2011... Is It REALLY a BAD Year?!

SO... whenever we refer to a bad year... we often refer to it in terms of stuff that happen to us on a personal level. However, 2011 is a bad year on a global level... I don't think anyone can argue with that!

Truly on a global level I think this by far is the year of natural disasters, famines, wars, deaths, disease, revolutions... So globally, I got to admit it IS a bad year and I'm really hoping the last day passes by smoothly, free of more catastrophes or more dramatic surprises!

HOWEVER...
Moving to a more personal level; which given our selfish human nature is usually the main way we judge things.... I STILL cannot make up my mind regarding whether it was a good or bad year...

Emotionally speaking... I've lost some very precious people that I hoped I'd be able to have for keeps! I was disappointed and hurt for a very long time and that made most of 2011 win the award for being the worst emotional year ever. I've also realized some friends, well are not really people you can count on...

On the ambitious and practical side of life... well, I GOT my masters degree and that was the highlight of the year. True, it came towards the last two weeks of the year... but it sort of changed 2011 around from being the worst year to being the best year ever... and ever since this achievement, all of a sudden I can't claim that 2011 is a bad year anymore! It kind of made me realize a lot of good things that I let the "emotional" stuff cover up and hide!

Even more... 2011 was the  best in my career history; I made new friends whom all have become so important and precious to me and towards the very end of it I've realized that some old friends are still gold and that there are people who can still see me from a unique and special perspective even if others did not! I've seen some of my friends in their happiest moments as well! And all that together made 2011, an OKAY year after all!

So UNLIKE any other year... where the personal stuff were worst than the global stuff... 2011 has been terrible on the global level (see my next post)... But on a personal level, although it started like the worst year ever; by the last quarter it smiled at me... and it smiled at me BIG! 

So my last words would be: Good Bye 2011, with your good, your bad and definitively your unexpected! Some days were terrible but all in all, it did pass and I learned a lot from every single experience and every single person! 2012... I'm hoping for the best, this year I'm trying optimism... Even more, globally I, like Miss Congeniality, do hope for World Peace!

Footprints in My Life...

Everyday we run into different people in life... these people leave varying prints in our life. Some are strong and some are less effective. However, everyone and anyone we meet and run into teaches us something. Something we may not notice... however we silently and unconsciously learn.  All this together, no matter how much we tell ourselves that we are our own creation, help shape who we are. These people may not know us, we might be observing them from afar yet they teach us something so true and so valuable. These people may not be aware our our deep passion and need to thank them... but fact is, our life wouldn't have been the same without them. We wouldn't have been the same without them. Some people leave strong prints in our life. Deep rooted prints that teach us clear lessons in life... A print we're aware of and learn from consciously with a smile on our face. A footprint too strong that we wish to learn from every single day... A footprint we're reminded with every single day because you look into the mirror and see its traces on your face and soul. This post is dedicated to the people who have really taught me something... people I owe something to... I admire and aspire to be like! 

Dad... my dad is a man of hard work and dedication. He's the kindda man that worked so hard to provide endlessly to all those who are around him. He's taught me that hard work is rewarded. That good things happen to those who work for it. That things don't come to you in crystal bowls and aren't fed to you in golden spoons. He's taught me that doing what's right is the safest, best and most efficient way to success. He's taught me to value honesty. To be able to say NO clearly and loudly to face of anything wrong. He continues to teach us everyday. Just 'cause you make money or have money doesn't mean you waste it. Doesn't mean you use it unwisely. That having money while not giving others and using it for good deeds is really wasted money. He taught me what it means and takes to be selfless! He taught me what it means to feel happiness in seeing the people around you happy. He's taught me that family is the most important thing in life! He's taught me that being a good person is a duty not a choice. Sometimes I work too hard, to show my dad that his investment in his kids has paid off. My dad didn't sit me down and talk me into those things... watching him day by day gave me the scruples and basis I live with today. And though some people see it as too traditional, too corny or too safe. I find pride in being like my Dad!

