Poems to share

Here is a collection of poems that I wrote over the last few years. Thought I would include it here for safe keeping – in case one day I want to have a collection of poems!

East meets west,

A childhood crest

Of a place from long ago.

Fluffy and light,

What a delight

Bringing memories from long ago.

 

Inspired by the childhood pastry – Ngau si dui, also known as the UFO tart

 

Yellow and orange leaves,

The whole earth grieves.

But a palace emerging behind,

What a glorious find.

What may seem like the end,

May just be a bend!

 

Inspired by the view of Palacio de Cristal, Madrid

 

Hear the waterfalls call

The world on standstill stall

Perched in rugged rocks

With hung mossy green

Forming pretty frocks

The sound so serene

Inspired by the waterfalls at Plitvice National Park, Croatia

 

 

 

Special Update

Tags

Reminder, Update

I had left his blog empty for quite a while and with that a couple of years have flown by. I wrote Pondering on a plane recently because in that moment, I was feeling very emotional and wanted to organise my thoughts. Once I had written it, I was reminded of that former writer self I hadn’t seen in a while. It made me nostalgic so I decided to post it. Hopefully it was some food for thought for you. It was definitely eye-opening for me.

Since it has been so long, I believe you deserve an update on where I am right now. Obviously, things have changed. I am no longer that same university kid. I now fall in the young professional category – working in a big multi-national company, living the corporate life with all the e-mails, telecons, deadlines and all that jazz. I travel quite a bit for my job but am based in Malaysia, calling KL my home for now. With a new city, comes a new church family as well. Have been doing alright but struggling a little with how to split my time between work, friends, family and church. 

While writing this post and putting pen to paper, I wonder if I, myself, had forgotten who I was and what I stand for. Therefore, I wanted to remind myself. I want to remind myself that I was idealistic and yet practical, adventurous and yet cautious, perhaps a little awkward but lovable and dependable. I am a person of integrity who will not be swayed by others. I will swim against the current and I dare to be different. I love a good laugh and a great time. I love new experiences and places. I love spending time with friends and family and I love my Heavenly Father.

It’s been a long time since I have thought about such things. While I do love my job (mostly), it has become a little too all-consuming. I’ve been running a rat race and I need to take it down a notch. I need to protect my time and my energy. In the heat of meeting deadlines and delivering projects, I need to take a step back and think – what do I really value, what’s important to me? I want to be care-free and live each day without regrets.

And that’s why I want to continue writing. Writing helps me stop and reflect. It slows time down and helps me to see things with the right perspective. It reminds me of what I stand for and who I strive to be. Thank you Heavenly Father for this lovely 24th birthday present – for reminding me for who I am. I have been a little lost but thanks for helping me get my bearings back. 

Dear friend, I am so glad to be back. Stay tuned for more!

Pondering on a plane

Tags

Christianity, Inspiration, love, Plane

How does it feel to be loved by someone for just being you, even when you are unreasonable and rebellious? How does it feel to lose that someone who always had your back? Or how does a broken family hurt the children and load them with luggage they carry for life?

Today, I watched 3 movies and they all shared a theme – a parent’s love or the lack thereof. It made me very emotional and two things came to mind. My own parents and my Heavenly Father.

My parents are the sweetest people ever. They may not seem like it but they really are! Of course, there are times when we don’t see eye to eye but they are the most important people in the world to me. And even though I love them immensely, it breaks my heart that I will never love them like they love me – so fully, so patiently, so unconditionally.

I am so grateful that I was brought up in a loving home, a home that had Christ as the foundation. I owe all my success to my parents, I owe it to the opportunities they have provided, the guidance they have given and the love they have showered. I would say most Asian parents often struggle to show their children love in a way that is easily understandable. Hugs are rare and ‘I love you’ even rarer but yet I see their love so clearly in their actions. I see it in the dinner that is faithfully prepared every day, in the folded clothes in my wardrobe, in the fervent prayers for me and in the way they won’t let me settle for second best, just to mention a few.

I hope I will always remember how much my parents love me. I pray very earnestly right now that I will always be grateful and never for a moment, take them for granted. I pray that I will be a good daughter, making them proud of who I am and who I will be. And even though my parents are way better than I deserve, I know they are by no means perfect. As a human, they will have their limitations and flaws. Only my Heavenly Father is perfect.

If I cannot even match my earthly parents’ love, how will I even begin to comprehend God’s love for me. How can God have the patience for me, an adopted child who frequently screams ‘I don’t need you’ in her actions but comes crawling back when she needs a fix. I will never fully understand the sacrifice of Good Friday and yet I draw from that living water. Father, I thank you for your grace and mercy extended to me, an unloveable adopted child. I thank you and claim the promise that you have raised me up with Christ and seated me with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.

