Dreams...
It may be a dream afraid of waking up, or it may be a dream coming to realization in the next morning.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Places Where Hungry Hearts Have Nothing to Eat (A.K.A. Chasers of Beauty)

They say that the food of mind is knowledge, and the food of heart is love. I don't know if I am actually well-phrased to talk about it but you see, beautiful people, men or women, they have an endless queue in front of them who is more than eager to have a connection with them. Before, when I was quite naive, I always thought it was a very superficial nature of humans, longing for the things that look good in the eyes. But, no, though we're always taught with the value of what's inside is more important than what's outside, we still feel that it's more enjoyable to be in a company of beautiful people. Why?

This is a list of answer of such question. It kind of gives a shed of light of why beautiful people always seem to have chasers of friends or lovers. Some answers are worth mentioned.

1) post #3 - the poster says that when you hang around beautiful people, it makes you feel beautiful too. It makes you happy. But what about the case of post #2 where the poster says that hanging around beautiful people shakes his self-confidence. Being around ugly people makes the person looks good.

2) post #4 speculates that hanging around beautiful people gives you a share of what is given to your beautiful company. If they're getting attention, you'll too. Is it true? Don't you even feel more lonely hanging around them?

3) post #6 says that pretty people have an awesome personality. Is it a case of "what's beautiful is good" myth? And it's countered by post #7 who claims that ugly people have nicer personality. Well, then, isn't this a case of "what's beautiful isn't good" myth?

4) Post #9, 10, and 14 make a direct statement by saying that ugly people are ugly. Well, there's no more further comment of these ones, isn't there?

Among all these, and the more sensible answer is given by,

5) post #1, 5, and the best answer chosen by the asker that we have been engineered in our genes to chase after people of beauty. They symbolize health, give refreshments to the eyes, and possess symmetry in their physiques. They chase beautiful people because well then, they want to have some "love" from them, which eventually satisfies their social life, which philosophically we can say, their hearts have been fed.

Beautiful people possess some evolutionary "mysteries" that maybe psychologists can attempt to understand, but in a meanwhile, us non-psychologists, please don't ever repeat what posters #9, 10, and 14 said, average Joes, me especially don't feel good when you say that. So, even if you hate us so much, keep it inside, answering in a public platform like Yahoo! Answers is very hurtful.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Friendship Is NOT Given, It Is Earned

What is friendship? It is a non-sexual relationship, can be deep or superficial, shared by two people who find that there is something that connects them together. Friends can be someone who shares the same workplace and knows you, or someone who is in the same study group with you, or your neighbor who knows your routine. Someone who you meet at the bakery several times and exchange smiles.


No, that's not my version of friendship. That is NOT my definition of friendship. Friendship never is without being deep. Someone who bumps into you at the workplace, someone who happens to live next door, or even someone who has a conversation with you, that is not a friendship. That may be an acquaintance. That may be someone, just someone.


If there's anything I learn these past few days, it is that friendship is not something that you find on the street and wear on your necklace, or something your mother gives you and you use it to buy something at the shop, or something you borrow from another person and then you give it back when you don't need it. 


Friendship is earned.

You can't just be someone's friend and expect to be close to that person. You have to earn to be close to him, or her. It's so much work, it's so much and you might get tired but at the end, it's worth it. You have to work for it. You have to show and give your effort. And you might or might not get the friendship but it's the way it is. According to Karbo (2006), for acquaintanceship to transition to friendship, it should be based on reciprocity, and understanding of give-and-take of intimacy. But what's most important is that the two friends can relate with each other, meaning to say that they share, or understand the same social identity.


And any of you who are reading this, please take a moment to pray for me so this one friendship I have with this one person (you can refer to him as AM in your prayer) will be taken care of by Allah. 


Reference:


Karbo, K. (2006). Friendship: The laws of attraction. Extracted from Psychology Today: Relationships Blog at http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200611/friendship-the-laws-attraction?page=2

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

It's a Shame

Somehow, OneRepublic's It's a Shame is very much describing what I am going through now. You see, I applied for Turkish scholarship and though has been reassured acceptance by the authority, I still can't bear the waiting, unemployment sucked. I tried to get to the scholarship, but unfortunately the authority itself didn't know when the result would be released, but he assumed it to be in August.

"Now I tried to get to you
Pushing in vain to break me through
And I tried with all I had
You left me standing empty-handed
Well time has past nothing ever lasts
"

Yesterday, the authority called me and told me I am accepted to further my studies in Turkey under the scholarship by the Turkish government. I don't know whether to call it a good news or bad news, since now I have signed a contract with my government, and I can't back out now. Even if I am accepted, the circumstance is not the same anymore.

