"Everyone believes...in how they think it ought to be"

(10/20/09 blog post)

First of all, I strongly believe in genuineness. I think that it's extremely important to voice your opinions, and tell others how you feel because there is nothing worse than being a liar or a fake person. Do not conform to others' standards or expectations because you are the person that you are for a reason-- it's essential to be your own self and preserve your uniqueness. Learn from others but never lose a hold of your identity.

Secondly, life definitely tests us to see how we endure in situations and to foster personal growth. The notion of "everything happens for a reason", though it can be looked upon as a cliche, is definitely a belief of mine. The movie Sliding Doors illustrates this very clearly. We go through so many different experiences in our lives, meet specific people, make decisions, and go to certain places at certain times--then we live the outcome. How many times have you wondered-- "WHY?"

- Why I was accepted to a certain university but not the other?
- Why was this person assigned to be my roommate out of all the students who live on campus?

We often can't see or understand the reason that things happen to us, but along the way--when we look at the big picture, we can realize that all the small details tie together in a certain way.

- That university provided you with a great job opportunity...
- Or, that person who was assigned as your roommate (and you didn't know if you would get along in the beginning) ended up becoming one of your best friends...