All of us want to be loved, but we try to find it in the wrong places. Find your satisfaction and fullness in Christ, the one who is perfect and could never disappoint, the one whose love is unfathomable, unchanging and eternal.

Sophie Annalise
20 April 2019

Inspired during the flight to Toronto

Goodbye

I was supposed to upload this post before I flew back but the internet connection in the airport prevented me from doing so. Thus, here it is now!

Leaving a place has always been my forte. While some quietly shed their tears and others cry buckets when they leave, I may seem rather heartless because I enjoy moving. Once, a friend and I were joking that we had commitment issues cause we always felt like we wanted to move out of a city once we had settled down. For me, I may be sad to leave a place but I enjoy the nostalgia and cherish the good memories. I know it is never really goodbye with good friends. Even if it’s 10,000 miles away, with today’s technology and transportation, meeting up in the future is probable and requires with a minimal planning if one’s interested. I also know that a move inevitably involves new friends and exploring a new city and for me,there’s always excitement in unchartered territory. In addition, I have been moving around the world since a young age so it has become part of who I am. Almost like a nomadic urban dweller, wandering from place to place, exploring the green fields.

However this year, leaving has been harder. Perhaps it’s because I feel like there’s still so much left unexplored. Stronger friendships, an even deeper sense of community, more challenging and interesting courses, further city exploration and even a half marathon! I still remember the first two weeks when I missed the familiarity of London, hanging out with friends and my church but now I feel so different. I am sad to leave this place where I learnt so much. I am extremely grateful to God for his blessings and his provision in all things. And as sad as I am, I am grateful that I loved my time at CMU. However, I do wish and hope that I was able to impact the people around me, in whatever small way it may be. Just as the CMU experience will be always with me, I hope that a part of me will be with people I have called my friends. But alas, it’s time to let go and say goodbye! As I board my flight out of the US, I say goodbye and thank you, it has been a real pleasure.

Sophie Annalise

 

A charming city

Tags

charming, french quarter, jazz, New Orleans, preservation hall, travel

As classes have begun, I find myself less inclined to write a post. But since New Orleans is currently my favourite city in the US, I decided that I could surely dedicate a few paragraphs to the charming city.

 
I had often heard of New Orleans but it never meant anything to me. It was just another city. But after this trip, I realized that New Orleans has story to tell and so much more to offer than meets the eye. It had character. I was amazed to see how different New Orleans is compared to the other American cities I had visited. I found myself on familiar ground as I walked along the streets where the European influence was striking. This city, the Big Easy, had a concoction of cultures, an unexpected blend of European, African and Caribbean culture.

 
The city was vibrant with art vendors by the square, street performers and jazz bands, hippies with tarot cards and even poets for hire. The architecture in both the French quarter and Garden District were beautiful but the distinct feature that caught me eye were the iron lace balconies. Up close they seemed a less glamorous and perhaps even a little old and industrial but from far, they were beautiful intricate artworks. It was a grand thought that the stubborn iron could be made so fine and so delicate.

New Orleans also had lots of lovely food. My pictures can attest to this!

 

A stop at the local museum struck a more somber note as it explained what happened during Hurricane Katrina. The museum was well designed with a variety of multimedia and successfully brought out the plight of the people who suffered from this horrible catastrophe. The souvenir shops were loud and colorful with their tacky Mardi Gras merchandise. The skulls and voodoo dolls were less to my liking but I suppose you can’t have everything in life and it did give a rather hipster feel. Pralines shops filled the air with a sweet aroma and I love it! Nightlife was extremely lively on Bourbon and Frenchmen street with crowded bars with live jazz bands.

 
Finally, I felt like the stop at Preservation Hall completed my stay at New Orleans. The discordant sounds that ricocheted of the walls of that historic building reminded me that the unexpected can surprise you. Discordant sound can make beautiful music. Likewise, a variety of different cultures can give rise to a charming city with a distinct character. It was a pleasant trip!

Broken Shells

Tags

btoken, Christianity, Clearwater beach, Life, poem, restoration, shells, waves

Clearwater beach was not only beautiful but was also fascinating. The sand caught my attention almost immediately as it was filled with broken pieces of shells and corals. The broken pieces reminded me of the brokenness in our own fragile human lives, so desolate and hopeless without the one who calls us to Him.

Here’s a poem I wrote as a reflection:

Broken shells call out to broken people.

Unfulfilled dreams and ambitions,

Singing out futile renditions,

Loneliness and complex relationships,

The burden of past mistakes grips,

Broken promises and hopelessness,

Each fleeting moment so meaningless,

Full of envy and strife,

Washed to shore by the waves of life.

