there's just something about rainy days that make me feel a little melancholic. just sitting here at my table, looking out of my window, looking at the raindrops falling..

i like moments like this..

just a quiet moment, amidst all the busyness, amidst all the hustle and bustle..

I happened to chance upon this little note on facebook that was written by one of my facebook friends. This is just a excerpt from the note..

The Meaning of Friendship

When we talk about the meaning of friendship, some questions would come to our mind; How do we define friendship? Can a relationship be measured? How do we distinguish the level of relationship we have with different friends?

To me, a friendship is more than just of group of people sharing a common goal or interest in life. It is also more than just a group of people working/studying in the same place/organisation for a certain period of their time in life. A genuine friendship consists of a group of people sharing common principles and values in life. They are able to relate to one another in their deepest thoughts without any feelings of being judged upon because of their common values. They can share their thoughts freely because a common platform of understanding is established. Their genuine concern for one another can be felt upon without any use of words. Although we need friends in life, friendship should also never be seen as a means of eradicating loneliness. The basis of their friendship is not a "plus and minus equation"; it is not measured upon how beneficial/useful this person can be to the other party.

A genuine friendship takes into account the weakness and strength of an individual and accepting who he/she is. When we speak of accepting the person for who he/she is, we should be mindful that speaking the truth even when it hurts is part of showing genuine concern. Speaking the truth is not just about expressing how one party feels towards the other party's action. It comprises of sharing the reasons behind their feelings and actions and then aligning them with the common values and principles established. Most importantly, the basis of their discussion is built upon the trust and integrity of each parties. In fact, when we initiate measures to distrust or corrupt the integrity of the other parties, it only reveals the way we built upon this friendship with the other party.

When we seek to establish a genuine friendship with another party, we should bear in mind that a true test of friendship is one that endures through sufferings. As George Washington says. "True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation."

While reading this part of the note, i found myself nodding in agreement.. This is what i feel about friendships too. That as friends, and i mean, true friends, genuine ones, will be able to relate to one another in their deepest thoughts without the feelings of being judged upon..

Friendship and family are equally important to me. Family aside, the support that i get from my group of close friends is something that i cannot do without. Looking at the different friendships that i have with different people over these 20 years of my life... i've come to realise that as i grew older, i've become slightly clearer of myself and the friends that i have.

As i've quoted in one of my previous posts before "The depth of a friendship does not depend on the length of acquaintance." It's true. very true to me. It doesn't matter how long i've known my close friends.. speaking of which, i've come to notice one sort of a similarity among all of them. My group of close friends, to say the truth, i have not known them for long at all. Half a year, 4 years, 8 years.. and I always thought that best friends are friends who know each other for many many years. Seems like i'm pretty wrong about that.

I've heard this quote somewhere before.. "It is easy to find someone to share your joy with, but to find someone to share your sorrows with, it isn't easy." and like that quote in the note above, "a true test of friendship is one that endures through sufferings." How true indeed. I'm someone who usually wouldn't voice out my feelings when i'm upset, but some of my close friends, they just seemed to be so in tune with me. I can't hide anything from them, they just know when something is wrong.

I truly thank God for placing my group of close friends in my life, cos' i really don't know what i will do without them. It doesn't matter where i am, whether i am in Singapore or in Perth. God has placed my best and close friends in these 2 places...

I'm blessed, truly am.

Tomorrow Can Be Too Late

If you’re mad with someone and nobody’s there to fix the situation…
You fix it.
Maybe that person still wants to be your friend.
‘Cos if you don’t fix it today, tomorrow can be too late.

If you love somebody but that person doesn’t know…
Tell her/him.
Maybe that person is also in love with you.
‘Cos if you don’t tell her/him today, tomorrow can be too late.

If you still love a person that you think has forgotten about you…
Tell her/him.
Maybe that person has always loved you.
‘Cos if you don’t tell her/him today, tomorrow can be too late.

If you need a hug from a friend…
Ask her/him for it.
Maybe they need it more than you do.
‘Cos if you don’t ask for it today, tomorrow can be too late.

If you have friends whom you really appreciate…
Tell them.
Maybe they appreciate you as well.
‘Cos if you don’t, and they leave or go somewhere far away today, tomorrow can be too late.

