A Brief Look-back at Year End

A kid looks at the toy in another kid's hand, thinking, 'He has something that I don't have.'
One interpretation of the story is that the kid lives in a deprived family. He has to work hard to fight against natural selection, a much greater effort to be put in in order to survive. Also his personality as a whole is shaped by constant pressure coming from all directions.
This person is everybody, we are all deprived in some ways, and we are shaped and nurtured over time by something we cannot possibly have the control over.

Another interpretation of the story is that the kid is properly equipped with quite a few toys already. He is genuinely happy with what he has. Until he sees this toy in the other kid's hand which is so much better than what he has ever seen before. No, he is not greedy, but he wants to have something better due to his 'ambition'. This encounter of the new toy has truly broadened his horizon, and this realisation challenges himself to get out of his comfort zone, to put extra effort into getting that 'better' toy.
The toy, for me, is the (sometimes unfathomable) knowledge and talent.

The final interpretation shows an opportunity missed, not due to any resource constraint. The boy could be holding the exact toy that the other boy is holding. It's not because there isn't enough money or anything, he made the best decision at the time he got the toy. Although he really could have been holding this other toy that he prefers, for one reason or another, he is holding this inferior option. But hey, he tried his best at the time, he might as well put up with what he has. Reality is such that he cannot always get what he think or expect he would get.
This feeling, within me, was felt when I saw intimate couples together as the first sparks from the firework glittered in 2012.

What's ahead, as always, is full of uncertainty. Holding high hopes; always look on the bright side of life, and always look on the right side of life!

[Learn] Q&A

When you see kids go on a field trip, the questions pour out of them. Never ending, interesting, deep... even risky.

And then the resistance kicks in and we apparently lose the ability.

Is the weather the only thing you can think to ask about? A great question is one you can ask yourself, one that disturbs your status quo and scares you a little bit.

The A part is easy. We're good at answers. Q, not so much.

[Ponder] One to One

Things come and go.To be physically presence, to be exchanging conversations with the person you value are the building blocks of a successful and fulfilling relationship experience. What ultimately drives this genuine understanding of one another, without a slight bit of contemptuous thought, is too intricate to be put in sentences. And it is rare. Voicing out views would appear to be frank, otherwise it could just be something called patience working its magic, masquerading an underlying robust feeling. A proactive exchange in comment delivered in a good manner can mostly avoid discontentedness, but often it is met with either denial or misinterpretation. Once a constructive initiative puts the other into a zone of resistance, it would trigger the siren sound. Further push or shove can almost guarantee the beginning of a sequence of self-defence and excessive justifications, and we can almost be sure that stubbornness will be found at this stage at both ends. An important thing in this circumstance is not to let emotion override one's rational mind. This is the key for the path towards resolution to be found. 

On the other hand, meeting this (one) important person does not necessarily mean you would be spending a significant amount of time together, and it all hinge upon gut feelings. This often signifies that further withheld or drawn-back approaches are required. But the further a string is been pulled back, the greater the risk is for a damaging trigger to be set off in the future. Therefore, it would require an even more sophisticated, mentally calm and steady person to avoid this final bitterness to be felt. 

Some vital words to bear in mind: Do not be afraid to take on challenges. Keep faith and chin up to the contest. Ultimately, one shall never be afraid to fail.