The Ugly Duckling

You know what draws the masses to the story of the ugly duckling, who later became a swan? It's the fact that the duckling was initially ugly, and abused and downtrodden; and in the end, it became a swan.

The story wouldn't have been interesting if it started off as 'a swan which grew up to be a swan'. Or, a swan which knew that it was born into the midst of a bunch of ignorant ducklings, and grew up knowing that it would be a swan anyway, and was proud of itself.

It was the transformation, or more like the realization, that one day let the duckling overcome it's former inhibitions of who it thought it was, and started to behave like a swan... and forget all things that associated itself with the 'ugly duckling' it once was.

One wouldn't appreciate beauty that much, if it was something one had all along. It is through having what you once didn't have, or once lost; that makes you appreciate what you have all the more.

I was really an ugly duckling in a particular phase of life. No, I'm not talking about looks (though I might as well be doing that too). I never knew that that phase of life affected me so much, until it was brought up today, and the mention of that topic itself was strong enough to bring tears of shame into my eyes. It was overwhelming.

I just want to thank God for giving me a chance to break through this cocoon and transform into something new. Now the most important thing is that this chance and forgiveness is cherished, and I do not go back to what I was again.

Things We Forget

I've started to feed this blog sometime ago, and I feel that sometimes the little quotes in it are quite meaningful.

Images taken from thingsweforeget.blogspot.com.

I like the way it's drawn and written out too. But maybe the idea of leaving post-it's around Singapore isn't too environmentally friendly. Still, the person who finds it might need it.

There was a blood donation activity in church yesterday. I'm really scared of donating my own blood. Really. Because the needle that pokes in is so big, and I don't like the idea of losing something like a bag of blood (no matter how small that bag is). Anyway, I'm quite below the weight limit (45 kg, don't ask how heavy I am), so I can't donate even if I wanted to. But the way Wei Lun put it (in his Facebook status) really made me think: he said Jesus gave His blood for him, so he's happy to give his own away! How true is that, and how could I have forgotten?

Maybe one day, after I gain weight, I will be brave enough to share my gift of life with others. Both Jesus, and my blood! :) After all we do have the responsibility to help another soul that Christ loves to live another day, so that His love could be spread too.