Seven years ago, God helped me make a life-changing decision—that I would never have thought of—moving to NYC. At that time, it was the only city where I got a job offer. I was nervous, yet overwhelmed, thinking about how I would be able to survive in such a big city.
I made the move anyway. The plan—that I did not plan turned out to be the best plan God has for me. I spent almost my whole 20s living the life—that I could ever dream of and in the city—that I could ever dream of. I felt as if everything was planned, and my job was only following through.
I love NYC. I love being in the city in many ways. I love how I can bike across town, watch the most beautiful sunset, browse different streets, see many arts, and meet many people. Little me would have ever imagined how this could be my life!?
I wake up every day feeling thankful in my heart—for not only falling in love with the city I live in but also falling in love with the people, the food, and the culture. Perhaps, one day, I will get tired of this city, but until then, I get to soak in every moment.
Looking back, I am grateful for all my experiences—the mistakes, yet the lessons. I would not have done it any other way. But lately, witnessing life get taken away in the blink of an eye made me wonder if tomorrow is not guaranteed, how can I use my time wisely and live my life without regret?
I have been thinking about time quite a bit—the time that has already passed, the time I have now, and the time I might have in the future. I go down to the passage of time and realize every moment is valuable, and I do not want to take it for granted.
PRESENT—If time doesn’t wait for no one, what can I do now that adds value to my life? I believe joy comes from serving others, small gestures go a long way, being kind = winning life. Here are many ways I do that bring love and peace to my heart:
Go for a walk in my neighborhood park.
Take the lessons I want to take.
—Dancing, surfing, horseback riding, flower arrangement, learning Spanish.
Give me a staycation.
—Sleep, eat, take a bath, facial mask on repeat.
Going to my favorite workout class
Helping people with what I can.
—Listen, support with what they need.
Buy someone/strangers a meal, a coffee, or a dessert.
Offer to buy groceries for strangers. (OFC, when I can!!!)
Volunteer in my community.
Donate to charities I believe in.
—Save The Children, Lower Eastside Girls Club, Make-a-Wish Foundation, PCRF.
(https://convoyofhope.org/articles/childrens-charities/, https://nymag.com/urban/articles/charityguide/children.htm,
https://www.pcrf.net/)
Tithe/donate to any community.
—A local church, performing arts or visual arts.
Give money to the people who need it. (OFC, within my budget!!!)
Being a shoulder for someone to cry on.
Being present with the people I love.
—Going for a walk or a ride, cooking, enjoying a meal together, watch a show or doing nothing together!!!
PAST—Spending ten more years with my host family, I learned to appreciate saving and taking care of things from the past. I love how I can look at the past memories and treasure it. I also love documenting so it is always a bonus for me.
—Write down my experiences, my mistakes, my lessons. I like to look at what lessons I have learned.
—Saving all my family recipes. I truly think it is a nice way to keep the taste of the family going on for generations.
—I’m a visual person, so I love to have photo books. I think it’s a great way to document life through images. It’s nice to reminisce memories sometimes.
FUTURE—Truly, I don’t know what might come tomorrow. I have learned to live life to be excited for the unknown. It is liberating to know that every day is a new day. In addition to that, I love writing a letter to my future self—something I look forward to every year. It kept me in check with all my goals and my blessings. It is my fuel to keep me going.
I hope we can use the best of our time in this life and make this world a better place to live in. Please feel free to drop me any suggestions! Until next time.💛
Lovely post, I love the list of things to do in the present. It makes it very tangible. And the love letter to New York…in another life, that’s where I’d be.
This was such a sweet one to read through. I spent a lot of my life living in New York with my aunts as well. Between Toronto and New York, there's a soft spot for me there for sure, though I do have some tough memories associated with it since the passing of my aunt, who was like a mother to me.
I love the thought of writing a future letter to myself.