THE DAY OF KINDNESS :)

I'm wishing a happy Eid Mubarak Day for all dear my Muslim friends! And since it is the day people forgiving each other, asking for forgiveness, and develop kindness, there's nothing wrong with celebrating kindness with these beloved people! There are many ways, for sure, to be kind. And below is an interesting list of '88 Ways to Make A Stranger Smile' (which is also kindness) from http://www.marcandangel.com/;

1. Smile often.
2. Hold a door open for someone.
3. Pay for the person in line behind you.
4. Send a hand-written thank you card to someone who assisted you with something.
5. Clean out all your old clothes and donate them to someone in need.
6. Give a compliment about a waiter, waitress, sales clerk, etc. to his or her manager.
7. Compliment a stranger’s appearance.  Flatter them.
8. Leave encouraging post-it notes in a library books and other random places.  
9. Help an elderly person carry something.
10. Send flowers to someone anonymously.
11. Be a courteous driver.  Let people merge in front of you.
12. Volunteer at a children’s hospital or nursing home.
13. Donate blood.
14. Buy house warming gifts for new neighbors.
15. Introduce yourself.  Make new colleagues, classmates, etc. feel welcome.
16. Inspire others online.  
17. Send letters of appreciation to business owners/managers and other people who support you.
18. Treat everyone with the same level of respect you’d give to your grandfather.
19. Give everyone the same level of patience you’d have with your baby sister.
20. Appreciate people the way they are.
21. Share your lunch or a snack with someone who doesn’t have one.
22. Put some change in an expired parking meter.
23. Check up on someone who looks lonely.
24. Tell your boss, teacher or professor that he or she is doing a great job and that you appreciate what they’ve taught you.
25. Create places and things for others to enjoy.  Like decorating your house for the holidays or creating a piece of art.
26. If you overhear that it’s someone’s birthday, go out of your way to wish them a happy one.
27. Ask someone for their opinion or advice.
28. Bring cookies or bagels to work for everyone.
29. Tip waiters and waitresses well when they deserve it.
30. Be a part of something you believe in.  Those around you will notice your enthusiasm. 
31. Leave a thank-you note for the office janitors.
32. Help bag your own groceries at the checkout counter.
33. Offer your seat to someone when there aren’t any left.
34. Let someone with only a few items cut you in line at the grocery store.
35. Wave to a kid in the car next to you.
36. Spread good news.
37. Repeat something nice you heard about someone else.
38. Remember people’s names and address them accordingly.
39. When you make eye contact with someone, smile.
40. Replace what you’ve used.  For example, fill up the copier or printer with paper after you’re done using it.
41. Share your umbrella on a rainy day.
42. Listen intently to people’s stories without trying to fix everything.
43. Dance with someone who hasn’t been asked.
44. Call a stranger’s attention to a beautiful sunset or full moon.  
45. Give words of encouragement toward someone’s dream, no matter how big or small it is.
46. Ask someone who enjoys cooking for a recipe.
47. Let someone else eat the last slice of pizza or cake.
48. Stop and buy a drink from a kid’s lemonade stand.
49. Help someone get your parking space in a crowded parking lot when you’re leaving.
50. Ask someone you see every now and then if they’ve lost weight.
51. Do a little something extra to make someone else’s life easier.
52. Use all the manners you learned in Kindergarten.
53. Listen to someone’s pain and help them find a path through it.
54. Give without expecting to get back.
55. Encourage others to do one unanticipated kind or helpful act at least once a week.
56. Observe everyone without judging.
57. Say “Please” and “Thank you.”
58. Forgive and let go of anger.  For instance, if somebody accidentally cuts you off in traffic, just let it go.
59. Believe in yourself with all of your heart.  People will notice.
60. Don’t be so serious all the time. 
61. Treat every small interaction with another person as an opportunity to make a positive impact in both your lives.
62. Greed, anger and ignorance.  Avoid all three.
63. Speak the truth.
64. Teach others how to make a difference by setting an example.
65. Help others be independent.
66. Give people the space they need.
67. Lend your shoulder to cry on.
68. Offer encouragement after a failure.
69. Acknowledge people for a job well done.
70. Tell a good joke.
71. Clean up after yourself.
72. Excel at what you do.  People appreciate professionals.
73. Create a care package and send it to an active duty military unit.
74. Redirect gifts.  Instead of having people give you birthday and holiday gifts, ask them to donate gifts or money to a good cause.
75. Stop to help.  The next time you see someone pulled over with a flat tire, or in need of assistance, stop and ask how you can help.
76. Put a small personal touch on everything you do.  People notice and appreciate individuality.
77. Take the time to teach someone a skill you know.
78. Help someone get active.  There’s a coworker or acquaintance in your life who wants to get healthy, but needs a helping hand.  Offer to go walking or running together, to join a gym together.
79. Send a nice email to a tech support representative who has assisted you.
80. Donate food to a charity.
81. Stand up for someone.  Lend your voice. Often the powerless, the homeless, the neglected in our world need someone to speak up for them.
82. If you see a couple taking a self-pic, offer to take the picture for them.
83. Help the weary shopper in front of you who needs that extra two or three cents to avoid breaking a 20-dollar bill.
84. Come to the rescue.  If you realize someone is sick, bring them some hot tea, etc.
85. Stand up for your beliefs without flaunting them.
86. Make yourself available and approachable.
87. Over-deliver on all of your promises and obligations.
88. Be positive and focus on what’s right.

