Appreciation

BIG word huh?

You know the feeling of how you appreciate something only when you have lost it?

Something like how someone would feel when their parent's are no longer here and how they could've loved them more, treated them better, or wished that they were still here to do all those stuff?

That's my current feeling now.

Not that I've lost anyone, but I'm leaving to Australia in exactly 2 weeks from now and I've only just realized how I never appreciated this.

It has been with me my whole life, yet I took it for granted. Sometimes I even thought that it was unnecessary.

I always thought I could live without it, but now I found out that I can't.

I'm starting to appreciate it.
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The answer is bonds.


The feeling of being away from my family has gotten to me. I want to treat them better, be closer to them and treasure every emotion we shared.


Plus, Chinese New Year has given me the opportunity to do this. I've met relatives from near and far, tall and short, old and young.


This year's CNY has taught me to cherish these bonds I have with people as they cannot be seen, heard, bought or broken.


Yet bonds exist and would connect people in ways you could never imagine.


For example, I used to dislike going to my mother's side of the family.

To me, they were just not "cool" enough to be related to me.

Small issue it might be, but somehow I couldn't get over it. Until now... =D


I felt like my relatives from Malacca were closer to me than ever in the last 20 years and as though they had been right beside me all these years. =)


Relatives from Malacca 2003


My cousins used to be cute, but they're still lovable right now. =)

Cousins @ Cameron Highlands 2006


My playful little cousins didn't felt so annoying anymore, instead they are so lovable... =D

My elder cousins whom I rarely meet are like my best friends now. =)

I'm regretting now that I threw away their email addresses right after sending them photos. =/

Somehow I even enjoyed my parents' nagging. xD




Well... you get the idea. =p

But I've never felt so good in my life knowing that they were and will be always by my side when I need them.


Now I'm trying my best to stay connected with them even when I'm in Australia.

Such as installing Skype for my cousin so she could ask me maths questions even when I'm thousands of miles away.


The thing is, we must learn to appreciate the people and things around us.


I know you must've heard this a million times already but hear it from me:


APPRECIATE your family;

APPRECIATE what they've done for you;

APPRECIATE that you're not unwanted;

APPRECIATE the bonds that you have with people;

APPRECIATE how you obtained the technology to read this blog entry;

APPRECIATE everyone around you, before it's too late;


and



It's never too late to start now. =)




I could've cared for him more...
My deceased grandfather (mum's side) 2006


I'm also forgetting how many cared for me.
Father side of the family 2004


I've forgotten how I used to kiss my parents and say "I Love You".
My 18th birthday celebration 2006


My favourite cousin! (White shirt on the left)
Although we have our own lives now, but we're still close eventhough we rarely meet or talk.
My 15th birthday 2003.


I've forgetten how we survived together for 10 days...
Outward Bound School,
Youth Adventure Camp (Mulu) 2004


I also forgot how warm it was being in this "family"...
New Year's Eve at Shu Lin's house 2005/2006.


Spending time with my relatives and friends has made me cherish every moment that I spent with them so that our bonds will never be forgotten nor broken.



BY THE WAY, my Skype name is sekszewei.

If anyone wants to talk, just Skype me. =)


Random thought : I wonder what's the correct way to pronounce "Skype"? Is it "Sky-p" or "Sky-pee"?
I prefer the former but my parents are fond of the latter. =p