the mind is like a parachute. it doesn't work unless it's open.

as i reflect with the passing of every single week, i am continually amazed at how much of a blessing this journey has been. sure, i do stub my toe every now and then as i tread along this footpath, and tripped along rocks that weren't there the second before i put my foot down, but everything around me so far has been nothing short of breathtaking. it's been such a blessing, one that just about a year ago i would never have dared to dream about.

a year ago, i was buried in a pile of work. loving and relishing most bits of it, but somewhat buried nonetheless. a year ago, the page i'm on, was nothing but a big dream that was near impossible.

with each passing year, time seems to fly faster and faster. i remember, that as a kid, the thought of teenage years was impossibly far and hitting the (then) "big 2" felt like forever. and now that past and gone, i cannot seem to believe i've gone through more than 2 decades of life.

this year has past terribly quickly, and will soon come to an end. i suppose next year will pass just as quickly. and my short stint of 2 years here will be gone in a blink of an eye. the 2 years that once felt dreadfully long, now seems so fleeting, and i don't want it to pass. being away from home has let me grow in so many ways that i would never have imagined. the level of independence i've reached far surpasses what i ever dreamed of. sure, i've always been independent but there was always an inner closeness and dependence on loved ones, which i've learnt to cling on less tightly to in a different kind of way. i never thought i had such an exquisite parachute till i closed my eyes and jumped off in faith and found out how securely i had been equipped.

a nice walk can be ruined by a drizzle, that dampens everything around you, including your mood. but you take a deep breath and look through a different pair of lenses, you may appreciate the showers of blessing. for without these showers, the flowers would be parched and pathways dusted with dirt.

"You are braver than you believe. Stronger than you seem. And smarter than you think."

- A.A. Milne through Winnie the Pooh