Wednesday, March 12, 2008

The One that Got Away

In your life, you'll make note of a lot of people. Ones with whom you shared something special, ones who will always mean something. There's the one you first kissed, the one you first loved, the one you lost your virginity to, the one you put on a pedestal, the one you're with...and the one that got away.

Who is the one that got away? I guess it's that person with who everything was great, everything was perfect, but the timing was just wrong. There was no fault in the person, there was no flaw in the chemistry, but the cards just didn't fall the right way, I suppose.

I believe in the fact that ending up with someone, finding a longtime partner that is, does not lie merely in the other person. I can actually argue that an equal part, or maybe even the greater part, has to do with the matter of timing. It has to do with you being ready to settle down and commit to someone in away that goes beyond the little niceties of giddy romance.

How often have you gone through it without even realizing it? When you're not ready to commit in that mature manner, it doesn't matter who you're with, it just doesn't work. Small problems become big, inconsequential become deal breakers simply because you're not ready and it shows. It's not that you and the person you're with are no good; it's just that it's not yet right, and little things become the flash point of that fact.

Then one day you're ready. You really are. And when this happens you'll be ready to settle down with someone. He or she may not be the most perfect, they might not be the brightest star of romance to ever have burned in your life, but it'll work because you're ready. It'll work because it's the right time and you'll make it work. And it'll will make sense, it really will.

So that day comes when you're finally making sense of things, and you find yourself to be a different person. Things are different, your approach is different, you finally understand who you are and what you want, and you've become ready because the time has truly arrived. And mind you, there's no telling when this day will come. Hopefully you're single but you could be in a long-term relationship, you could be married with three kids, it doesn't matter. All you know is that you've changed, and for some reason, the one that got away, is the first person you think about.

You'll think about them because you'll wonder, "What if they were here today?" You'll wonder, "What if we were together now, with me as I am and not as I was?" That's what the one that got away is. The biggest "What if?" you'll have in your life.

If you're married, you'll just have to accept the fact that the one that got away, got away. Believe me, no matter how fairy tale you think your marriage is, this can happen to the best of us. But hopefully you're mature enough to realize that you're already with the one you're with and this is just another test of your commitment, one which will just strengthen your marriage when you get past it. Sure, you'll think about him/her every so often, but it's alright. It's never nice to live with a "might have been," but it happens.

But if neither of that is the case, then it's different. What do you do if it's not yet too late? Simple....find him, find her. Because the very existence of a "one that got away" means that you'll always wonder, what if you got that one?

Ask him/her out to coffee, ask her out to a movie, it doesn't matter if you've dropped in from out of nowhere. You'd be surprised, you just might be "the one that got away" as well as for the person who is your "the one that got away."

You might drop in from out of nowhere and it won't make a difference. If the timing is finally right, it'll all just fall into place somehow and you know, I'm thinking, it would be a great feeling, in the end, to be able to say to someone, "Hey you, you're the one that almost got away. "









Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Take care of our parents

A simple man tells how his booking an air ticket for his parents, their first flight, brought emotions and made him realize how much we all take everything for granted when it comes to our parents.

My parents left for our native place on March of 2007 and I accompanied them to the airport not just to see them off but to really go with them to their destination it being their first airplane trip, I had to make sure everything will be all fine for them. In spite of being asked to book tickets by ferry, I got them tickets on Cebu Pacific.

The moment I handed over the tickets to him, they were surprised to see that I had booked them by air. The Excitement was very apparent on their faces, waiting for the time of travel. just like school children, they were preparing themselves on that day and we all went to the airport, right from using the trolley for their luggage, the baggage check-in and asking for window seat and waiting restlessly for the security check-in to happen.

They were thoroughly enjoying themselves and I, too, was overcome with joy watching them experience all these things.

As we were about to go in the security check-in, my father walked up to me with tears welling in his eyes and thanked me. He became very emotional and it was not as if I had done something great but the fact that this meant a great deal to him and my mother actually, it was more of a birthday gift to her on the 23rd of March. When he said thanks, I told him there was no need to thank me.

But later thinking about the entire incident, I looked back at my life.

As a child, how many dreams have our parents made come true? without understanding the financial situation, we ask for basketball, dresses, toys, outings, etc. Irrespective of their affordability, they have satisfied to all our needs. Did we ever think about the sacrifices they had to make to accomodate many of our wishes? Did we ever say thanks for all that they have done for us?

Same way, today when it comes to our children or future children (for those who are still single), we always think that we should put them in a good school. Regardless of the amount of tuition, we will ensure that we will have to give the child the best, themw parks, toys, etc. But we tend to forget that our parents have sacrificed a lot for our sake to see us happy, so it is our responsibility to ensure that their dreams are realized and what they failed to see when they were young, it is our responsibility to ensure that they experience all those and their life is complete.

Many times, when my parents had asked me some questions, I have actually answered back without patience. When your child asks you something, haven't you been very polite in answering? Now, you must have realized how our parents would have felt at those moments.

Let us realize that old age is a second childhood and just as we take care of our children, the same attention and same care need to be given to our parents and elders.

Rather than my parents saying thank you to me, I would want to say sorry for making them wait so long for this small dream. I do realize how much they have sacrificed for my sake and i will do my best to give the best possible attention to all their wishes. Just because they are old does not mean that they will have to give up everything and keep sacrificing for their grandchildren also. they have wishes too.

Take care of your parents.