Dennis Sun

Daisuki!
by Dennis Sun

“As I look back on my life, I realize that every time I thought I was being rejected from something good, I was actually being re-directed to something better.” - Steve Maraboli 


Habang sinusulat ko ito, ilang araw na lang, matatapos na ang taong 2012. Parating na ang taong 2013.

Panahon na naman ng wakas at simula. Nagtatapos na ba ang panahon? O tila ito ba ay nagsisimula pa lang? Bakit kaya natin tinitignan ang bawat bagay sa kanyang katapusan at simula?

We should stay away from this thinking of “beginnings and endings.” Rather, we should always think of life in a circle. Bilog! That’s the word; Marui in Japanese (Hindi yung department store!). It’s a cycle of life! Life goes on and on. Tuloy pa rin ang laban (kahit natalo na si Manny Pacquiao).

I remember during the end of the millennium in 1999 and the start of the new millennium in 2000, everyone was so nervous that the world would end because of a possible crash of the global computer dating system. Sabi raw nila, hindi naka program ang dating system na ginagamit nating computers beyond 1999. Worried na worried especially ang mga financial companies lalung-lalo na ang mga bangko. Baka masira o magka-error ang mga data files nila.

Natatandaan ko pa, new year’s eve of 2000, I stayed at home in front of my computer to see personally with my own eyes how the date in my Mac computer would adapt to the new millennium. Siempre, worried din ng konti so I saved some special data  burnt on several blank CDs. And what happened? Hayun! Adopt it did! Ganun lang naman. Like human beings, computer can find ways to analyze data as programmed.

Recently last December of 2012, we had the doomsday prophecy that was supposed to happen. (Come to think of it, they never do. Because if they did, we won’t be here anymore.) Scenarios like tsunamis, earthquakes, polar shifts and another planet or meteor hitting the earth were some of the things to happen. Well, we do experience some earthquakes in Japan and the Philippines. And we had the unexpected fury of Typhoon Pablo in the south. Many perished but again, life goes on.

By the time you are reading this, it’s mid January of 2013 already. Or later. And if you are in Japan, we are enduring the cold spells of winter. Malamig talaga ang winter even where I live which is in Tokyo. I wonder how our kababayan survive in Hokkaido—minus zero centigrade! In Tokyo, when temperature drops below 10 degrees Celcius, parang ayaw na natin lumabas ng bahay. Natatakot siguro tayo na paglabas natin, magiging snowmen tayo!

For me, especially because I have cold hands and feet, it’s definitely tough during winter. I need to put KAIRO inside my shoes to heat up my feet. Sometimes, I forget and I would have my feet frozen in no time. Naninigas ang mga paa! Taihen!

Good thing winter doesn’t last long. Come late March or April, we celebrate the blossoming of spring with the magnificent sakuras. Tiyaga lang ng konti. Konting dusa lang, sabi nila. Right now, we are in the midst of winter. Drink lang tayo ng hot ginger tea or green tea. Or better yet, go for pito-pito or sambong tea (para tangkilikin ang sariling atin!). Try using KAIRO pads when you go out. And during sleep, use a YUTAMPO to heat up your body inside the futon.

There are many ways to warm up your winter. Likewise, there are many ways to alleviate, lighten and relieve the pains, suffering and challenges in life. So, no matter how cold and painful life can be, it’s never the end of the world. Seasons will change. And in time, sunshine will come to brighten up your life.

Just GO and put your life to the best shape not because it’s new year. It’s because it’s NOW, the precious present!