Mom... well where to start? I would honestly not know! My mom is the mom is wish to one day be. This should really sum it all up. My mom has done all she can to make us a happy family. She's the balance. The center. The core. Sometimes I just silently look at her with admiration. We sometimes go through a lot of thick and thin as a family, and if it were not for mom it don't assume we'd have gone through it. She's never complained... She's accepted everything with a smile and in silence. She's made sure her kids don't worry about a thing. She made sure we go on in life enjoying our childhood. As I grew up I realized how much my mom has gone through: the good, the bad, the unexpected. And it surprises me that I never saw her break down despite being one of the most sensitive people I've ever known. It surprises me that when I look back to my childhood I don't remember having any problems. My mom is a true example of someone who who has done endless sacrifice for her family. If anything went wrong, she'd make it up for us with her love and care. She's the kinnda mom I'd brag about, show off with in front of people. Tell them look who my mom is! She's knows everything going on with her kids. Pushes them forward. Wants to see them the best they could be. Still wakes up in the morning to make sure they have breakfast, if they need any help. Calls you to check on you in the middle of the day. She's my friend, my dearest friend! Without my mom, I wouldn't be me... something would be missing! Without my morning hug to mom, my day wouldn't go right! I'd do anything to make her smile & to see her happy. I can sit and talk to her for years... talk about her for ages...Currently I'm smiling talking about mom... wondering, are my words expressive enough to show how much she means to me, how much I love her & how much she taught me. I'd kill to be like my mom one day! If I ever get kids and I'm the mom to them that my mom was to me... they'd be super lucky! All the kindness, sensitivity, loyalty, sympathy and willingness to help without asking for anything in return IN ME, comes from Mom. One day I wish to be her! 

S. E. Hinton... the first time I realized I have a hero and role model was in 7th grade. I read a novel called, "The Outsiders," in school. A novel so true and simple and realistic and appealing. Every word she wrote touched my heart. Every word written felt so real. At the back of your head you could see it happening. For the first time I cared to flip to the "about the author" pages and was in shock to realized she wrote The Outsiders when she was 16! She wrote a novel that is taught in schools when she was 16. Do you realize the magnitude of this? It's pretty amazing! Anyways... that made me realize that you don't need to be old to write or start investing in a hobby or talent. At the age of 12, thanks to S. E. Hinton, I started writing. I set my passion free and enjoyed it! My admiration for S. E. Hinton also drove to read every single one of her books. And as soon as I finished a book it was automatically shifted yo my list of favorites! When all the books in the school library for Hinton were done I realized I couldn't live without reading. It became a thing that I burrow books from the library every single week. I'd read up to 3 novels a week. And for that, I thank Hinton... honestly! Because of this author I was gifted with my two most precious hobbies: reading and writing! Not just because they're enjoyable! But they really liberate anything that's on your mind whatever it is. Takes you with your thoughts and imagination elsewhere... sometimes, you wish to be left there! One day... who knows... may be my novel would be taught in school or placed in library and or on bookstore shelves! 

Miss Mais... well, you know those movies where this young high school teacher comes in changes lives! I'm glad to say this happened to me! In 9th grade I was lucky to have the funky, outta the box teacher that still managed to teach us well. She's my English teacher to whom I owe all my good vocabulary! Those impressive words I throw in once every now to show off I owe them to her. Ever since that class... I have a passion for teaching. It's one of my dreams that I hope to achieve. She's taught me that when your teacher picks on you and pushes you around it means that she's knows you've got potential. She made us do a daily diary, write anything... as long as you write daily. At the beginning I didn't know what to write, I was uncomfortable... but later it became part of my daily routine; couldn't let a day go by without writing. And everyday the quality and content of what I wrote got deeper. Sometimes I was even surprised with the stuff I wrote. I ask myself should I have really written that?! I still have that diary with me till today, and I read it from time to time and smile. I smile at the experience, the memory and my way of fitting in complex vocabulary in the middle of serious confessions (at least at that time they were). With time, Miss Mais became the first person to read my first story. She took the time to read it and edit every word of it although it wasn't related to any class material.That kind of teacher that took time to invest in her student's dreams and potential is the kind of teacher I hope to be one day... the teacher someone could write about 10 years later without her knowing! I hope I can find her again some day...

