I once looked in the mirror, and somehow, I got the story of the girl on the other side…

She isn’t the girl she used to be in 2008 and the years before that — one with strong personality who, most of the time, let her pride get ahead of her. Perhaps, her prideful side was caused by her immaturity. She often forgot to put herself in other people’s shoes, that’s why she always thought she was right. She was also one who got controlled by her anger easily. When provoked, she would always do something to get even. Her anger wouldn’t slip away just like that. Even during times that she was at fault, she found it hard to say sorry, and she also found it hard to forgive. But she apologized and forgave anyway. To simply put everything she was before in a statement, she was a hard one when angered, but she was actually a good friend.

When 2009 came, she changed a lot, and it made her an almost new person. One of her friends even mentioned that all her experiences during the year that passed did her good. And other people who knew her way back also saw the transformation.

It was the year when she grew up. The once naive little girl was unknowingly led to maturity by the persistent bites of reality. She laughed, she cried; she frowned, she smiled. She went on a journey she never thought she could handle. A lot of times she was challenged, and for what it was all worth, she would’ve given up hadn’t she realized that it was all for the reason she held on in the first place. She has undergone the sweetest of moments and the fiercest of times. She learned how to open her heart to the people around her, though it entailed the pain of being attacked off guard. She took the risk of doing some things she has never done before. And though it didn’t turn out to be always totally favorable, she was happy to be able to free a part of her. She learned how to sympathize and empathize. She understood how it was to swallow her pride and to control her emotions to prevent it from going wild. Everything that happened to her last year, especially during the 2nd half, shaped her into the person she is now — softer, more understanding, more mature.

If there’s one thing that didn’t change throughout her years of existence, it’s her sunny nature. She strongly believes that if there’s a time to get serious, there’s also a time to get silly. She tries her best to keep her high spirits all the time.

She figured she was kind of a drama queen last year. She seemed to find it very liberating to be able to pour her heart out, especially about things she either has undergone, or could relate to. Why is it, you ask? I say it’s just her sentimental disposition.

I wish this girl all the luck in the world. I think she badly needs it this year, just like everyone else does. Have a wonderful year of the Tiger, pal.