If you love your parents, and never had the chance to show them…
Do it.
Maybe they’re yearning to feel the warmth of your love too.
‘Cos if you don’t, and they leave today,
Then tomorrow can be too late.

Today, during Sales Management lecture, the topic was on Building Trust and Sales Ethics. It got me thinking for awhile.. Ethics, Morals and Society's expectations.. What is right or wrong? And then you have the 'in-between' .. the gray area..

Ethics is what the society deems as right and wrong, while morals is what YOU deem as right and wrong. But sometimes, there is this gray area whereby, you wonder if what you are doing is right or wrong. My lecturer was describing about some of his past sales experience in different countries. Because of the different cultures, the way a sales transaction is done between a seller and a buyer (organisation, institute, etc..) is different. Often, drinking comes into the picture, like what we see on the television when a sales person tries to make a deal with a company, and then they'll go to a pub or somewhere for a drink, etc... And also about how some sales people use underhand means to make a deal.. How some practices which is considered illegal in certain countries may be considered legal in other countries, etc.. And also the dilemmas that we may face next time.

My lecturer asked a question, "At the end of the day, what would you do?" It really boils down to your own choice and decision i guess, and to know what is right or wrong morally and ethically and to stand by firmly to them. And i guess another thing that comes into play is your own principles. I feel that in the modern society today, it can be a challenge to stand and remain firm about your own morals, ethics and principles, because sometimes, under pressure and being in the 'rat-race culture' .. it can be easy to lose oneself to the world.

Today's lecture has kind of made me reflect... I pray and hope that, in the future, when im out there in the working society, in face of pressure and circumstances, i can remain level-headed and firm about what i believe in, firm about my morals, principles and values.

It's been about a week since i returned to Perth. and what a week it has been!

On saturday, 24th, was supposed to be flying back to Perth with Carmen. but it turns out that she was really sick, down with food poisoning and all that, thus she was unable to come.. was a little sad and lost. and when i had to say goodbye to my family at the airport, i couldn't help but cried a little as i hugged them goodbye. as my mum says, it's seperation anxiety.. which i believed so too. all was good when i reached Perth and saw Emma and Jocelyn again. It's so nice to be able to see them again after so long (though i did meet up with jocelyn a few times back in Singapore la..) but yes, to see familiar faces amongst the sea of unfamiliar ones just helps to cure that homesickness in me.

Was pretty tired by the time we got back to college. Em and Jocelyn helped me made the bed and then soon enough, i was asleep.. on sunday late afternoon, i got a text from Carmen saying that she bought another ticket and she's coming to Perth on Monday afternoon! It's just crazy, but i'm glad that she managed to come in the end.

So the whole week, we went to a few places with some of my friends, bought loads of stuff. Basically, just showing and letting her experience the kind of life that i live here. Cos as i always said, what i can describe about the kind of life that i live here.. the friends that i have, the college life, uni, etc.. words are just limited, you have to experience it yourself. So i guess Carmen could now understand how i feel about Perth, the amazing friends that i have here and the life that i live here.

Carmen went back to Singapore on saturday night. was a little lost for a moment, but at the same time, i was okay too. As Jocelyn said, "a friend from your comfort zone back in Singapore comes to visit you in Perth, now that she has left, there is the sense of 'cant bear for her to leave' but at the same time, you have friends here in Perth in your own comfort zone too.. " which is pretty true actually. As i mentioned last time, Perth is no longer a place that is foreign to me anymore. I have great friends here, who makes me feel like Perth is another home, away from my home back in Singapore.

Sunday night, we went to watch Inception. Such an awesome movie! For a moment, the question popped into my mind. Dreams vs Reality. Which one is real? In the sense that, the dreams that we all have.. our ambitions for our future, etc.. it can be real, can't it? If we know what we want, we work hard for it, towards it. So then, our dreams, can one day be our reality too, right?

And that brings to my mind about my near future and the present... I'm here now, in Perth, UWA, studying a Bachelor of Commerce degree. I know why i am studying business for, i know why i do the majors that i am doing now. I hope i don't lose sight of my initial reason of studying business. And whether dream becomes reality in the end, it depends on how hard i'm going to work for it i guess, and whether it is in God's plan for me.