1. People die and that's okay.
My first experience with death happened when I quite young. I was 15 when my grandfather passed away right in front of me. We were helplessly waiting for an ambulance (that was too late even though we live 5 minutes away from a hospital) as my grandfather was struggling to breath. It affected me and it still is affecting me 10 years later. But I learnt that people die, and life goes on. It has taught me to do nice things for people to remember me with a smile on their face. Years later, my cousin's husband passed away leaving her and two kids under the age of seven behind. He was one of the funniest, most genuine people that I have met. And that's how I remember him. Remembering is good. (that's why I journal/write)
2. You will click with many people along the way, you don't have to be with every single one of them.
Romantically that is. I have made this mistake once, and I can safely say I learnt this the hard way. It was my uncle who told me that, and I will never forget this. You can connect with someone intellectually, and emotionally at times, but that doesn't give you an excuse to sabotage the gift of what you have (given that you are happy with what you have!)
3. Education can take you places.
But it is not everything. Education opens paths for you. Please do care about education and seek it whenever possible.
4. Stand up for who you are and what you believe in.
Being nice doesn't mean that you have to be a doormat. I get to interact with older people that I was taught to respect and have, on several occasions, refrained from stating that I disagree with what they are saying or doing and it has harmed me in several ways. Especially on a professional level.
5. Listen to people.
Listen to stories that people tell you, there is a lesson waiting to be learnt everywhere. Just make sure you are listening closely.
