- that there is value in having savings. working for a good number of years, i only started saving two years ago (seriously this year) and i did it because i was at that point in my life wherein saving didn't put a big strain on my spending ability. having realized that in times of emergency, having somewhere to pull some resources from helps make things easier. my advice is that it doesn't matter how much you put aside every payday, whether its 1,000 or 10,000, it helps on the rainy days. in 2007, i am going to seriously start saving again.
- what is very important in a company is the health plan. we live in a very dangerous world where even the air we breathe poisons us, the food we eat laden with preservatives & additives and event the fluoride in toothpaste is poison. having a good health plan can save you a lot of headache when you get sick - i've known this for a long time but recently felt how much burden not having one can do to your bank account. Total hospital bill was 360k not including doctors' fees and the medicines needed after being discharged.
- that maybe me not being or tied up with someone is a blessing right now because i realized now that my family needs me & i have an obligation to them. i thank God that even if my mom was just an executive secretary for wyeth for the last 35 years, she was a wise woman who knew how to save, put her kids through prestigious schools, and take care of her family. now that she is retired, it is time for me to repay her for all her sacrifices.
- i am glad that i have life insurances, two at that and maybe i will be paying for them for still a good number of years but at least i know that if something happens to me, my family will not be saddled with debt.
- i finally understood what it feels like to have serious responsibilities. taking care of my nephew was no easy feat and his expenses wasn't paltry even, i could just imagine if he needed to wear diapers the whole day (luckily, he just needs the diapers at night time), i would have been running to the grocery weekly. running the household would have been easier has it not been for our two resident "pasaways". doing grocery shopping has been a routine chore.
- having to run a household and frequenting the grocery inspired me to start cooking. and while i'm dealing with the easy stuff, like pinakbet and chopsuey, my first venture to cooking a real meal was actually quite successful. it makes me giddy at the thought of cooking something more ... hmmm, difficult and interesting.
- i realized that God in his eternal wisdom, chose to give us this trial during a time where the holidays looming around makes taking time off easier. that my job today permits me to get off work at any time (as long as i deliver my req'ts) and stay home to watch over my nephew. that school isn't as demanding as the previous terms, and while i may be losing my chance at earning a medal on graduation, i have no regrets. the medal would have just been icing on the cake - i know that in her heart, i finally made my mom proud having been able to help our family during this difficult times. that for me is worth more than a hundred medals.
friends who've seen me have told me a variety of things - that i lost weight, that i looked tired, and that i carried my problems pretty well since i could afford to smile. i guess i've been used to putting up a smile all the time even at the worst of times, helped me more overcome all of the negativity. you know, it kept me from going insane and remain optimistic that we will survive.
yes, this would probably be the first christmas i haven't felt so festive. i haven't even been able to buy any christmas present, not for myself or my family. my immediate concern right now is stretching my savings for household expenses (electricity is running up to 7k, duh! and its not even summer). right now, i probably have to skip giving christmas presents this year except for my godsons & goddaughters and my nephew. hopefully, there's still time to enjoy christmas.
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