"I Truly Appreciate You"
how often do we hear that? the common excuse we give is, we are Asians, we are shy people, we are not used to taking affirmations well. Asians shun away from this big word: Affirmation. really?

but the truth of the matter is, we all need affirmation. we need to know that we are noticed, cherished and valued as an individual. it's more than a compliment. it's deeper than that. it's an honest gratitude towards the other. it's my way of saying thank you for all that you have done for me. it's recognising your presence in my life. it's realising your importance, your contributions and your inner beauty that i see in you.

why is it so difficult then? why do people shun away? no, it's not a cultural thing. it's the fear of rejection. it's the fear of being ridiculed. what if you doubt my sincerity? what if you took my affirmations in the wrong way? what if you think that there's some underlying motivations behind those words?

to me, affirmation is the oxygen of my spiritual soul. i long to be affirmed and yes, that's so important to me. nothing beats those words that will brighten up my life, "gracie, i appreciate you." and yeah, i have come to realise that it's the single most important factor that makes me feel belonged to a group or someone.

in this competitive society, we have learnt the evil ways of throwing sarcasm at each other. we have acquired the skills of backstabbing. we sink ourselves in the culture of criticisms. why be untruthful? why do we need to hide our innermost needs? why do we want to criticise when we aren't any better?

perhaps affirmation starts today. gracie has learnt to appreciate the good things around her. and have constantly thanked the people who have made a difference in her life. it's rewarding. affirmation is spiritual resusitation. we all need it.