We can’t begin being empathetic when another person arrives. We have to already have made a space in our lives where empathy can thrive. And that means being open—truly open—to feeling emotions we may not want to feel. It means allowing another’s experiences to gut us. It means ceding control.
Empathy begins with vulnerability. And being vulnerable, especially in our work, is fucking terrifying.
Sara Wachter-Boettcher on empathy. Complement with Brenè Brown on why vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and just about everything that matters. (via explore-blog)
Well I know this is late and all that, but let's just move past the awkward please? I need to get this out of my chest - so this is me, writing you a love letter. You've been kind to me - sometimes gentle, sometimes rash. Guess I deserved both. Nonetheless I'm thankful. Very thankful indeed. So thankful that this letter might be long (that's a warning, by the way).
I'll do this chronologically, and just highlight the events which out stand the others. Forgive me if I miss out on some. (Honestly I'm just looking at some pictures we shared which I have with me as I pen this.)
As I remember the first few weeks have been boring for us. Or maybe I was too busy with work. But last March, the Death Cab for Cutie event happened. It was a night where we just got lost in the music, in the trance of people singing along to the words and in Benjamin Gibbard's voice. I'm glad I didn't miss out on that one. You know that seeing them live is one of the items in my bucket list, and I did it! That night still haunts me until today. It seriously is one of my favorite moments, and yes, it happened in 2012.
Of course you didn't make it all fun and easy for me. In April, Nanay (my mom's mother) passed away. That's when I realized that I was in a rollercoaster ride and that life actually takes a jab at you. Well, we both knew that Nanay has been sick for a really long time and that we just had to let her go. You have to know, though, that death has been a very foreign concept for me. Looking at the brighter side, it got the family together. Relatives I haven't seen in years flew in. Being reunited made the grief much more bearable.
My first travel with you happened last May, if you still remember. We were Legaspi bound, for a trip to Misibis Bay. We were informed just a week before we're set to fly out. But hey, of course there's no way I'm refusing such invite, so off we went. My take away from that trip? The tan I've always wanted.
Barely a month after that, we had to fly again. This time it was for a cousin's wedding in Davao. We know I had to be there cause it'd be the last wedding in the family, cause mine wasn't happening (yeah, laugh it off). God, we were there for 5 days. Remember how pristine and beautiful the beaches were? And how cheap the buffet was? They're beyond words, really. And it's great to be spending so much time with family once in a while.
After another month, I was again packing for another trip. We were set to go to Boracay, and it was my first time. It was great timing that we did it in July - the volume of people is much less than it is during the summer months. This I really loved. I mean, you know how antisocial I could be sometimes.
A few months passed, and I'm sure you threw me a few more surprises. But the biggest was the one I least expected. It was that boring afternoon when I was summoned to attend a meeting, which I had to idea what the agenda was. You remember now? Yes, it was that telecon I had where I was told that we'd be going to Japan in October. You know that my mind was split in that meeting - 25% I was listening to the project objectives, the other 75% I was laying out our itinerary.
Come October, my frozen ass was in Japan. You see, that's another item I got to cross off my bucket list. You're probably laughing by the huge amount of emotions I had with me at the time I was on the Shinkansen en route Tokyo. Yeah, you prolly thought I was suffering from a severe bipolar disorder - I was both excited and shit scared by the overwhelming Japanese words I could not understand. Those days were one of the highlights of my year. But hey, you stuck it out with me, I'll be forever glad.
As you know November is my birthday month. And you know what I think was the best birthday present I gave myself? Yes, the Sigur Rós tickets. Knowing that I'd be there on the same weekend of their concert the Fort Canning Park, there was no second guessing. You do know how I spent all of November with the Sigur Rós albums on loop in my iPod, in a hopeless attempt to get the lyrics right. Yes, I was a lost cause. But that didn't really make that night any less perfect than it was. Earlier that day, we were at Universal Studios with the family. My legs ached from all the walking that went down, but we both knew that I'd still stand for a few hours more for Sigur Rós. God, that night was amazing. You remember how it started raining during the encore? As if anything could make the whole experience more surreal. You know, you'll find this boring, but seeing Sigur Rós live was another thing in my bucket list. 2012, you should actually be flattered that I got to do all these with you.
Just like that, another year has gone. It was lovely, to say the least. Again, I have to say I'm thankful - from the smallest moments, to the great parties, drunken & sober conversations, family & friends. I'm grateful, 2012. It's 2013, but that doesn't mean we're over or anything. The moments I had with you aren't fleeting. You'll always be with me, the same way you stuck with me for 365 days.
I love you (all platonic, just so we're clear),
Kaye
Will be heading up to Kyoto today for some temple shiz!
The weather seems great! I had to say it. Everybody talks about the weather anyway. Great English, poor Japanese, great Japanese, poor English, the discussion on weather can go on for hours.
The flight arrived KIX in Osaka at around 19:25. The next 2.5 hours were spent hopping on trains, and sort of getting lost. Checked-in at the hotel, bought a 500ML Coke and Ritz Bits for 228JPY, then got reunited with the Internet. That's Day 1, basically.
I know I said that all matter-of-fact-ly, but oh my gosh, am in Japan! It seems to be a wonderful place to get lost into. Hope this all goes well!
To cap off our 5-day vacation in Davao, we attended a cousin's wedding. It's the reason why we flew out anyway, so we have no choice but to be there (I say it like I didn't want to). Wedding started at 15:00, and our flight back to Manila was scheduled at 19:10. Yes, we went straight to the airport all dressed and made up just so we could catch our flight.
And sadly, we weren't able to come to the reception, obviously, due to time constraints. I wish it wasn't that fun, so we didn't miss out that much. Haha! Kidding, kidding.
Went kneeboard and wakeboarding earlier. Learned that I sucked at the latter. But am not complaining. It was still a lot of fun.
God, I'm too tired to even construct descriptive sentences. And am tired of hearing Call Me Maybe, on loop for four consecutive days now. Of course it'd be this trip's jam. I should've prepared myself for it.
Thanks to a cousin, we got a chance to see Pearl Farm today. It was beautiful / lovely / divine. Whatever. Just pick your cliché.
So basically, we're in a vivious cycle of sleeping—eating—going to the beach—eating buffet—malling—drinking. Tell me, does it get any better than this? No. It doesn't.
