I've been contemplating an issue that has been bothering me for quite some time now: 

What are the deciding factors of those in authority that led them to relocate the loading and unloading station at MRT GMA-Kamuning (originally in front of MLQU)?

As someone who walks to and from work daily, (covering approximately 2 kilometers in total) as part of my health routine, I find myself both accepting of and mostly irritated by the change. It's just an additional 650 meters (approx.), but one must also consider the challenge of walking five flights of stairs (southbound) when the elevator is out of service or when the line is too long. This is not to mention the length people have to walk on other segments of their commute. 

This got me thinking about the plight of individuals with disabilities, pregnant women, and senior citizens who now must walk extra distances just to access the MRT (specifically at GMA-Kamuning, as I'm not certain about other stations). 

I'm well aware that my mother, with her knee issues, would face considerable difficulties. Moreover, having accompanied some pregnant women during their last trimesters, I understand the physical strain they endure, especially those with complicated pregnancies even at the early stages.

These thoughts were actually set in motion when my right leg had been acting up weeks ago. While it was injured in a childhood accident, it doesn't qualify me enough for a PWD ID due to the nature of the trauma. I can only imagine the challenges faced by individuals with more pronounced mobility limitations.

It strikes me as ironic that, at a time when the world is advocating for inclusion, we seem to be growing less sensitive to the needs of those in the minority who require our support to be included. Some might suggest, "Use an alternative mode of transportation," or the more common sarcastic remark, "Take a Taxi, Grab or Angkas (etc.) if you're so concerned." However, it's essential to recognize that not everyone can afford these options.

Perhaps it's also time for me to replenish my supply of Seretide and Salbutamol, just in case.

P.S.: The lawful options are limited to the NIA North road or Petron/Landbank East Avenue. 

Just now there were people trying to hail passing buses, illegally, at the old (more sensible) loading area and in front of MMDA enforcers. I cannot run to the bus anymore since I'm so tired from work and had a lot of baggage. The enforcer asked me, "San Mateo ka? Hindi ka nagsabi."

And ladies and gentlemen, it's my fault that I did not ride the bus at the former loading area that they closed for whatsoever reason. 

Thanks for encouraging me to not follow your unit's new mandate. I was raised better than that though, and I'm not in such a hurry to go home. Sorry sir. 

I remember the time when my parents are still on LDR. There were no available form of social media or messenger for fast communication. There was only the snail mail. My Mama would write to Papa several pages of stories about our family (and kinda forced me and my Ate to do the same) He would send voice tapes and letters in exchange. 

They would seldom make phone calls because it was too expensive...but they still made a budget for that as much as they can. This is why we were very thankful for yahoo messenger (then later to skype) no matter how slow the dial-up was. It was still better and faster than the mail. Then faster net came and life became much more convenient. (My youngest sister is so lucky. ) But I noticed something. We live in a day when communication is so easy yet we fail to communicate in truth. Because communication lines became so common, most people nowadays take it for granted.

Some of us take days, weeks, months, even years not talking to our loved ones. We are saying that it is hard to maintain communication, but is that really true?

We are saying that we are depressed and alone, but isn't it just an invisible prison we put ourselves into when we knew full well that the key is just within reach? All we needed to do is to stretch our arms and hands out. 

In this day when technology is so advance, instead of letting it distract us from what really matters, may we use it to our advantage in maintaining our relationships with our loved ones.

If we really love them, we will make time for them. We will never let that thread that connects us come to an end. You know why?

Because true love never fails.

#familygoals 

#LDRfeels 

#1corinthians13v4to8 

#communication

I found this interesting article in Facebook last year about the topic of Narcissism. Unfortunately, I lost the link but retained some notes about it. If anyone knows, feel free to send me a message or comment it below:

Here are seven fundamental truths you might not have known about narcissists that can explain why they behave the way they do.

1. Narcissists have conditional self-worth. While narcissists seem confident, their self-worth is, in fact, conditional, whether they're aware of it or not. It is based on certain experiences, specifically external events.  (Ex. A narcissist thinks "I feel good about myself if you agree with me/you admire me.)

2. A narcissist constantly needs more validation. One compliment isn't enough; one "victory" of being right and the other person being wrong doesn't satiate a narcissist's need for validation.

3. A narcissist is motivated by intense fear. Yep, it is actually an intense and deeply rooted fear that propels a narcissist's reactions—both internal (how they interpret what you do) and external (how they react). The fear? That they are not good enough, not lovable, not worthy. This fear, however, is so ingrained that the narcissist is often not overtly aware of it.

4. A narcissist uses anger to avoid feeling deeper emotions. It is "safer" for a narcissist to be angry than it is to feel the sadness and fear associated with his or her conditional self-worth. This coping mechanism of anger is so deep-rooted for narcissists as a means to protect themselves from their own vulnerability that it has become an automatic reaction.

5. A narcissist operates from an all-or-nothing perfectionistic viewpoint. For a narcissist, something is either right OR wrong; a person's behavior is either nice OR mean; he or she is either revered or ridiculed. There is no gray area with a narcissist. 6. A narcissist has his or her own set of rules. We all have our own sets of rules regarding how others should act. A narcissist's rules are written in stone in their minds, and they get extremely upset when people do not abide by them. Why? Because they view a deviation from their rules as a slight against them because they think you think less of them. (Refer to #4 & 5)

7. A narcissist's behavior has little to do with you. Ever noticed how you can say the same thing to a narcissist and one time they laugh but another time they blow up? That is because it is a narcissist's fragile ego that propels their interactions. And that ego can become more delicate with stress, which can manifest in the form of excessive work obligations, sensing they are being taken advantage of, fatigue, or any other of the other countless sources of stress in our society.

They said "Lahat sa Pinas big deal," when in truth, it applies anywhere. As long as there are humans, there will be issues and conflicts. This is why change should come from ourselves.    There should be a line between caring and controlling. There should be a line between advising and nagging. There should be a line between counselling and manipulating. These lines should never be crossed.

I've seen many kinds of people in my life. Some of them are happy. Some of them are not. It's hard to be empathetic when you haven't experience what they had. Sometimes, you would think they are being too sensitive or too emotional; that what they're experiencing can't be worse than what you're currently going through.. Now, after experiencing depression myself, I finally realized the main root of it... in the emotional, psychological and spiritual sense.

We are unhappy and discontent because we are looking at the wrong things.

We are too focused on what went wrong instead how it can be made right.

We are too focused on who left us instead of those who came and stayed in our life.

We are too focused on what we lack instead of what we have been given.

We are too focused on what was done to us instead of making sure we don't end up doing the same thing to others.

We choose to be bitter because of self-pity instead of pouring out love to make a change in the lives of those who are just like us.

We focus on hurtful memories instead of the possibilities of joy in the future.

Whenever we choose sadness, anger, bitterness and revenge? Whenever we let it consume us? We let go of happiness. We let go of peace of mind. We let go of our chance to be what we are meant to be... and that is to be the best version of ourself. 

I am not perfect nor am I never sad. But happiness is indeed a choice. God gives us a new day to start over... something some people never got the chance to have. As long as you are breathing, there is always a chance at happiness. And that choice? No one else can take it from you. It's in your control.