Jasmine.

With everyday headlines screaming violence, soaring fuel and commodity prices, never-ending corruption and politicking — finding happiness seems much too elusive these days. How can you flash your winning smile or have genuine laughter when you know people around you are unsafe, deprived, and vulnerable? But sometimes, one has to make peace with his limitations as a person. Definitely, we weren’t born to be problematic about the nation’s burden. Even superheroes have their own weaknesses. How much more about us? We’re only humans. Too much focus on the macro, rather than the self isn’t going to be that helpful.

Once, I wrote my shout-out this way:  When does happiness stops becoming an illusion and starts being real? Is it when you have mastered the art of getting everything at your hands? or is it when your soul can be merry even when you have been stripped of wealth, fame, power and all else in between? Of course, that sounded a bit like “emo” (or jolemo, if you like: jologs na emo).

I got a number of comments from philosophic, profound, to trite. What I really like to say is that being happy doesn’t have to have a reason. But yeah, happiness can also lead others to think that either a) you’ve won millions in a lottery draw, or b) you’re out of your mind. In a society such as ours, we were conditioned to think that way, as if the only road is through material possessions.  My happiness these days are really, really simple. I think it becomes parallel with age? Growing by the minute means being less and less demanding. Winnie Monsod said to be happy means wanting what we get and success is actually getting what we want. What do you want? Hehehe.

I’m happy just by having a daily dose of these:

1. Good conversation with Nanay and Tatay. For practical reasons, J and I decided to live in CL and not in CamSur, leaving us all far from each other. Its been 10 years now and we don’t get to see each other that often. The only consolation is that I go home every once or twice a year. To remedy this,  I call them almost daily and you bet, I am filled with joy always! Nothing can beat having a truly wonderful exchange of words whether its plain chismis or something serious and important.

2. A kiss from my children. Thank God these children I bore weren’t as suplada as I am! They were very “malambing”. In fact, my youngest is fond of hugging and kissing and pinching my body fats. The son (since he’s nine, and already starts becoming conscious) makes “mano” instead of kiss. There are times though that he gets uber-sweet like when he wants me to buy him a toy.

3. Shared laughter. Laughter is a good medicine, but it heals best when shared with others. I am a self-confessed non- laugher, but you have to stop me once I start (that means you are a great company or the best clown in town). Need I say more?

4. A whiff of fresh air. My window faces an old lovely oak tree (or is it a narra? never mind, basta its a tree!).  When I write and stare at its swinging branches, I felt like being hypnotized. It gets even more perfect if I have by my side a freshly-baked pandesal filled with keso or butter and black coffee with creamer. Haaay. Now I’m craving…

5. Watching a good movie. Bless be thy Torrents.

6. Sweating it out. Thank God for treadmills, they give me happiness. Wanna know why? I am losing weight. 2 kilos off, 5 more to go.

7. Farmtown. Planting, plowing, buying, selling…only in Farmtown.

8. Sipping a coffee or ginger brew. For coffee lovers, a day must not pass without gulping one. When making my coffee, I make sure that I put on a little amount of cold water and stir the coffee, cream and sugar for the aroma to become stronger.

9. Finding a nice blog template. Yesterday was an all-time high. I got some pretty blog templates from WordPress. 

10. Listening to music. Good music is calming and makes me comfortable, which is great for relaxation, study or reading.

Like one writer puts it: loneliness is optional, happiness is a choice. Loneliness, next to love, inspired a lot of artists, writers and musicians in crafting their obras/masterpieces. Yet, its also one of the most devastating of human emotions, enough to send some into suicide. Choose to be happy no matter what. That’s only when you can lead a fuller existence.