Christmas oracle

Netnet Camomot

HAS anyone ever told you, “Pagbilin pud ug gamay para sa imong kaugalingon”?

It’s when you practice “Service Above Self” too much, thus, forgetting you have to take care of your own self first before you can serve others.

A friend sent me this message recently for Christmas: “To a beautiful friend. There comes a point in your life when you realize who matters, who never did, who won’t anymore, and who always will. So, don’t worry about people from your past. There’s a reason why they didn’t make it to your future.”

It was a chain letter, one of those you forward to friends, complete with a cute teddy bear, a bouquet of flowers, and this note: “Give these flowers to everyone you don’t want to lose in 2016, including me if that’s what is in your heart, and wait if they also send it back to you.”

I guess she meant 2017, too.

Now that you’ve finished preparing your Christmas list and have even bought gifts for most in that list, is it also time to list down names of people who matter, who never did, who won’t anymore, and who always will?

I’ve always said this—that there are two people in this world that I’ll always support regardless of the circumstances surrounding us. We don’t have to be Facebook friends, we don’t have to exchange Christmas gifts, our friendship may have been tarnished by chismis, which may prompt people to ask, How can you remain friends if the friendship has already been, uh, affected by the grapevine? But I believe the truth shall set us free someday.

These two should know by now I’ll always choose them over anyone. I even give that advice to people: If ever you have to choose, choose them.

There’s this meme on Facebook that says, “If you hesitate between me and another person, don’t choose me.” Because hesitance means you’re not sure of your choice. And if you’re not sure of your choice, you’re not sure of choosing me. So, your so-called loyalty is better off wasted on that other person.

Loyalty is rare nowadays. You see politicians hopping from one political party to another, and when these political parties notice the hopping, the politicians may eventually lose the support of all political parties, and will have to run as independent candidates in the next election. But there’s at least one reason for the hopping: no clear support from the first party, disenchantment, intrigues. The politician has to bear in mind that politics is a game and how he plays the game is the key to his success.

And that could be true for the rest of humanity’s challenges: how to play the game. But it’s not a game, it’s not supposed to be played. People could get hurt in the process.

That’s why Rotary’s “Service Above Self” is a good motto. It reminds you to rise above your personal churva. If ever you’re hurt, simply repeat the mantra, “Service Above Self,” over and over again. It may take weeks and even months to heal, but you’ll learn to accept things as they are now, without wishing for things to remain as they were. Yup, reality bites, like that movie title.

But it’s the reality you have to accept and live with from hereon. Lesson learned and be open to learn more lessons. My maternal grandma always had the perfect line for moments like this: Kalibutan pa ni.

Now, family and friends know this about me—that when I commit to do something, I’ll see it through till the end. Bahala pa ug magkamang na ko in doing that. Even while recuperating at home for two months after my knee surgery, I still continued working. “Service Above Self” pa rin.

Even this column is a part of that commitment. It’s Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for Ms. Behavin’. The rare times when this column doesn’t come out as scheduled are those days when I simply could not insert a few hours to write.

And it’s work this Christmas. Only the parties and the visits to the mall are providing some respite.

The third best part of Christmas is… No, not the gifts—that’s the fourth best. The best part of all is, of course, family. Second is friends. Third is…food! Yummy food! Delish food! Mouth-watering food!

The body weight has begun to show the effects of all that food. Please don’t tell my wellness coach about this. Hehe. His advice was for me to go to the NC—aka No Choice, hehe—for a weigh-in so he could prepare a new meal plan, and I had to say, No! Not this month!

Wait, that was his advice last October, which was several pounds ago. Uh. But my answer, if ever he’ll repeat that advice today, is still, No!

It’s Christmas Eve tomorrow. Remember to buy the ham, and the ingredients for spaghetti and fruit salad. Yes, food pa more! But that’s the Christmas spirit—to eat, drink, and be merry. With emphasis on the spirit aka drink. Hic.

If you’re still in diet mode, you’ll end up disappointed. How dare you diet amidst the lechon and the ham and the dinuguan!

Unless it’s this: “I’m on that new diet where you eat everything and hope for a miracle.” Hallelujah!