Noreen's
PERSONAL BLOG & JOURNAL

        

         Imagine yourself being a senior high school student – struggling to have the perfect study-fun balance and only just beginning to come of age. At times, I feel like everything is going wrong, and nothing will ever go right, but it is not always like that in reality. Like most people, I often face tight deadlines, endless requirements, and constant failure; but that’s just about it. When it comes to stress, I like to believe that it’s not the load that breaks you down; it’s the way you carry it. Life is not easy, and we all have problems, even tragedies, to deal with. As the saying goes, “There’s always a rainbow after the rain.” I, too, have my own collection of happy moments in life. It just goes to show that life is not going to be easy, perfect, and exactly how one expects it to be.

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         Do you believe in the saying that one’s best success comes after the greatest disappointments? I, for one, have not just heard of this quote, but have also experienced a situation that is similar. At my previous school, I joined elocution contests yearly from preschool up to elementary. At first, it went well as I had consecutive wins, but more students started joining, students who were really talented and had unique and different styles. They became my competitors. Despite being more experienced, I still practiced hard and prepared well for each performance, but there were still some instances when I went home without an award. There was even a time when I did not even qualify for the eliminations. What made it more difficult to accept was the fact that I already had practice sessions with my personal instructor. I felt so down because I hate disappointing my parents more than disappointing my own self. Nonetheless, this situation did not end with me sulking and thinking that I am not good enough. Instead, I promised myself that I would come back next year better and more prepared than last time. It made me realize that we don’t always win in our battles, but it is good enough that we fought. It is important that we should never confuse our path with our destination. Just because it is stormy now, it does not mean that we are not headed for sunshine. In my case, a specific "turn of events" made up for everything. To my surprise, I became first in our class on that same grading period. Truly, there is success after overcoming even the worst days. We do not grow when things are easy; we grow when we face challenges. Haruki Murakami once said, “When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person that walked in. That’s what the storm is all about.” That trial in my life has made me a stronger person, one who continues to overcome challenges, those I once thought I could not do.

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          Furthermore, whenever I think about the people who God has put in my life, I realize that it is by no accident that they were/are here in my life. Right now, the circle of people in my life are those who I cherish the most in the world. It is true that parents and friends generally play a huge role in shaping the beliefs and behavior of an individual. The people who become the greatest influencers in our lives tend to be those who are closest to us – our family and friends. From simply talking how my day was over dinner to attending my graduation ceremony as I finish high school, my family has always been with me. No matter how simple or how important an event in my life is, they will surely be involved, and I appreciate that so much. Also, my parents taught me all the basics of "proper behavior”. When I was younger, I was impulsive and did whatever I could think of. I did not know that it was unacceptable to eat with dirty fingers, to play with sharp objects, and to hit other kids. I thank my parents for giving me rules to follow. I consider myself blessed because I was thought valuable things at a young age. Because of my parents, I also grew up to be a follower of Christ and a loving daughter and sister to my family.

 

         Come to think of family and friends, I remember the time when I hung out with my friends and completely forgot about the time. My dad expressed a few concerns regarding my group of friends. He said variations of, “I just don’t know about so-and-so…” as well as “Maybe you shouldn’t hang out with...” I know that my friends have the ability to impact my decisions. From making a decision as simple as what clothes to wear or where to go to eat, to having serious talks about real-life choices that I should make, I know that they will have an influence. The company that I keep – it says a lot about me. I spend 7 hours a day, 5 times a week in school, and all students know how tiring that can be. My friends are the people in my life who make me laugh a little louder, smile a little bigger, and live just a little bit better. My friends never fail to make me smile even in the saddest of days. Aside from my family, the only time that I can be the “real me” is when I am with my friends. Everyone sees what I appear to be, but only a few know the “real me”. I can be the insane and care-free me when I am with my family and friends. They make me feel the best and also bring out the best in me.

 

         I am who I am today because of the strength that I have in overcoming the things that I thought I could never do and because of the people who shaped me into the independent young woman that I am today.