Thirty-five

There’s nothing significant about the title of my article today. Only, the number reveals my age. Just recently, I turned 35. So, in my silence, I interviewed myself and culled 35 simple or not-so-simple things I learned about life.

1. Be the gift that keeps on giving.

2. Saying "Thank you" is tops in the many rules of life.

3. Those who do not know how to seek help drown in the abyss of their pride.

4. An apology is better said in one plain word: "Sorry." And it is not followed by "but" or "if." People who can say "Sorry" retain their dignity and respect intact.

5. Those who do not know how to apologize are undermining our capacity to forgive and forget.

6. The art of moving on is accomplished by understanding that you cannot live in the present and the past at the same time. What has passed will not return. Failure to let go means failure to see what the future has in store for you.

7. No matter what, stick to the truth. Truth can surely hurt. But it can also surely heal.

8. In an organization, gel well with others. No one likes a fish that swims in a different direction. If you don’t blend in, you become a stand-out as an outsider.

9. If you can’t say anything nice – shut up. Remember that your words and thoughts have power.

10. Don’t be difficult.

11. When the going gets tough...be tough.

12. Those who take themselves very seriously end up in the hospital.

13. The one who knows all the answers perhaps misunderstood all the questions. Don’t be afraid to ask if something is unclear to you. After all, asking saves a lot of guesswork.

14. The quality of one’s life is determined by the quality of one’s thinking. If one loses hope, one dies immediately.

15. Pain is beautiful in a sense that after it, a new you is born.

16. There is not only beauty in simplicity. There is peace in it, too.

17. In this world, many people love to hear about success stories but they hate to see one successful individual. Don’t be like them.

18. If you have a special talent, pass it on. Knowledge is supposed to be shared.

19. There are people who are hard to please not because their standards are high but because their morale is low.

20. Give yourself the freedom to fly. Or better yet, give yourself the freedom to be a child again – sing whether or not you can carry a tune or two or, as an old saying goes, dance like no one is watching you. Just be free!

21. Being single and unattached makes me vulnerable to yearn for warm embraces at times. I thank God for giving me two hands that I wrap around me in moments when I feel alone. And yes, that’s more than enough reminder that inside me resides the happiness I sometimes forget I possess.

22. Handwritten letters convey more emotions than e-mailed ones.

23. Anything we dream becomes a possibility.

24. Complain less. Better yet, don’t anymore complain. (After my father survived a massive heart attack recently, what more can I ask for?)

25. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Mistakes are always part of the deal. Life is too precious to waste it worrying about the lapses you made. Remember, however, the lessons learned.

26. Laugh.

27. Laugh a lot. That’s the cheapest and most potent medicine on earth.

28. Reunite with former classmates and colleagues. They hold the key to your fountain of youth.

29. To keep ourselves balanced, we need dreams, prayers and rituals – whatever elevates us, whatever helps us get beyond the day-to-day grind.

30. It’s not lonely being alone.

31. Let one disappointment not deter you from doing what you really want to do.

32. Some kind of magic happens when you say something good about something or someone.

33. Celebrate with your family and loved ones all the time – while the time still counts, while the moment still matters.

34. There is always a garden of happiness inside us. All we need to do is to cultivate it in order for it to grow.

35. Today, I will make sure to do at least one thing that makes me happy.

(For your new beginnings, please e-mail me at bumbaki@yahoo.com or my.new.beginnings@gmail.com. You may also snail mail me at The Philippine Star c/o Allure Section, R. Oca corner Railroad Streets, Port Area, Manila. Have a blessed Sunday!)