I think the best things in life are split into two categories. First is the universally accepted, and the second is of personal preference. After all, everyone has their own idea of what they like and what they don't. Initially I had thought long and hard. What do I claim are the best things in life?

Last Sunday, I had gone to my grandfather's home to visit him and reunite with my family members. My puppy is considered family and she was not excluded from the gathering. My cousin's puppy too is family and made an appearance. As I sat on the ground, I observed the two puppies chasing each other around the small living room where everyone was either watching television, reading the newspaper or simply making conversation. I remember smiling at the scene before myself. A feeling of acceptance existed when family members were around. I had thought to myself at that time, family had to be one of the best things in life. It was undeniable.

I took in every last detail of everyone around me and etched it into my mind.

My thoughts turned to those living without their biological parents and those in orphanages. What about them? Well, they still have someone to care for them. Someone to make sure they are well, and not feel alone. In my opinion, family does not necessarily mean blood relatives but those who have been with you through the thick and thin since the beginning of time. Therefore, I do believe that friends can also be family. They who have shown us unconditional love deserve to be loved back unconditionally. My mother has told me once a long time ago, "Give back twice of what you receive". Words of wisdom from our elders should never be ignored, for they often contain much meaning. Thinking about it, I could sense unconditional love emitting from everyone although no one showed anything clearly. Small but genuine smiles light up the room when someone talks and many people were willing to share what they had. Even the puppies showed off their love. They do what you ask them to and follow you everywhere but never ask for anything in return. Without a second thought, I added unconditional love to my mental list of the best things in life.

I decided to show some unconditional love of my own and asked my grandfather about how he was doing.

When speaking of people close to our hearts and love, friends come to mind. Some friends go through all the sad and happy times with us while some keep a low profile and subtly give us support. We sometimes want to be alone after a major event, but we eventually turn to our friends anyway to pour our hearts out. Some friends may not be literally close to us, but they still care about us. For example, I have a friend from primary school who is in Australia right now. She and I keep in touch through the magic of the internet. I intend to visit her soon and she has offered to let me stay with her. This shows just how much we still care for each other although we haven't seen each other in years. A decade or so ago, many people had a pen pal, or wanted one. Nowadays though, not many youngsters give it a second of their thoughts. I, however, find the prospect of having a pen pal very interesting and have several of them. I may not write to them through the medium of pen and paper, but we have never met yet tell each other about all sorts of things which happen in our lives. Everyone has a different point of view as I have stated at the start, and it is very enlightening to know what others think. Friends of all kinds supply that point of view and undoubtedly should be appreciated by everyone all across the world. Friends are one of the best things in life for sure.

Closing my eyes, I pictured myself with my friends having a good time.

I longed for some fresh air and stepped out of the house. The sight of trees, bushes, flowers and grass greeted me. I felt more relaxed with the green colors surrounding me. However, no matter how healthy and green everything looked, the weather was still incredibly hot. The sun showed no mercy and the temperature was higher than usual. This was surely the effect of global warming. I loved nature and hated to see it being destroyed. What should have been a nice cool breeze was now a wave of heat. I recalled a picture I had seen in a magazine showing the ice melting at the North Pole. The homes of many creatures were vanishing because of global warming and not many people seemed to care. As that thought hit me, it really did break my heart. A few days ago there was a worldwide campaign held to create awareness in people about the need to stop global warming. During the duration of the said campaign, I called up a friend to see if she had turned off the lights in her house. She said her mother assumed that no one from this nation would have turned off their lights and refused to do so herself. This shows just how much some people care about nature. Close to not caring at all. I was deeply saddened by it. If everyone refused to take action, the temperature would continue to rise and cause a major catastrophe. I still remember a few years ago when everywhere was nice and cool, unlike the current times. I love nature very much because it has provided us with everything we need to stay healthy and alive, and still do. Many things would not exist without nature, and it was high time we became grateful for it. Nature, one of the best things in life, needs to be saved from further destruction.

Taking one more look at the greenery, I went back indoors and sat under a fan.

Slightly sweaty, I glanced around and saw everyone with a slice of mango in their hands. Shortly after, my grandfather offered me a slice. I took it with a smile on my face and a small muttering of thanks. I bit into the juicy fruit and savored the taste. It did not need any other food or drink to accompany it. It was simply delicious all on its own. I licked my lips and realized there was going to be another item on my list of the best things in life. Food was next on the said list. Food is not only good for the body, but also for the mind and soul. Because of that, it is an essential part of life. The mango I was biting into supplied the energy for me to run my life, calmed my mind and made me very happy.

I finished off the fruit and looked for more.

When I left my grandfather's house, I had become more aware of things around me. Everyday things are the best and should never be taken for granted. You'll never know how much you will miss something until it's gone, so everyone should start appreciating the little things in life while it is still there.

-x-x-x-

Like the awesome Christine said, I quote, "plagiarism just proves you have no imagination and dignity and that you lack a functioning brain. going overboard? i don't think so.". Everything written was based on true events, except for the part where I stepped out to look at greens. x3