Serenity

I have a friend who's been struggling with family issues ever since I first knew her. Decades after, it's still the main conflict in her life. I was chatting with her yesterday about her issues with her brother and I realized that her problem was control. Whether it was an event in her life, a friend, family, she had to be in control of their actions, of the outcome, of everything.

She has a good heart and I know that this comes from wanting the best for everyone. The thing is, life is full of surprises and most of what happens in our lives cannot be controlled. And certainly our family, husbands, friends, siblings, children should not be controlled.

As for her brother, she told me that she decided not to talk to him anymore and has not done so in about a year. I said if that's what will give you peace and quiet, then so be it. Reconciliation will come when it is time. What is holding her back in this situation is her desire for her brother to respect her feelings and her individuality. I told her you cannot change your brother. Just let it be.

Just let it be. This is what I learned from P. Know that you did the best you could and leave the rest to the experts...to Him. Know when to let go. I used to be like my friend. I believed in positive thinking and that nothing cannot be changed or fixed if one wants it badly enough. After all the tribulations I've been through in my life, I've learned to simply let go. This little prayer really works for me:

God Grant Me The Serenity
To Accept The Things I Cannot Change
Courage To Change The Things I Can
And The Wisdom To Know The Difference

and

Psalm 121:3 - He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber.

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A Dozen Red Roses

I've always thought that giving flowers was a waste of money. Better to give chocolates or have dinner in a nice restaurant. Probably because I never got any flowers hahahaha....

Yesterday, P gave me a dozen red roses for my birthday. Wow...it's nice pala to get flowers :) I didn't have a vase to put them in so I improvised and used a jar.

He also wanted to have dinner in a nice restaurant. However, the TV was showing badminton matches from the Beijing Olympics and we wanted to follow the Taufik/Wong Choong Han match through the livescore. We had food delivered instead from Max.

I would always be the one ordering whenever we wanted food delivered as he had difficulty communicating with the order taker through the phone. But last night I wanted him to do the ordering. It's more special I told him. He had no choice.....hahaha......took him a while but it turned out alright.

p.s.-taufik lost :(

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The Best Kinda Cake

My friend K brought me a slice of birthday cake last week. It's chiffon cake with marshmallow icing. These kinda cakes are specially ordered for occasions like birthdays, debuts, etc. so it's not readily available. That slice of cake triggered a tremendous craving for birthday cake. It's my favorite. For me nothing compares.

Yesterday, I went to goldilocks to order one. I was told that they don't make it anymore. So off I went to Red Ribbon hoping it's available there. The conversation with the order taker went like this:

Me: Miss, mag order ako ng birthday cake.
OT: For boy or girl?
Me: Walang okasyon gusto ko lang kumain ng birthday cake.
OT: Meron kaming cakes dito (gesturing towards the display of cakes like black forest-ugh)
Me: Hindi gusto ko nga birthday cake. Mag oorder ako.
OT: For boy or girl?
Me: Hay...sige girl.
OT: Ito po ang catalogue.
Me: Ano bang pinakamura? Gusto ko lang kumain ng cake.
OT: Mam, tingin na lang kayo sa catalogue.
Me: (Leafing through the catalogue) Ano itong boiled icing? Ito ba yung marshmallow icing?
OT: Ahhh....Mam itanong nyo na lang sa manager..ayun po.
Me: (arrrgggh going to the manager) Miss, ito bang boiled icing e marshmallow icing?
Mgr: Yes Mam.
Me: Salamat (went back to the catalogue looking for the cheapest cake with no design)
After finding the cheapest, round picture cake for P500, I went to the counter.
Me: Miss, oorder na ko. Ito na lang.
OT: Mam, dun po sa manager nyo i-order.
Me: *sigh* went to the manager again....Miss, order ako ng birthday cake...ito.
Mgr: Sige Mam, picture cake, anong picture po ilalagay?
Me: Wag na, wala naman okasyon, gusto ko lang kumain ng birthday cake.
Mgr: Kailangan po may picture kasi picture cake.
Me: (AAAaaaarrrghhh....just a little more patience...) sige meron ba pagpipilian dyan?
Mgr: Ito po.
Me: Ito na lang (pointing at the first one).
Mgr: Paki fill up po itong form at full payment po. Ano pong ilalagay na greeting?
Me: (Filling up the form)...lagyan mo na lang ng pangalan ko
Mgr: Ok Mam, bukas po ang pick up ganitong oras din po.
Me: Hoooray...finally....I get to eat my cake!

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Vanity?

What is it with mirrors that people, male and female alike, cannot resist looking at their reflections? It is specially noticeable in elevators.

I live in a building with elevators that have mirrors. The whole back of the elevator is mirrored. So when one enters, its the first thing they see unless the elevator is full. Females (and some males I might add) head straight for the back to look at themselves. Adjusting their clothes, hair, wipe smudges from their faces or just plain admiring their reflection. I find it so funny. I can understand if they're running late and did not have enough time to fix themselves up but most of them looked perfectly fine.

Why then can people not resist the draw of the mirror? Insecurity? Lack of confidence in their looks? Or just plain vanity?

What do you think?

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