The Year That Was

by doughnutmanifesto

Ah, to liken this year to a pair of favorite well-worn sneakers. Like a pen which value is gauged by how well-spent and drained the ink has become; sneakers’ virtue, I’d place on the soles that were thinned, claimed, and punished by the roads and pavements of all length and texture. So much so that its rugged existence is its statement – What a distance to travel in just a year.

Same feeling I grasped when I browsed the Facebook Year in Review – mine and my online friends’ – Wow, what a distance to travel in just a year.

The start of the year had been promising and it kept its promises in so many levels. Frustrations were many, mainly in finance and in meeting expectations, which seem more like dumb bells and tread mill – solid reminders to discipline muscles how to earn its keep.

Now it’s as if my body knows it has reached the last days of the calendar year that it can’t help but clamor for rest. Exhaustion has been real these weeks, more pronounced by the frantic environment racing against time, deadline, and Christmas sale. At times it feels more than physical; something needs to be fine tuned. Redefining my purpose and goals for the year to come could help calm my bits while closing this year’s ledger, I know. While at it, might as well walk through some highlighted entries.

And raise my cup, say cheers to

2013 – to all its deliverance and sustenance, “… to the undone, the unattended, the given up, the incomplete, all the twisted monuments of a losing race against two enemies: “no time” and “no strength” (Rand, 1957).

2014 – to a blank slate, not a passionless blank but one that is pregnant with possibility. Tabula rasa. Hakuna matata.

1. Thesis Defense (January)

2. Got articles published in a magazine for the internship program (February – April)

3.  Finished the Last Semester with Flying Colors (March)

There were only two subjects for this semester and I thought to myself how wonderful I would feel when
I get high marks. I am grateful to the support of people around me, I did!

 
4. Graduated (May)

This was one of the decisions I am proud I’d made. When I dropped out, I never realized I could still get back and even
came to a point of not considering it anymore. Then a workshop happened and I figured I don’t want to reach, say
30, and that’s when I’d long for finished education. The thought of having that nagging thought later on upset me.



5. Aha! Learning Center (April – September)

Sometimes you just don’t know what you really signed up for. You come to a place where you thought you have something to
offer but it would turn out, it’s them who will touch your person in so many ways. A-ha! Learning Center is a Free Tutoring
Center catering to around 120 – 180 Elementary and High School students. It’s not pure tutoring, there were activities like
sports fest and cardboard project where kids improvised toys out of cardboard. I also got to visit a home for the aged, Hospicio
de San Jose, where A-ha! peeps prepared a jolly little program for the elderly.

6. Unplanned Retreat/Get Away with Adrian and Ela (May)

My friend Adrian texted around midnight saying they were thinking of retreat of sort should I like to join. Sometimes, it’s the off-the-cuff that brings greater ROE (return of enjoyment). It turned out there were only three of us and this was the first time I met Ela, a witty and fun-loving friend of Adrian. We hit it off I guess then saw each other again in the 7th entry here and other impromptu hang outs.

 

7.  Nick Vujicic and Yehuda Berg (May, February)

I like Nick Vujicic, such a beacon of hope and faith in humanity. There’s the guy who would make you question the excuses you make for not acting on your dreams. Great in humor too. Yehuda Berg, on the other hand, is the spiritual teacher whose Daily Tune Up I am subscribed to. I learned about him from my boss who is a Kabbalist. I met Yehuda in person and had a chance to ask him a question in a press conference I attended for my internship assignment. I wrote an article, ‘Spirituality, in English’ which is about his lecture on reincarnation, .

8.  9^th Philippine Blogging Summit (May)

I learned there was actually a summit for bloggers when I had the subject ‘Online Journalism’ in 2012. I first attended it that year. I enjoyed it and even made some interesting acquaintances and decided it would be fun to attend it again this year.

9.  Started this blog (June)

10.  4^th Anniversary at Work (July)

11.  Spoke at my Alma Mater (July)

My teacher texted me if I would be available to speak at the school’s culminating activity for the Nutrition and Disability Awareness Month . I said ‘Yes!’ to the opportunity. And yes, I got my High School diploma from a School for Crippled Children. Long story.

12.   Personal Values and Integrity Course and Communication Course at the Dianetics Center in Pasig City (July – October)

13.    Books For A Cause (August)

Social media put into good use. My sister who is a public elementary school teacher created a book drive and was able to connect with Books For A Cause through Facebook. We coordinated with the founder and were able to hand the books to the happy kids.

 

14.  Family Moved to Manila (September)
This means no riding a ship to Mindoro for me when it’s vacation… haha… and no more walking distance beach.

15.  Became a Contributing Writer to Gala Magazine (September – October)

16.   Facebook Deactivation (October)

A very telling experience, learned few things about myself.

17.    One of Closest Friends Got Hitched (November)

 

18.   Successful Workshop in Baguio City (November)

           This was the biggest workshop we ever did in terms of pax. And weirdly, the most smooth in production too. Because of it, I was able to reach Baguio for the first time! Clients were very happy and the paradigm shift was really palpable I was even moved to tears on the last day.

 

19.      Resigned from work (December)

There’s no work waiting for me yet when the New Year comes. I have submitted applications already though. January would be a full-blown job hunting. Hmmm… What’s next for me?

 

20.    Read books and online articles and watched movies more than ever, enjoyed good meals and family gatherings, attended little parties and reconnected with friends, met new acquaintances, joined several trainings.