reflections of a 20 year old

reflections of a 20 year old. indeed, this marks a significant time period in life.. so it appears. what makes this january 29 different from any other january 29?

1. january 29 2006 is chinese new year. to the chinese, this is a time of family, a time of celebration for the coming new year, and a time of giving and sharing. personally i find the animals stuff and the singing weird songs and the fancy chinese phrases and bit tiresome, repetitive, and a bit heathen. there's always time for giving and sharing, and surely i do not mind receiving red envelops stuffed with cash. but surely still, such a time should not have constant tension and unfamiliarity in the family.

2. for the very first time, age dictates that i am to be an adult. therefore, it is only right to act like an adult, and deal with my own issues as an adult. though i understand that the constant struggles of life is neverending, teenager or adult, i would guess that there certainly should be some expected change. on this january 29, i found that all the more difficult to handle. it may have been the consistent reminders of failure in many facets, spiritual and unspiritual. or the times that the things close to heart were abruptly taken away in pain. or even just the duty to be a responsible person, with a series of responsibilities. 20 is a landmark for maturity, and maturity demands me to deal with things right.

3. the value of love and friendship stands out so much more to me. it was a clear comparison. my first birthday in university, i spent the weekend with very different people, and we ended up doing many different things together. i saw different forms of love in their actions and their words. i appreciated everyone that remembered my birthday, sometimes to the point that i didn't know what to say back, and some did more than that. i'm a believer that we should treat our friends like it's their birthday every day.. except that the birthday gives us a reason to do something extra fun for the person you love. thank you everyone that i encountered that weekend.. you've reminded me how much more that i should love you as a friend and brother in Christ. yup.. yes you.

4. weaknesses are sometimes best left hidden from the cheeky ones. letters should always come with a 50 cent canadian stamp if it is a local letter, and it should also be stamped by the post office to show that it has been mailed. as well, normal people do not make their signatures indecipherable, nor do they spray tommy girl all over it. if the letter contains these traits, and includes lots of mushy writing, be suspicious. be very suspicious. i at least got the suspicious part down.

5. though i am in a new "phase" of life, i'm still stuck in the same phase of life as a student. i'm 20, but school still sucks so hard. the best birthday present for me is a good mark for my exams. (not to say that i didn't like the ones i received. thank you!)

20 years old indeed. that's a lot to think about for a kid like me. i bid all the 19 year olds good luck, all the 20+ year olds good day, and all the 18- good grief charlie brown, cuz u've got a long way to go!

sincerely yours,
victro