn us upside down, you paint us a different picture just to show us, there is more - much more.

Life. Live it with love guarding your steps. Let Love help you forgive, because It does. Let Love help you hold on, because It will never let your foot slip. Love, because Love created life.

This is how her mind took a different turn, for all it was searching was life, but Love was what found.

Now you take a different turn, see where that might lead you.

Good day.

Make it happen

Movies. Sometimes the most inspiring things or rather words, hits you when you least expect it.

There is always a story behind every man who walks away from his dream.
- Make it Happen (movie)

But that doesn't give you all the reason to walk away from yours. Run after your dreams, pursue it, live it, then tell a different story.

But its so much easier said than done isn't it? A good friend once said, at times we forget why we chose the routes that leads us to where we are now. But just keep walking anyway, because you're halfway there.

Now, come to think about it, it makes a lot of sense. Keep running, and when you get tired, keep walking, but if you're too weak and need rest, take a seat-rest but don't stop dreaming because that way, when you wake up, you'll have a reason to run again.

Good day.

Let it rain

Her anecdote.

The past couple of weeks has been so wonderful to her, it still is - a little. That's because the past couple of weeks has turned its back on her, and is plotting with disappointment and worry. Some say, it is only after a fall, we will stand up stronger, I couldn't agree more. Now, I'm not suggesting that she is falling. She is slipping, yes, not falling. She is loosing her grip, loosing her steps-yes. We've all been there isn't it? Doubts, worry and anxiety.

The Ark.

She has been working on- lets say a huge ark. Because she thought the rain was going to come- a flood. So she makes the announcements, builds the boat and gathers the people. A lot of people. And these people have said their goodbyes to their belongings, some have crushed their homes and memories built. So she's really positive about this ark and the rain, and the flood. Only problem here is, the past few days the sky seemed really clear and bright, like it could almost laugh at her plans.

Knock

That's when doubt came knocking at her door. And she can still hear its voice. Then again, she remember someone once said, when doubt comes knocking at your door, let faith get the door. If only its as easy as it is said. Especially when faith likes playing hide and seek.

Wait and Believe.

But it all comes down to a choice isn't it. A choice to search faith or loose it and find fear instead. Its time to wait and believe. The ark is built, the people are here. Now, wait and believe. Sometimes its so difficult to believe, to let faith answer the door when fear has reached the door handle. Difficult - but not impossible. As of now, the doors are still unanswered.The knocks are turning into loud bangs now.

Well, if you happen to bump into faith, tell her I'm looking for her. Tell her its urgent.

Lord, let it rain - please.

Expectations.

You wake up this morning, sitting up on your bed, and you just know your backbone will hold you up. Just like how you know your legs will be stnading you up. But what if it falls?

That was one of the many random thoughts that crossed her mind today.

Expectations.

We live by expectations- peoples' and ours'. Expectation is good, its helps make good things better. Helps us hope and strive towards a goal. But living up to it isn't so easy. What if things don't go as expected? Dissapointment stands by your door.

Today's journey started off like many other days, only, it ended rather differently. So she thought she had the day all planned. Less did she know it was going to take a different turn. For the past couple of weeks now, she hasn't moved, no climbing mountains, no taking on new challeges, no swimming in the river, no reaching for the rainbow. None of that.

She stood.

For a very long time she stood at that same place. Knowing that there was so much to do, so much to achieve. So much of power given, and with those power came not only responsibility but expectations too. Her world was closing down on her- and she continues to stand there.Doing nothing.

Papa said.

He taught her once- you got to learn to loose. Now it all makes sense. Because at this point, all she wanted was to be able to fall and not be afraid to get hurt, to run and then take time to stop for air, to fail, and not fear the consequence, because its another way to learn. She learnt how to loose.

It is only when I doubt yourself, you will fall-A stranger told her that day. A stranger turned friend. This is a phase, it will soon pass, and its okay to sit a while and rest, but remember to get back up, remember the fight you have fought, gain strength, most of all, remember who you are.

I thank God for you, friend. And backbone.

Back to where it all begun.

Tired.

She was tired. There is too much going on. It was that time in the journey you can only remember seeing the scorching sun, and there is no one else but you. And all you see are mountains and mountains waiting for you to climb. The hill before her seem so difficult to climb, suddenly loneliness becomes her company.

She is lost.

The passion, its missing. What was she fighting for, she cannot recall. One decision lead to another and another and now she isn't sure if the very place she is stnading is where she wanted ot be in the first place.

She holds on.

She didn't need rest, she didn't need a break, all she needed was re-assurance. In His beautiful letters she recalled the words- there is nothing He would give that she cannot handle. This place she is in now, this position, this circumstance are all happening for a reason. Yes, she is still tired. But with what little reassurance she has, she holds on.

It is well with my soul.

The journey is going to be long, and it would be even longer if you remain walking without knowing what used to make you run and fly. Maybe its time to journey back to where it all begun. Back to the passion, the dream, the heart.

The doors.

A door before her.

All her life, she always heard of people speaking of doors of opportunity, doors of new wonders, but not much about the exit. Probably because the exit is always perceived as a bad thing. But being in a room with closed door, isn't really a good thing, because the longer she stayed in the room, the more uncomfortable she start getting, and thats when she starts to realize that the walls of the room seem to be closing down on her. The room she sat in begin to seem so small, like there wasn't enough air to breath anymore.

She took the exit.

The gesture of opening the door could mean an exit or an entrance. Before you could open a door, you've got to close the one you're in. And who said leaving was ever easy? Closing the doors behind her, all she remember is the reason she took the exit, she recalls the words..

If you know you are worth more than that, than go and get what you're worth for.

So she did. Now how about you?

The dream.

Remember that time you woke up into a beautiful day. A new day with new promises and new experiences. But then it slowly started to get darker, the clouds began to gather, like its forming a dark shadow against you.

She ran.

There are two ways a man can run. He can either run away or run towards something. But she's running, towards or away, she has no idea. Some say she is running away from her duties, some say she is running towards ruins. She needed a solace. So she ran, until she came to a dead end. And all there was before her eye was the open sea.

She jumped.

The salt water pierced into her eye. It gushed into her lungs, forcing the air out, and slowly pulling her down under. Until she heard a voice ask-why jump?

When she awoke to another day, she did not find a solace. Because thats not what she really needed to rise up again. But she found something else. She found a reason. Just one reason to keep going on.

I hope you will find it someday too.

Her anecdote.

Life is journey. Sometimes the journey is long, sometimes its short. At times it teaches, other times it punishes. I'll elaborate no further, not for now at least. But life is a journey, and this is a record of her journey-the lessons that came along, the encouragement that lifted her, the faith that kept her going.

Her anecdote.