Nelson Mandela Hospitalized

I've just heard (and read) that Nelson Mandela was admitted into hospital this afternoon for a "routine checkup" but now I believe he's in critical condition.

Keeping him in my prayers...

International Thank You Day

Today - Tuesday, January 11 2011 (1/11/11) was International Thank You Day.  Every Thursday I write a post on my blog titled Thankful Thursday where I reflect on the past week and show my gratitude to people and things in my life. This week, because of it being Thank You Day, I'll list things that I'm thankful for :)

Thank you...

...to my parents: for giving my brother and I the best opportunities in life to better ourselves.
...to my brother for not only being a brother, but a very cool friend :)
...to God for my health, as well as my parents and brother's health.
...Sylvia, our maid for taking care of our house as if it were her own.
...to my friends for being a part of my life.
...to YOU for reading my blog :)

There's so much more I could write and thank people for, but more on that later this week!

Then & Now

Chatting to my cousin, Trusha, over lunch this afternoon made me think back to when I was her age (19 almost 20).

Sometimes it feels like I missed out on a chunk in my family's life. Being away at university for four years and three years living in Korea doesn't mean that I never ever spoke to them or knew what they were up to, but I missed out on chatting to cousins and knowing what they were really like.

Listening to Trusha talk about her tastes in books, her outlook on life and such things made me think: "She is me when I was her age!" which, of course led me to my next thought: "I've changed. A lot!"

Are there things I wish I knew back then to prepare me for life...up to where I am right now? Well, yes - there are days that I DO wish I had known certain things and especially...how to deal with days that are really crappy. On the other hand, I'm still alive, right? ...and I believe that what doesn't kill you certainly makes you stronger (even though we can't figure out why certain things are happening at a certain time).

Change is like growing up...it's inevitable. 

Everyone is a house...

Everyone is a house with four rooms, a physical, a mental, an emotional and a spiritual.

Most of us tend to live in one room most of the time, but unless we go into every room, every day, even if only to keep it aired, we are not a complete person. -Indian Proverb

Bomb Scare at Hemingways Mall

We were having lunch at Hemingways Mall this afternoon when a siren went off. I told my mum that it sounds like an evacuation siren.

Shortly after saying that, we saw people exiting.

It was a bomb scare! Some people went to the parking lot and left the mall while others were being gathered outside the entrance.

We heard that the mall got a call saying that a bomb was planted (apparently in Edgars - a clothing store) and that it would go off in 3 hours.

Store clerks, waiters & chefs were huddled together, some lying on the grass while we waited...

30 minutes later, we were told all was OK and that we could go back inside.

I wasn't really impressed because I was waiting for action: police, dogs, helicopters! But alas, nothing.

Pics to follow.

Thankful Thursday

As 2010 wraps up, I have more to reflect on and be thankful for...not just in the past week but over the year. I'll add to this list as more things come to me, and no doubt they will!

I'm thankful for:

• ...my health
• ...to have two healthy parents and brother
• ...to have food to eat everyday
• ...to have clean clothes to wear everyday
• ...to have running water to take showers everyday
• ...having a clean and warm bed to sleep in every night.
• ...Donovan helping out at home.
• ...my dad sending me AT.
• ...my dad helping me out with a contact.
• ...my brother willing to help me (with a contact)

What are you thankful for today/this week?

A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all other virtues. -Cicero

Plan Less. Live More.

"You'll never enjoy never your life fully by making plans" is what a friend said to me the other day. He thinks I plan life way too much.  Do I?

Well, for as long as I can remember, I have been making "To Do" lists. I love them. I love the feeling of accomplishment when I tick something off that I've done. I've always felt the need to be in control, especially concerning my life. That just makes sense, doesn't it?

I've just finished reading Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now where he talks about being present and conscious. Come to think of it, doesn't it just seem ridiculous to continue worrying over something that as passed? We can't turn back time, as much as many of us want to. Also, we have no idea of what tomorrow holds in store for us. We aren't even guaranteed the next 30 minutes. That's the reality of life. All we have is now.

So, now I'm trying my level best to practice this. It's not easy, believe me! Don't get me wrong - I'm not going to suddenly stop planning. I need some kind of outline as to where I'm headed, but to plan everything down to the minutest detail is a waste of time really, because in a split second - everything could change. So all that time that was spent planning was a waste of time and energy, when you could have been enjoying the "now" (then!)

Just my thought...!