eighteen

  One year ago, I wrote down in my diary that I wanted to spend my 18th birthday in the UK. It did not occur to me that it meant spending my birthday away from my parents (and family). I thought that it was a foolproof way to make sure that I made it to where I wanted to be. And I did.


  I'm the kind of person who doesn't mind being alone (in fact, I even welcome it at times), as there's a difference between being alone and being lonely. There's this quote by Jean-Paul Sartre which states that 'If you're lonely when you're alone, you're in bad company.' I enjoy my own company, it gives me time to reflect. So, in a way, I'd never imagine that I would be lonely on my 18th birthday. And it's just the way the universe works, because I wasn't. Not the least. And the (literally) tons of wishes on facebook proved that.


  I can only imagine what you would imagine: new place, new people, new life. But I've touched on that before - I love the place. I've made new friends, and they made me an amazing dinner and we had cake and sparkling juice. It was great. And the life... well, really, how your life is is how you view it. And as I think that my life is pretty awesome, so it is.


  The prospect of living alone then didn't bother me much. Then I realised, when I came, that it meant boiling my own water -and not having jugs of them in the kitchen which you could just pour a glass of it whenever you want. It's a little troublesome, especially when I've only got one flask and the only kettle available holds much more water than my flask can, and is shared. So, two days before my birthday, I was at Tesco, before remembering that I needed to get another flask or at the very least, a glass bottle. And then, right in front of me, were these bottles of sparkling juice. I chose one, thinking that it could be for celebration. 


  I imagined sharing it with my three new friends after dinner, in the kitchen we shared with others. I imagined that we would raise our glasses, cheer and we would say, 'To new friends!', 'To new places!' and 'To new lives!' And although it did not actually happen, I saw it playing in my head and I felt happy. And grateful. Very grateful. For every single (even if it were little things) wonderful thing that has and will happen to me. So, very naturally (because I have been doing this many times already), I made a list in my head, and I will write them out here.


♥ Thank you to the universe for being abundantly supplied for me!
♥ Thank you so much to my parents for loving me, believing in me and supporting me! Love you!
♥ Thank you for all the inspirational quotes that got me through the toughest times and help me keep my sanity!
♥ Thank you to all the motivational gurus (especially Rhonda Byrne, Jack Canfield, Bob Proctor and  Napoleon Hill, whose names are mentioned here because I've read their books and works)out there and to all the great men (especially William Shakespeare) that have ever walked this planet for the wonderful things you people have shared with the world!
♥ Thank you so much for Nirrimi Hakanson, and that I was lucky enough to find such a person (even though she doesn't know me personally yet)! She has been my major inspiration, and my reason to keep going when things were down. She taught me to believe, and most importantly, live. 
♥ Thank you to my penpals for believing in me and for being genuinely happy for me! You're wonderful!
♥ Thank you for the friends I have and the laughter that they bring me! :)
♥ Thank you for the wonderful and blessed life!
♥ Thank you for all the things I have!
♥ Thank you for internet, amazing websites, and most recently, facebook! When you and your friends live in the same state, and you all go to the same school, you don't see much point in facebook. Now that I'm miles away (in physical distance, because I believe that truly close people can never be far away when their hearts are almost one), I find it really useful as it allows me to be closer to my friends far away, and I know that if it weren't for this, our relationship would fade away. Thank you.
♥ Thank you for seventeen!
♥ Thank you for all the joy I feel!
♥ Thank you for the lovely, nice and kind people I meet everyday! I love these people, in a weird little way.
♥ Thank you that I am where I am and it is where I love and have always dreamed of!
♥ Thank you for the day! ( I am loving eighteen much more than I thought I would already -today's been amazing. It's awesome how just one person can make your day, but I've had more than one! THANK YOU!!! ^ ^)
♥ And, just thank you. It's going to be a wonderful life ahead, and I don't care if I'll hurt or fail because there's so much more to make it better. :)

  I listened to Metro Station's Seventeen Forever all the way while I was walking to class today. It was on repeat. ;)