Earth Day (Exercise 1: Question 5)

When is Earth Day celebrated? In paying homage to Mother Earth, how do we preserve the sanctity of Earth against pollution and destruction?
Earth Day is celebrated annually on April 22.
The purpose for this day is to celebrate and honour our planet Earth, so as to furthermore appreciate the beauty of nature and the environment that God has blessed us with...

In paying homage to Mother Earth, we can preserve the sanctity of Earth against pollution and destruction by:

1. Getting educated
Learn more about the environment. Read articles to get up to date with current issues affecting the environment, like pollution, water shortages and climate change. Understand how climate change works, look into urban environmental issues such as contaminated drinking water and energy conservation, and take note of local wildlife that may be under the threat of extinction.

2. Plant Trees
Planting trees is a popular earth day activity. Trees help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, clean pollution, secure soil in place to prevent erosion and provide homes for many insects, birds, and other animals. There's almost no more important, long-lasting act you can do to celebrate Earth Day.

3. Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
Reduce the amount of items that come in unnecessary big amounts of packaging. This way, you'll be able to reduce the amount of waste that needs to be disposed of. Reuse things that can be reused like plastic bottles and containers for things like arts and crafts projects or simply using them as utensils to hold objects like a pencil holder, or simply to contain water. Last but not least, recycle.
Recycling is one means of ensuring that the items we've finished using gets returned to the resources pool and either get turned into something else or is cleansed and reused. It helps to conserve raw materials and often helps to save additional energy that manufacturers would otherwise use in producing new products from scratch. Recycling also reduces the amount of material going into landfills, which is a huge bonus as many countries are running out of space for landfill. In addition, recycling can lessen pollution involved in waste disposal and reducing the consumption of raw materials helps to conserve our natural resources.

Change

Today, I vowed that I make a change.
That I'll stop complaining and stop worrying.
Instead, I'll praise and remember the good things God has done for me, and instead of worrying, pray for everything. I told myself, "nothing is gonna change until you make a change".

So from now onwards, I'll make sacrifices and improvements. I'll make a change.
Set an example for others, and continue to grow.

Continue to walk in the way He has set for me.
Because I believe that we all have a purpose set out for us.
Now, it is time for me to achieve that.

This is my resolution.

Self-Doubt

......useless.
Stupid.

Worthless.
What a waste of time....

No matter how many times I try, things just don't seem right.
What is this?

I think and plan, over and over again but end up procrastinating, end up worrying more over something that could've been done hours, days or even weeks ago.
I'm worried of my capability to do things...

But hopefully, things will be better.
Besides, they say "change starts with the self", am I right?
Then I'll just have to start.

But what if things go wrong again? 

Dear Mom and Dad...

Dear mom and dad,
I know you want the best for me and all....

But can you please just STOP IT!?

I am 15 (turning 16 this year) and I'm already in this stage of life where I am conscious of my responsibilities and priorities as a student.

Yes, so what if I relax (or in your words, laze around) for a a few minutes up to an hour or two?
So what if I study with music? So what if I tend to "waste my time" trying to give it a break by just doing anything I like for the sake of de-stressing myself?
I know you want the best for me, and I assure you that all is going to be okay.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO NAG AT ME.
I'm fine, really. I know I have homework, so don't remind me, it's MY priority, MY responsibility. Not yours. Don't give me all that lecture about laziness, hard work, time management and all of the sort. If there is work that needs to be done, I assure you, it is done.
Besides, it is not really the end of the world if I don't do anything.

All of what you do, mom and dad, the shouting, the screaming, the complaining, the nagging, lectures...verily, I say to you:
I'm sorry but they are NOT helping.

I know you want what's best for me but clearly, all that you are doing now feels like you are just making the situation worse.

I have different ways of handling things.
Last year, I have slacked a lot during my days in school, before I sat for PT3...but, there was effort.
And I managed to pull it off with a good result. (Of course, I couldn't have done it if it wasn't for the both of you too...)

But the joy was just temporary.
Don't you see mom and dad?
You knew what I was capable of, you helped me through it, yes.
But I was the one who made the effort, and close to one or two months before that very day of the exam, I started to gain consciousness of myself. "What am I doing?"
I started to rebuild myself.
And I did it. But you still complain of all the little things I do. "Stop being lazy", "Have you finished your homework?", "Go study" "Don't listen to music while you're studying", "Stop playing with your computer", "Oi, SPM coming already", "This is no honeymoon year", etc, etc...

I'm getting sick of it.
It's of no use. Everything seems to be demotivating me, annoying me, irritating me.

I KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW
LEAVE ME ALONE.
You want me to do my homework? Sure, I'll do it.
You want me to study? To do my revision? Sure. Of course I'll do it!
But please, grant me at least some freedom to do things my own way, for once,
and not hear of your petty lectures and complaints....

But know this, just because you don't see me studying or revising doesn't mean I'm entirely lazy.
Whenever I need to rest, I shall rest. For I too, have my own struggles, and when I feel overwhelmed, I take a break. I am a human being. NOT A ROBOT. 

With all due respect, mom and dad, I love you. Thank you so much for helping me earlier on but I have just one small request.
If you want to help me now, do it with words of encouragement, motivation and with smiles and hugs.
No nagging.
Please?

Some of you reading this may think, "Have you no respect for your elders?"
Yes I know. There is a saying: "They have eaten more salt than you have eaten rice"
Basically means that your elders have more experience than you.
True. But things change.
Generation gap much?

Valentine's Day (again)

This time, my English teacher wants an original blog post regarding our own thoughts/opinions on Valentine's Day. Not something we can copy off the internet. So here goes...

Valentine's Day. What is it? It is a day of many things. It starts off as a day to commemorate the saints that were martyred for the sake of love, all by the name of Valentine. It was because of these saints, these heroes that stood up for love, that many began to celebrate this day.

Valentine's Day. This is also the day where we show our love for others:
Our family, our friends, our neighbours and others all around us.

These saints, these martyrs, have all inspired us to live up to the name of love.
To live for it, to die for it. To stand for it, to stand with it.
To stand firm in it.
We are love, brothers and sisters.

Verily, I shall say to you, that it is not only on this particular day that we celebrate our love.
For everyday should be a Valentine's Day!