Patience is a virtue practised by many, but comes naturally to only some. It's a known fact that patience isn't the easiest of traits to adopt, but it's equally easy to forget just how relative the definition of patience can be. To a soldier's wife, it may mean waiting for years on end before her other half walks through the front door. To an eager student, it may mean waiting anxiously as s/he opens up a college response letter. It could mean an exhausted yet enthusiastic to-be father pacing the hospital corridors, waiting to hear the cries of his very own baby; then again, it could mean a frightened daughter pacing those same hospital corridors waiting to know if her father survived the accident. It's all really relative, and although we may not realize it, each one of us certainly has a bit of patience lying somewhere within us.

To me, patience  means gulping down things that aren't that easy to swallow, and then, patiently waiting for the reward.

1. Myanmar, Burma
2. Beichuan, China
3. Beirut, Lebanon
4. Jaipur, India
5. Colomba, Sri Lanka
6. ?

What next?

Dear victims of violence, natural disasters, hate, crimes and ignorance -  you will not be forgotten.

Amen. 

So I passed my G2 road test (2nd out of 3 steps to becoming a fully licensed driver in the wierd Canadian graduated driving license system) in the very first attempt, yes, very first! To be quite honest, I'm still in shock, and even more shocked was my entire family. Ecstatic of course, but quite surprised to say the least, especially considering I'd only had a handful of weeks' experience of driving. This post however, will be focusing on the reaction of one specific family member : the Dad.

With reference to the driving test, Dad was almost certainly equipped with his "don't worry sweetie, it's only your first try, besides you've only drive a car for 10 odd hours of your life' speech, only to be left speechless with the "I passed!' phone call. Dads tend to find it the hardest to accept that their 'little girls' have finally grown up. Especially coming from a society that recognizes its women as 'mature' and 'capable of making decisions' only once they are married (for the most part), it's a constant tussle between father and daughter to prove their worth.

Mothers have always been better with coming to terms with their children growing up too fast, and despite the fact that the maternal bond with a child is one of the strongest ties, they seem to know exactly when it's time to let go. With Dads, its not so much the case – daddy's little girl will always be his little girl, from the time she's a toddler right up to when she's raising little girls of her own. For us daughters, dads are certainly a lot more than just a credit card; they're our buddies, cheerleaders, pillars of support and voice of reason in times of need. The good thing with dads is that emotions don't confuddle their judgement; moms hold the Oscar for dramatic reactions. (I love you mom)

I suppose it all starts in the tummy – mothers carry their children for 9 months before the tiny tots are introduced to the world. Whether mom likes it or not, she has  to be prepared for parenthood, she has to be ready to take on this new life growing in her. With the paternal unit, I feel it's more a question of timing – they're ready to a parent long after they've already become one. And when the time comes, those tiny tots have grown up and well, 'don't need you to tell me what to do with my life'.

With all the hype of Mother's Day around, I thought it would be nice to give an ode to Dad. Dad, if there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that you'd make a great Dad.

It's a strange feeling, being a fresh graduate. After 4 years of all nighters, sky-high stress levels, good grades, bad grades, making totally avoidable mistakes, and not really studying as much as I should have, I can't say I'm entirely glad it's over. University or college life is like a cocoon – you're in a place where you can be recognized and you have a place in your own little world. Nobody can really discredit you for messing up, because hey, you're still a 'college kid' – you're meant to mess up. At the same time, you learn so much (outside the classroom, that is, if you ever even attended class) along the way – burning your study table with the iron within a few hours of moving into the dorms, finding mice running up your dorm room walls, earthquakes, bitchy girls and bitchy-er boys – there's a pot-pourri of experiences that will certainly leave you a whole lot wiser than you were in highschool.

And then, you graduate. There's the headache of looking for a decent job or cheap graduate school to apply to. In some cases, you're looking forward to another couple of years of loan repayments. Entering the work force isn't easy – especially if you haven't had any previous experience in your field. The key, just like in college, is to pretend that you know everything. Hold your head up high and don't let anyone make you feel any less smart that you seem to be. Seriously, it works!

 Hurrah! Don't you just heart being a graduate?