What 2013 Taught Me

Thorns in the wind. Photo by Paul Cheng. 

Do you know how people say- this wasn't their year? Well 2013 didn't really end well for me - for two months (September - October) I've been feeling down and all this started one fateful September night when the world as I knew it turned upside down. 

I was wrongly accused and 'punished' for something I didn't do. Although I won't be going into the details since this blog post isn't about what happened to me but how I was able to pick myself up and move on. I mean when I was ten years old I woke up to find out my father had passed away so I'm pretty much used to the universe throwing shit in my way. 

Needless to say I did go through a period of depression but through the grace of God and the love and support of my family and friends I was able to dig myself out of the hole I put myself in. 

Before I got officially over the depression though, it got worse when December came around but now that I'm okay I can feel and enjoy the cool December breeze. (it's colder up in Antipolo) and I was also able to admire the Christmas lights. Even Paul who doesn't really get excited about Christmas started the practice of opening the Christmas lights on the tree. 

Our tiny but mighty Christmas tree and the presents for family underneath, which Paul would light up in the evenings. Photo taken two days before Christmas.

For the first time in a long time I finally feel happy and content and I am ever grateful to God for allowing me to be healed from my wounds. It's not like he waved a magic wand and made all the pain go away; there will definitely be some scars and I might be tempted to pick at the scabs from time to time. 

Shit does happen, some shittier than others but what matters is that you clean yourself up and carry on. 

Whether we like it or not there will always be bumps on the road, it can never really be just smooth sailing along the way. No matter how much lying in bed, crying your eyes out while eating ice cream and watching cheesy shows sounds appealing when you are down and sad, you will really have to pick yourself up sooner or later. Sometimes you might force yourself to get better because of responsibilities and because your family depends on you (like in my case) but you should never forget that the person that you should be the utmost reason of getting yourself out of a rut is no other than yourself. 

Warm sunlight through the trees. Photo by Paul Cheng.  

Never forget that you are never alone and that the love and support of family and friends will help you get through, of course you will have to learn to tell yourself 'it's okay and that you'll be fine' and ironically that can be the hardest thing to do. 

So why am I writing about this? I guess it's a big lesson that I learned in 2013 that the world can be both scary and beautiful at the same time and no matter how secure you think you are with your life, remember that the only constant think in life is change and that change isn't necessarily "better" all the time. 

So to anyone who is in a pickle right now or maybe in your own pit of pain, regret and sorrow I hope this post is a helping hand so you can get out of there. 

2013 was a crazy ride for me, it was a great year in music since a lot of my favorite bands (Paramore, Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco among others) came out with new albums and I even got to see Paramore and Fall Out Boy in concert and even met FOB! 

Paul and I got the chance to cover gigs and music events and we also met a lot of amazing and talented OPM bands. Not only have we had the honor of meeting bands but also great people who share the same passion that we have in music. 

An unexpected upside to my difficulty during the last quarter of 2013 was finally being able to perform in a couple of gigs with my band, The Pearl Report. 

In 2013 I also taught myself to play the piano. Though I am no Bethoven and only know simple chords, it just goes to show how in life things are never to late! :)
Photo of the keyboards in our room, taken by Paul.  

So 2013 wasn't all that bad and it's always nice to think about the good and not just focus on the bad. I think it's always imperative that we take time to reflect on the year that was and be grateful for the simple blessings and when you reflect on the hard times and the challenges, just think about the lessons you've learned because of it. 

I am especially looking forward to 2014 since Paul and I have big plans for that year :) 

And to you dear reader, thank you so much for indulging my thoughts and for being part of my 2013. I hope you join me and Paul again for an even crazier 2014.