I Hope You Dance

So it's late at night...

And I'm tired and weary from a long work day...

And it's a long drive home...

And then the strains of the most beautiful song I've heard in a longggg time fills my car and surrounds me..

And it feels like someone just reached out to give me a big warm HUG.

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat
But always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
I hope you still feel small
When you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Living might mean taking chances
But they're worth taking
Lovin' might be a mistake
But it's worth making
Don't let some hell bent heart
Leave you bitter
When you come close to selling out
Reconsider
Give the heavens above
More than just a passing glance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a real and constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who)
I hope you dance
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
(Where those years have gone)

I hope you still feel small
When you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
Dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a real and constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who)
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)

(Tell me who)
I hope you dance
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
(Where those years have gone)

Thank you, my Angel.

I WILL dance, whether in sunshine or in rain.

**She is working hard for a good January**

Goodbye, 2010 ~ Haylow, 2011!

If there was one word to describe 2010, it would be DYNAMIC.

Change was a constant...

Adaptability was a must...

and Growth was the result.

It was a year of milestones. Here are some highlights of 2010, in a nutshell:

I flew and landed a small 4-seater Aeroplane in Malaysia,

I ran my first 21KM during the Addidas Sundown Marathon, under 2.45 h9urs,

I became Aunt to a SECOND darling little niece,

I went for four diving trips...

Two of them with my colleague Lloyd Chia,

I chilled out with diving buddies...

work friends,

and childhood lovaduckies,

I got an internal transfer in Fuji Xerox from an Admin Support department to the Sales Force...

And successfully hit more than 100% of my personal target within my first 3 months...surrounded by supportive colleagues,

I went to Desaru with the family...twice,

Bintan with Kim and Ben,

Pontian with my colleagues and buddies,

and Port Dickson with the family,

I celebrated my 21st birthday with my family and closest friends and colleagues,

I got my first car,

and I performed as a rockstar guitarist at our FX Christmas party, with our team of Gen-Y Rockers winning 2nd place!

Yes, 2010 has been a crazy year, a year of extremes and of balances.

I met some of the most incredible people from all walks of life: Mediacorpe artistes Pamelyn Chee, Devarajan, Carl Ng, Bernard Tan, and Randall Tan; lawyers; entrepreneurs; insurance agents; students; and some of them joined my circle of closest friends. I went up into the sky, and down below sea level. I left a desk-bound job for a door-to-door career. I turned 21 and held an awesome birthday bash at Mount Emily. I became owner of my very own Coach bag. I learned to handle people and manage the stresses and ups and downs of the sales line. I met with disappointments, setbacks, and heartaches. I had my moments of triumphs, and likewise my moments of tears. I found out that if you put your heart and mind to achieve something, there is no limit to what you can do. I experienced the pain of letting go of some of the people and things dearest to me. I grew in every way possible (except weight and height, hopefully!).

And now, 2011 has arrived.

With it comes new challenges and goals, new beginnings, new opportunities.

My 2011 resolution is simple: Work hard, study hard, and play hard. Laugh more, love always, and don't expect too much from people.

I have no idea what 2011 will bring with it, but I know it will be an incredible year - and I am excited. (:

**Leona Lewis's Run lyrics are running through her mind**

My Christmas Present

Nine years ago today, a slim little kitten walked into the door of my house and my life.

Her name was Misty. And from that day, she became my best furry friend and companion.

Through the most tumultuous times of my teen years, on my worst and happiest days, when I needed something to hug and hide my tears in, when I needed something to squeeze in my joy, when I just needed a companion to sit beside me as I stood looking out the window… She was there.

I remember feeling a warm furry ball at the foot of my bed as I rolled over at night. I have a picture memory of her lying with her head on the other end of my pillow just like a human, sleepily opening one eye to peek at me as I did my best to stifle my giggles. And on still other nights, I remember the clanging of belts against my door as she did her best to wake me and my sister up to let her out to drink water. And then a few minutes later, the most pitiful meowing and scratching on the door would be heard as she begged us to let her back in.

I remember her jumping on my desk to sit right on the book that I was studying from, just to get my attention. And her running from wherever she was in the house when I called. And her trailing me like a little puppy from room to room as I did my work. And her sitting outside the toilet door patiently when I was inside.

I remember her insisting on going out of the house for little walks on my own. I remember her stiffening with tension in my arms when I brought her for walks around the district and we encountered dogs. I remember her little tit-for-tat squabbles with Nacho, my Cocker Spaniel; the times we spent encouraging them to get along with each other; the eventual sitting side-by-side to eat from their bowls at mealtime.

As the days passed and turned into a year and then into 6, 7, 8 years.... try as I might, I couldn't imagine life without her. Her little unobtrusive presence graced every major event in my life thus far.

