Yet more quotes...

Some of the quotes that I found inspiring. =)

Images...

I love Google Images. =)

Weird and random...

There are pages in everyone's life that are blank. Pristine. Clean. And there are pages that are meant for reading. And the words weave a story that is compelling, a tale fraught with meaning and a depth that cannot be fathomed with just a skim of the pages. These words speak deep when one reads between the lines. The question is this: do we take the time to actually do so?

There is always a story behind a face, behind a heart. And sometimes, the stories are not what we expect. Hidden sorrow, tears, desperation, depression... one may never know until one listens. Unfortunately, human nature is one that seeks self gratification. And the love of one's voice may deafen said person to the sounds that tell of the lives others lead.

Thoughts...

Silence is golden.

Except when there's injustice.

And a friend is at the losing end of it.

What would you do if there was an opportunity to speak up?

To act out?

I really wouldn't know what I would do.

Self preservation is a trait I am guilty of having.

Even if the circumstances rankle and rile me up.

I have not been in such a situation yet.

But I have thought about it.

And although the course of action should be easy, because really, the decision shouldn't be difficult, I find myself conflicted.

So what would you do?

* * *

In the end, we remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

- Martin Luther King Jr.

Random quotes...

People always say that, when you love someone, nothing in the world matters. But that's not true, is it? You know, and I know, that when you love someone, everything in the world matters a bit more.

- Sean O' Keefe in Jodi Picoult's Handle with Care.

ten days of perfect tunes
the colors red and blue
we had a promise made
we were in love

to call for hands of above
to lean on
wouldn't be good enough
for me, no

to call for hands of above
to lean on
wouldn't be good enough

- Heartbeats by Jose Gonzalez

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

- Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

It's a change
that reaches down and suddenly lifts you,
At the end
of a rainy day when you sat alone and cried.
It's a sign
that lets you know there is a life awaiting,
The day
you make your peace with the love in you that died.

When the pain dies down
And the dam becomes a river.
The fire burns out under the rain.
Can you feel it now?
It's gone from you forever.
Fading out under the rain.

Like a train,
That takes its time pulling out of the station.
It's a dream
that comforts you in the middle of the night.
It's a song
that carries you to a better emotion.
And now,
Now you know it's going to be alright.

When the pain dies down,
And the dam becomes a river.
The fire burns out under the rain.
Can you hear me now?
A simple conversation
Fading out under the rain.

The past is there behind you
and nothing is forever.
Dancing on the river again
da da da da da da
la da da da da
la da da da da da dum
la da da da da da daa

When the pain dies down,
And the dam becomes a river.
The fire burns out under the rain
Can you feel it now?
It's gone from you forever
Fading out turning away.

When the pain dies down....

-When the Pain Dies Down sung by Chris Stills

From Grey's Anatomy Season 5 Episode 22: What a Difference a Day Makes...

Today is the day my life begins. Today, I become a citizen of the world. Today, I become a grown up. Today, I become accountable to someone other than myself and my parents, accountable for more than my grades. Today, I become accountable to the world, to the future, to all the possibilities that life has to offer. Starting today, my job is to show up, wide eyed and willing and ready. For what? I don't know. For anything. For everything. To take on life. To take on love. To take on the responsibility and possibility. Today, my friends, our lives begin. And I for one, can't wait.

- Becca Wells as played by Amy Gumenick

***

Today is the day my life begins. All my life, I've been just me, just a smart-mouthed kid. Today I become a man. Today I become a husband. Today I become accountable to someone other than myself. Today I become accountable to you, to our future, to all possibilities that our marriage has to offer. Together, no matter what happens, I'll be ready. For anything. For everything. To take on life. To take on love. To take on possibility and responsibility. Today, Izzie Stevens, our life together begins. And I for one, can't wait.

- Alexander Karev as played by Justin Chambers

Rainbows...

And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."

Genesis 9: 12-16

Good luck!

Best of luck, Fi! A good luck charm for you! Just in case you chance upon this blog again before any other paper. =)
And to Wendy as well, dear, best of luck! And persevere with the strength I know you have within you as well as the strength that God provides. =)
♥, Chris.

