Study Break Musings

On the way home from another Starbucks study session awhile ago, me and my sister passed by a woman sitting by herself at the bottom of the steps of robinsons galleria. She's staring at this piece of paper in her hand and you can see the weight of the world on her shoulders.

My sister, who noticed her first, said "I want to ask her what's wrong."
I was silent. Taken aback by her caring tone for the stranger by the steps.
"That reminds us that other people have much bigger problems than us."
I stayed silent, pensive of the issues that were stirring in my head -- from cramming for my exam, absence of a love and social life, hungry and sleepy thoughts -- the usual young adult drama.
She continues "I wish someday when I get older, I can help random people -- be rich enough to help other, because I think most of the world's problems can be solved with money or with the creative use of money."


By this time, I finally spoke up because this was something I'd thought about for awhile now.
Instead of typing our conversation, let me share my thoughts here instead:

My sister was absolutely right -- not just the money part, but the part about helping random people. As someone who often finds herself in the middle of 'situations', I hear alot of different people's problems and issues. Sometimes the heaviness of such a task makes me loose my belief in people's goodness -- because most of the time someone's secrets are somebody else's heartache-waiting-to-happen. Sometimes the cruel realities of how someone else's actions affect somebody else breaks my heart knowing theres not enough words of advice or empathy to truly make them feel better. And so on and so forth.


But Janet's words brought back one of my musings when I was younger. Its the idea that the answer to someone's problems is in somebody else's hands. The simplest example would be monetary problems, the lack of one means the excess of another, and bridging the gap -- or making them meet each other and aware of both their situations is the key to helping each other.


When I was younger, I played with so many ideas in how to create that bridge -- how to close that gap. How to introduce strangers to each other so that they can help each other. To a child, it didnt seem very difficult, if I remember correctly, the idea of universal lists (then search the list for what you need), hotlines they can call, etc etc, was so obvious that I didn't understand why people wouldn't just do it! As I got older of course, I started to embody the idea of 'independence', and other people's problems were becoming more and more well, OTHER PEOPLE's problems.


Janet's random statement however pulled me back to that time. And my current addiction to social networking sites, blogging, tumblr, stumbleupon -- basically the internet; made me realize now more than ever is the time that the idea can be applied. The world has become smaller (we can all connect to each other through the net), people become more vocal (alot of us randomly share our thoughts, problems, successes, frustrations, etc over the net), that its virtually impossible not to be aware of our social interrelatedness.


Ultimately, I have an exam to cram for, so I offer no concrete solution YET, but I just wanted to share a site that I stumbled upon that serves the purpose I had thought of. Inspiration Tree is a site that provide random words of inspiration and encouragement for anyone that needs it. Sure, its not money, but sometimes the biggest problems can be solved by the right words from a different perspective - because you are able to see your problem in a different light.


Its 4am and Im not sure if im making any sense anymore, so let me just share MY personal inspiration find from that site that totally changed my outlook for the day:

The Pursuit of Happiness: 15 Lessons to Keep in Mind

1. The only person that can ever truly make you happy is yourself. Stop depending on everyone else.

2. People lie, stuff happens. Don’t take it too personally.

3. Want people to think you’re amazing? Start believing you are, and then they will too.

4. Smiling is the ultimate anti-depressant. Smile and laugh out loud, it doesn’t look stupid, I promise.

5. The world is never just black and white, right or wrong, one way or another. 

Try and see things from as many points of view as possible.

6. "Let everything happen to you 

Beauty and terror 

Just keep going

No feeling is final" 

— Rainer Maria Rilke

7. Have empathy.

8. Gossip, problems of the past, events you cannot control, negative thoughts and negative people; 

time spent on these is time poorly wasted.

9. When you're jealous or find yourself filled with hate for someone/something, stop. 

The only person its hurting is you.

10. Although the newest, most expensive material things may make you feel as if you’re a better person, 

they won’t hold you at night or listen to you when you need it. Make sure your priorities make sense.

11. Step outside your comfort zone- it’s when you’ll really feel alive.

12. Don’t be afraid to be yourself, the people who really matter, don’t mind

13. Let your emotions out sometimes, humans have them for a reason.

14. Celebrate the things you have. Think only positively of the things you don’t 

(but would like to have) and they too will come.

15. Love unconditionally ♥.