43 hard habits to break

I am a creature of habit. There are things that I don’t get tired of doing, people that I love to celebrate my life with, events in my life that I always revisit.

On the day of my birthday, I indulged myself, excuse me, and sat on my father’s hammock under the himbaba-o tree and wrote down my thoughts.

Here are 43 personal habits that have seen me through. To be unfaithful to them is to be unfaithful to my convictions. They are beliefs that have escorted me to declaring every day that, yes, my life, despite the challenges, is blessed.

1. I believe a grateful heart is the spawning ground of miracles big and small.

2. Sunsets are a prelude to God’s goodnight promise that tomorrow is another beautiful day. Watching the weekend sunset in Gulod is like reading God’s love letter to me in the sky.

3. My mother is my enabler. I will give her the comforts of the world.

4. My late father remains to be my hero. His wisdom, my lighthouse. 

5. I am big on friendship. I go the extra mile to locate friends I have not seen for decades. I write my friends abroad a letter at least once or twice a year.

6. My officemates — past and present — are my friends. Many times, they are my family, too. 

7. The glass is always half full, not half empty.

8. I digest books, magazines, newspapers, even contracts inside the bathroom at home. But I am considerate to the next user.

9. I love deeply.

10. But I don’t beg for love.

11. There are services that should be given for free.

12. I learned to bike at five. I always love to bike.

13. There are no sinigang mix pouches in the house. If there are no fresh tamarind or guava, there will be no sinigang on the table.

14. I get a fever when I hurt a friend.

15. I don’t use the “I’m-not-feeling-well” excuse to be absent from work or cancel an appointment. I have learned from the past. I am afraid of karma.

16. Men are born kind.

17. I love to cook.

18. I can eat alone in a restaurant.

19. I love watching movies alone.

20. Walking around the mall is my Kryptonite. If I don’t have anything to buy or a movie to watch or an assignment to cover, you will not find me in the mall.

21. I am a fan of Nora Aunor.

22. I fly a kite — mine or borrowed — every summer in Gulod.

23. I pray a lot for others. I learned this trait from the late former President Cory Aquino.

24. I’m not perfect. I get cranky when I am hungry.

25. My brothers are my allies. One for all. All for one.

26. My nieces and nephews are my stars.

27. I love my job.

28. Please, don’t tell me to stop praying to Mama Mary. God will understand if I keep a comfortable distance from you.

29. I have the highest regard for farmers. They toil and till the land and make sure we have our staple on the table every day.

30. Autumn excites me. Winter makes me alive. And I always am grateful for travel opportunities.

31. I can stare at a painting — of masters, established artists and up-and-coming — for a long time and somehow see through the artist’s emotions. I even appreciate artworks of children in nursery school.

32. Christmas, New Year, and Holy Week are spent at home.

33. I believe in ghosts. I have seen a few.

34. Love stories of real people interest me.

35. I always end up buying a copy of The Little Prince in the bookstore even if I already have many copies of the book.

36. Success stories make me cry.

37. I hardly change my wardrobe. I have pants and shirts I bought 15 years ago that I still use today.

38. People change. Even those whose lives you have touched will one day bite your hand. Be thankful still for the great opportunity to help.

39. I stay away from negative people.

40. UP Los Baños will always be home to me. It saw me through. My UPLB professors are some of my heroes. The friends I made at the university 26 years ago are the same friends that I cherish to this day. The academic org called the UPLB Com Arts Society is still my family, whether or not the new members and I are familiar with each other.

41. Don’t insult my intelligence. I can handle truths, even if they will not work in my favor.

42. Laughter is my twin, the mirth of my life, my gift to the people I love. In the company of well-meaning friends, I can sing at a drop of a hat or dance on top of a table. I do stand-up comic acts. And I can do this all just by virtue of natural highness. You make me take alcoholic drinks and I will be quiet all through out. In parties, I just hold the glass. Sip a little and pretend that I drink all night.   

43. No matter what, life, cliché as it sounds, is beautiful.

(For your new beginnings, e-mail me at bumbaki@yahoo.com.

I’m also on Twitter @bum_tenorio and Instagram @bumtenorio.

Have a blessed Sunday!)