 Interesting, eh? And as for now, I'm going to pick one of these ways, which is repeating something nice I heard from someone else. It's blogger-friendly ;)

So I got tiny pieces of paper and wrote my friends, teachers, and family's name on it, shuffle the papers, and pick one random paper without peeking. From all of the names, I got 'Lana'! Well there are two Lana I know so I gave number for each, the first Lana is my Junior High friend and the second one is my High School friend. And apparently, I got the second Lana!

Lana is a very understanding and stylish person. She's one of these people who loves to listen to my 'weird' stories and she once calmed me down when I panicked because of the crowd (I'm Demophobic). She's, of course, very kind (here's one of her kindness: she drove me home from our school festival and it was very late, so thanks to her I can be home safely!), and I adore her loving and caring family :) She has a deep tolerance towards differences and is sympathetic. Another plus point, she's a nature lover just like me :D

Well that's all for now. Spread the kindness in your own way! Namaste!~

THE SPIRITUAL AWAKENING

It's nice to know that many people are now spiritually awakened from the amnesia of forgetting who they truly are. It is the year in which consciousness embrace the human being, one by one, in every place humans are standing on. I've been talking to many people that are 'connected' with these spirituality stuffs, a simple sign;t humans slowly heal themselves from that amnesia and their souls are growing.

This also means that there are hopes. Consciousness can cure all the brutality and cruelty, egoism which is the main root of all sufferings. Because consciousness make us know who we truly are. There will be no such illusion of pain.

But even tho there are hopes, doesn't mean we just have to sit here and watch, and wait. Waiting will be endless unless everyone takes action.

Let us unite in oneness!

Namaste!

SELF-FORGIVENESS

I did a lot of mistakes that I can never forget.

And yet we all did unforgettable mistakes, leading us to karma.

And without mistakes, we will learn nothing.

Without mistakes, there will be no adventure. 

Without mistakes, life would lose its direction.

Our greatest teacher is our own mistakes.

In fact, there is no such thing as 'wrong' and 'right'. But there is appropriation, depends on what we do.

To make a conclusion about universal appropriation, we need visualization, which is the 'wrong' and the 'right'.

Mistakes are our personal adventure of life. Do not blame ourselves for the mistakes we did. Take the mistakes as our experiences to learn and to gain wisdom.

Because the wise themselves, learn from their own mistakes.

Take a courage to have mistakes and to take some lessons out of it (but of course, this doesn't mean that we have do the same mistake all over and over again XD). Everyone's doing it.

Make peace with yourself. Mistakes are like the heat that purify a diamond.

Namaste!~

THE DARK SIDE OF LIFE

Just read an article about a girl named Junko Furuta, 11-grader who was kidnapped and tortured for 44 days. The tortured was extremely sadistic I can't even imagine how horrific it was, and I didn't realize I clenched my hand too hard while reading the article. And I have no idea why such brutal and heartless people deserve life even though I often stated that everybody deserve some love and chances.

Compared to what this girl had gone through, my chaotic past is nothing AT ALL.

And I am still pitying everyone who darken my days back then. What a shame for me...

Her story opened my eyes that I'm lucky enough to survive a longer life, and a peaceful one. I'm lucky enough to be in 'heaven', in which I often considered as hell, while she's been there in the pure hell for 44 days, until the end of her life. 

We, humans, sure are sick. The earth is innocent yet blamed for every chaos happening in our world. It's a beautiful world, actually. Look at the forests, the sky. the river. the sea. the mountains. And look at the people's life. Such a contrast.

We were placed in such beautiful earth because we suppose to perform beautifully, working together in harmony. Humans have the 'creating' gift, because we are a part of God and share His ability to create. So we create things in earth, experimenting. And here are the results of our experiments. Beside technology, philosophies, wonderful religions, there are egoism and financial system, the two main roots of these chaotic tragedies. Think about it.

