A Note to My Brother

My brother turned 23 two days ago. 

Happy Birthday !

This is a short post for my top list reader, my brother, a silent reader from the start : 

When I was 23, I was busy preparing for my final year project, getting ready for the real life after graduation. I didn't know what to expect, people say a lot of things, lecturers reminded us to prepare our so-called portfolio, and find our strengths in the working field. "It is okay to start with low pay", "You will need to convince people", "Prepare your resume", "This company promises this and that". 

4 years in the university and 11 years in school, at last, we are saying 'hello' to the real world ! We'll get paid for what we do, we can buy things that we want, no more homeworks and exams, the best thing is : we can do what we like. Because we are an adult ! *naive assumptions

For some people, they will find a nice place to work and they stay, for some people , job-hopping become a routine every several months, like a bee searching for the best nectar on dozen of flowers, for other group of people they will continue searching and waiting for chances, while the least group of people, they choose to do nothing. 

Which group of people I belonged to? The first one, I found a nice place to work at, and I stayed. An average salary rate, 9am-6pm, moderate complication. I learned a lot of things, I keep on learning a lot more. It became a routine. 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 4 weeks a month. 

A year passed.

I turned 25, I asked myself. 

What am I doing in life? 

Is this what I want? 

20 years from now, will I look back and feel fulfilled? 

Two years passed.

I turned 26, these questions came back to me.

What am I doing?

Do I love my job? Yes. Who would turned off to reading, doing research and coming up with the research's outcomes? I am a reader and researcher by nature, it almost feels like breathing. But is this what I want to do in life? Do I feel fulfilled staying 8 hours in front of the computer? 

Not really. 

If money is not an object to pursue, I would be traveling, writing and drawing. 

A reason to strive should be those three.

BUT,

we have responsibilities. You can't leave and pursue your dreams, if you are not ready. 

*

Here, I am telling you. I want you to do what you love the most, be it traveling, or writing, or creating things. But, do it full-heartedly and make sure it can help you build your future and the ones that is important to you : family. 

What ever you choose to do, you need to make sure, you can support yourself and your family. If you love writing, then work as much as needed to be the greatest writer. If you love traveling, learn as many languages needed, learn photography or writing skills, find ways to work online, or anything for that matter. Show us your effort, and convince us that we can all be happy by the path that you choose. I'll support you, if you can convince me.

There is no point in working but feels empty. Life is just too short. 

And if cakap je lebih, tapi duit tak masuk pun, baik tak payah beriya. 

Because you are the man of the family, so you need to have to be the strongest among us all. 

Make us proud in your own way. If I can make a living by selling stickers, then who can actually argue and say my life is less fulfilling than theirs? 

So, strengthen your skills, and be ready for the future.

Happy Birthday Mi.