au revoir 2010; an open letter to myself

Dear Maria,

Let the world know that you did not depart the past year crippled by disappointments & betrayals, hard luck & setbacks, bad decisions & shortcomings. 2010 left you with scars aplenty but they exist only to remind you to wear them proud & as medals won. Besides, why pursue a battle if not to win? Let them know that glory is in the cradle of your arms because you understand those testing times provide the most holistic & nonpareil education for your soul to flourish & you chose to be the golden girl, the unflinching student, the best.

That year is gone. Another year you live & love. Lived & lost. The worst that you have had to live through, i'm sorry. I'm sorry if the world is designed so far beyond perfect & you cannot comprehend why good begets hate, loyalty begets treachery, & love begets unthinkable betrayal. You suffered much & deep this time but never for nothing. Let it go. To begin, you can never look back & pick a year that wasn't difficult for you. You were never shortlisted to be part of a population that is entitled to a life so easy to live. You know hardship like it is the veins of your hands.

Once again, you're a wounded dog crawling home today. But this new year, you bring home with you the prime concept of faith. I'm happy that you've found your spiritual self though you need to nurture it much more. You now recognise that being a slave is not below you if for the rightful master. So you bury your tiny feet into the earth to stay rooted & give your thanks.

What cannot destroy you, makes you stronger. As it is written, every test sent down is not one beyond your individual capacity to overcome it. The world is not unfair afterall, Maria. It's just in the way you perceive it. It's how foolishly or intelligently you choose to conquer it. There will be much more to come & you will again be battered but i promise you that it is worth it.

Believe that for as long as you have faith, you're invincible. Let the world try to trample you, tell them today that you will never be rattled.

This is your foundation. Happy new year to you.