The Real Life

“Having the time of your life is not the same as having a life.”

Fun is not the only ingredient that makes life a life.  We get the impression that we have a better life the more the fun we have but on the contrary having fun is just part of it.  The other part is that it is not bereft of problems and responsibilities and it is what makes it feel real.  It’s the same logic when we pinch ourselves just to know we are not dreaming.  No matter how we’d like to live our happily ever after, it won’t always go that way but not having it all is what makes life fair for the same reason that if you don’t have everything, then there will be something left for others and vice versa.

People do get the impression that I’m laid back with my travel-a-holic ways and some see me as a hardcore runner with the frequency of my training runs but there are also those who see me as intense and workaholic.  Well, I get to divide my time in the three endeavors and even more as I also get to spend some time with family and friends.  The ideal life is that you get to find time for all your endeavors but the fact would always be that you have to choose and prioritize.  Over the past three or four month, I’ve given up so much of my travel load just to fit my increasing training load.  Training has been a lesson on its own as you get to see the benefits on training hard – the more you push yourself, the better you become.  I’ve also tried to make the most of my time at work.  Though I’m way past the overtimes, in terms of stress… It does give the most.  My work is like being a breadwinner of a family with unlimited expenses. It’s kinda tiring endlessly sourcing funds and still always end up short and unappreciated.  Oh well, that’s the real life creeping in.

I get to have a challenging job with very minimal appreciation and satisfaction.  I just have to appreciate the milestones I’ve made and I know it should come handy in my future career alternatives.  That’s the thing about striving in the worst of condition, you are ready for anything that happens.  I’ll eventually move on to something better or at least that idea keeps me striving.  Even if life sucks at time, I’m still giving it my best efforts.  I’m lucky enough to be brought up in a condition where I always felt contented and responsible.  I’ll always credit my father for being strict enough when I was younger which has given me a grasp of ownership of my action.  Ok… Sometimes, I do hate my goody-to-shoes persona but knowing that it took you just 17 years to shape me as a person like that makes me appreciate it better.  Happy Birthday Papa and I wish you shared more than half a lifetime with me but you are part of who we are so I just have to make do with that.

I do hope I can do everything I want to do but that would be next to impossible.  I have fun at times, I take a breather at times, I indulge at times but for the most part, I am aware of my responsibilities and I know even if these are the things and people that weigh you down, it is what makes you going,  it’s what gives you purpose, it’s what makes you different.  The real life is not having what you want or doing what you want but taking choices, being a part of a whole and taking part in alleviating what makes life difficult. Sometimes, we really need those burden to keep us grounded and be able to reach out on things that matter.

If life feels a bit hard then you’re in the right track.  It’s not always easy but think about it, where you’d be if you always took the easy path.  It’s either you’d still be in the same location or probably asleep from boredom.  Life is like a cup of coffee, it’s the bitter taste that keeps us awake.