We're all hoping that this could end soon enough. We're all tired yet we're in this together. We're ready for some changes. And we are willing to change ourselves for a brighter world.

Namaste!~

THE CELESTIAL JOURNEY; A SHORT STORY BY ME :)

A short story by me, created due to an assignment from my english teacher and for the love of astronomy and fantasies, inspired by the stars of the sky. Maybe someday I'll make some illustrations for this ;) Enjoy!

It was the first day of spring. The elegant flowers colored the soil while mother earth is wearing her beautiful bright blue dress. The joyful birds fly freely underneath the white cheerful clouds. Laughter of happiness is in the air.

It is such a pity that Aaron could only watch the beauty of the day on his bed. He has been there for too long, so long that he hardly remembered the day when he was free to run underneath the horizon. He never could go anywhere except around the hospital. He has been ill in his entire life, forgetting a normal healthy life.

The sound of footsteps nearby broke his wondering mind. A nurse entered his room with a friendly smile.
“Today is your lucky day,” she said. “You have a new friend. She’s over there, beside your room. Perhaps you could introduce yourself to her; she would love to know you.”

“Why should I?” Aaron sighted. “Kids in here always hate me. I never really have a friend.”

“Oh well.” The nurse said. “It’s just that you’ve been alone all the time and you never been friendly with anyone. Try to smile a little bit and say simple things like ‘hello’ or something.”

“Oh, shut up.” Aaron grumped. The nurse shook her head as she walked away.

It was finally lunch time. Being so bored at his room, Aaron decided to have his meal at the hospital’s canteen. Along with a nurse who guarded him, he began to eat his lunch as he stare at a girl that came nearby. “Ah, that’s your new friend.” The nurse said. “I guess I should leave you too here for a while.” The nurse leaves Aaron alone in the table.

She stopped in front of Aaron and smile. Confused, Aaron awkwardly greets her. “Umm… hello.”

She laughed, making Aaron felt more confused. “Why are you laughing?”

Still laughing, she sat beside Aaron. “I’m happy!”

Being happy in a hospital? How weird. Aaron thought. “So… who are you? Are you new in here?”

“Guess who I am!”

“You’re weird.” Aaron replied. “And for being weird, you must have owned a weird name.”

“Correct!” she said. “And I guess you can’t guess my name because of that. I’m Taygeta.”

“That really is a weird name. I’m Aaron.”

She stares at Aaron for a while. “Why aren’t you smiling?”

“Because I don’t want to.”

“Yes you do, you just can’t find a reason to smile.” She said.

“Really?” Aaron wondered, found that Taygeta was right. He’s been lonely for too long, stuck at the hospital by himself. How could he find at least one reason to be happy?

“Yes and you know it.”

“So why are you happy?” Aaron asked.

Taygeta smiled wisely. “Let me tell you a secret. Beyond knowledge, there’s imagination. Behind every star of the skies, there’s a message that helps you find the true happiness.”

Aaron was confused, could not understand what she meant. “Look at the stars tonight, perhaps you will understand.” She replied, as she finished her meal and walked away to her room, leaving the confused Aaron in the table.

The sleepy sun painted the sky yellow, as it turned darker and darker, and little sparkling lights began to shine in the dark sky like a glamour glittery gown. Aaron quietly sneaked to the hospital’s park, stared at the stars with curiousness.

“What a silly thing to do,” he said to himself. “But for years I’ve been stuck in this room, I just want to be happy and free even if it’s just for a while.”

Someone pat Aaron’s shoulder. Aaron looked back. It was Taygeta.

“What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be sleeping?”

“I’m going to take you to a journey.” She said mysteriously. She then pulled her sleeve and showed Aaron her crystal ring. “My mom gave this to me before she left,” Taygeta said. “This then become the most precious thing I have ever own.” She pointed the ring to the stars.

Suddenly, everything turned bright that Aaron had to close his eyes. And when he opened them, he hardly remembered what just happen and strangely found himself standing on an endless bridge.

“Where am I?” he said to himself as he began to look around him. Surprisingly, Taygeta was beside him.

“You’re silly! Don’t you know where we are?”

“No.” Aaron replied. “Where are we, really?”

“We’re in the aurora, silly!” Taygeta said. She danced and laughed joyfully. “This isn’t just a normal bridge! This is an aurora!

“Come on, don’t you just stand there! Let’s take a walk!” Taygeta took Aaron’s hand, holding it as she ran along the Aurora Bridge.



