INESSENTIAL TRIP

I woke up a bit earlier than usual because I will be going out that Thursday morning to collect my consultancy fee somewhere in the northern part of Manila. 

Yes, you got it right. I am doing consultancy work since January 2021, after deciding not to sign up for a contract of service writing job for the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) which has been my second home since March 2016. 

Because I'll be coming from home getting a Grab car was easy, in fact, it only took less than five minutes to book my ride. It was 10:30 in the morning, so I expect to be at my destination in about an hour or so. And like in my previous visits, the released of my pay envelope was short and swift, which took me roughly 15 minutes including the line at the elevator. 

Excited to go home for lunch as Honey was waiting for me, I started to book for Grab, unfortunately, the rate was too high, but I managed to get one for me although it will cost me another 10 minutes of waiting. Eventually, I lost the connection to the booked 

Grab rider. I then informed my partner about my situation, so from her end she booked another ride. After a couple of attempts from my end and to her, she succeeded. She was able to book me for a ride home with 10 minutes of waiting time again. 

As I comfortably sit in the car, I heard the Waze directing the driver in Edsa's direction, knowing that would be too far from the usual route I informed the driver that taking Edsa is not good. He replied by asking me if I know the right direction, I told him I am not from the place so I m not familiar with the turns. But I told him that from my previous rides, after taking off the exit with few turns we often end up either in Dimasalang, Lacson, or Blumentritt area. 

However, as I explained to the driver, he did not bother to slow down or to stop to check what could be our better direction instead he followed the instruction provided to him by the Waze map. But to make it more unacceptable from Edsa he made a reroute blaming the heavy traffic which to him was unbearable. 

No preventive barrier in this ride. The photo was taken by this passenger, while the car
traversed Edsa on Thursday, December 9, 2021at 12:52pm.

 

Despite the sounds he made implying that he was disgusted with our much farther and longer travel, I did not bother to make any more comment although deep inside I was fuming mad especially when we made another detour because the road is being constructed therefore it's not passable. 

Imagine me at the back of that car with low ventilation to almost none in the middle of the afternoon, and there was not even a barrier that serves as another layer of protection for a passenger like me against possible infection. I believe that it is still important and necessary that car services such as Grab should maintain and keep the standard of safety and protection that their customers deserve considering the much higher rate being charged to passengers.

Also, Grab Management must also look into the possibility of providing your drivers at least possible routes instead of allowing them to depend on Waze applications particularly during this Christmas Holidays and more and more vehicles are out in the public making traffic routes much heavier. That way, we all can avoid an INESSENTIAL TRIP that is unhealthy to our drivers, passengers, and the roads because we add to the problems due to vehicular congestion, which in essence is not only bad for the economy, and health but also for the environment.

I hope that Grab Management will look beyond the complaints and will instead provide reforms that will rectify the basics in driving especially here in Metro Manila to avoid similar incidents from happening again. 

By the way, the ride back home was booked at 12:14 pm, and I arrived at the destination at 1:57pm. 

Dispensable

Photo credit to depositphotos.com. Please check 

Life under the new normal has brought many realizations and lessons to everyone living in this period. I have family members and relatives that were afflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic which fortunately recovered. While sadly, there are some friends and acquaintances who demise as they succumbed to the disease.

Truly, the year 2020, labeled as the pandemic year of the new century has forced us to rethink and evaluate our relationships, priorities, and even our way of life. Because one thing is certain from the time the pandemic has to reach us--that we are all dispensable. Thus, we should live a life that is meaningful as we do not know when our time will be up.

Stop regretting instead pick up from where you fall and appreciate every opportunity that comes your way. Try to work on your dreams instead of complaining and counting your failures as there is someone more miserable than you are.

Every day is a gift from God, so savor every waking moment with your family, loved ones, friends, or even by just being alone to do whatever makes you happy. 

Remember, not everyone is privileged and gifted to live this far. So, smile and be happy.  

PRUNING

 

Photo credit to flickr.com

Life is not a bed of roses, so is our relationship. 

We need to constantly prune them in order to grow, whether the relationship is with our family members, friends, or special someone--all the more we need to cultivate them.

Yesterday, my partner and I celebrated our 59^th month together. Truly it was a blessing as our union is constantly challenged by misunderstandings and differences. While our fights don’t come as often as the other couples perhaps, ours arrived when one is vulnerable and too weak to hold on.

In fact, days before the heart's day, we had a serious issue that I raised as I noticed that our physical needs has become some sort of an appointment or schedule. And so I asked her if I can no longer turn her on as she always refused to use “work tomorrow” or “sleepy” as her regular excuse.

We are both 46, so I don’t believe that marital obligation that should be fulfilled in bed at night will be a problem at this age unless she is no longer in love with me. 

On February 15, we went on a staycation as a gift from our friend. Of course, I expected that her shortcomings in bed would be fulfilled that night. However, all my expectations shattered when she kissed me goodnight and turn her back on me as we lay down together in a king-size bed. To my dismay, I asked her straight in a quiet and calm voice. “Do I no longer turn you on?”, “How about my needs?”, “Do you still love me?”, and so on.

 I got no response. The questions eventually turned to tears as I monologued that I could no longer remember exactly myself. I stopped that night by calling our relationship off. All the time I was talking, she was also in tears. 

And to add insult to injury, the only thing that she managed to say to me as she doesn’t know how to explain herself. I was so disappointed and infuriated by her response. I told her it’s okay. There was no need to explain as we will be starting a new life separately after that day. I fell asleep crying that night.

 I woke up late the following day. Upon seeing me when I get off the bed, she greeted me “good morning”, handed me my pre-breakfast medicine, prepared my coffee and breakfast as she sat across me. It’s as if nothing happened the night before. Occasionally, during the day as she was working that day, she would kiss me on the lips or hug me as I passed her. And that night, she initiated the move and made love to me, said sorry, and explained her side.

 I love her so much. That while every now and then she still could not attend to my physical needs, I never insisted. It was never my personality to impose myself on her or on anyone for that matter. It is still a work in progress and I thank her for trying because this is something we have both discussed and agreed on even before we became official.

 Therefore, taking care of your relationship and protecting them against external and internal forces whether you are in your 20’s, the ’40s, or ’60s must be done with affection and love. 

We need to prune especially to people and things that matter to us in order to keep them so that they’ll give back to us in return.