A Year Wiser

(a) In the past year, I have been blessed with so many things:
- A trip back to my home country to be with my loved ones
- A new home and my very own bedroom
- A new car of my preferred brand which is a necessity in California
- A tourist visa approval to attend the Hillsong conference
- A pleasant work environment and colleagues that know how to have fun

(b) These all translate, not as material things, but as things that are quite vital to me:
- Quality time
- Solitude
- Convenience
- Self-improvement
- Source of livelihood

2.
(a) There are some other things that I wish did not happen:
- Premature neck arthritis
- Mobility limitations on my right arm
- Inability to swim a lengthy distance or for a long period of time
- Inability to play the guitar for more than 2 songs at a time
- Inability to work out or jog
- Dependence on medicines
- Crystal Bowersox not winning American Idol

(b) These translate to two things only:
- Bad health habits
- Too much TV

3.
(a) There are some things that have not changed at all:
- My faithful God
- My family and my best friend
- My conscious need for a lip balm
- My fascination with technology
- My loyalty towards Edward

(b) These translate to one thing: I have everything I need.

I may have messed up some, succeeded in others, but God made me see that it is in how I deal with the experiences that would make me wise. There may be times when God foils the plans of my foolish mind, but I should trust that He knows better. I should not turn away, but hold tightly on to Him even more when things don't go my way. I thank God for His generosity, and my loved ones who made my life more meaningful over the past year.
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