Grateful Dad #38: September’s Highs
The month of September (2022) has just ended. For us Filipinos, September officially ushers in the Christmas season. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, shopping malls would already be playing Christmas carols, the most anticipated in the playlist would, of course, be Mr. Jose Mari Chan’s “Christmas In Our Hearts.”
Grateful Dad #38: September’s Highs
We haven’t really been to the mall for a long time now so I’m not sure if the Christmas songs are already being played. It’s one of the things that I miss because of the pandemic, the simple joy of strolling leisurely as I listen to Yuletide tracks. Just the same, I remain hopeful that we’d still be able to do that soon and things will eventually be alright.
On a further note, I’d say that the month of September has been generally kind to me. I’m slowly adjusting to my new job so I’m able to contribute more to my team. With that, I can also say that I can work at a much faster pace than during my first two months. Just the same, I do recognize that there’s always room for improvement even if one was seemingly able to master a task. There are still hiccups from time to time but I’d like to think that they’re a little bit more manageable lately.
I guess the biggest work-related challenge right now for us would be commuting to the office. The traffic is getting heavier again and even the P2P bus that we take every morning would sometimes find itself caught at a standstill. As a result, we had to leave home very early which meant that we had to sacrifice sleep. On days that I have to be in the office, I get only around three hours of sleep. This is one area that we have to resolve hopefully in the near future.
Last month, Filipinos from Metro Manila and Central Luzon braced for Super Typhoon Karding (Typhoon Noru). We were supposed to go home that weekend to Nueva Ecija for my mother’s birthday but had to cancel the trip because of the incoming intense tropical cyclone. Super Typhoon Karding did severe damage to my hometown, San Antonio, but I’m still grateful that my parents, as well as relatives, are all fine save for the discomfort of having no electricity for days.
In terms of brand collaborations, work has become fewer and fewer for me. I honestly miss brand collaborations, not just the pay but the creativity that goes with crafting the posts, taking photos, making short videos, and composing the caption. I suppose it’s because I’m not actively pursuing partnerships, but I do recognize that I might not be as effective as I was before because I was more passionate back then. I do hope to regain that fire again.
Lastly, I found myself missing some of my friends a lot in September. I understand that having a family will change us, but I couldn’t help but relive some of my beautiful memories from the days when life was simpler and less complicated. As such, I do appreciate my few friends who take the time and effort to reconnect despite their hectic schedules. They’re for keeps and I would forever be grateful for them.
More than anything else, I’m grateful for my little family. We may not have much but we have everything that we need.
I hope that your September was filled with good and happy memories. I pray that the last quarter of the year will be kind to all of us.