I AM Thankful

Yesterday was exactly one year since I first left Malaysia for NZ.  It has been a year filled with ups and downs - as is to be expected of life. Each step, a journey .. of challenges, of explorations, of adventures. One could look back over the year and think - how cruel it has been or how exciting it has been. I choose to describe it as awesome. It is as they say - there is no rainbow without the rain.  Therefore the rainfalls cannot be seen as “bad.” Rather, within them and because of them – we get to enjoy the beauty of the rainbow.

So many things have happened over this past year.  So many things to be thankful for.  Travelling to NZ – for one, meant meeting new people.  And in the past year, I have met some wonderful people.  Today, I am happy to say – some of them have fast become friends! This is a huge blessing indeed. If I did not come over here, I would never have met some of these amazing and wonderful folks. After one year, I have also been able to complete the first level of my post grad program.  Upon my return to NZ just a week ago, I found a package waiting for me.  What was it? My Postgrad Certificate in International Development/Studies.  Another milestone reached.

So, I have lived yet another year - learnt a lot of stuff - not just from the academic world, but also about life in general - and about me myself. Who I am, where I came from, how far I have travelled, and who I have become (and becoming). Some have grown closer and some have drifted further - but all part and parcel of life.  A journey I have no regrets over.

The year 2016 started off quite scary in that the international news featured one celebrity after another dying of cancer. Right at the start of the year.  Many took that to be ominous of horrible things to come for the year. But as we all know, life is speckled with the so called “good” and the “bad.” And if we choose to look for signs of impending doom, surely we will be able to see very clearly all the gloom that can drain our energy and darken our world.  At the same time, if we choose to look for the silver lining in every dark cloud – I believe we can and will also find that in every calamity, every problem, every challenge – there will be opportunities. Opportunities for us to grow, to develop, to excel.  And so – this is what I choose for myself (not always successful – but that is what I want to do, and what I will endeavour to do).

In 2016, not only did I graduate as mentioned earlier – but I also managed to publish my first book called Self Hypnosis: New Opportunity for Wellness.  I was able to register my own company in New Zealand, called NOW Services Limited.  I was accepted as an International Member of the Australian Hypnotherapists’ Association (AHA), and also an Associate Member of the New Zealand Association of Professional Hypnotherapists (NZAPH). Managed to travel back to Malaysia to conduct a couple of workshops. And from those workshops – had the opportunity to share my experiences with others as well as to learn from each and every one of them.  Perhaps, one of the most rewarding part of that was being a part of the process of seeing several of these wonderful people becoming Certified Hypnotherapists (by the American Board of Hypnotherapy).

I found a beautiful house to move several months back. My first house in New Zealand. Tho not mine yet .. but surely one day. A beautiful garden that I so enjoy. And as I sit here typing now – I can look out to the back yard and hear the birds chirping on a bright sunny (tho not hot) day.  Life is beautiful – if we want to see the beauty in it.

There were, no doubt, difficult times. Moments of doubts, time when I felt like I was struggling all alone, experiencing pain of others – especially those close in heart. Helping some family/friends/colleagues/associates deal with cancer, depression and even suicide were trying to say the least. Yet – their lives intertwined with mine cannot be seen as problems. In fact, I have come to learn recently that anything that happens in my life (even the lives and happenings of others) are for the purpose of teaching me something about myself. All my experiences - with people, with events, with things (anything) is designed to help me become who I have to be - who I seek to be. Each, a valuable lesson. What I take of the lesson - that is entirely up to me. Through it all, I have come to appreciate more (tho perhaps not fully yet) – several important things: we all have choices, and we all have to travel the road we choose to travel. In that too, it means the need to respect others for their choices (even when we disagree with those choices). We have to respect their beliefs as much as we want them to accept ours. So – there should be less and less of judging, and more and more of loving.  Most important of all is perhaps the “reminder” that we are all One. We originate from the same “Source.” We are all made equal in the eyes of the great Creator. We are all connected.  Judging and condemning ourselves, judging and condemning others – is judging and condemning He/She who created us.

Thank you – for all that has been; the numerous blessings over this past year. Thank you for what is to come – I have no doubt that God will continue to guide me and bless me as I travel the path my life calls me to.  But most of all, thank you for this very moment – the NOW – and for all the people in my life. My friends and my family: they who give meaning to my existence.

Happy Thanksgiving Day!!

Namaste,
Syl