Greetings, birthlings

I promised myself a few hours ago that I would sleep early today  yesterday. Fast forward to today (i.e. 00:53) and I'm still here sitting in front of my computer. I turn 31 years old in a couple of hours, but a birthday is a birthday and greetings are legitimate the moment the clock strikes 00:00. The run up to my birthday was already special, so I'm wondering how tomorrow today would fare.

It wasn't so bad. I tested my love for Manila by commuting on jeepneys from Pasig to Quezon City (for my physical therapy) and decided I hated this place after my lungs started hurting on the first ride out (I had eight rides today); I am now a full-fledged lover of Palawan. I visited NTFP-EP to leave some documents for a client of NATRIPAL (the NGO in Palawan that I'm working with) and to personally greet the Philippine coordinator a happy birthday; I ended up staying until evening talking and eating with them. I had an optional deadline for my part time work but with the Manila traffic I wouldn't make it so I gave a heads up to a friend that we could meet in our undergraduate university area. Our meetings never fail to be inspiring and I always come home with something to ponder upon (and this time with a book and a mini-plant in tow).

I am starting to feel comfortable about being in my 30s, when everything should be about sincere honesty to self and to other people. I honestly do not care about my birthday anymore, but I care about the people who care about it and that's why I'm here in Manila celebrating it with my family. I've become honest to myself and accepted that my hangups will forever be hangups and I should leave it at that. This time, I'm the person who got away and I've chosen not to stay. I smile whenever I think of one person, but could only care less what type of love it is (or whether it is love in the first place).

But I haven't mastered honesty yet. Such as being honest to myself when I'm tired and should hit the sack (like how I am now). I'm getting there, trying to get settled in this whole business of being honest, just like how I am with being in my 30s. Happy to have reached this age, of course it could be more fulfilling, but I am already thankful for what have constituted my life so far. Thanks to all who followed (and are still following) my journey. I hit the sack now and wait 'til 09:47.