Taygeta and Aaron were amazed by the view around them. They could see the earth underneath, and billions of stars on the endless space. Never before they see such beautiful view in earth. Aaron felt strange; he never had such feelings before, and he cannot describe how he felt. And somehow, he loved these feelings. As he traveled along the aurora with Taygeta, he forgot about his frustrations and pressures.
Taygeta slowly stopped. “Look!” she said, pointing to a group of stars. “Did you see that? It’s Pegasus!”
“Where? I can’t see any.” Aaron replied. Taygeta gently pulls Aaron’s hand, connecting each star with it, while Aaron began to understand.

As the stars connected to each other, the constellation turned into a real Pegasus




Pegasus may stick in the sky for too long, but he will always be a horse of freedom. And he wisely learns so much on the earth underneath his kingdom as he never complains about being stuck in the sky. He is grateful for what he sees, and now he had turned into a valorous being.


The valorous Pegasus came closer. Taygeta pulled Aaron’s arm once again. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s have a fantastic ride together.”

While Taygeta and Aaron climbed Pegasus’s back, he spread his magnificent sparkling wings and began to fly. Aaron finally did what he never done; he laughed. He could feel the beauty of freedom passionately. He stared at the shining stars, feeling as happy as a dancing angel.

“Look,” Taygeta said, pointing to another group of stars, connecting a star to another. “That’s Gemini constellation. Do you know that the Gemini is a constellation of a twin’s souls?”




STORY OF GEMINI
The twins were born under the wings of the Swan, Zeus. Castor inherited tenderness from their mother. Pollux inherited immortality from their father. When Castor was wounded to die in a war, Pollux cried to Zeus, the Almighty, "Take away my immortality and let us die together." Thus, the twin stars are twinkling side by side in the eternal sky. (taken from http://kagayastudio.com)


“So they finally die together and turned into that beautiful constellation?” Aaron asked. Taygeta replied with a nod.

Leaving the Gemini constellation behind, Pegasus stopped behind huge colorful dusts. “What’s that?” Aaron asked. “That’s a dying star. Even the stars in the sky get older. Yet, they die with honor, spreading beautiful lights in the sky.”


STORY OF THE STARS
Stars live their life upon ever world, hearing many wishes and bringing hope to each being. They brighten the horizon of our world, showing the way for the lost. Even if they permanently stuck on the sky, just like the Pegasus, they use their life for other’s good. They are selfless, and when the time comes, they die in honor and happiness, spreading the light of peace.


Aaron sat on Pegasus’s back silently, reflecting his journey with Taygeta on the endless outer space. He finally understood the reason of his selfishness and frustrations. He shamefully remembered his life back then in the hospital, as he quietly sent his promise to the stars that he will renew himself.

Pegasus landed on the galactic railroad, the Milky Way. Taygeta and Aaron stood on the magical road with amazement. “Look around you,” Taygeta said. “The stars are no longer just normal lights of the sky.”

Aaron opened his eyes widely as the stars slowly connected to each other. Aaron saw Orion the hunter, Gemini the twins, Cancer the crab, Leo the lion, Virgo the maiden, Lynx, Ursa the bear along with his cub the Ursa Minor, Draco the dragon, Hercules the hero, Aquila the eagle, and other magical beings of the sky.

Suddenly, a cluster of stars underneath the Taurus shone brighter than the rest as Taygeta noticed. Pegasus snuffled. “I believe each human belongs to a star.” Pegasus finally said. He took Taygeta and Aaron, flew to a group of bright stars.

“This is Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters. Your name, Taygeta, is also the name of one of these stars, so as your mother, Celaeno.”

Pegasus pointed to the Celaeno, and Taygeta slowly saw her mother’s reflection in it. Taygeta began to cry with tears. “Mother!” she cried. Taygeta ran to the Celaeno as her body began to brighten and sparked. As Taygeta hugged her mother’s reflection, she turned into a beautiful light, uniting herself with the Taygeta star, which is near Celaeno.

Aaron could not believe what he saw. Pegasus turned himself to a constellation, and the confused Aaron sat on a meteor, leaving everything in his journey behind. He was getting nearer to the earth, as he realized that his journey was over. Suddenly, everything turned bright again.

Aaron opened his eyes, found himself in a strange place. He wasn’t lying on his bed, nor sitting on the park by himself. He has never been here before. He waved to the nurse who came nearby, trying to get her attention. But no one noticed. Everything was confusing until Aaron found himself lying on the coffin. What happened? He thought, frightened. And where’s Taygeta?

“Poor thing,” the nurse said. “I found him lying on the park last night, all alone by himself. But he seemed so happy that I’m starting to wonder about what he sees or what’s in his mind back then.”

