Confessions of an Impatient Bride

I find myself giggling.

I am here at my favorite bookstore, sitting comfortably on a red cushioned chair set against a wall and looking somewhat silly, chuckling all by myself.

Yep, that’s me in my not-so-flattering office uniform. :-)

I am JUST planning to pick up some school supplies for my Little Lady when my eyes passed through a pink book that, Hmm… looks interesting. And it wasn’t long before I realize there are only a few minutes left before closing, I’m almost finished reading the whole thing and I haven’t picked up a single school supply – the reason I am here for, in the first place.

"Boooo. You mean, you didn’t buy it?" I can almost hear you say. Well, didn’t I mention earlier that I am JUST going to pick up some school supplies (which, of course, slipped my mind) and DO NOT intend to buy anything else?

I just love how the bookstores have evolved into something better nowadays. They now exude a welcoming atmosphere that invites you to stay – letting shoppers sample read in relaxing comfy seats and even incorporating cafés in the setting, where one can have some brew and snacks while in the company of a good book. No pressure to buy. You can read and buy it, if you like or you can just read and leave it.

Anyways, back to the pink book.

It’s remarkable how this dainty book contains my sentiments about love, waiting and praying— Oh, how I can totally relate! For a while I feel that it’s actually talking to me. It tackles not only about anticipating marriage, but just like my old time favorites Our Daily Bread, Didache and Kerygma book companions I used to read in my younger years, it talks about life and faith in general with its signature mixture of wit, wisdom, and loads of inspiration while waiting for Mr. Right.

Just in time for my ---th birth anniversary (a time to turn a year older again) I would like to repeat these very words:

“Years rolled by mercilessly, leaving me still loveless and aging. By then, I was as old as the numbers on a thermometer.

A couple more years passed and my age equaled the temperature of a slight fever. And still I was single! Aaaaargh!

My desperate prayer was, “Lord, please send me the man You will for me to marry before I get a convulsion!”

-Confessions of an Impatient Bride by Rissa Singson-Kawpeng

I love this book! It’s an absolutely must-have for single and searching women wondering why love is taking so long to knock at their doorstep. I will not spill more details, but overall it’s a light and entertaining read that is definitely worth your hard-earned P175 or $4.00.

Click HERE for a sneak peek (just scroll down to view succeeding pages).

Although I already finished reading it, I still plan to get one as a birthday gift for my single, fabulous self. ;-) You should do, too.

Now, what am I supposed to be doing in the bookstore again? Hmm...


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Keeping the Spirit of Optimism Alive (Part 1)

I have to thank my offline friend for the inspiration of this post. She sent me this message very early, one November morning in 2009 (I know it’s 2010 and yes, this is one of those long overdue posts I never seem to have time to finish till now. So please, don’t give me THAT look). Anyways:

Read this slowly: LIFEISNOWHERE

What did you read? Life is NOW HERE or Life is NOWHERE?

I read it as the former. Whew! Thank God, I made it this far. This only confirms that I am still a true blue optimist.

Life, indeed, depends on the perspective we choose to perceive it.

People ask me all the time how I manage to stay positive despite all the hardships and injustices of the world. Where do I get all the extra pluses that revitalize me like a character in a PSP game whenever I need an energy boost?

I say, (delivered in my best Miss Universe form and poise) that it all boils down to CHOICE. I believe it’s useless to worry and grieve over something I have totally NO control of. Why get stressed, wrinkled, hyper acidic and let it ruin my already magnificent life when I can bask in the sunshine, smell the flowers and choose to be happy?

Okay, so I’m not in a Miss Universe Pageant (doesn’t look like a contestant and never will be in one— not being negative but just being realistic here. I’m over 30, duh.) and I sound a bit exaggerated about my ‘already magnificent life’, but heck, that’s how I am projecting and embracing it to be– exponentially raised to the highest possible extremely positive power. After all, didn’t William Arthur Ward once say that “If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it”?

I know it is always easier said than done, and it takes some time or even a lifetime to both master and muster enough positivity to achieve that mindset. Real life is nowhere near a fairytale and the worst of things DO happen to the best of us, which make optimism a lot harder— even impossible to do. And although we create our own destiny, still, we are not able to choose the situation we end up in most of the time. Some things are just destined to happen. It is just the way it is, according to our Master’s grand design called life.

