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Charity, Charity Telleman Dick, doctors, dream, flolan, inspired, Lung, Lung transplantation, Medicine, never give up, Opera, passion, patients, Pulmonary hypertension, ted, ted.com
15 Sunday Jul 2012
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Charity, Charity Telleman Dick, doctors, dream, flolan, inspired, Lung, Lung transplantation, Medicine, never give up, Opera, passion, patients, Pulmonary hypertension, ted, ted.com
15 Sunday Jul 2012
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Biology, Bird, collaboration, cooperation, essay, feelings, flock of birds, nature, poets, symbol, team building, who you are, Zoology
21 Saturday Apr 2012
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Arts, bad life, begining, blog, Conferences, Education, experience, life, me, melody nguyen, Model United Nations, motivation, Philosophy, question, relationships, understanding, United Nations
2 weeks and NO posts? I know, I know. I’m sorry. Forgive me? (she said, her puppy dog eyes blinked pleadingly). Yes? Okay. Moving on!
I attended a MUN (Model United Nations) conference during the last weekend, and the experience was eye-opening. It seems like I’d seen the world in a new perspective (this could be understood quite literally as we spoke in third person, and debated policies and resolution to global issues- see how professional that sounded? That’s what I meant). In retrospect, there were many things, many things to which I would do differently. But I feel blessed to have the opportunity to experience those mistakes, because I now know what’s right.
One of the things I learned was the value of a friend. Nowadays, it’s hard to find the stereotypical type of BFF, you know the will-stand-by-you-no-matter-what type of friend. It’s not that everyone will stab you behind the back. It’s also because “forever” is a long time. And by that time, things would be different..As an international student, most of my friends move to different schools every 2-3 years, and even though we live in an era of technology, it’s hard to stay connected when you never see each other face to face. Before, I live abide a philosophy: Never pick one out of a crowd to be your bestfriend. Instead, pick the whole crowd to be your friends.
That theory of mine seemed okay for a moment.One, I was rarely involved in any of the drama that haunted the high school years. Two, I was never “obliged” to gossip. Three, I would never have to make someone my “enemy” just because my bestfriend hated his/her guts…And on goes my list.
To an extent, I’d thought that my plan was perfect. Of course, I won’t get as many invitations to parties and hangouts, and I didn’t mind. But truth to be told, my “philosophy” was far from perfect. And you know what? A TRUE bestfriend will never make you do the things you don’t like. I realized it now, after I attended the conference.So you see experience is truly what makes life, life.
11 Wednesday Apr 2012
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bad life, Carl Sandburg, Cycle of poverty, Definition, friends, Glee, good life, Jonathan Wells, life, melody nguyen, money, motivation, Philosophy, poor, question, relationships, rich, success
Everybody wants the thing that’s called “a good life”. Here’s my question, what makes a good life? Go ask a million persons and you’ll receive a million different answers. What is that that moves “an average life” to a good one? Your definition may be different from mine but I’ll just go ahead and read your mind for yours. No? Okay, I’ll write down what I observe.
1. Having money to spend
Yes, the cha-ching! Money matters everywhere in society. A rich person can purchase a finer house, a nicer car, better food, better schools,better health care, more courteous services. In many cases, it can also purchase respect, love (you may say that’s it’s not be true love, but it’s still LOVE), acceptance. With money comes power, with power comes more money, and the cycle repeats. It’s as simple as this in the poverty cycle where having no money means having no power, no education. And without education, there’s even less money.The cycle of poverty circles the poor’s life like a hurricane, the closer to the circle, the deadlier the situation is. My point is, you’re lucky than most people. You might hear others say this all the time, and it’s because it’s the TRUTH.
Some people are convinced that money is the big difference between an average life and the good life. Others feel that it’s not the money, but the things money can buy that define a good life. Jonathan Wells pointed out that, “Advertisers work very hard to convince you that your life just won’t be complete without their product. Like you’re living in deprivation if you don’t own the latest, greatest, soon to be obsolete version of everything”. I agree, in this world that we’re living in, it’s a lot harder to define what you REALLY wants. If you’re a teenager like I am, you know exactly what I’m talking about: we need that phone that everybody else is using (or a better one), we need that shirt that’s “in-trend” lately, etc. But wait, do we REALLY need them? Sure, they make us look better, but will they make us happy? We need money for practically everything, and maybe because of this, we’re never satisfied with the amount we’re having.
But money is just a tool. You’re the user, don’t let it use you.
2. Having friends/ Having good relationships
It’s probably safe to say that friends are crucial in our lives.They’re the ones that bring that smile on your face, laugh with you over the things only you can understand, ….(fill in all the things your friends do). Problem is, sometimes friends are fickle. Sometimes they’re fake, sometimes they find other friendships, and totally forget yours. And that may make you feel like you live in a horrible life. Well you’re not. The orphans who are abandoned by their own parents could still smile. Artie from Glee is handicap, and he’s still enjoying life. If they can put a smile on their faces every day, so can you.
My mother once told me, “You don’t need the whole school to know you. You only need one, and they’ll never let you down.”Get one to truly know you, and be ready to truly know them too. Remember it doesn’t have to be someone you’re age, it can be you’re family!
3. Success in everything you do
And wouldn’t that make life so much easier? To be successful in everything you do, hmmmmmmm… but wouldn’t that make life really boring?
You are the one whose definition of a good life really matters. The reason for this is simple, it is your life we are talking about here. Why not define yours as good?
03 Saturday Mar 2012
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Arts, begining, beginning, blog, blogging, Book, Generation Z, Ho Chi Minh City, love, melody, melody nguyen, new, new post, newbie, nguyen, starting a new post, Vietnam
“We can do no great thing, only small things, with great love”- Anonymous.
Before writing this post, before creating this blog, I’d asked myself a million times-why. Why would I take in another commitment? Why would I expose myself on the internet? Why would I… a thousand times over. The answer I came up with was because I loved writing. So why not take this chance to explore “my” love?
I’m luckier than most others, I realize. I’m living in the time of innovation, change, growth, and technology. I’m living in a world where information and entertainment comes with just a click. Sometimes, I wonder how I can make a difference, how I can contribute something to this world. I guess it must start with a kind gesture.
Go out there tomorrow’s morning, and compliment someone. You’ll make a difference to their day. Be there when your friends need a shoulder to lean on. You’ll make a difference to their sorrows. Drop a penny to a peasants on the streets of Vietnam. You’ll make a difference to their lives. I’d learned that what you do, need not to be great . If it comes from the sincerity of the heart, it’s great enough. And if you should think that you can’t make a difference, BE the difference. That’s what I’m going to do.
To be honest? I’d been procrastinating in writing this post in weeks. I’d thought about what my blog would be about, love or life, or books… And I figured it would be about me. My experiences. My learnings. My “loves”. Entrusting that to someone out there, my voice is heard and shared, I took this leap of faith.
Because hey, experience is what makes life, life.