I took a cab on the way to school today. Yes, it’s a big hassle, but I have to since near the end of the school year we had transpo problems (read: hindi na kami sinusundo ni Lance kasi madalas wala yung car tuwing umaga, haha).
Usually, taxi drivers are grouchy in the morning, constantly complaining about traffic, gas prices, corrupt politicians, high boundaries, low passenger turn-out and other things. The drivers get irritated when you say that you’ll be going IN Ateneo, not OUTSIDE Ateneo in Katipunan. They start to mumble things and hit their steering wheels whenever traffic buillds-up.
This morning was different. The taxi driver had a very sunny disposition. He even greeted me a good morning once i entered his taxi. He asked me how was school, when will it end. I told him that I was only having graduation practice and I’ll be graduating on sunday.
We continued talking and the topic reached to which college I would study in, and what course I would take. I told him I’d be continuing my studies in the Ateneo, and will be taking a sciences course (BS PsMSE). I asked him about his family, specifically, his children, to see how the driver was doing. He said his wife and two female children were all in the States, all three working as nurses. He said they were enjoying their life there and had no plans on coming back to the Philippines (except for a few visits, when time permits).
I asked him if he was to follow them. He promptly replied,
“Ay hindi na! Maka-limang pasahero lang ako, may pambili na ako ng ilang bote ng beer at manok galing sa Andok’s. Dun masaya na ako. Sa totoo lang masaya naman talaga ako dito eh. Hindi na talaga ako susunod doon.”
He advised me to enjoy life while I can. He even told me to have around 10-20 girlfriends before I graduate college (asa ka manong! haha). Enjoy and use my free-time as a teen having fun. No worries.
And he started singing to me songs about happiness. A song by Carlos Santana, a 70s song, and other songs with the message, “enjoy life.” I saw how happy this man really was.
He was still singing the said songs (well, certain lines from the said songs actually) when he dropped me in the high school. I paid him with a P10 bonus (kasi yung lang talaga extra ko), thanked him, and bade him, “Ingat manong, at enjoy!”
I thought about this person’s philosophy in life.
Enjoy lang. Basta simple, enjoy.
It’s all about enjoying the simple things right now, rather than dreaming and thinking too big. Enjoy what you have, and you’ll be happy. Of course, you’ll be happier when you achieve the big things, but wouldn’t that also be taking the little things for granted?
Think about it, if we would be satisfied with the little things and life, we wouldn’t be asking for more, and we would actually live meaningful lives. :)
So what do we do now?
Enjoy the few beers and the Andok’s chicken that you can afford after 5 passengers.
Enjoy the piece of chocolate your classmate gave to you this morning in grad practice.
Enjoy the fact that you have enough coins to pay for your jeepney fares.
Enjoy the few pesos load you have so you can text a special someone.
Enjoy the simple things, and you’ll enjoy life.
March 22nd, 2006 at 7:14 am
saw your eljay from icai’s, saw this blog from your eljay.:) this entry just really caught my attention.
it’s just suprising to hear such perpective in life from the most unlikely people. dati pumunta ako sa GK tas may nakausap akong taga-dun na nagtratrabaho as a security guards sa galleria. he talked about God and life… it was amazing. he wasn’t unfortunate at all. money definitely cannot buy happiness. kami ung pumunta sa pagtatangkang makatulong pero sa huli, sila pa ung mas maraming nabigay sa akin.
March 22nd, 2006 at 6:04 pm
alm mo BA..sobrang tama ka… may binabasa ako na book ngayon about “being happy” and it would always lead to one thing… “wherever you are, it is the place to start. The effort you expend today does make a difference”…alm mo un,, imporatante ung ngayon… hnd ka magiging masaya kung palagi mong iisipin na “magiging masaya lng ako kung…,, magiging ok lng ako kapag….” kc you’re giving limitations sa sarili mo at sa kaligayahan mo… so “seize the day”…
pero ang astig nung story mo…kc na-prove ko na tama nga ung libro… stop thinking about what will happen tomorrow…. all you need right now is the present…. :)
March 23rd, 2006 at 5:38 pm
kim: ang galing noh? maraming beses ko na ring naexperience yung ganun. hahaha. parang unlikely. sa kanila ka talaga mas maraming matututunan.
jo: peram ng libro! hahaha. mukhang masaya siya basahin. :)
March 24th, 2006 at 1:37 pm
very true, i’m one of the people who would like to continue to stay in the country. Mainly because, i studied in this country for most of my life and i think that staying to help the philippines is giving back. Besides, i don’t think we should be helping countries that continue to abuse the third world countries.
But it’s sad to think that the filipino’s themselves seem to be turning away from their country, relying on foreign grants to make it through. You were lucky to meet a taxi driver to comment on those things, at such a perfect time too! just when you’re at the threshold of a new path in life!