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Eat a Sandwich! — and Other Commands
“You’re skinny as a dog,” my classmate, Jess, said to me once in high school. That’s my earliest recollection of anyone ever bringing my own weight to my attention as an attempt to offend me. Although I found her dog analogy a bit unfitting, I knew what she meant. But looking back, I also realize those were actually some of my “fuller” years. I wasn’t over or underweight, I remember. I just appeared thinner next to them. Every now and then, I would get confused when people called me “la flaca” because I didn’t even see myself that way; skinny. And on other occasions, I would be oblivious of the…
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What Makes Life Livable
We’re all out here playing psychiatrists and philosophers and wizards and astronomers; telling one another how to best live life or what the secret to happiness is, when we don’t know jack about it and common sense can’t save us anymore. But I guess that’s what makes life a little more bearable, right? The little stories that go around. Perhaps, there’s hope in the words of a stranger who maybe lived to tell the story that would finally give your soul a little comfort, a little peace. The circle of life is… something, isn’t?
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Lluvia de despedida
¿Que si me gusta la lluvia, dices? Me llena de alegría. Es lo único que me hace levantar de mi tumba para escribirte alguna carta o, qué sé yo, alguna poesía. Pero cómo llovía cuando te ibas, que ironía. Siempre presente la lluvia en los momentos de despedidas. Y ahora cuando cae sólo me recuerda a ese día. ¿Será que se entristece el cielo al ver el fin de algo que fue tan bueno? Calamidad. Dolor. Una pesadilla. Pero a decir verdad, las vueltas de la vida traen un poco de sinceridad porque, al dar la espalda, te das cuenta de lo que sí valió la pena al final.
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Far Away – a Poem
From someone who’s been there and done that: if you wanna go far away where nobody knows your name, it’s only you in your way. Do it, don’t be afraid. You’ll have moments of utmost happiness and moments of loneliness. It could be a good thing while you reconnect with yourself. You learn new ways of living. You make a whole new gang of friends. You might not learn their real names until seven months in, but life’s an adventure, don’t spoil the end. I said the best thing about meeting new people is that they can’t judge your old mistakes. Ah, a chance at a fresh start. Bad vibes…
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One Minute to Midnight
Appreciated, discriminated Fascinated, aggravated Infatuated, humiliated Motivated, devastated; Words can’t express How much, the distress Feelings you can’t undress Become a bigger mess And I feel, and they feel The struggle, so real Don’t know how to deal Much less, how to heal A rock and a hard place; A slap on the face; A wild goose chase; An eternal rat race. No finish-line in sight Luck is a tough fight; One minute to midnight And all could be alright They’re not impressed? Keep doing your best Don’t sleep on it, but rest You will pass this test.
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Repost of A House Full of Nothing
Because it is one of my favorite poems, that I’ve written, I am posting it again. (Originally here I Want a House Full of Nothing.) This I wrote at a time when I was unhappy with myself and my surroundings. Having everything meant nothing; hence, I imagined a world where living with nothing or just the essentials would have probably given me joy. I want a house full of nothing; just a clean wooden bare floor, scented candles and a tall door. I want a house full of nothing; a mirror and music to dance to, red lipstick and perfume when days are blue. I want a house full of…
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Moments – Making the Best of It
I remember the day. Spontaneity was in the air. Sky, bright. Sun, a delight. What a laugh we had. Then, the rain came down and, instead of running from it, we ran towards it. We stayed. We played with it, and we went through it. Because waiting for the storm to pass was not an option. But once it stopped, we appreciated the sun even more because we understood how short-lived bliss can be; that life happens in a flash and it doesn’t wait for you, but you can adapt to the season. And, as cliché as it can be, you can indeed make the best of it. Seize the…
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Dig a little deeper, from another angle
I am highly inspired by the inspired, and the inspiring; by the extraordinary and the sublime; by confidence and humility. And thankfully, we can find that kind of inspiration all around us. Sometimes you just have to dig a little deeper, look a little closer — perhaps from a different angle.
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You Exist
I have been invisible to guys like him even after physical introduction. It got me thinking, why would I let another human being make me feel smaller? Here’s to everyone who’s ever felt invisible: YOU EXIST, in all your glory. And the stars and the universe know about you — and they’re much, much, much grander than all of us little humans. So if anyone ever doesn’t acknowledge your existence, remind them of their insignificance.
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Life Has a Funny Way – Excerpt
How could I have ignored the time Rey commented on my neighbors’ little sister’s physical appearance? “Man, she’s going to be a heartbreaker,” he said in a way that no grown eighteen-year-old male should be using to refer to a ten-year-old. I found the comment inappropriate, but said nothing. And, how about the time a girl, who happened to go to my school, came up to me and told me that she was my boyfriend’s girlfriend? Or the time he implied that he’d lost count of how many girls he’d f-cked? Or the time when someone told me they saw him making out with some other girl at the beach?…
