Please be happy

Look at the contacts in your phone. You probably have a hundred of them, a hundred souls. Some of them are hurting but they don't show it, they don't talk about it. This one's for them. I happen to know a few beautiful souls who are hurting so badly right now. May this help you- one way or another. May you find comfort in knowing that the pain won't last forever.

Firstly, I'm sorry. I'm sorry you're going through so much pain. I hope there's someone you talk to, someone you share your troubles and sorrows with. I hope you find the courage within you to tell someone about the things that keep you up at night, the things that don't let your pillow stay dry. There's someone you already know who would be more than willing to listen to you.

Trust them. Let them in.

As much as you don't want to let another human break you again, let this one person in. Know that there's strength in vulnerability.

Next, believe. Believe that you're going to be okay. It probably feels like the end of the world to you but it's not and you know that. Trust that things will get better- because it will, it always does. Believe you're not alone in this- because you're not. Believe that there is an end to this pain. Believe the ones who tell you that you're strong enough to pull through this, simply because you are.

The only way out of this is for you to go through it. Don't run away from your feelings. It's okay to hurt. Feel the pain because it will make you so much stronger than you already are. When you're no longer crying yourself to sleep at night, feel the relief. When you realise that the pain has subsided, feel the joy and don't hesitate. You deserve to be happy.

Do the things that make you happy. Read a book, hang out with your friends, go shopping or catch a movie. Do whatever you want to do because you no longer have to hurt. Move on because you owe it to yourself to be happy.

Remember, you're a fighter. This pain is only temporary.
Please be happy.

Love,
Reshma

Crazy Semester

It's been a very crazy semester. So very crazy. So much work and so very little time to complete all of that. I'm glad it's over.

I did learn a couple of things from these 6 months though. Learned a lot more about how pressure has a very tight hold on people and how sometimes, the simplest of words can make the biggest different to someone's day. 

I guess this semester did test my friends' and my ability to hold on, no matter how hard things got. Took me longer than ever to realise that there was no 'rule book' to keep to and that I should be just taking it as it came my way. Took me longer than it should have to realise that it was okay not to be okay. I'm so very glad to have pulled through. 

I really couldn't even find time to socialise with the Heroes, that was how horribly tight our schedules got. It was one assignment after and another and just when you thought you could take a break- oh wait- look, there's another one. Whoever I did get to work with though, I got a lot closer to them and I'm very grateful to have done so and thank you for being such sweet little things to me, you guys.

It's also a crazy month right now. There was Onam and the various celebratory functions to attend, then there were/are birthdays, one of which was my brother's (I love you Ridhun <3) and my parents' wedding anniversary. I'm also currently going through the trouble to get my damn driving license and I seriously am learning a lot of things I never knew before.

I do realise how so many of my friends have been through a tough time this semester, I'm sorry if I didn't manage to be there physically at times but hey, we pulled through and it's over. I am indeed very thankful to those who stood by me.

Well, here's to the rest of this much-needed semester break!

Love ya guys,
Reshma :)

SPOT LEAP Camp 2016

This post is going to be about one of the most interesting experiences of my life thus far. 

From the 28th to 31st March 2016, I stayed over at Kota Tinggi Rainforest Resort Campsite for my Foundation LEAP Camp with the SPOT family (2016). I was grouped with 15 other members and I must say, they brought a whole new meaning to my life. 

To be completely honest, I wasn't exactly looking forward to the idea of leaving the comfort of my bedroom and going over to stay in a tent with concrete ground, wrapping myself in the sleeping bag I dreaded carrying around with the 2 other bags I had. I didn't really know a lot about my team members except for 3 people whom I met at the 7-Habits Workshop. Samantha, Marc, and Sabrina were so sweet to me and I really made a connection with them.

Then, on the actual day, we reported at T11 Square at 7.35am where I first my met Student Facilitator, Lyna, and all the other team members of the soon-to-be Team P.I.A (Professionals in Action). We played a few games and went through a round of introduction before boarding the bus to Kota Tinggi.

We got there 10-15 mins before the expected time and were given expectations/rules/guidelines, whichever you would like to call them. We played more games and soon, we came to realise that the activities we were about to take part in were actually tied in to the 7 Habits we learned about from the workshop.

Each activity challenged our ability to work together, plan, strategise and make decisions with time restrictions. I wouldn't want to go too much into the details of what we did for each of the activity but they were all very much relevant to what we were to expect in our lives. Kayaking, tug-of-war and an 8km trek, the list goes on and on. 

But, to me, the most memorable part of the entire camp was when my team members and I stayed up on Campfire night until 3am, talking about our lives, pouring our hearts out to each other. We cried, we empathised, we bonded. I never, in my whole entire life, felt so connected to a group of people, who just a few days ago, were complete strangers to me. 

I want to take this opportunity to thank the following team members for finding a very special place in my heart:

• Samantha, my awesome buddy. You were there with me every single moment, encouraging me to do things I never thought I would do. You're so inspiring and I look up to you for all those times you did things you were afraid to even think about! I also want to thank you for constantly stretching and challenging me to do greater things. You're my silent hero <3

• Marc, my precious entertainer. You're such a good dancer and an even better choreographer!! Thank you for entertaining me throughout the entire camp and saving me from that huge, gigantic, enormous rock during the trek. Tq for buying me the ice-cream I never ate. :p

• Roslee, my saviour. You're so hilarious and I really want to thank you for telling me things a stranger would never tell another. I want to thank you for trusting me enough to tell me all those things you did. I also want to thank you for opening up to us when you never felt like doing so. I appreciate your efforts in being my kayak-partner and telling me what the hell I was suppose to do because I had no idea. Thanks man!

• En Hau, Jonathan, Ian, Feng Jie, Dillon, Wei Jie, Heriz, Xing Yi, Niki, Zi Ying, Jack and SJ, for always being there for me, never giving up on me, and helping me grow as an individual throughout the entire duration of this camp.

I love you guys to the moon and back! 

Love, 

Reshma :)

Through Thick and Thin

Hello!

I'm dedicating this post to my beautiful classmates, for making my 18th Birthday a special one.

Thank you guys so much for that heart-touching video. It was so sweet of you guys to do that. To think, I'll have it with me for the rest of my life! Thank you 'Marvel Heroes' for Skyping me at 12am to sing me Happy Birthday. Thank you for all those cards, notes, letters and gifts. I promise I'll treasure them. Believe me, I love you guys.

It's been a roller-coaster journey with the Heroes. Ups and downs that never seemed to end. You guys know how much I care for you people and sometimes, that is exactly the reason why I can be so annoying. You people still stand by me, and put up with me and I think I owe you guys big time for that.

I think I've been understanding the importance of being happy, recently. I also think I've been coming to believe the fact that if you need a reason to be happy, and that reason can be taken away from you, you're at risk of losing that happiness.

The ones who love you will never leave you.
Even if there are a hundred reasons to give up,
they will find one reason to hold on.

Through thick and thin, heroes, we shall stick together.

Love,
Reshma :)