If there is one monumental thing that Tubby taught me during our stay in Cebu, it was how to compartmentalize feelings. I have said one too many times that in terms of personality, Tubby definitely has the best one. She has the longest patience among all of us, she seldom gets angry (although candid photos taken of her would say otherwise) and apparently, she never lets the stress of being cursed by her boss ruin her vacation. If I had been the one to receive the brunt of the invectives, I would have cried, NO, bawled over my unspoiled glass of Margarita and would be totally inconsolable for the next three days. But Tubby, with her usual high EQ-ness, was able to take in everything that was hurled at her and throw it right back to the wind. It was like she has this secret stash of sunshine that lets her get stoned with happiness even when the world around her is crumbling into pieces.
Taking in this good vibe that I got from her, I had to somehow put this “compartmentalizing” lesson to the test. Everybody knows that these past few weeks are not exactly my favorite so staying positive seems like a herculean task. The good thing about it is that I have massive support from my friends. Perksquad keeps me laughing and occupied, CeeLo always drops me a line or two to make sure that I’m still alive, and my boys (Legolas and Spongebob) stuff my face with food and laugh at my face to make me realize that I am not as fragile and weak as I want myself to believe.
Everyday, it would take some conscious effort to stay on track—and sometimes, there are days when it is doubly hard not to lash out or let my emotions get the best of me. Last Tuesday was one of those days. Apparently, I had an early morning meeting with some very important clients and our VP. Stupid me, I didn’t double check my calendar to confirm the time. All the while, I thought the meeting would be held in the afternoon. Most days, I would come to work earlier than 8am. I don’t know why, of all days, I had the patience to wait for a shuttle instead of riding a cab (only to give up after 40 minutes of futility) and why, of all days, the cab we finally hailed had to be the slowest one in this universe. And to make matters worse, it bogged down somewhere inside the jungles of Mandaluyong. Thankfully, it was already near Rockwell and I was able to get a replacement taxi immediately, but only after I got soaking wet due to the pouring rain which stopped the moment I got inside the cab. Just beautiful. And to think, I had been gaily reading Atlas Shrugged that very morning, relaxed and ready to take on the challenges the world has for me. Gak, I hate falling into that pit of false sense of security.
Fortunately, I was only a bit late for my 9am meeting (10 minutes to be exact). Unfortunately, I did not have the time to look half decent for my audience. My hair had gone haywire (frizzy as hay, hard as wire), my eyes had become a (display) window to a troubled, sleepless soul, and I was as pale as a zombie. Need I say that I am not a morning person? I AM NOT A MORNING PERSON--- especially when caffeine has not gotten into my system.
Nonetheless, I carried on with confidence and grace. Not to mention that I no longer had the time to hyperventilate about my physical state or care about the “are you sick” look that I got from everyone. The meeting went well and following the art of compartmentalizing feelings, I did not let the stress of that morning ruin a good day. I folded it, like one folds an old shirt, and hid it in the crannies of my “charge it to experience” compartment.
This is the start of a very worthwhile walk to the paradise of Moving On.
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CeeLo, Legolas and James Franco (my super friend formerly known as Spongebob), this is me keeping my promise. Thank you for always looking out for me.
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