For My 17th Birthday...

i turn 17 today.

when i laid on my bed last night, i thought about a lot of things. about the things in my life to be thankful for. the things that some people will not have in their lives ever again.

i am talking about the victims of the Tsunami 26/12/04.

i counted down to Christmas at Anna's place. we carolled. we watched "A Blessed Christmas". we ate. we wore our "I Believe In Santa Claus" santa hats. we "boggled". we whacked each other with the MTV Asia 2004 premium thingies. we were nuts, but i had fun.

then i got home, and i caught the Tsunami special on CNA. they were showing real life video footages of the people who survived and were taking the videos as the tsunami struck. it suddenly didn't feel so right to be happy anymore.

i watched this couple get washed away as they tried grabbing someone's hand to be pulled up to safety. this family was pinning themselves against their house as the waves rised. 2 children got swept away. it's like a movie, where you see the characters get washed away, but you know they'll still be there in real life. only that wasn't a movie, it was real. they weren't coming back.

my bro thought that we shouldnt watch something so depressing on Christmas. we were playing Scrabble. the four of us.

i'm thankful for all that i have. i really am now. sure, i dont get parties and presents like cars like the kids on My Super Sweet Sixteen for my birthday. but the victims of the disaster have no homes, and i have a comfortable one. they have lost their loved ones, and i have them right next to me. i even get a cake. i wish there's something i can do for them. anything. maybe offer a hug. anything.

for my 17th birthday, i shall be thankful for everything i have...