Magic Beans
"No, really, I'm okay. I've got magic beans... I'm fine." -- Rachel Greene from Friends, Season One: The One With George Stephanopoulos
It's been a really weird and tumultuous week for me lately, despite the fact that it's YMSAT Week and that normally means we just bum around the school grounds and stuff like that. So I suppose that, academic-wise, this week has been all "...".
But it's my social life that's been going up and down this week. To put it short and succintly, I may have lost a few friends, but the gain I received more than balanced it; it gave me hope. It's not that I found new friends; more like I rediscovered my usual ones in a new light. I never realized how lucky I was to have these people, until now.
I was watching old episodes - and I mean REALLY old episodes - of Friends when I watched that episode where Rachel was worrying about her future with Monica and Phoebe, about how she's not sure if leaving her fiancee Barry at the altar was a good idea, because at least that path was clear, unlike her newly independent path now. Phoebe then said that she was "just like Jack", from the fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk. In this fairy tale, Phoebe says, Jack gives up their family's cow - their livelihood and only source of income - but in return gets these magic beans. When he plants them, the next day, outside this window, "there's this big plant, just full of possibilities and stuff."
And at the end of the episode, despite Rachel's initial nervousness and worry, she decides that she has her "magic beans" and feels happy, as she watches the Friends playing Twister together.
This episode, I feel, pulled the switch on my mind, and, along with this week's events, reminded me of my own "magic beans" and the "big plant just full of possibilities and stuff" that I now have. I realize now that despite not being a brilliant student, not being the most popular or prettiest person in the batch, or not being up to par in the eyes of the high-profile people, I really am lucky in my own way, luckier than I thought I was. I have a loving family, to start off. My grades went up (1.660 GWA kahit may bagsak, yebah! And 4 unos!). I have an awesome class who, though not being the honor class, are still together and having fun all the way.
But most of all, I still have the most awesome friends. I have two best friends: one who I am so close with - that she can swear at me after I give her her birthday gift and we just laugh it off - and I am loyal to and vice versa, and another one who - despite having drifted somewhat - still listens to me and stands by me in tough times. I have a "bro" who looks after me and keeps me "warm" in more ways than one. I have a "mama-ness" who makes me laugh yet still takes me seriously. I have a "daddy-o" who gives me advice and doesn't laugh when I make stupid comments. I have a "kitten-nee" who cheers me up and takes care of me the way a mother cat looks after her kittens. I have a "devil's advocate" who keeps me sane even though he keeps borrowing my Rubik's Cube. I have a "pimp" - don't take the term seriously, though! - who trusts me with his thoughts and helps me rest and relax. I have a "mom-and-dad-and-their-kids" who have great faith in me and always give me their support, especially in acads. And, I have a loving "baby" who, though far away, never fails to make me feel loved, cared for, and respected.
I have many more friends to list, but that would take a looooong time if I wrote about them, even if I use the single-sentence format I use above. But I love them all, no matter what, and I don't know where I'd be without them in my life.
One of these days, I'll bring my Twister mat to school, and I know I'll get that same warm fuzzy feeling Rachel got when she saw her friends.
So, even if there are those who'd love to see the end of me, I don't worry nor feel angered or scared, because it comforts me just to know that if I die, there will be a special set of people who will keep the blossoms from my "big plant" alive just for me.
"See, this is why we're best friends. I can swear at her after she gives me a gift, at walang problema!"
"Aaaw, okay lang 'yan. Don't think about it na lang. C'mon, let's fangirl!"
"Hey, it's fine, okay? You don't have to feel bad about yourself. You know you did the right thing."
"Sis, don't worry about it. I know we'll be okay. I'm your brother, I'll look after you!"
"A 1.75 is attainable, promise. I'm not giving up on you. None of us are."
"We all miss you too. We'll get our photo together as a 'kada. And we love you, too. Take care!"
"Sssh, it's fine. Let's go have lunch now! Meeeow."
"Can I borrow your Rubik's Cube? ... Oh, okay, fine. Please?"
"I didn't mean to be sarcastic that time kaya. You really are my friend, you know."
"As someone who took removals before, I'm telling you not to give up hope. You can do this."
"Go girl! You can do this! We love you! Wahoo!"
"Thanks for everything. I really appreciate everything you've been doing for me. Love you."
"Missie, I have faith in you, and I love you. Take care always, okay? God loves you."
