Running for the thrill of it.

People often say that life is a blissful mystery. Some say it’s a maze we all are trying to get out of while others say it’s an endless quest for an unknown reason. Life is a journey we’re all on, trying to find the right arrows that are supposed to lead us to where we ought to be. We all seem to be wandering on this road trying to find our place in this world. But tell me, what do you wake up for in the morning? What brings you to where you stand today? Is this really everything life’s supposed to be about? Well, let me tell you a story about this woman who used to be so much like the girl in the mirror. 
 
Not so long ago, I knew a girl who saw life exactly the way I did. She lived up her own fantasies; she was the princess of her own castle. She had everything she wanted at the tip of her fingers. Tomorrow was never a threat to her. Why would it be if you were born on a bed of roses and raised having everything on a silver platter? Almost 18 years of her life this was all she knew of. She had a great life — she studied in one of the best school, been very active in cheerleading,competed in swimming, graced pages of different magazines and even had her share of  moments on the cat-walk.  Indeed a very promising career .. and a baby on the way.
 
For a moment as she spoke, I tried putting myself in her shoes and even I did not know how I would have reacted given this situation. Having the baby aborted would have probably been the easiest way out. She wouldn’t have had to worry about anything at all instead, she could have continued the life she already had. Amidst everything she already was and already had she opted to embrace the situation and face in head on. 
 
“It was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever dealt with in my life, but let me tell you this, there was never a day i regretted my decision. It wasn’t easy, believe me, but I knew in my heart what I had to do.” She told me proudly.
 
In a blink of an eye everything she learned to live with was taken away from her. She was stripped off all her priviliges. Almost instantly disowed by her family living her with no allowance, no car.  All of a sudden she lived as a second-class citizen in their house.  
 
“All I had left was a roof over our heads, but I knew having my little one was worth much more.”  
 
As a college student, imagine having to sell your priced possessions for a can of milk to last for a week; for a couple of baby clothes to keep her little one warm, and a few spare change to bring herself to school everyday with a baby by her side. I tried my best not to let my tears fall while my heart sank for her as she told me of all the rough times she had to go thru. All of a sudden I felt so much more blessed than I have ever felt in the longest time. 
 
What strength she must have had for her to overcome all these situations laid down in front of her because she opted to bravely face responsibilies as she chose to be a parent. She had to get married to the father of her child for their family’s political reasons, but she embraced it nonetheless. After almost three years, she agreed to move in with her husband hoping she can give her toddler a normal family — little did she know that life ahead would be more bitter than it already was. The way she spoke about her experiences in that house pretty much sounded a lot like a living hell. From riches she was anchored to rags.  The culture of her then husband’s family was way different from the life she used to live.  In no time she was asked to do chores that she never thought she’d ever do.  Least not as soon as that time.  
 
” We were living with my monthly allowance.  Forget about the fact that I had to wash soiled diaper clothes, clean a century-old bathroom, struggle to make both ends meet. Attend to college and at times a sick baby while my husband would drink, party and continue to live his bachelor life.”  
 
When she told me that I thought those things only happened in movies, and on top of all of that.. She was even forced to wear dusters every single day — which she evidently refused to follow!  When I asked her how come she never knew of his boyfriend’s family and lifestyle before, she told me this..
 
“In fact everything that happened caught me off guard. I thought I knew everything about him already. I had known the father of my child since forever.  Why not? We practically grew up together; we went to the same school, in fact he was my best friend since then until high school.  Truth of the matter, I met his parents and so i thought I knew them enough — but as they say — you’ll never know anyone unless you live under one roof.”
 
She lived her cinderella story for about four years and juggled her studies, 2 jobs, being a mother and being a wife as well. While her husband.. well.. he was very busy shooting hoops and going living up to his youth. From then on, she woke up to the realities of this world. Life is not always as it seems. A lot of people can be so pretentious that they will try to live up to all their lies that sooner or later it will eventually start catching up to them. But not her.  It was then she realized, nothing would matter but

She tried to make things work out and later on even had another child with the hopes of finding the boy she once fell in love with— but that never really happened. It just got worse everyday, the jewelry she invested on went missing one by one being pawned here and there. Not only was life hitting her, so did her husband. Half way thru her pregnancy with her second baby she finally decided that she’s had enough. She left that life behind and faced the storms of tomorrow with nothing more but just a roof over their heads and her new family which was both her children.
 
She admittedly said that there was a point in her life where in it felt as if she were in a living hell but fortunately, her faith saved her. The love she has for her children and the littlest respect she has left for herself made her hold on.  She got by everyday crossing bridges one at a time as she got to them. She juggled a couple of different jobs during the day and studied at night.   The next few years molded her to become stronger than she has ever imagined she would and could ever be.  She’s even decided to be more than a mother to her children; beliving in good karma she founded Drug-Free Youth Organization of the Philippines and sent chemical dependents to rehabs with the hope that by her doing something great as this; God shall give her children good karma in life. 
 
With her perseverance, hardwork, and prayers she was able to send her children to good schools. At the age of 28 she was able to earn enough and put up her own company.  Not long after, she even has saved enough to purchase her very first investment.
 
Today, she is working as a self-employed publisher in Creative Breather Media. She owns two magazines; Breather and Kidstime. She is the founder of Greener Philippines inc., founded and produces events for Children’s Avenue, and is very happily married to the man she once dreamt of and with five children and three step-children.
 
“If I were given the chance to live my life all over again, of course I’d want to make better decisions. Evidently, when you are young you tend to trust your insticts without trying hard enough to weigh things, thus you tend to make wrong decisions.  But you know what, if I would be given assurance of having exactly the same kids, I’d want to have them later on in my life.
 
At the end of the day, I realized, I would not have been this person if it weren’t for those bumps on the road.  It may have taken me a few wrong turns, and maybe even a couple of detours to get here, but I’m still thankful for all the wrong turns that have brought me to where I am today.”
 
Having heard this, now whenever I feel as if life is trying to get the best of me, whenever I feel as if my problems are becoming bigger than I am, and whenever I feel that the world is crushing everything I am, I look back at everything she’s been through and everything that she is. Whenever I find myself weak and on the ground I turn to her and get back up. Because of her I have come to find that life won’t always hand things to you, you have to work hard to deserve them. This lifetime will only give you one chance, so don’t just exist—Live. It won’t be easy, trust me. There will be times where in you will fall on your face, stumble to the ground and even moments when you’re going to want to give up.. but don’t give in. Find reasons to smile. Breathe to live.  Find the will to go on, be better. Better yet, be an inspiration by turning your weaknesses as your strengths; as the threats in your life become opportunities. You won’t always know why these things are happening to you but don’t you give up because one day, you will look back at those moments so much wiser than you are today and you will understand why they had to happen. This world is a battlefield and everyday is another fight but although we are all bruised in one way or another choose to see life from a better light. Life is beautiful, this i trust.
 
This is what she chose to be. I will always be watching her from wherever I am knowing that I am so much stronger than I think when the world gives me reasons to doubt myself. I will always be thankful for everything that woman is and has turned out to be. I will always be grateful for everyday I will be given to be the best me I can be. But more than that, I will always be thankful for every single moment she lives, every single moment she laughs, and every single moment she loves because among all that she has inspired, I can say that I am moved the most. Why? Because she is the very reason why I am here today telling you this tale. She is the author and I am her story.