Twenty-four Lessons ver. 2.0

Somebody pointed out that I had two #12's in my previous post. (Did you guys notice? I definitely didn't. Blaming it on the lambanog!) Another friend of mine also pointed out that the lessons I have listed down, while "inspiring and really cute" (rolling my eyes right now), have nothing to do with romantic love. Admittedly, I went all ??? and then realized that maybe I am skirting that particular aspect of my life.

Thus, I am posting version 2.0 of my twenty-four lessons post. Yes, this one will contain some stuff I have realized over the years in that particular department. Not all, though. I think I haven't learned enough in that aspect of my life. (Though I am in denial and I refuse to believe that. :P) Some are kind of recycled (from my Twitter account), but all original (or as original as general, life-inspirational verses can be). Enjoy!

24. Learn how to count...your blessings. LOL. But seriously, learn how to count your blessings. Your mistakes. The lessons you've learned from them.

23. Also, learn how to count the chances you've been given and the risks you've taken. Just to keep you on your toes and to remind you that you are neither lucky nor unlucky forever.

22. When you take responsibility, take it whole or none at all. Own it, the way you'd own that new designer pair of shoes you just bought using all your bonus pay. And, when you feel like you're going to explode with all that "owning," remember that...

21.  ...there is nothing that chocolate can't fix. Or ice cream. Or beer. Or tequila. Choose your poison. But...

20. ...know that there is nothing better than children's laughter/smiles/hugs to make all the tiredness go away. The wonder on their wide, innocent eyes when you tell them about the Three Little Pigs. The trust in their voice when they say "Yes, Teacher!" The earnest way they wave "Good bye!" Oh, joy! When was the last time you talked to a kid? :)

19. Dress up for yourself. Don't believe that all "dress up 'cause you never know who you'll meet out there." crap. I mean, there is some truth in that, but dress up for yourself first and foremost. It's your skin you're covering up (or revealing) anyway.

18. Avoid unnecessary drama. It is saddening but quite important to let go of friends who bring even more chaos and confusion to your already chaotic and confusing world.

17. Yes, everyone's newest mantra "Keep calm and [insert another action here]" works wonders most of the time. The phrase may just be a trend, but poise and grace under pressure are timeless.

16. And, yes, there are just some things that you cannot fix. Remember that and try not to feel all too guilty about it. Especially if you tried...and if you have tried really hard already.

15. Don't play games if you're not ready to lose. Also, don't play games only to brag about your conquests or your prizes. And don't play games if you don't know the rules or if you can't follow them. Then again, it is human nature not to follow rules. Alas, don't play games at all.

14. Flirting is an art: it is viewed and interpreted in many, many ways, and not everyone understands it. Enjoy, but be careful.

13. Also, experience is not only the best teacher, but also the most beautiful of masterpieces. Art becomes better as we grow older. Or, rather, more mature.

12. Trust your instinct. Most of the time, it is more trustworthy than the people around you.

11. It is not true that people do not judge. They do. Every time. I do, and I'm pretty sure you do, too. It is, however, up to you to decide what to do with your perceptions.

10. When things go sour, mourn. It's not a sign of weakness. Admit it: by then, you'd know that you already are weak. It's your first step to regaining your strength.As cliche as it sounds, everything really does happen for a reason. And all these reasons are revealed in time.

9. There are times that it is better to not read between the lines and take things as it is. As John Mayer said in one of his songs: Anything other than 'yes' is 'no.' / Anything other than 'stay' is 'go.' / Anything less than 'I love you' is lying. I know, I know, men are from Mars and women are from Venus, but we're all people here who would probably seek for clarity when the time arises. When that time comes, all should speak but one language.

8. Smile at other people's indecisiveness. Remember that you, too, are guilty of this once in a while.

7. Cheaters never win. Despite the prepositions that may come with the dreadful verb.

6. Revenge births such powerful motivation to act. When you feel vengeful, do something positive for yourself.

5. Never ever just settle. You're not doing anybody any favors and you're selling yourself short at the same time. Being single and happy is infinitely better than being with someone and miserable.

4. Some of the love you feel never goes away. But it does transform into something else: friendship, care, trust, faith...hope. It sucks when it becomes hate. But it does happen, no matter how sad that sounds.

3. That doesn't mean it can't transform into anything else, though. These transformations may change the way you feel, the way you think, but remember that some may not be as permanent as you think they are. And, when they aren't, don't stand in the way of change.

2. He must make you laugh. Find ways to find laughter with him. Oh, and make him laugh, too. :)

1. Believe that you will find love. Only, sometimes, it might not be with another person. Love is all around you. Loneliness, just like happiness, is so relative.

Twenty-four Lessons

I guess I can say that, in a nutshell, I have learned these things over my twenty-four years of existence:

24. Know that you will learn something valuable from others. This is true no matter how colorful your life is. You can't experience them all.

23. Also, learn from yourself. Learn from your mistakes. Seize the day. Living a life full of regrets is not living a life at all.

22. But don't be afraid to admit that you do feel regret. Acknowledge your emotions. Embrace them. Learn from them. Grow from them. Don't be afraid to cry.