Despite it all, I know I'm doing just fine. Hey, I've got magic beans.
It's been a really weird and tumultuous week for me lately, despite the fact that it's YMSAT Week and that normally means we just bum around the school grounds and stuff like that. So I suppose that, academic-wise, this week has been all "...".
But it's my social life that's been going up and down this week. To put it short and succintly, I may have lost a few friends, but the gain I received more than balanced it; it gave me hope. It's not that I found new friends; more like I rediscovered my usual ones in a new light. I never realized how lucky I was to have these people, until now.
I was watching old episodes - and I mean REALLY old episodes - of Friends when I watched that episode where Rachel was worrying about her future with Monica and Phoebe, about how she's not sure if leaving her fiancee Barry at the altar was a good idea, because at least that path was clear, unlike her newly independent path now. Phoebe then said that she was "just like Jack", from the fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk. In this fairy tale, Phoebe says, Jack gives up their family's cow - their livelihood and only source of income - but in return gets these magic beans. When he plants them, the next day, outside this window, "there's this big plant, just full of possibilities and stuff."
And at the end of the episode, despite Rachel's initial nervousness and worry, she decides that she has her "magic beans" and feels happy, as she watches the Friends playing Twister together.
This episode, I feel, pulled the switch on my mind, and, along with this week's events, reminded me of my own "magic beans" and the "big plant just full of possibilities and stuff" that I now have. I realize now that despite not being a brilliant student, not being the most popular or prettiest person in the batch, or not being up to par in the eyes of the high-profile people, I really am lucky in my own way, luckier than I thought I was. I have a loving family, to start off. My grades went up (1.660 GWA kahit may bagsak, yebah! And 4 unos!). I have an awesome class who, though not being the honor class, are still together and having fun all the way.
But most of all, I still have the most awesome friends. I have two best friends: one who I am so close with - that she can swear at me after I give her her birthday gift and we just laugh it off - and I am loyal to and vice versa, and another one who - despite having drifted somewhat - still listens to me and stands by me in tough times. I have a "bro" who looks after me and keeps me "warm" in more ways than one. I have a "mama-ness" who makes me laugh yet still takes me seriously. I have a "daddy-o" who gives me advice and doesn't laugh when I make stupid comments. I have a "kitten-nee" who cheers me up and takes care of me the way a mother cat looks after her kittens. I have a "devil's advocate" who keeps me sane even though he keeps borrowing my Rubik's Cube. I have a "pimp" - don't take the term seriously, though! - who trusts me with his thoughts and helps me rest and relax. I have a "mom-and-dad-and-their-kids" who have great faith in me and always give me their support, especially in acads. And, I have a loving "baby" who, though far away, never fails to make me feel loved, cared for, and respected.
I have many more friends to list, but that would take a looooong time if I wrote about them, even if I use the single-sentence format I use above. But I love them all, no matter what, and I don't know where I'd be without them in my life.
One of these days, I'll bring my Twister mat to school, and I know I'll get that same warm fuzzy feeling Rachel got when she saw her friends.
So, even if there are those who'd love to see the end of me, I don't worry nor feel angered or scared, because it comforts me just to know that if I die, there will be a special set of people who will keep the blossoms from my "big plant" alive just for me.
"See, this is why we're best friends. I can swear at her after she gives me a gift, at walang problema!"
"Aaaw, okay lang 'yan. Don't think about it na lang. C'mon, let's fangirl!"
"Hey, it's fine, okay? You don't have to feel bad about yourself. You know you did the right thing."
"Sis, don't worry about it. I know we'll be okay. I'm your brother, I'll look after you!"
"A 1.75 is attainable, promise. I'm not giving up on you. None of us are."
"We all miss you too. We'll get our photo together as a 'kada. And we love you, too. Take care!"
"Sssh, it's fine. Let's go have lunch now! Meeeow."
"Can I borrow your Rubik's Cube? ... Oh, okay, fine. Please?"
"I didn't mean to be sarcastic that time kaya. You really are my friend, you know."
"As someone who took removals before, I'm telling you not to give up hope. You can do this."
"Go girl! You can do this! We love you! Wahoo!"
"Thanks for everything. I really appreciate everything you've been doing for me. Love you."
"Missie, I have faith in you, and I love you. Take care always, okay? God loves you."
Despite it all, I know I'm doing just fine. Hey, I've got magic beans.