But there’s one who can restore,

There’s one who gives life galore,

Where ashes turn to a garment of praise,

Where the broken are given wonderful grace.

 

Sophie Annalise

Hidden gem

Tags

beach, great, holiday, scenery, tampa, travel

I intended Tampa to be a rather uneventful short stop between Orlando and Miami but it definitely exceeded my expectations. Tampa was in fact a hidden gem. It reminded me of Malaysia with its tropical climate and local vegetation. It wasn’t something novel but it was still beautiful. Lettuce lake park was a treat with its lush greenery and the chance to spot alligators in the river! What more could I ask for! Ybor city, the historical district gave a Cuban feel with the sprawling cigar shops and neon lights. Clearwater beach was delightful and it was lovely to watch sunset with the unrelenting waves washing bits of corals and shells to shore. Overall, Tampa may have been a short stop but it was a very pleasant one indeed. Here are some pictures!

 


  

More than just a dream

Tags

American dream, Epcot, hard work, history, U.S.

While I was in Epcot, I watched a documentary on American history. Perhaps my expectations were too high and as a result, I wasn’t particularly enthralled. But there was something that struck a chord, something I believe to be a key aspect in the American success story!

Other than the native indigenous people, the U.S. is filled of European colonist who began to arrive in the 1600s. Over the years, there has been an influx of people arriving in the U.S. with their eyes set on a better life and their hearts set on the American Dream, making the U.S. a melting pot of diverse cultures and people. The U.S. was and to a certain extent, still is filled with those who are foreigners, pilgrims, voyagers. It is filled with those who are adventurous, those willing to leave their comfort zone and take up a new challenge. It is this attitude that breeds innovation. With little to lose and much to gain, they work hard and embrace challenges. They don’t fear failure. 

When I reflect on my own life, how often do I shy away from a challenge? How often do I keep my opinions to myself as expressing my opinions opens me up to criticism and can hurt my pride. A couple of years ago, I told myself that I want to live a life with no regrets and I do believe I have stayed true to myself but in this coming term, I want to be more outspoken in class and more open to failure and criticism. I do not necessary want to be more opinionated but more willing to be wrong and to learn. This year, I want to emulate the American attitude of being proactive, working hard and not being afraid to fail.  

2016 – A Year of Focus

Tags

Focus, new year, resolutions

For me, there has always been something magical about new beginnings. I love a fresh start, a new chapter in the book of life! Perhaps after moving around so much, I look at a fresh start as a new adventure, a chance to experience something novel, something varied and interesting. Or perhaps, it is my brokenness that cries out for renewal and a second chance to make the right decisions instead of the wrong ones. 

And as usual, a New Year calls for New Year resolutions! Most people view these resolutions as impractical and a waste of time but I love them! In fact, it has become a new year tradition for me. I believe that the mere process of formulating new year resolutions have great value. These resolutions help me be specific and condense my thoughts. And this year, I want to be focused. I want to be very intentional about the decisions that I make. So here’s to 2016, a Year of Focus.

Here’s the list:

1. Spiritual

• Bible Overview – read the entire bible once
• Resting in the Lord

2. Academics

• All As in Spring Term (deans list)
• Conceptual learning 

3. Physical 

• Running at least once a week
• Half marathon

4. Emotional

• Daring to answer and ask questions. Speak my mind.
• Curious and learn from others 

5. Financial

• Keep track of how much I spend
• Read 3 books on financial management 

6. Self enrichment 

• Read 40 books
• Learn something new every week and blog about it 

 

A “short” encounter

Tags

animation, Art, Color, disney, Epcot, La Lune, Mickey, Pixar, Short films

Ever heard of short films or better still, ever watched a short film? I had heard of shorts before but was quite indifferent to them until I watched the Disney and Pixar short film animation in Epcot. It had its debut just a few short days before I arrived and it was absolutely superb! I found it entertaining, educational and especially inspiring. The first short we were shown had a combination of black and white and color. Mickey was trying to save Minnie from a mean and unsavory character and in their wild goose chase, we travelled between the realm of black and white and color repeatedly. The use of the two mediums combined with the 3D effects really blew my mind and I felt like I was in a story book. The final short we watched was La Lune. I was amazed at how such good story telling was possible without a dialogue. For the first time, I became aware of how shorts push the bounds of cinematic storytelling and it really is an impressive art.

I learnt how animated films had actually stem from a group of individuals who were passionate about making short films. They brought inanimate objects to life and modeled movement with existing technology. This ingenious idea was an instant hit and eventually went on to inspire the renown Toy Story! A memorable quote from the clip was: “The art challenges technology and technology inspires the the art.” I love art and I love technology. And one day, I would like to create a short film!