amidst the changes

i met ali and trixy last night for coffee at starbuck's in santana grove (probably going to be a regular here) and just like old times, we didn't realize it was already half-past 1 and the store was closing already. amidst the flurry of happy conversations, life sharings and weekend musings i realized how much each of us has changed from the time we first met. i was finally convinced to watch "the pursuit of happyness" since both said it was a good film when it came up in one of our conversations. after all, i did catch a portion of the shooting of this film when i was in san francisco. here are some realizations :

• how cost conscious i've become since becoming the breadwinner for the family. i felt guilty spending P230 for iced mocha and banoffee. it wasn't even because i could not afford it - just felt like i could have fed two people a hearty meal from that same amount.
• seeing "the pursuit of happyness" made me appreciate how blessed i am to not have had to endure what chris (will smith) had to go through to make it. to be thankful to have a job that provides for a family of six without having to live from paycheck to paycheck. God has been extremely generous.
• how nice it is to have great friends - how great it is to be able to be there for them when they need you and them there when you need them. where you feel you belong and you are not there just because you are in the same circle of people. how good it feels to receive an occasional text message or call just to catch up.

last night, we talked about how life can truly suck sometimes - how bad it can be and how heavy the cross can weigh. how we all have problems, we have our own insecurities and our shame. how we carry our problems is a true measure of our character. its hard to be positive all the time. its hard not to cry when life jerks you around. i can get lost in the myriad of problems - but like they say, there's bound to be a light at the end of the tunnel.