29 Things I Am Grateful For

I am going to say it straightaway. This week has been ridiculously hectic for me. With less than 15 days left till home and 22 days till Christmas (Can you believe that!), I found myself drowning slowly in the pool of excitement and anxiety. Why do we even have to go to school at this time of the year?

Funny enough, while I was doing a research for my writing class, I stumbled across a blog post on an app called "Stop, Breathe & Think". This app is basically a meditation app where it teaches you how to meditate and helps you clear things off your mind. It is really easy and it specifically targets on beginners, so don't worry, if I can use it, so can you! I am honestly no expert in meditation. In fact, today was my first time meditating in my 19 years of life. During the whole process, it talked about gratitude. And it kept me wondering, how many times did we actually stop and give thanks to the things we have in our lives?

And so, to celebrate the last 29 days of 2014, here are 29 things I am grateful for.

1. I am grateful for my family. For a mother that is as stubborn as I am but still puts up with my hotheadedness and temper 24/7, for a father that is handsomer than George Cloony and sends me money secretly all the time and of course, for my annoying little sister who is always there to support me. For my three dogs, Ody, Joey and Jayden, they have showed me the definition of unconditional love. 
   
   
   
2. I am grateful for being able to go to school in Hawaii. Not many people could go surfing before classes and have a beach that is 5 minute away from campus. 
   
   
3. I am grateful for having almost perfect eyesight. I actually had terrible eyesight before 7th grade but somehow it just disappeared when I got older. Lucky me!
   
   
4. I am grateful for a body that allows me to dive in oceans and climb mountains. I am grateful for the peace and tranquility the nature gives. 
   
   
5. I am grateful for the bowl of Alfredo pasta I had for dinner.
   
   
6. I am grateful for having a group of amazing friends that I can proudly say are the best. The crazy members of the Hunga tribe back in high school. Yes, you guys... Without them, I highly doubt I would survive high school. And of course, my Hawaiian ohana! And the Rhody Rams! For the laughter and joy they brought to my freshman and sophomore years. 
   
   
   
7. I am grateful for having hair that barely needs maintenance. A natural hair color that even my hairdresser says he's jealous of!
   
   
8. I am grateful for the love of flying. For how easy it is for me to sit on a plane for 16 hours straight. 
   
   
9. I am grateful for having small feet. Kids' shoes are so much cheaper!
   
   
10. I am grateful for being able to speak three languages. English, Mandarin and Cantonese.
    
    
11. I am grateful for being financial-burden free. I am so thankful for having parents that are willing to pay for my tuition fees and living expenses. 
    
    
12. I am grateful for all the adventures I had. For being able to see thirteen countries with my own eyes, for all the memories I made. 
    
    
    
13. I am grateful for being able to play the piano. For being able to free my mind when I place my fingers on those black and white keys. 
    
    
14. I am grateful for knowing what I wanted to be at a young age - a veterinarian. A huge thanks to Ody for that!
    
    
    
15. I am grateful for having a ridiculously high pain tolerance, which has helped me a lot when I fell off my skateboard and scraped my chin.
    
    
16. I am grateful for owning an iPhone 5s that takes high quality pictures.
    
    
17. I am grateful for the ocean. For all the sea creatures I have swum with, for all the rocks and shells I have picked. 
    
    
    
18. I am grateful for teachers that inspired and challenged me. From the ones in Diocesan Girls' School to the ones in the University of Hawaii. I am thankful for the guidance and support they have given me. 
    
    
19. I am grateful for books and movies that allow me to get lost in. 
    
    
20. I am grateful for the confidence to leave home for college. It's not easy to be 8000 miles away from home. 
    
    
21. I am grateful for the easy access of drinking water. The purity of the water we have.
    
    
22. I am grateful for the lady behind me in church who sings off key because it means that I can hear. 
    
    
23. I am grateful to have Hong Kong as my home. I am grateful that I live in a tax-free country. 
    
    
24. I am grateful for competitive swimming. For all the friends I made, the coaches that yelled at me. For those insane 5am trainings and the horrible muscle pain. I would not have been able to represent Hong Kong to compete if it weren't because of those things. 
    
    
    
25. I am grateful for webcams. I couldn't imagine life without Skype or Facetime... How would I be able to see my family and friends when I am out of the country?
    
    
26. I am grateful for not being allergic to anything. 
    
    
27. I am grateful for the strength I had when facing troubles and sorrows.
    
    
28. I am grateful for the sun. Without it, food wouldn't grow and my body wouldn't experience its warmth. Without the sun, I wouldn't be able to see the incredible sunsets in Mauna Kea and the Maldives. 
    
    
    
29. I am grateful for my name, both Chinese and English. It gave me place in this world.
    
    
30. I am grateful for my warm and soft bed.
    
    
31. I am grateful for the strangers that said 'good morning' or nodded at me when they passed by. 
    
    
32. I am grateful for all the heart breaks I had. As painful as they were, they had strengthened me both physically and mentally. Without them, I wouldn't be the person I am today. So thank you. 
    
    
33. I am grateful for having Jesus Christ in my life who I can always run to when I am lost and sad. 
    
    
34. I am grateful for the alarm that goes off in the morning hours because it means that I am still alive. 

So, what about you? What are you grateful for in your lives?