So... Dad, Mom, S. E. Hinton and Miss Mais... thanks is really the simplest and best way to end this! 

Kissing 2010 Good Bye….

So, I woke this morning realizing it’ll never be 2010 again, I mentioned before how fast this year has been… and I’m not gonna change my mind about that (it was super fast actually)… but all in all, with it’s good and bad, it’s over... and we’re celebrating!

We’re celebrating our good moments with our families and friends, our accomplishments, our growth, our maturity, our fun memories... we’re celebrating with the ones we’ve got closer to this year and the new friends and people we gained in our life… we’re celebrating the things we’ll be carrying with us to 2011 because we believe they make us happy!

In the same time, we’re trying to get rid and forget the things that upset and hurt us, the wrong decisions we’ve taken, the bad memories of 2010. We make resolutions (that we may not necessarily follow) in hopes of avoiding these things in 2011.

As I mentioned before, I usually end up having the same resolutions every year, so this time I asked people to send me their resolutions… let me share so of the interesting and common ones:

To learn to forgive and forget…

To never hold grudge…

To stop talking to the fools who makes us feel like crap…

To loose weight…

To quit smoking…

To get over ex-es...

To get back to ex-es…

To find the right partner…

To tell the person you love that you love them…

To get married…

To getting the best wedding dress…

To have the wedding of your dreams…

To get kids…

To learn to let go…

To learn to hold on to people who matter to you…

To meet new people...

To know when it's time to let go of people...

To learn how to draw the line...

To learn to say NO...

To be more flexible...

To learn how to make compromises...

To learn how to deal with anger…

To do better in school…

To grow at work…

To change jobs...

To save more...

To work less...

To work more...

To balance your work and personal life...

To peruse higher levels of education…

To never study again…

To start your own business…

To party less…

To party more...

To read more…

To kill fools on the streets…

To cuss the fools on the street less…

To try and make Egypt better…

To get the hell outta here…

To show your family you care about them more…

To always be there for your parents…

To get over the past and move forward...

To get rid of bad habits…

To never change for anyone…

To pray more…

To believe that God does what’s best for you…

To the believe that the best is yet to come…

To cry less…

To laugh more…

To be less depressed…

To never give up or quit…

To take life more seriously...

To take life less seriously...

To have inner peace…

To make better use of time...

To learn to enjoy life…

SO… these are the resolutions I got, surprisingly a lot of people share the same ones and we donno! I think it's easy to guess which ones belong to males and which ones belong to females (as usual, lol)... some are fun, some are serious, some contradict each other and some complete each other...

And whether we manage achieve these resolutions or not... if you think about it, these are things we believe would make us happy, the things that would make us feel better about our life... the things we'd like to change.

Anyhow… 

I wish you all (and myself) a very happy 2011… full of all the stuff that makes us happy, smile and worry free, hopefully less of the stuff that upset us.

Hoping dreams come true, hoping things get better and believing that the best is yet to come. Believing deep down that if you really ask God to make 2011 better for you and to let it go according to His plans rather than yours… it’ll be an amazing year!

Have yourself an amazing evening, have fun and create memories that will last a lifetime… and we’ll be talking again in 2011.

Happy New Year!

Achievement...

I had a completely different post planned for today.... UNTIL I got the results of the most important and hardest exam I ever had to take in my life...

I PASSED!!

And the feeling of achievement is KICK ASS...

I love it!

I'm very thankful...

I'm very happy....

And I can't help but smile :)

Feeling you've achieved something, you've moved forward, you've gotten closer to getting to where you want.... is just great!

Now, I'm closer to finishing my Masters :)

Achieving something you've been working hard for gives you confidence in your abilities and what you can do! 

And achieving something you've been praying for tells you God is listening... and that is the best part of this whole thing! I'm really just very thankful :)

And I thought I'd have something more to say... but I don't!

I just love the feeling :)

I'm honestly very happy...