Blissfull Week

One should always count one's blessings. And for this week of my life, I found that blessings were aplenty. It would be quite a show of ignorance to say that weeks that have gone by weren't full of blessings, or that the oncoming weeks would not be full of blessings. But it's just that I would like to emphasize the events of this week, and as always, count my blessings whenever I realize it (which, unfortunately, doesn't happen too often...the realizing part, that is).

To begin with, the parents went to a seminar in South Sulawesi. Suddenly, I and my brother has quite a breathing room at home. This is, of course, a very much needed relieve. I get to go out with my brother during the long weekend, attend masses without my mother around. Just us, two guys, without an old, cranky, post-menopausal woman around (our mother). Utterly blissful.

Not having my father around is also quite a wonderful experience, since it means that there won't be an incident where he would intrude my already-crowded personal space (living in the same room with 2 other persons could really take its toll). And I won't have to listen to his usual speech of office and national politics and of his negative views toward just about everyone. There were times when I would agree to his negative views, but I always found myself afterwards being a very moody person and not very much agreeable. Something that is not appropriate in my opinion.

Of course, such wonderfully blessed week is not without its flaws. For the early part of the week I was in quite a nervous state, waiting for my project to start, and not having anything to do in the office. Such condition could make a man in his youth (such as I) feel neglected and of no use. Guilty feelings were abound (especially when looking at how other people were so busy with their tasks). But, fortunately, after consulting a senior at the office, she told me to just lay back and enjoy the lazy days while I still can. Because there won't be such a thing as a lazy day when the project starts. And that, no, it's not a bad thing to not be doing anything at the office. Ahh, what a bliss.

This week would be wonderfully perfect if my long-time old, cranky, and very demanding servant at home is not around either. But that would be a bad thing since who would serve the food at home? So, I could handle this minor imperfection to an already wonderful week.

One could always argue that, even with parents around, that shouldn't stop us from feeling free at home. Of course one could shut out the external environment noise to prevent it from entering one's psyche (something that the Buddhists are probably good at, if they're quite religious), but even that won't last long. Afterall, I'm only human (a very common, fallible excuse, but an excuse nonetheless). Sooner or later, defenses would crumble and bad mood accompanied with depression would be inescapable.

So, here I am, at home, enjoying the silence, the absence of post-menopausal bickering and of political mumbo-jumbo, just listening to the clicking of my computer keyboard as I type my blog and waiting for a friend to give me the go-signal to go to Plaza Semanggi. What can I say? Repeat after me: bliss.

I could only hope that I can find something to be thankful about next week, since parents are coming home tomorrow. Ahh, the end to such a perfectly calm week.