MIND-FART#19

I was sorting my socks, contemplating on which to keep and which to throw. I have a hundred and seven pairs.

And I told you I have a hundred and seven pairs. Too many for a pair of feet, eh?

"Well,  I think I have lots of everything than necessary. I should save up instead of buying duplicates." I said.

You agreed and asked why did I buy lots before.

Instant happiness, maybe? Thinking about it, how sad was I before to acquire these myriad of thingamajigs and whatnot?

"I'm glad you are happy now", you said.

"Me, too."

Artworks from unknown artist/s at the Tokyo International Art Fair 2017 (Photo by me)

Bliss (Photo by Kenji)

Summer flowers (Photo by me)

P.S. What makes you happy? Ask yourself this everyday. Make a conscious effort to seek for it, for no one can truly do it for you except you.

On Past and Present Happiness

Last Friday, while we're having one of our random pig-outs after work, my training mates and I touched on the topic happiness. The main question that night over french fries and affogatos was: "Are you happy where you are right now?"

It's a simple question in the context that it can be answered with a yes or a no. But beneath it lies more complicated and mind-boggling questions most people can't readily answer, myself included. The three of us answered variations of "maybe", "somehow" and "I don't know." It concluded with wishing that may we know what we're looking for to make us say that we're happy, no ifs and buts and just let time run its course.

Today, as I was reading a few pages of Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project,  I am presented with this: 

"What did you like to do when you were a child? What you enjoyed as a ten-year-old is probably something you'd enjoy now."

Tracing back to my ten-year-old self. All I remember was that I liked playing a lot like most kids. I usually play teacher-teacheran, complete with kiddie blackboard and colored chalks; my cousins being the students and I, the teacher. Now, I am a language teacher. So it got me thinking- is this what really makes me happy? Will I grow old doing this? Will it give me life satisfaction? I think it's for me to know and find out. Or maybe I'll never find out. But same old, I'll live my life the best way I know how.

Here Comes the Sun

Yesterday, it was exceptionally hot outside; the light's creeping through my window. If I were my normal self, I would've shut the blinds. I unlocked the sliding glass leaving the screen part of the window instead, letting the little breeze and the sunlight in. I was happy. The sun made me happy.

Later that afternoon, an old friend came over. We've known each other since he was seven and I was six.  He was my grade one classmate and through the years, we've became friends. You know, that comfortable friend, unlike the ones we get in Facebook. When he stepped into the room, the first words he uttered were  Andito ka lang? Di ka ba naiinip dito? and I answered him with a no and a laugh. I was perfectly fine with this kind of set-up: my laptop, my bed, some chips and me.

I'm too preoccupied with my own world these days, building walls whenever necessary cos I felt the need to do just like that. It's not that I'm scared or whatever. I just don't want any complications right now. Why complicate things if it can be simple as ABC, right? However, it dawned on me that I also need to let others in from time to time; may it be a thing, a person, a place, an experience. 

Maybe it'll make me happier, just like the sun.

P.S. My hair's getting longerrr! Yay! :)

Hey 2013!

Won't make this post long with words. I just want to share how my family and I spent New Year's Eve and welcomed the new year ahead. :)

Of course, some fireworks :)

Fooooood

Skyped with Mama and Masato

My best buds in high school and even til now, Albert and Emman

Friends came over for some drinks yay :))

I had a blast and I hope you did, too! Happy New Year! :)

The Happy Pills

Since my first major heartbreak, I have always wondered what would it be like if happy pills exist; the ones you get over the counter, pop in your mouth and voila, you are happy in an instant. I don't know if there really are pills like those but in my side of the earth, I haven't came across with those yet. Or maybe I have been, that is why I don't need those kind of pills anymore.

And yes I think I might have been. I thought of what Claire gave us after her 21st birthday celebration over bottles of beer and videoke. A tiny corked bottle and in it were pills with faces drawn on the surface. Claire said it is her simple thank you gift (ironic, eh?) to us, ABBCD (Alyssa-Bea-Bessie*-Claire-Danica). Inside each pill was a little piece of paper with handwritten notes.

2011 was a good year for me, partly because I was reconnected to these people. This made me realize that though happiness is a choice and I can be happy on my own, I also have my human happy pills for back up-- those that I can call, meet or tweet whenever and wherever. And I hope that wherever we ought to go after college, the connection would still be there, tight as always.

*Bessie = Prince