As the red wine takes over my father’s tales, I am once again grateful of this family
I see every youthful spirit run through his veins, steers his lips towards a distant memory of invigoration and whim
I see his heart find the floor of his past, running along the same sun-cracked tiles of the compound, face bright and feet blackened with grime
I do not know the names of the same old faces he describes, but the light of his smile brings them to this table
Together, our necks sunburnt from the Manila eye, slick with sweat from the July heat, surrounded by Christmas lights and Chardonnay
My father is beautiful
There are so many words but none more true than beautiful
As my sister and I are brought closer to ourselves, back to every little thing on this side of Heaven
At the best of our years and only getting better, soaking in this afterglow of love and timeless tradition
In this past reality of stories, etched into an outline of nostalgia on his face that resembles my reflection
We are family and my father is beautiful
There are so many words but my father is beautiful
Tarun Sanda / Silhouette Staff
As students, in all honesty, we have not accomplished much in our lives.
We are in the process of becoming products of the system. Currently we are searching for our future roles in society.
We spend years of our lives learning and studying for the future.
We remind ourselves every day that we are doing what is necessary so that some day we can live the life we envisioned for ourselves.
Sound like enough motivation?
Hardly. Life as a student is usually stressful. There are deadlines, responsibilities, exams, assignments, and a multitude of things that we deal with on a daily basis. Occasionally the pressure gets to us, so we decide to seek a release. These moments are important, they are vital to keep you sane, to prevent overkill. It can relieve your stress, and the next day you return a more focused, and calm individual.
The problem arises when you get too fond of these moments. Suddenly an occasional drink may turn into a weekly endeavor. Soon it has consumed you.
You begin to make excuses that you may never experience such an opportunity again in life. This notion that our lives are very short and we must do what we please otherwise we might be missing out has been pressed upon us.
Living for the day, or the night, and not worrying about the consequences of the future. You only live once.
Stop for a second and imagine yourself underwater. You hold your breath as long as possible, but soon you need to reach the surface for that breath of fresh air.
At that moment, when you know you cannot hold your breath any longer, nothing else matters.
You do whatever it takes to get that breath of fresh air. It doesn’t matter what you were doing five minutes ago, it doesn’t matter what time of day it is, it doesn’t matter how great that party was last night. All you want is a single breath of fresh air. All that matters is what you have in the moment.
Sometimes memories aren’t so precious after all. Imagine yourself partying away your 20s. Soon you have no job, which in this day and age equates to no future.
Soon you’re old and sitting at the end of the bar wondering what could have been if you focused on what was important back then. Suddenly the great memories of your 20s don’t seem so comforting anymore, because once you come back to reality you realize that you have nothing. What matters most is what you have in the present.
Imagine a contrasting storyline. You put yourself through school, did what you needed to do to get that job you’ve always wanted. Suddenly the years have gone and the comforts of what you’ve accomplished sits.
There is no need to look back in time because what matters the most is what you have done with your life. What you have in the moment. The difference between the two moments is that the latter storyline gives you a permanent sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. The struggle is worth it once you look back and realize that what you have now is much better than what you had back then.
