It is twenty minutes past seven in the evening and I just woke up from a nap.Worn out after watching Inside Out 2 movie and feasting over a juicy cut of steak.Today,unlike my previous birthdays, is nothing but ordinary and mundane.Tumunganga habang nagkakape,nagbreakfast ng tuyo at corned beef kasama ni Mark at Chase,at hinayaan munang makalat ang bahay.As I wind down before my precious off in the middle of the week ends,I am writing this as a reflection on my birthday.Writing down my hard-earned wisdom and thoughts that I laughed about, made peace with and circled back to at thirty four.
Life looks different every decade as you get older.You now love the things you hated when you are younger.
Mark while watering the grass and plants one evening came to a realization that we are really getting older.The things we hated as kids,are the ones we love the most as adults.Then we start making the list as I watch him on the porch as he enjoys the peace of watering the grass.Here’s a list that sparks joy at 34:
1.Taking a nap in the middle of the day is a luxury.
2.Slow morning while sipping a hot cup of coffee before your day starts hits different.
3.A clean house and an empty laundry basket is a weekend highlight.
4.You sit outside just to sit outside.
5.The joy of keeping a plant alive for years.And…
6.The budget is right on and all bills are paid.
An apparent shift of priorities and different lens of perspective.Let’s see how this thought evolves for the next years.
As I grow older,the definition of a successful career changes over time.
I think my favorite author Fredrik Backman puts it best when he said,
“I’ve come to realize that when you are young and at the beginning of your career,you are mostly looking for direction and momentum.You want to go places.But as you get older,you start asking yourself: Where have I been?What’s it all for?Have I created something meaningful?Did I do a good enough job?Did I matter?”(still pondering on this)
This takes me back when I heard one of my coworkers said,
“She taught me once and that’s it.And she just let me do it on my own.”One can think that I am a bad mentor or a leader,perhaps.I am the kind that once I taught you the basics,I will let you fail and make mistakes.Because that’s how you truly learn.Not sure if I answered back or replied on my mind but answered back silence.Another thing about getting old is, you love silence over empty words.
On the other note,it is a blessing that I have an access to people smarter than me.To ask dumb questions to and allow me to make mistakes too.But at the same time,I learned that the most successful people aren’t the smartest in the room but the most adaptable.At the end of the day,I ask myself,have I created something meaningful?Am I serving my purpose while earning the dollars?
While we try to teach our children about life,our children teach us what life is all about.-Angela Schmidt
Chase is a chatterbox at four.He loves asking questions I don’t know how to answer, bottomless of energy to keep up with,and a different point of view to learn from.Sometimes,getting older rob us some joy.Now this reminds me of the most-talked line from Inside Out 2 movie we just watched today,
“Maybe this is what happens when you grow up,you feel less joy.” But being a mother of a wild child,save me from this for now,I believe.
• One night while fixing our bed before going to sleep,I accidentally blow over Chase’s cutouts so I said sorry.And the next thing he said blow my mind and melted my heart.
“It’s okay mommy.Everyone makes mistakes.”
This is the day he taught me a lesson on forgiveness.And why I forgive petty mistakes.
• It breaks my heart when he asks me if Im going to work(again?).But one day I feel frustrated and answered,
“Yes Chase and I don’t want to go to work.”
And he answered,
“That’s okay mommy.You will come back home soon and we will play freeze dance with Bluey.”
That makes me look forward coming home after a helluva day at work.
•In walgreens,he saw a toy car but then he said,
“ I’m just looking mommy,Im saving up for Disney cruise.”
And today he said,
“Stop buying books mommy,we need to save up!”
Needless to say,our house is free from coins because his piggy bank is full.
I love to say,my financial adviser is my four year old son!😆
Do things that make you feel alive.
I wish I can say some nerve pulsing sports but I am boring and reading books makes me feel alive.As my favorite Stephing King says,
“ I take a book with me everywhere I go,and find there are all sorts of opportunities to dip in.The trick is to teach yourself to read in small sips as well as in long swallows.”
I also read it somewhere that you have to reread your favorite books annually.The book did not change but your perspective might.This year,on my birthday week I started that tradition.I reread What I know For sure gifted by Ota from 2019. And read Maktub by Paulo Coelho from Mark.I feel like its a sequel of my younger self favorite,The Alchemist.
This is timeless and stays true through the years.This line still resonates to me the most from What I know for Sure by Oprah Winfrey:
“Delight in the Lord-in goodness,kindness,compassion,love— and see what happens.I dare you.”
Maybe,this is the reason why adults don’t usually take a nap in the afternoon because they stay late at night with their thoughts.As for me,I am throwing them all here!
Mantra for this year is:
Plans:Private
Moves:Silent
Life:Low-key
Prayers:Loud
Thank you Lord for sustaining me and surrounding me with people who greets me on my birthday!Bless their hearts!🤍
