s
Some Positivity in life

I've always been asked,

"Marv, why do you keep doing camps?"

Throughout the 3 years of my polytechnic journey, I have (lemme count) uhm, helped to plan / organize / facilitate at least 12 camps, not counting those which I had simply participated in. No this is not a moment of self-indulgent pride; it's a moment of understanding.

I asked myself the same question repeatedly too, why on earth do I keep doing camps and I think I do have the answer. It's because everyone needs [insert title of post].

Indeed, everyone of us needs some positivity in life, especially the younger ones. Many people misconstrue the intentions of camps, with the myopic ones thinking that camps are just brainwashing and bonding tools. I, on the other hand, consider camps to be the ideal backdrop to try infusing another individual with some positivity.

Let's be frank, almost all of us would have some unhappy things happening to us. Be it family, lovers, friends, work or school-related, wherever there are human beings, there would be interation, and thus there would be room for misunderstandings and conflicts. In a world where success and achievements seem to be denoted by materialistic gains, it isn't very hard to get oneself lost in this interminable rat race. For many, it seems almost inevitable that one day we would eventually become jaded and indifferent to everything. And that, is what I consider extreme negativity.

So I do camps because I've had my fair share of jadedness and indifference. I now know that there are many meaningful things in this world, and I hate to see others gradually losing sight of their sense of purpose. Worse, for the younger ones, to begin their awakening process thinking that the glass is half empty and not half full. Camps provide me with an excellent setting to share with the rest what little I know about being positive in life. Camps allow me to do for others what I have never experienced, and felt lacking.

Hence during camps,

I'd try to get to know everyone.
I'd try to address everyone by name.
I'd try to let everyone explore a different side of themselves.
I'd try to say good morning, good night to everyone of them.
I'd try to encourage everyone else to do the same.

and hope that during the duration of the camp, one can feel a change, and know that life is indeed beautiful.

That said, I've completed my last camp in NP. Just one word to describe it, awesome. It's really nice that the last one is also one of the best.

Well at times, I do feel negative too. Very often in fact. I think everyone does feel lost here and there. So in the midst of all the "help-spread-the-positivity" efforts, do not forget about yourself. You cannot love others well, without knowing how to love yourself. So once in awhile, do something nice for yourself too. I do that all the time.

Strawberry Sundae anyone?

p.s. Please tag and tell me what's the thing that you would do to make yourself happy. Thx!

- Marvin