SOUL SISTERS.

FALL 2009 ™

Friends are the pearls of our life. This word bears its great meaning only to those who could understand the greatness of its meaning. It's something sacred, it needs to be cherished and built up for many years with much care. Goran Stojanov once said, "One should always take care when making a choice of a friend - as the friends are the ones you pick by yourself." My opinion is a bit different than Goran's, I prefer to say, "Friends come and go, but with the precious few, we shall live our lives happily."

I agree that friends come in to our life spontaneously. Therefore, there is little more than picking a part. Making Friends is the process, which is a very unique one. It depends on the person one is trying to become friends with, it depends on one's gender, it depends on one's age, but most importantly it depends on one's own personality. It's a complex, magical process, which must contain fluidity that will start spinning the wheel.

FALL 2009 ™

We all have a desire to have friends. It is what makes us reach out of our shells and take the chance of being hurt. It is not easy figuring out who is a friend and who is not. I believe Maluz, to be a true friend. We met in high school and have known each other for almost eight years. Maluz and I have been through many good and hard times together. In addition, we have experienced so many adventures together.

I consider Maluz to be a true friend. A true friend is there for you when you need them. To have a true friend is a remarkable thing. To find someone that shares similar interests, who cares about who you are and what you are doing. A true friend is there for you when you need them. Someone who you are not embarrassed to cry in front of, who you can tell the deepest darkest secrets to and know they will be safe. An old rule of thumb is that a true friend is someone you can call after months or even years, and speak as if not a day had passed. Maluz and I have experienced this, we were parted from each other for about a year and half while she was in Japan to spend some time with her family. Once we came in contact with each other, it was as though we never skipped a beat.

True friends come along so rarely, and I am so thankful to have met her that we must move past anything that threatens them and see the big picture. Without our friendships, we are indeed lost. Whatever happens, we should always keep our true friends close to our heart. Tell them how much they mean to you. Do not let them slip away. If they do, go out and get them back. The bonds we make during these days will serve to keep us going in the months and years ahead.

SUMMER 2009 ™

There are many types of people in the world and many types of friends. Knowing that, it becomes all the more important to select the right people so that one might have the correct friends.

A Mother's Love.

Nothing comes close to getting love that a mother has for her children. Most women are great mothers to their children. Women that carry their children before they are born and then continue to take care of them throughout their childhood and even into adulthood. Moms make sure that their children are safe and happy throughout their childhood.

It is the unconditional love that a mother feels for her children that drives these feelings. It is hard to describe the feeling that a mom has towards her children. Most people don’t understand this love unless they are mothers themselves. Raising a child comes with a lot of frustrations, starting the needy new born baby that needs regular care. To a teenager, a mother's job is everything but easy. A famous saying states that "God could not be everywhere and so he invented mothers", these words are an inspiration to mothers all across the world. A mother puts her children before anything else, including their own comfort and happiness.

Mothers give a lot of support to their child, whether it is visible support or background encouragement. Not only do mothers support their children, but they hold the whole family structure together. This role is not always plain sailing. Mother’s can also be mad or hurt. Mother’s often take the fallout for the toddler tantrums and the teenage angst. Despite this, our moms will love us no matter what we do.

Mothers were meant to be the cheerleaders for their children, sometimes in loud and visible ways, sometimes in unspoken way in the background. Mothers can often be the backbone of families. A mother’s job is not always the easiest one. Moms have to make sacrifices and can also have their hearts broken. The great thing about mothers is that they usually understand and love their kids in all ways.

The heart of a Mom is an abyss - where deep down you'll always find forgiveness.

LDR - Long Distance Relationships

If you’re troubled whether your long distance relationship will last long enough or not, you are not alone. The sad truth is, no one really bothers to acknowledge the difficulties of keeping up a long distance relationship – people think it’s downright absurd and is bound for a breakup anyway. My parents, best friends, co-workers or classmates might have told me over and over again that it’s never going to work.

So I said to myself: "Go on. Maintain the long distance relationship. Prove everybody wrong." But as I said, it gets difficult sometimes. At first, I didn’t know what to do. I’m going out of my mind. I’m 23 and he’s only 19. Trust issues are going out of hand.

Oh well. Que sera sera. The future is not ours to see.

It’s really hard to maintain a long distance relationship. Simply because it's different when my guy is here with me. We can hug and kisses are real. Now that he's far we can't do that anymore. Holding on to the mantra “distance makes the heart grow fonder” began to give me doubts. But what I forgot was technology. Technology closes that gap. Thanks to the internet, keeping in touch with my sweetheart abroad isn't as expensive as other modes of communication in the past. We exchange e-mails, chat and call each other or flood each other’s social networking site with sweet nothings.

I must say, it had been a very tough long distance relationship, but we managed. We kept the relationship alive for almost two years, and now, he's back here with me. For good. I’ve never been happier than I am right now. Never more loved, more appreciated, and more at peace with the world. We have come such a long way from being separated by copious amounts of sea and being unsure, scared, and anxious to where we are now. Comfortable, contented and best of all, secure.

Long distance relationships may sound unusual and challenging – but it’s not impossible. Distance is not a setback. Distance should not be the basis to end a relationship. Distance should be defied and considered as a test to make the bond stronger.