21. Never stop discovering. It is never too late to fall in love with a new hobby, a new pet, a new idea, a new friend...the list goes on and on.

20. Some of the best gifts do come wrapped and are in, erm, object form. Avoid giving generic gifts.

18. Be artistic. There will always be moments when words will fail you. When that happens, dance. Paint  Sketch. When all else fails, take a picture. There are two universal languages in this world of ours: Math and music. If you can't do Math properly, make music so that the world will know what you want to say. Sing.

17. Don't be afraid to look funny or stupid. The important thing is you're having a good time. It's better to laugh at yourself than to laugh at the expense of others.

16. Yes, avoid laughing at other people behind their backs. Know that it doesn't feel good at all.

15. Time is gold. Avoid procrastination.

14. However, don't confuse procrastination with relaxation.

13. Push your limits. Be courageous. Just because you're good doesn't mean you can't be better. Just because you're already better doesn't mean you can't be the best.

12. And when you do become the best, teach. Teaching is sharing. Not to mention fulfilling. :) Recognize, though, that you never stop learning. If you think you know enough, then you know nothing.

12. Learn how to deal on your own. Otherwise, you'd be so dependent on others. That is never a good thing. So is going crazy.

11. Keep secrets, but be honest with yourself. How can you be honest with others if you don't know how to be honest with yourself?

10. There are times when the unexpected is infinitely better than even your highest expectations. Appreciate surprises.

9. Smile on a gloomy day. You'll definitely feel better and so will the other people around you. Emotions are contagious.

8.  Indulge in moderation. Reward yourself. See, it might be a tad bit expensive to travel to places you have never been to before, to eat really good food, to watch movies or concerts or to binge on booze, but memories are priceless.

7. Letting go doesn't equate to giving up. There are times that it means that you've found peace within yourself despite the chaos around you.

6. Opportunities knock not only because you know the right people, but also because these people trust that you're the right man for a certain job. Believe in yourself the way they believe in you.

5. Also, believe in others. Trust that, yes, yes, there are people in this world worth trusting. Ultimately, they are all worth helping and caring for. We all have our bad and good sides. We are all innocent until proven guilty.

4. And, even when guilty, give people the benefit of the doubt. You might have read people or have interpreted situations incorrectly. Someday, you'd need that second chance. Who says that someone you know doesn't need one right now?

3. Seek and pray. It doesn't matter to whom you pray to. Talk to Him/Her the way you'd talk to your bestest best friend. He/She knows everything after all.

2. Blood may not be thicker than water all the time, but love is. Family first.

1. Love yourself. Boys come and go; girls, too. This world is full of people of all shapes and sizes. But there is only one you. :)

Thank you, twenty-two; more to see at twenty-three :)

So. It's my birthday. Hurrah! :))

Birthdays have always been a big deal for/to me. When I was younger, I remember how my brothers and I would prepare a little something for our parents' birthdays: we'd fill the room with handmade birthday cards; we'd "make" birthday cakes; we'd buy birthday gifts. I think they were never surprised surprised but they pretended to be each and every time we call them into the room and shout "Surprise! Happy birthday!" with snot, watercolor and glue on our faces.

I always thought that a birthday -- your birthday -- should always, always be special. It doesn't matter if you have money or if you have gifts. I have always believed that it's the thought that count and birthdays will always matter if you get something -- anything -- other than a simple greeting.

Of course, life has always had its silly (and, sometimes, really annoying) ways to make you feel otherwise. Most of my birthdays have been rainy and that's quite ironic since I hate the rain. I have had birthdays wherein I was too sick to even care. I have had birthdays wherein the people whom I expected to make me happy forgot that it's my birthday. Yes, I have gone through birthdays wherein I had nothing but tears in my eyes (and not out of joy, mind you) and these were the times when I thought I had it wrong. That birthdays are not meant to be special, that they're just ordinary days made overrated.

But then I remember all the wonderful things that has happened during my birthday. I remember how my first rehearsal with my first (and only) theater company was on the same day as my birthday. I also remember how our first-ever team bonding (of the team in the company I work for right now, that is) was on the night of my birthday, too. I remember how my brothers bought me cake for my birthday although they didn't have that much money (I never figured out where the money came from, actually). I remember being really happy. I remember feeling loved.

Honestly, I don't know what to think of birthdays anymore. I now know that they can never be always special...maybe unless you want it to. Maybe it's just a matter of perspective. Maybe it's just a matter of choice.

The only sure thing I know about birthdays is that it's a mark, a sign that you are one year older. It shows that yet another year of blessings, frustrations, joy and laughter, sadness and tears, disappointments, triumphs, etc. has passed and you have survived. You have learned. You have grown.

With age comes maturity. Twenty-two years of living is not enough for me to acquire all the maturity I need to handle the problems I have and the ones I will have. There will always be hang-ups and fuck-ups that you'd need to deal with. But, just like my view on birthdays, I won't forget that each year is also filled with perfect moments wherein I felt happy and I felt loved.

I wonder what's in store for me at twenty-three. I feel excited. I feel scared.

I feel alive. :)