Then one day, almost reaching her ninth Christmas with us, my beloved darling fell sick. And her usual glassy eyes no longer sparkled. In a few short torturous days, her physical condition dropped to the lowest ever, till she was so weak and thin she could no longer stand or eat or drink on her own. Kidney failure, the vet said gravely, shaking her head.

I remember restless evenings when we were afraid to sleep, terrified that she might not be able to make it through the night.. I remember my sister giving her medicine through injections, our sitting beside her for hours to accompany her, stroking her head gently as teardrops glittered in our eyes.

On the evening of October 4, though already semi-conscious, our baby doll waited till she heard both Kimberley and my voices beside her, the two of us whom she was closest to, before breathing her last and slipping away forever. It is impossible to describe the grief which enveloped. The tears which I had been holding back over the last few days now rained down unashamedly as I knelt by her little bedside for a long time, unwilling to say goodbye just yet. The million memories of the past 8 years flashed through my mind, memories that will never be forgotten, memories that I am reliving today.

Two Thousand years ago, God gave the world a Christmas present through His Son.

Nine years ago today, He gave me another special Christmas Present - my Misty.

And both of them are gifts that I will treasure forever and always.

**She spent a precious Christmas with family and friends**

A Glimpse at the Next Chapter - Back to School

I was sitting in front of the TV after a long day at work, virtually brain-dead.

I had reached the point of tuning out to most of the hustle-bustle around me, only catching glips and snitches of conversation as my family members walked by the room.

Then my ears registered something that my mom called out all the way from the living room: "Em, you don't want to check your letter from UniSim?"

I lit off from the sofa like a rabbit-in-a-jackbox and dashed to stick my head out into the hallway. "What letter from UniSIM?!!"

She pointed to an A5 size envelope sitting on a pile of other letters on the table. The next second, my eager fingers were ripping open the seal to pull out...THIS.

I looked up to see my brothers and sister grinning at me, and realized I was hopping up and down with excitement, saying (well to be more exact, short of screaming), "I've been accepted!! I've been accepted! OMG!! I'm so happy!!!"

Evidently.

I DID eventually calm down a little, and am now anticipating my shopping for school supplies! Oh, not to mention that I just spent the last hour poring over the UniSIM website choosing my courses and familiarizing myself with the dates... And telling myself that this is just the start.

It's gonna be an exciting (stressful) year ahead!

**She enjoyed the suspense of Point of Entry's first episode shown at 8PM on Channel 5 tonight...and she can't wait for Episode 2!**

RIP, Nacho

You never failed to greet us enthusiastically at the door.
You entertained us with your tricks and various dog activities.
You begged for bread with those big brown eyes of yours.
You were sure to be found in the middle of the most happening location at home.
You always responded meekly to the words, "Nacho, OUT!"
You were a part of our lives, for seven years.
You were FAMILY.

None of us foresaw that you would be taken away from us so abruptly, but we know you are now up there in heaven surrounded only with happiness and no pain. Take care of my baby Misty for me, and don't bully her too much.

And in case you didn't see it already, here's some messages for you from the rest of the family:
http://facebook.com/?w2m#/profile.php?id=575965076

We'll miss you, dude.

**Without Nacho and Misty, the house feels...childless.**

If You Can Swim When Right in Front of you Is a Tsunami...

Today, the workload threatened to overwhelm me.
Today, there were customers to call and see and attend to, all asking for attention at the same time.
Today, I had to drive from one end of the island to the other. 
Today, I wanted to throw my hands up in the air, tear my hair out, cry in frustration.

And then I chanced upon an email sent by my brother, which enclosed a long-beloved poem. 

And I stopped struggling.
Took a deep breath.
Stared up at the tsunami, the wall of work, which was waiting to swallow me up.
Smiled.

And started swimming for the shore.

One lap at a time.

While the familiar lines of the poem which i many years ago etched into my memory, rang in my head, reminding me...

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools.

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

**she is carrying her baby niece Kayla**

The Power of Prayer (On a Hilarious Note)

My mom burst excitedly into my room this morning while my sis and I were still in bed.

"Girls, you know what??" She gushed.

We open our eyes to peer up at her sleepily.

"The bad ache I was having in my lower back yesterday was gone this morning when I woke up! Now it's coming back just a little bit, but I think the fellow GB teachers who prayed for me really helped!"

"Oh..so that means that our prayer is not effective la, only the GB teacher's prayers are," I replied cheerfully.

"No la, not that. But now my lower back has no more pain, but my middle back is experiencing some strain now."

"I think if like that, then next time ask them not to pray until so specific la. Just ask them to cover your whole back with prayer, so that the pain won't travel up and down!"

**She is telling herself that just because it hurts to smile doesn't mean you stop smiling.**