Five years ago..

I will never forget what had happened on this very day five years ago ..

If it didn't happen, many of the things would not be as they are today..

If it wasn't for "that incident"...
..I wouldn't have known that I could recover from such a huge blow..
..I wouldn't have learned how to play the "game"..
..I wouldn't have mellowed down and became less confrontational..
..I wouldn't have realized that I was going nowhere in my job..
..I wouldn't have appreciated the things that I already have..
..I wouldn't have found out who my REAL friends are..
..I wouldn't have the best birthday party ever that year..
..I wouldn't have seen through my flaws and am now trying hard to overcome them..
..I wouldn't have been more guarded with my true emotions now..
..I wouldn't have learned when to bite my tongue and when to say my mind..
..I wouldn't have thought to consider and feel from different perspectives..
..I wouldn't have met a great bunch of colleagues in Visa and HP and became good friends with most of them..
..I wouldn't have applied for the scholarship to study in Japan and actually gotten it..
..I wouldn't have the chance to experience a student's life again in my thirties..
..I wouldn't have done many things as I did the last 5 years..
..I wouldn't be as easily contented with worldly possessions as I am now..
..I wouldn't be as at peace with myself as I am now..

What happened five years ago helped shaped who I am today.. Plenty of "what ifs" scenarios would arise and frankly they do sometime haunt me... did it happen for the better or for the worse, I can't tell..at least not now.. maybe another 5 more years down the road I will be more sure..

I might have forgiven those involved, but one thing is for sure, I will not forget it.. It shall forever remains as a "memento", always reminding myself the mistakes that I have made and not to repeat them ever again..

"Happy Anniversary..."