Joie De Vivre, what is it? It is the love for life itself. I love my life.And this is my story.I have noticed that if I get too attached to things, money, people… I screw it all up. And because of that it has always been a constant challenge in my life to enjoy everything that I have and learn not to be attached to it in order for me to let go of it easily if it’s time to move on. For most of you who know me, I love to talk… and talk… and just talk… It seems as though I have this river, or shall I say ocean? Of thoughts, topics, all topics under the sun and ideas as well. Never a dull moment with me according to my friends. I remember those times when papa used to fetch me in school, when he would, half-commenting, half-complaining telling my mother, “Love, si inday ba, gikan pa sa San Carlos nagtabi, naabot nalang mi sa balay nag-tabi lang gihapon.” And gosh! Do you know that we live in Lilo-an? Approximately, an hour away from San Carlos. Wow! And my papa is, shall I say, a… hermit? (May he rest in peace) A man of few… owwsss.. too short of a description… Very few words. Now, if he was a man of few words, of very few words and I was the one speaking in a 1 hour travel, how many words could I have uttered during the trip? You do the math.
Seriously though… I am life itself and myself is another. Mind-buggling line, isn`t it? Huh? I am life itself and myself is another life? Yes, that’s me. It is an inevitable fact that life is too short and death comes in swift wings. That’s why I am living my life in 5 different ages simultaneously. Huh?! Interesting thought?! Don’t worry I’ll share to you the secret of doing it. If it were to picture my life now as a cake, it has 5 delicious, sumptuous and delectable slices but it is only one life and one me, and I am living it only once. The first delectable slice is my life at home. I am living my life of age 40 more or less because I need to have a mind closer to that of the age of my mother. In making decision at home, we consult each other. It entails a thinking of a very mature person, who thinks safely and weigh all the consequences. Serious, strict and precise. The second savory slice is my life at Timex. I am living my life of age 35 more or less, because I have to act with focus, caution and vigilance in balancing my task and serving others. It is a task asking for so much responsibility. The 3rd sweet slice is my life in school. I am living my life of age 30 more or less, because I have to ensure that I perform well in my studies, pass it and avoid the 6-units failure rule strictly imposed by the USC College of Law. The fourth mouth-watering slice is my life with my friends. I am living my true age, 24 and gosh I love it so much. Because it is when I am with them that I am truly myself. So Youthful… So Daring… So adventurous… So Happy… So Me… The 4th luscious slice is my life in the swimming pool. I am living my life sweet 16, a teenager per se. Rebellious. Enduring. Always Experimenting. Persevering to catch that breath when I am too exhausted to go on to the next 50 meter lap. The last mouth-watering slice is my life with my friends. I am living my true age, 24 and gosh I love it so much. Because it is when I am with them that I am truly myself. So Youthful… So Daring… So adventurous… So Happy… So Me…That’s how I live my life. I live it once but in many different ages simultaneously because I love it.
I believe that life is meant to be embraced, not just endured. Treasured, not just tolerated. Savored, not just survived. Illuminated, not just ignored. And most of all I believe that it is meant to be celebrated. I have learned after my 24 years of existence here on earth that if I fight life, life always wins. And that it has always been my motto to Follow my Heart. I have savored indescribable feelings of success, the blatantness of life’s daily grind and the excruciating pain of living and loving, but at the heart of all these, is my love for life itself, my JOIE DE VIVRE.
