Spending time with my favorite cousin, Patrick (whom I lovingly endear as Tick) is something I devour. Talking to him is like connecting to my old self – when I was his age and he reminds me not to always take life that seriously.
One lazy and very hot morning, he dropped by our house to boast his school ID card. He said that it was his best photo taken so far. When asked why, he just shrugged his shoulders and flashed his signature smile – showing off his dimpled cheeks. What a show off, that boy! Haha.
I asked him how was school. He said that it was “boring” and they were asked to do a lot things meant for girls only. “Like what?” I asked. He said, dancing is “strictly for girls only” and that it was “yucky!”
I laughed, naturally. Coming from a boy who actually loves to sing and dance when he’s with family.
He threw so many questions to my face – like why do I always wear a pair of glasses, why do I like to be called Kat, is it difficult to be an Ate (older sister), why do I store so many numbers in my mobile, why do I look like my Dad but sometimes I look like Mom and the list goes on.
After answering all his questions to the best of my ability (and in such a way that his 6 year old mind could comprehend), he said that my nickname is “panget” (ugly). And to that, he declared that my new name should be Katsky.
He promised me that he would make a “contract” bearing my new name, to be signed by him and myself.
Just like that.
One of the many things I learn (always the hard way) from Tick is that you write your own life’s story – that while challenges remain constant, how we react towards such atrocity determines the ending of our chapters. And that most of the time, we just complicate things.
People may not always mean me well (including those I trust with my life) but I owe it to myself to refrain from punishing myself (like excessive crying).
One lazy and very hot morning, he dropped by our house to boast his school ID card. He said that it was his best photo taken so far. When asked why, he just shrugged his shoulders and flashed his signature smile – showing off his dimpled cheeks. What a show off, that boy! Haha.
I asked him how was school. He said that it was “boring” and they were asked to do a lot things meant for girls only. “Like what?” I asked. He said, dancing is “strictly for girls only” and that it was “yucky!”
I laughed, naturally. Coming from a boy who actually loves to sing and dance when he’s with family.
He threw so many questions to my face – like why do I always wear a pair of glasses, why do I like to be called Kat, is it difficult to be an Ate (older sister), why do I store so many numbers in my mobile, why do I look like my Dad but sometimes I look like Mom and the list goes on.
After answering all his questions to the best of my ability (and in such a way that his 6 year old mind could comprehend), he said that my nickname is “panget” (ugly). And to that, he declared that my new name should be Katsky.
He promised me that he would make a “contract” bearing my new name, to be signed by him and myself.
Just like that.
One of the many things I learn (always the hard way) from Tick is that you write your own life’s story – that while challenges remain constant, how we react towards such atrocity determines the ending of our chapters. And that most of the time, we just complicate things.
People may not always mean me well (including those I trust with my life) but I owe it to myself to refrain from punishing myself (like excessive crying).
Like Tick, I will live my life the way it should be lived. My life’s definition does not depend on the man I am with but with who I really am; not with how many buckets of tears have been shed but with how many times I have been saved; not with the bruises I've suffered but with how I've endured and become stronger.