"So now you confess that you need me
And now you release what you're feeling
But how is this suppose to ever be the same
Oh it's a shame
It's a shame
"

Wow, this is more reason why OneRepublic is the best! And, oh, the circumstance is not good now, I have to choose between the two, maybe thinking of a compromise. I don't know.

Listen to the song:

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Do You Enjoy or Suffer Being Infatuated?

In an entry in Psychology Today blogroll, infatuation is defined as "idealization of the new love, often followed by deflation and feelings of loss. Intense longing and yearning - especially when the person is unattainable or elusive." (para. 4).


But the same author also asserted that infatuation is a normal developmental process of a teenager, though people in their older age can experience infatuation every now and then. In another writing I can't remember where the source is, infatuation should be enjoyed, rather than seen as a suffering.





Well, this is my experience and feelings every time I am attacked by one of these infatuation monsters. I know that the people I'm infatuated with are unattainable, so it only gives depression rather than the high feeling as if you're on drugs. Well, I feel aroused and high some of the times, except that whenever the thought that I won't get the person pops up in mind, I become so tired and moody, and depressed of course. 


I want reassurance by the person and my life is more likely revolving around the person where changes might happen. The person is in my mind 24/7 and I am in a 'great' dilemma whether or not just say 'hi' in a message or just call or just do nothing. I have to force my life to do other activities in order to put that person to the back of mind, which is only working if I'm interested in the activities, or otherwise it'll only become a case of Pink Elephant Effect.


So, now you judge, whether being infatuated is an enjoyment, or well, a suffering. It's the latter obviously to me...


Source:


LaBier, D. (2010). Why your love life is a version of adolescent romance. Retrieved from Psychology Today: The New Resilience from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-new-resilience/201004/why-your-love-life-is-version-adolescent-romance

There's Always a Different Side of a Coin

You can't always get what you want. It's what they say. It is implied that when you pray and wish for something but end up craving even more of it, there's a good chance that your wish is replaced by something that's even more important than you.

I can't tell the whole story of why this entry is inspired in the first place but my exact point is that there is always a different side of a coin. When you haven't got something you want, you might actually get it, but you just have to flip the coin's another side to your looking and there is a good chance that it is that what you have got. You see what we wish isn't always exactly granted in the exact manner, though I believe it is very very frequently granted.

For example, you wish for a lover, then you meet a wonderful person. He or she does not end up being your lover, but your best friend. You still get what you want, but it is only visible at the other side of the coin. It means you have to think harder what God actually wants you to want. Maybe in this case example, you should not get a lover, at least for the time being, you need someone to be your friend first, so here comes the wonderful person.

I don't know if I make sense, but it is what I learn yesterday and I hope what I'm trying to preach here, I can practice. In the meantime, enjoy this song, "You Can't Always Get What You Want..."

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Forgiveness

Err...! OMG! Wow! Phew! *Sigh.......

Those were what I felt throughout this dramatic first day of Raya. You see, when you have not been talking to someone for more than you are supposed to, or not, initiating the relationship back to where it was can be tricky, and a lot of things can happen, things that are out of expectations that is.

It's been a long fight, an incessantly prolonged conflict, one that now I am asking myself why I stopped talking to her in the first place. Bottom line is that this fight has been more and more pointless. You see, we're not perfect but we have been more than persistent to expect people, especially the significant ones, to be, perfect. We keep blaming each other, trying to prove to the other one. Until at one destructive point when you could go to the extent that you try to persuade others to feel like you about that person. You hate to see the face 'til your feeling about it is rampant and extended to every other thing about the person.



All of those, and you already forget what you're been blaming each other for, what you're hating the person for, why you're not talking to person anymore... You just forget, proving the point that whatever reason you were angry about can be solvable at that right moment when you picked that fight with that person, or when the person did with you. The conflict is just so small but it is your ego that magnified it 'til it could burst a flame.

Can you see my point?

Anyways, Selamat Hari Raya and Maaf Zahir dan Batin... again...

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri!!

It's Raya again and I am emotional again. Maybe I'm emotional for the past two days because it's Raya, and until now, I don't know why on earth I should be emotional in this festive holiday. Maybe because it is the time when every good thing might have their own chance again to restart again, when they have ended long ago. Yes, Ramadhan is as  equally blessed, but usually the redemption is only between the self and God. And God is forgiving, Ever-Forgiving. But, in Raya, it is always associated with the tradition to right the wrong between people, between friends, between family, and between everyone else. And I'm not so sure that humans are as forgiving as God Himself.

So, anyone who reads this, please take your time to forgive others. I do not ask for you to forget, because for me, forgetting is your full right, but forgiveness is the wrongdoer's full right to have. I am also reminding myself, because I am one to talk. I sometimes have a lot to ragingly keep inside, grudges and all, but let's try together. Just hope that when you can forgive people, that people can forgive you for your own bad deeds.

Please forgive me... Zahir and batin...