11 Little Notes Of Life
I am a great believer of the saying that getting lost allows you to (re)discover yourself. Thus, I travel a lot, and most of the time alone. Sometimes I understand myself better when I get lost between historical buildings that are also landmarks of a city; and I get to love the person inside me stronger when my feet are enjoying the sand and the salty sea situated on one of Indonesia’s coasts. Today, I just finished a 10-day trip to Italy; spent a few days working and the rest, basically, wandering around the old city. Wondering about my life, being drowned amongst the crowds in front of the Spanish Steps. Imagining of the things that could have happened, or could not have happened. Recalling the events that have built my life up onto this moment and made me meet the people I’ve shared my life with; and the (expected) events that did not really make it. Plenty of things have happened, and most of them have given me a bunch of lessons to be learned. I think it would be very important to take note of them. As a reminder.
I was once a very rational person; I used to assess almost everything with my logic to give my heart a thick shield. To prevent it to be broken once again, especially when I have run out of glue to fix it. But then, love happened, and things changed. They changed a lot. But, at times, we just got to go back to square one. And start over. And be rational again.
One day, I might have a look at these notes once again; simply to prevent them from being forgotten. Consider this as a manifesto. Well, I love manifestos. I thought, someday I would have to write one like that. Perhaps that one day is going to be today. (Although these notes would probably only account a bit of it.)
1. Feelings are often real. But the words we use to express them, most of the time, are illusory.
So, carefully think about the words we choose to use. Never say “I love you” just to create an illusion of feelings, nor to make our counterpart love us. The worst of “I love you”s are those that are not wholeheartedly said. Therefore, when you say it; make sure you mean it.
2. Being young is not only about leaving a mark in the world. It is also about letting the world leaves a mark within us.
May it be through an event, or even more, through a person. So go. Fall in love, make mistakes, break your heart, and probably start over.
3. There is no such thing as “unrequited feeling.”
However, perhaps, the level of requital that we get might be higher or lower than our expectations. (Perhaps it’s best not to expect anything at all, and let it be a surprise. Let life surprises you.)
4. When God takes away something you (thought you) have, usually you are going to get something better. However, be grateful of what you have at the moment. Keep it. Protect it. Or you might end up losing something that matters the most in your life.
(And try not to regret when that happens, especially when you have failed in protecting it. Let it wander to a better place, a place that would keep it safe.)
5. Never fall in love in your sleep
What usually comes as a dream might suddenly show up as a nightmare. Since then, your sleeps and naps would never be the same anymore. Be in love while you are awake. Be in love knowing the risks you take, the ‘dangers’ you will face. Be in love with a person, not the idea of him/her that you have projected yourself. Be in love with a person, not the idea of him/her that he/she tries to project for you to believe in.
6. (Always) believe that there is probably a person out there who deserves to get the best of you.
You might meet him/her soon.
7.The only person in the world who could make you happy is yourself. Before others.
I usually compliment myself with ice creams too, though. Ice creams make me really happy.
8. Most of the time, feeling exhausted also means that you have not make your life wasted for nothing.
Keep going.
9. The worst feeling that you could ever possess to someone is the feeling of possessing him/her, as if that person is completely yours.
Because you could never, ever “own” a person. You could only be happy when the person you choose to be with also chooses to be with you.
10. Words might hurt you, but words shouldn’t.
You have the sole ownership of yourself, and that includes deciding what kinds of things would offend and would not offend you.
11. Be happy.
Because you only need yourself to be happy, and because you can. Allow yourself to be happy. With or without someone else. Isn’t it such a great feeling to realize that we can be happy on our own? As soon as we have allowed ourselves to be happy on our own, then we can be happy with another person.