“So I was alone, all the time?” He said to himself. “And Taygeta never existed?”

A wind blows gently and everything’s turned bright once again. Aaron couldn’t see anything but his own soul.

“Taygeta died long before you do. She was buried in the soft and beautiful petals, among the stars of the sky. She returned to earth for you, Aaron. And now, it is your turn.” Someone said.
“What turn?” Aaron asked.

“To teach humans about what you have learn in your journey with Taygeta. Humans seek happiness, but they are blind by their own selfishness, and selfishness is not the answer of what they seek. You need to open their eyes, Aaron, just like Taygeta opened yours.”

Someone slowly appeared in Aaron’s sight. It was a precious, wonderful friend of him; Taygeta. “I’ll be waiting for you in the stars,” she said. “And we will have our journey again, together!”

Aaron smiled, as he turned into a human boy again; found himself lying on the bed of another hospital. He walked outside of his room, noticed another room in front of his own.

“You have a new friend,” someone said. “Maybe you could introduce yourself to him. He would love to meet you.”

“Why should I? I don’t need friends, and I never really have one.” Another person replied.

Aaron laughed with joy and passion. He could hardly wait for bringing this child to the celestial journey.


FIN

AUTOBIOGRAPHY.

16 years old. Breathing in the hands of imagination and fantasies, until the present carried me to reality.

I used to read stories all day long, or at least create them myself by picturing the tales. During the midnight, I would sneak out through the visitor room's door to stargaze, discover that it's a big universe, and I'm a small part of it. When the sun awakes from his sleep behind the green mountain, I will run outside and found myself standing in the middle of an open forest. When I was little, I always imagine little fairies dancing through the leaves of trees. But now I realize that they really are real.

As the color of the horizon changes, I carried my bag and my head full of imagination with me and went home, where it's safe, warm and secure. Where my parents await me for dinner. Where I can take a warm bath before sneaking out again in midnight.

That is my past. My personal piece of happiness, despite the bitterness I had during childhood. The past remains as a memory, and now the present takes turn in raising me.

My life has completely changed. It feels like God has erase all of my old days and draw the new ones. Fate took me to a brand new place called the city.

The city. A place with many different people coming from different backgrounds. A place where I found my best friends of life. Culture shock? Of course. In fact, a huge culture shock. I never thought that I would have to survive this hard. Anger and loneliness began to grow inside of me. I don't know what to do and I feel like I'm dying inside for having nothing and for losing all I used to do back then. No more waterfalls, no more clean celestial sky to stargaze on, no more forest. I was depressed for months, to be honest. And seemingly, nobody completely understand this. I don't blame the place nor anyone around me, but I just can't stand on the loneliness back then. Perhaps it is my fault to expose my true feelings, for hoping too much that someone would listen to me.

Every night, I lay down on my bed and imagine a beautiful city where nature can still embrace every living beings inside of it. I will wait for this to become a reality. It is the future of every city, and everyday brings us to the future.

I'm starting to see better days. Despite my culture shock, I learn about the true meaning of life, and the true meaning of friendship. I learn to be strong, gaining wisdom from each day I spent in the city. I began to discover the adventure from the pain and happiness I receive in such wild place.

My soul, however, does not belong to the city even tough I am present here. My heart will find its home again, I believe.  And I sense my pathway to the true home is coming closer to me. I just have to be patient and accomplish my duty in the city, learning and learning everyday, enjoy it because someday, I will not be in such place anymore.

Nature, I'll be back.

I was raised by my parents, and nature.

And now, this is what I've become. Thanks to nature.

I SMELL SOMEONE'S BIRTHDAY :D

Someone's turning 16 today! And this 'someone' is very special so I decided to make a post for her ;) Yes, she's kind. Yes, she's insane. Yes, she's fun. Yes, she's my smart-a*s best junior high friend, Imel! :D


So happy birthday, Imel! I guess I don't have to say 'God Bless You' because He already did! You turned 16, but don't ever forget the good times we have along with Amy and Pricil when you were 14 and 15 years old.

We really should meet up someday with that other 2 crazy beings and continue our 'The Sims' family life again! Miss ya :* Best wishes, have a blast cuz you deserve it!

Anyways, I know you're not going to read this post for months because you're in your school's dorm where internet is not allowed, but you deserve something special so I decided to write something about you anyway. And if you're wondering why I write in English, I'm sorry. It's because of my school's influence and the influence from our favorite 'oybid*s' LOL.

"malam doa"

our second home, the waterfall

our fckn favorite game, swing fight! :")

the four musketeers :D

Love, love, hugs!
Kezia, your good and artistic and kind and smart and crazy friend! LOL kidding :*