A book for myself

04/12/2020 09:45 p.m.

We gave I-can't-remember-how-much to the school to hold a prom for our batch. Before the prom commenced, all of us were given a solid, eco-friendly notebook and a pen that were bought using the leftover amount of money each of us paid because the cost of prom went below the initial budget provided. That was back in 2017. And that notebook? I decided to compile lessons, quotes, poems, favourite paragraphs and/or sentences, parts of speeches said by people who inspire me. Oprah Winfrey, Taylor Swift, Rupi Kaur, Don Miguel Ruiz, just to name a few.

This book became my go-to-helpline whenever I faced obstacles, whenever I needed reminders, whenever I needed a change in perspective. Reading through it and at the same time, adding more into the collection get rids of all irrational and errant thoughts, gives me a peace of mind and most importantly, refuels me to allow me to continue to grind forward.

There were countless times I turned to this book. This book of wisdom. This book of lessons. This book of advice. I thank those people who shared their stories for the whole world to see, to hear, to learn. Without experiencing what they had experienced, I am able to learn through the accounts of what happened to them. Without experiencing the hell they went through, without experiencing the rollercoaster ride they sat through, without experiencing the darkest and seemingly endless abyss that fell into.

This is the power of communication and story-telling in this day and age. 

Vulnerabilities they bared, in hopes of saving the grace of the next generation.

I thank the-2017-me for setting my mind on compiling all of these nuggets of wisdom I came across. This book is one of my most treasured possessions. I cannot imagine living without it. It saw me through my highest and lowest. This book guided my thought processes and shaped the person I am today. I am someone who cannot settle less for myself. I am someone who would do my best in whatever I believe and support in. I am someone who is still and always will be a work in progress. 

To you, who is currently reading this right now, if you want to start becoming more independent mentally, having a book of wisdom will help. It helped me. Back then, whenever I am in the darkest place ever, it takes a lot of effort from those around me to try to pull me out. At the end of the day, it was time and myself who successfully dragged me out of my own head. It drains people around you and it drains yourself. To have a book to turn to whenever you hit a rock or a wall, it lifts you up and it serves as a constant reminder for yourself that there is hope and you can get through this. All of this.

Work hard, Stay humble.
xoxo, Hui