Before someone implies I'm a pot...

It's amazing the multitude of images one can pull up on Google by typing in the most obscure, abstract words. And the pictures are really beautiful and meaningful as well. As they say, a picture paints a thousand words. And it's true. I find myself awestruck by the poignancy some of the photographs depict. Or the raw emotions that sometimes make me catch my breath with the intensity. Plus the fact that one has the liberty to interpret the meaning behind the captured moment which allows for the imagination to work. =)

Friendship as a destination to arrive at... how apt! I personally am of the opinion that many people desire true friendship in their lives, but then many aspects of our lives make us deviate from the road that leads us there. Hypocrisy, fear, lack of social grace... it's difficult to establish a friendship with someone if we are constantly wearing a mask to hide our true selves. But a friendship that is lasting and enduring is of as great a value as unearthing a rare gem. =) And arriving at the destination after a gruelling, difficult journey makes it all that much sweeter...

I love the words on this. It's uplifting. Inspirational. Meaningful to both the speaker and the recipient. The writer and the reader. That the life one leads has made a difference to at least one person. That it was not in vain. There are many incidences when one may feel awkward, isolated, alone in the midst of so many people. It's easy to think that no one cares in today's day and age, where everyone is so caught up in the rat race, where nary a day passes by without someone doing something only because he/she has an ulterior motive. It's sad that loneliness and isolation can still exist despite the many people we meet daily. That one can still feel lost in a crowd of faces. But these words speak volumes. And the power conveyed is undeniable.

I have always loved cartoons/comics. Especially Calvin and Hobbes and Winnie the Pooh. For the simple reason that the relationships established between the characters are able to teach me a thing or two about the way friendships are meant to be: unchanging, accepting, lasting. It speaks to the child in me of innocence and trust. Of having faith in the kindness of people, in the very nature of mankind. And of the power of imagination. Whether it's in the 100 Acre Wood or in Calvin's house, the escapades and adventures never lose the warmth that defines the very heart of their interactions.

Haha, I'm strongly reminded of Joel who loves dolphins very very much. =D I find this picture very playful, joyful and it's almost like the dolphins are frolicking in the sun. Just the way spending time with friends should be like.Time spent building each other up. =) Time spent in enjoyment. That at the very basic level, there should be a realisation that it's fun to be with friends, that it should not be an obligation or a duty. I think that sometimes, people can lose sight of that, especially in the hustle and bustle of one's routine.

Pretty, isn't it? How every hand is integral in completing the picture. Kind of like how friends complete each other. =) Even missing one finger would make the star not a star. Right? =)

Quotes...

No matter how dark the moment, love and hope are always possible.

- George Chakiris
American dancer and actor
1934-present

In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.

- Francis Bacon
English lawyer and philosopher
1561-1626

But groundless hope, like unconditional love, is the only kind worth having.

- John Perry Barlow
American writer
1947-present

Hope is faith holding out its hand in the dark.

- George Iles
English author
1852-1942

Update... finally. =)

For every recollection of him that involved a bullet or a scream, she would have a hundred others: of a little boy splashing in a pond, or riding a bicycle for the first time, or waving from the top of a jungle gym. Of a kiss good night, or a crayoned Mother's Day card, or a voice off-key in the shower. She would string them together - the moments when her child had been just like other people's. She would wear them, precious pearls, every day of her life; because if she lost them, the boy she had loved and raised and known would really be gone.

-Jodi Picoult, in Nineteen Minutes-

The excerpt above really haunted me in its beauty and the depth of the emotions conveyed. The sorrow of a mother's loss. The desperation in just holding on to the fragments of a life lived just so that the child will be remembered. The resemblance of normalcy before catastrophe struck. I'd recommend the book to anyone who loves to read.

I've been neglecting my blog lately. Sorry! It's been more than a month since I updated. LOL. In the meantime, I've been to Easter camp aka OC, enjoyed a restful Easter break, watched neurosurgery (deep brain stimulation), attended a wedding, attempted cannulation on a poor fifth year medical student and had cannulation done on me. =) Oh and I also broke my comb into two pieces: one with the teeth and the other, the handle. While I was combing my hair. Sigh...