BUT, we can always choose to make the BEST out of it. Can’t we?

Not many people realize that difficulties have a way of resolving itself in its own time without them, worrying over it. How many times did you agonize about a situation that you created purely on imagination? Unfounded, yet creatively weaved circumstances that you end up fearing at the end of the day? How many ‘what ifs’ steal your peace of mind and turn you into a nervous wreck? And when it comes, you get disappointed to discover that it wasn’t as bad as you imagined it to be.

How many opportunities did you lose because you were too afraid to try?

Some people unconsciously have the habit of bothering themselves nonsensically. What they do with their own time is actually, none of our business, but if we can only channel all the time wasted over worrying into a more positive activity, then maybe we can all help make this world a better place for everybody.

“Now, what? Since you seem to know a lot about this positive stuff?”

I can imagine you throwing that very question back at me. I would just like to make it clear that I’m no expert in this field— no doctorate degree or heavy credentials to back up my words. I’m just like you, who want to live life to the fullest. That’s why over the years I searched for ways to motivate myself to maintain an optimistic frame of mind. It is not easy, but just like everything else, it can also be done.

How?

I will share more about this in my next post: Keeping the Spirit of Optimism Alive (Part 2). In the meantime, smile, create happy thoughts and think positive! =)


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Chestene's Monalisa

'Chestene's Monalisa'

Meet my Little Picasso's first painting on canvas! I know, it's not very much like the famous Mona Lisa, but I'm really happy she came up with this masterpiece. She painted this lady (sorry I forgot the title she gave this!) sometime in January of this year. And knowing me, who is perennially busy with all sort of things (important or otherwise), I forgot to post it earlier as usual.

Since I don't want to influence her painting style, I just let her choose the subject, colors and off she painted away. This is her concept of a beautiful lady at her age-- still untainted and unprejudiced.

It's amazing how children remind us some of the the best lessons in life we tend to forget-- be what you are and think outside the box and society standards.

Once again, I'm thankful I have my Little Lady to teach me that.


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The Little Entrepreneur

One fine day, I overheard the little lady bugging her grandfather to build a cart for her. She knew she can count on my dad, the great handyman, to build and fix things easily.

After a while, she came running to me and proudly announced:

“Mom, I’m going to be a vendor!”

“What?!” (Of all careers, my daughter wants to become a vendor?)

“Yes, I’m going to sell the accessories I made and put it in a cart. I will sell them to our neighbors!”

With a chuckle, I gave her a big hug. At her age, she should be thinking more on how to spend the day playing and watching cartoons. But business?! I might have passed on to her my enterprising genes or probably the constant talk of doing business with my sister has somehow rubbed on to her.

Though surprised, I was happy and proud to find a budding entrepreneur in the household.

She showed me the items and they already have price tags. They were bead bracelets and necklaces that she created using my old beads and strings. So that’s what she’s been busy about all day.

Although they were pretty enough to sell, I can’t let her go from house to house around the neighborhood pushing a wooden cart! But since I do not want to nip her dream in the bud, after words of appreciation and encouragement, I tried to divert her attention to another project.

It seemed to have worked well, as she did not bother my dad anymore about the cart, or me, about peddling her stuff to the neighborhood.

Until one afternoon when she came rushing to me, catching her breath and incredibly excited. I wondered, what was the excitement all about?

She made her first sale!

Apparently, my aunt went to a neighbor’s house and the little lady tagged along and brought her items for sale. She sold her stuff to our neighbor’s granddaughter, another 6 year old, who was there at that time. She was beaming as she sold 2 bracelets that day.

Inside, I felt a little guilty. Though I was supportive, a little part of me was not convinced that she will be able to sell her creations. She believed so much in her goal, and it happened. Unconsciously, she knew ‘The Secret’ and it worked for her.

This story may seem mediocre to some, but I learned a valuable lesson from her that day. She taught me how to believe again like a child, with all of my heart - in my dreams, goals and plans. But most importantly, in myself.

As we grow older, we tend to forget having absolute faith in what we can accomplish. We constantly doubt our capabilities and let a lot of reasons get in the way of believing that we can make great dreams happen.

It only took a child to remind me of that. And I feel lucky enough.