on books & reading

Quote for the day:

"Being busy does not necessarily mean you are making progress. Take time to think about your goals in life. Is what you are doing contributing to reaching your goal? Think about it."

- from May's Facebook status message

The office pantry suddenly looked like a bookstore when I arrived this evening. There is a Scholastic book sale (which seems to be more appropriate in an elementary school lobby), which sells books ranging from Twilight to Pride & Prejudice.

I was thinking of buying Great Expectations by Charles Dickens or Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen, or rather the "second" book of Lois Lowry. However, our bookshelves suddenly flashed into my thoughts. I imagined those pocketbooks in our bookshelves shrieking and crying out to me, vying for my attention. They want me to finish them first before buying a new one.

Alice Through the Looking Glass: Hey, you have begun reading me but did not finish me! You're done with Alice in Wonderland but how about me?
Cane River: I was a gift to you by a friend two years ago. On my front cover, it tells you that I am an award-winning book so I am worth reading.
The Joy Luck Club: You have already checked out the reviews about me and asked your bookworm friends if I am a good book or not. They all gave a positive response. So what are you waiting for? Start reading me now!
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein: You were amazed by the movie right? Why not try the book? You know what people say, the book is better than the movie.
A Christmas Carol: Psst! Christmas is near, what a timely reading I sure am!
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A former officemate once told me to go back to reading if I have time. He mentioned book titles that are really great and are worth reading. He read those when he was just in highschool.
Unfortunately, I have not read any of those he had mentioned. Why? Aside from lack of time, I was just oriented into reading novels when I wast in my last years in highschool, around 3rd year to fourth year. The Cleverest Person in the World by Norman Whitney, I think, was the first novel that I had read. It was really a fun read. Since then, I got into reading novels.
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I hope to have more time reading (or is it just a matter of time management?) & it would be an achievement if I could widen the range of my leisure reading materials and not just stick to famous novels, Reader's Digest and Sunday bulletin. And it would be terrific if I can read fast so I can read more books, moreover, a very retentive memory to remember all that I have read and the wonderful worlds where I was once in.

Love for a Child

by Jason Mraz

There's a picture on my kitchen wall
Looks like Jesus and his friends involved
There's a party getting started in the yard
There's a couple getting steamy in the car parked in the drive
Was I too young to see this with my eyes?

By the pool last night, apparently
The chemicals weren't mixed properly
You hit your head and then forgot your name
And then you woke up at the bottom by the drain
And now your altitude and memory's a shame

What about taking this empty cup and filling it up
With a little bit more of innocence
I haven't had enough, it's probably because when you're young
It's okay to be easily ignored
I like to believe it was all about love for a child

And when the house was left in shambles
Who was there to handle all the broken bits of glass
Was it mom who put my dad out on his ass or the other way around
Well I'm far too old to care about that now

What about taking this empty cup and filling it up
With a little bit more of innocence
I haven't had enough, it's probably because when you're young
It's okay to be easily ignored
I'd like to believe it was all about love for a child

It's kinda nice to work the floor since the divorce
I've been enjoying both my Christmases and my birthday cakes
And taking drugs and making love at far too young an age
And they never check to see my grades
What a fool I'd be to start complaining now

What about taking this empty cup and filling it up
With a little bit more of innocence
I haven't had enough, it's probably because when you're young
It's okay to be easily ignored
I'd love to believe it's all about love for a child

It was all about love...

let go and let live

Today, I learned a very important lesson. That is to let go and let live.

I used to be a control freak. I always want to have a control on things, and sadly but not frequently, on people. I always want to make sure that everything is alright and everything and everyone goes according to my plan. I hate anything unpredictable. I hate guessing what's next.

I do not know why I came up to be like that. Perhaps, that is one of the most common "first-born syndromes". It felt like the responsibility of keeping things smooth-sailing in the long-run is on me which might be a source of my early years-frustrations.

But just this afternoon, I learned to breathe and relax. I realized that I need to let people as they are (well, of course, not those Filipinos who contribute to the detriment of our country), the things important to them and should not be imposing on others. I need to care for what others may feel and treat everyone as fragile as they can be.

To be peaceful, it is a must to let others be in peace, just like letting a loved one who passed away not to worry about our feelings and accept that they are gone. To enjoy life, I must accept ambiguities and of course, other people's decisions for their OWN lives just like how they have accepted my decisions.

And for this, I express my gratitude to my youngest sister for making me realize what have I been missing in my life.