There was a time in which I was genuinely scared and I did not know what to do other than break down. I was scared to lose someone I deeply cared about. Someone I cared about, a family member, had attempted to create an end to themselves. I was so so terrified of losing them. I could not do anything and I remember how much I truly wanted to talk to them, to do something. Yet, I was unable to. It was early in the morning, I was not awake at the time when someone in my family was heard simply wailing and mumbling prayers. I was not aware at the time and I opened my phone up to a heart wrenching text. It was frightening. Fortunately, they ended up well and have recovered a lot, but I can never forget that feeling, that fear of losing someone important to me.

Finding something one is good at doing is a bit difficult because people don’t generally dwell on such thoughts. It is always so easy to nitpick at our faults that we sometimes forget to appreciate our talents and uniqueness. I had always enjoyed art in particular and I was good at it. It had taken me a long time for me to come to terms with the fact that I was good at it. I loved to draw and I loved photography. The skill of digital design and editing photos later on came easy to me. It was a hobby that I had always enjoyed and it truly relaxed me. As a child, I remember sitting for hours just doodling. Pencil sketching is what I started with, truly the basics of drawing. As I grew older, I began to understand dimensions and shading. My skill set broadened and I began to experiment with any new materials I was able to gain access to: oil paints, watercolor, colored pencils, markers, pastels, chalk, and so forth. My style of drawing went from cartoons to realistic, and somewhere along the way I found that my style settled on an inbetween of cartoon and realistic proportions. Eventually, I tried photography. I enjoyed a lot more than I had thought possible. It had a bit of a social aspect to it as I had liked to invite friends and family to outings with my camera. I learned to edit and Photoshop photos, which proved to be a useful skill to obtain. I have always enjoyed art and thought of it as a hobby very dear to me. It was a way for me to release my thoughts and emotions onto a medium and organize it into a way I can comprehend. I have found that it also documents my progress as a person. As my art changed and evolved, so had I.

I admire many people and I continue to strive to improve myself to be the best person I can possibly be. My aunt in particular had been a constant in my life as an inspiration and a role model. She was there for me when my parents were busy working in order to support the family. I had grown up with her and she had played a large role in helping me become the person I am today. She herself has gone through many adversities and has in turn used the wisdom and knowledge she had gained in order to guide me. To start with, my achievements in education were heavily influenced by her. I strived to attain higher grades and more knowledge to understand the world around me and be prepared for the future to come. She was always so logical in her manner of thinking, it astounded me at times considering that I was the type of person to think more on the emotional side. She was the one who told me to find a career, something stable because it matters not if I do not enjoy it. I need something that would allow me to support myself and take care of my well-being. I can always find time to do the things I enjoy on the side. It seemed like a very realistic method of thinking and it really changed my mind of what following my aspirations meant. My aunt also taught me to pay attention to those around me and to be open to helping others. She would send me articles concerning the news and events ongoing, cautioning me to be safe as the world isn’t as safe as it may seem. She again and again never failed to demonstrate how kind she was as well. When someone needed a hand, she was there. She had high expectations for me, but only because she believed that I could do it. I really admire the way she is able to inspire and pass on her knowledge. She is a genuinely selfless person, not just towards myself but others as well. 

I really miss my childhood friend. I had known him since elementary and we became practically siblings. My family adored him because of his politeness and hard-working tendencies. Although, we have grown apart over the years because we both became busy with our own schedules and relationships, I really appreciate the memories we have shared. I sometimes want to hang out with him more, but we have distanced a lot. Not to mention, people change over time, and I do not know him as well as I used to. It is nice to look back, reminiscing about the good times once in a while. I can still remember how we used to have a lot of fun just goofing around. We went through a lot together. There were a lot of good memories and bad memories shared. He was a genuine friend who had a tough exterior and a soft interior. No matter how blunt and aloof he seemed, he truly cared. 

Literal: Whom are these cows talking about?

Inferential: What topic are they talking about?

Evaluative: Is that appropriated when they talk about other like this?

Appreciative: How would the way of these cows talk suppose to be funny?

Essential: Why should we not judge others by their appearance?

I cannot remember what made I laugh the hardest in my life, but this reminds me of a funny moment when I was traveling with my family last year. That was a nice summer day when we enjoyed the beautiful beach at Catalina island. I traveled with my wife, her mom, and her two sisters who are younger than her 3 and 10 years old. We were walking on the beach together while we were waiting for the sunset. Then, when the most beautiful moment of the day came, I caught my wife’s hand and told her: “Honey, look at the gorgeous sunset over there!”. The moment I turned my head around to see my wife was so embarrassing. How ridiculous I am to mistake my wife for her next sister. The person who was walking next to me was my wife, but she magically slowed down and fall behind somehow. Her sister initially was stunned and confused by my silly action. Then, she laughed a lot when realizing my mistake. Definitely, that was not a funny moment for me but extremely embarrassed instead. I actually laughed nearly lost my mind when we recalled the moment in the party couple weeks ago, and people could not stop laughing, too. It was still so lucky when my wife did not angry, for I hold another girl’s hand. We better be aware of whom we walk with.

Literal: What do you see on the sticker?

Inferential: Will that sticker be removed?

Evaluative: Is it appropriated to put a sticker on a school bench?

Appreciative: What is the purpose of the person who put the sticker on the bench? Does it have a special meaning?

Essential: What is a spiritual warrior?

Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.

— Oscar Wilde.

This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

• Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
• Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

• Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
• What topics do you think you’ll write about?
• Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
• If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.