(This entry is actually long overdue. It remained half-finished and stored in the deep recesses of my office laptop memory until I stumbled upon it today. Considering that the entry is about the month of June and it is already the end of July, I realized the need to actually finish this entry and post it before it gets kept and forgotten once again only to find it again a month or so thereafter.)
It has actually been a pretty busy month of June. Workload was terrible; occasions and gatherings happened left and right; and personal matters just somehow always kept in the way of everything else. Thus, these last few days of June, I had a self-imposed ceasefire just to break away from all worries and concerns. And it was a time as well to look back and ponder if what keeps me busy nowadays are the things which truly matter and make me happy in my life.
Two Weddings
It was great because I finally had the chance to see my college barkada. I just realized I haven’t seen them since I started reviewing for the bar, which is, almost a year ago already. I just realized I never really had the chance to talk about my college barkada here in my blog. We’re actually a big group – around 20. Around a third are already abroad, a number went on to further studies (like me), most are already working in companies here and, as I just mentioned earlier, two of them recently got married. I don’t really get to see them as often as I’d want to. We all went on our different paths already. But what’s nice about it is that whenever we do get the chance to get together, it’s like reliving our college days. It’s just pure fun and laughter, and the bond remains the same.
A Funeral
I actually don’t like going to wakes and funerals. There’s some sort of fear and worry that envelops me whenever I am asked to attend such events. But I go anyways and realize thereafter that there’s actually nothing to fear of. In fact, this last wake which I attended, it gave me a chance to think about life and death and everything in between.
I know this may sound morbid, but if I were to die today, it would actually be fine by me. Seriously. No, I’m not going through a suicidal stage; neither am I already getting sick and tired of life - I never was the type. It’s just that I’m happy and contented with life right now. I always strive to be good-natured and I try my best to remain happy no matter what. Thus, if God decided to take my life today, I won’t think of the things I still wish to do and the dreams I still want to fulfill. Rather, I’d think of all the things I’ve already done and pray that these are enough to give me eternal rest. May we all learn to surrender ourselves completely through life and death and everything in between.
Work
The reason why June has been such a hectic month was because of work, work and more work. Two lawyers left our firm (one went on study leave and the other resigned) and I suddenly found myself swamped with so much caseload to handle. I’m taking on so many different cases of different natures – corporate, litigation, labor and taxation – that I don’t know if I should be glad I’m getting so much training and experience, or if I should feel overburdened with all this work.
I’ve realized that I’m actually in a love-hate relationship with my work right now. Work is something I love to hate and hate to love. At times, I feel so exhausted that I wish I didn’t have too much work. But at the same time, I know that if I didn’t have anything to do, I’d be wishing for something to get my hands on. Oh well, the ironies of life. If there’s any important realization about work that I’ve had this month of June, it is that I should learn to stop thinking of work when I get home. It gives you time to de-stress and it rejuvenates your tired body.
Family
Almost every weekend this month of June, the family was together for some event. During the long Independence Day weekend, my brother and sister and their respective spouses and babies decided to stay at home with us. The following Sunday, it was Father’s Day and so we had our usual family meal outside. The Sunday after that, it was my birthday (yipee!) and my parents’ wedding anniversary and so we went to Tagaytay to enjoy the whole day there. During two Sundays also, we experienced the joys of modern technology when we “webcammed” and “microphoned” with my brother in the
Now that we’re all grown up and not everyone in the family stays in our house any longer, I get to appreciate the times that we are able to gather as a complete family together with the in-laws and my nieces. I guess it’s not really the fact that you stay together in one house that makes you a family, it’s the relationship with each other that’s more important.
Health
I visited my kidney doctor during the first Saturday of June. The lab results were normal and my check-up went a-ok. I’m glad things are turning out fine despite the fact that I’ve been such a busybody the previous month. I only hope that this continues until like, forever! After this check-up of mine, it was the first time that my doctor told me to return for another check-up after a month. Previously, it’s been after every two weeks; perhaps, three weeks at the longest. My doctor’s more confident of the stability of my health now, although, of course, I should always still be on the safe side. My doctor asked me if I get too pressured at work. I lied, of course. I said, “Not at all.” And then she gave me an advice I will never forget: If you get too pressured at work and your internal organs start to deteriorate again, it’s definitely not worth it. Good health is always better than career or money.
