We only have today

How do you measure the passing of a year? Do you start counting 365 days, 8,760 hours or 525,600 minutes? Or do you just count the memorable moments, successes and failures, accomplished goals, failed attempts, friends gained and/or lost? Certainly, a year cannot go by without going through breathtaking moments, as well as painful ones.

We win some battles and lose many along the way. There are days when the minutes feel like hours, we can’t wait for tomorrow. There are times when we can’t get enough of a day’s one shining moment, we relive it over and over in our minds. Life is a whirlwind of happenings — you never know what you’ll be feeling tomorrow, because you only have today.

Carpe Diem is the battle cry in one of my favorite movies of all time, Dead Poets’ Society: Seize the day! Sure, it’s easy to proclaim. It makes you sound commanding, even heroic. But heck, there are days when I want to pull the blanket over my head and not face the world, especially when it means confronting my fears and failures. Although I have semi-perfected the art of numbing myself when challenged, I realize that choosing not to feel pain, is also choosing not to feel alive.

It is a challenge for me, as it is for others, to accept pain as part of life. It is not to be ignored; it is to be endured. I do not encourage people to have a martyr complex, but sometimes, going through hardship is unavoidable. When they say, "Anything that doesn’t kill you will make you stronger," better believe it. Like a wooden sculpture that needs to be chiseled, each of us is a work in progress.

Life is too short to spend feeling sorry for yourself, whether you were fired from a job, lost a loved one, etc. Life is too precious to remain self-absorbed. Open your eyes! There’s a whole world out there waiting to be discovered. We are part of this vast universe that does not need our existence, yet we can make a difference to people we touch. With wonder, knowledge and perseverance, we can influence those around us.

I started writing this article with the intention of sharing my interesting, yet somewhat frivolous little discoveries of 2002. There is still hope, more importantly, there is still space in the page to run "My Ten Discoveries of 2002," a random and fun list of things which helped me survive the year 2002. Hope they can help you, too:

1. Shu Uemura’s cleansing oil and UV underbase SPF 17++: I am no beauty nor skin care expert, but I discovered this good skin care product really works! My friend, Tina Tinio gave me what she calls Shu Uemura’s star products for Christmas and she promised that I would love them like I love horses. Although I had my doubts, I was prepared to try them. I was told that before Shu Uemura became famous for his makeup, brushes and eyelash curlers, the brand’s first and most symbolic product is the cleansing oil. It serves as a makeup remover, cleanser, and skin softener all in one. In Shu Uemura philosophy, cleansing is the first and last step of makeup, if you don’t cleanse properly then skin will not stay soft and supple due to dirt that remains in the skin. You simply glide it on your face, gently massage, and amazingly, it washes off with water. I was surprised the first time I tried it and felt no residue of eye makeup and thick mascara whatsoever, just by splashing the oil away with water.

Another of Shu Uemura’s Star Products around the world, the UV Underbase is unique because it has both skin care and makeup effects on the skin. According to Tina, it is a skin tone perfector, make-up primer, and sunblock all in one. It is a skin-tone colored mousse that simply melts into the skin, giving the skin a more finished look, like you’re wearing foundation without actually wearing any. Skin looks more finished, makeup sits better on the skin, oil is controlled and at the same time, skin is protected from UV exposure. Every one can use a little help from our friends.

2. VMV’s his/her id body soap: It comes in an unassuming little square box wrapped in blue Chinese paper. What’s cool about this soap is that it has tiny brown particles of what — I’m not really sure — but it serves as some sort of scrub or loofah. No need to soap and scrub, for this body soap already has a built-in scrub! Saves time, doesn’t it?

3. Nu Skin’s 180 Degrees skin care program: It consists of a face wash, that tastes like vitamin C, since it is apparently packed with vitamin C for the skin, a bottle of skin mist, four vials of cell renewal serum, a UV moisturizer for day and a night time complex. It claims to have a 180-degree turn-around effect, to soften fine lines, minimize pores, and even- out skin tone and to my surprise, it actually fulfills its promise.

4. Kiehl’s lip balm #1: It is by far the best relief for dry or chapped lips. When I apply it, it feels as if the balm is melting through my lips. It gives a natural shine so there’s no need to add lip gloss for a groomed look.

5. Benefit’s High Beam and Benetint: Since I am always in a rush when putting on my face and I have minimal makeup skills, I discovered these Benefit products to be highly beneficial! High Beam serves as a highlighter that when applied on the eyelids and brow bone area, can play a solo act to bring out the starlet in you.

Benetint gives that smudge-proof, kiss-proof soft stain on the lips, and doubles as a cheek color, by simply applying small dots on both cheeks and blending with a sponge or fingers, giving an instant natural flush.

6. Origin’s Spot Remover: Growing-up with embarrassing zits that never went away, even after puberty, I consider it a blessing to have finally discovered an acne or at least a spot cure that works on the dot! Origin’s Spot Remover works almost overnight to erase, and even prevent undesirable bumps. Although I was surprised to feel the biting sensation when I first put some on my face. A warning for those who will try this product: Always apply a small amount on an area not too conspicuous on the face, for it may be too severe for sensitive skin.

7. Warm Coke with lemon: Huh? That’s what I thought, too. A friend of introduced the idea to me when I complained about a sore throat. Instead of tea, he made me sip a cup of warm coke with a slice of fresh lemon, which surprisingly not only eased my sore throat, but also tasted quite good — like softly-brewed tea. Try it!

8. Sugi’s Spicy Tuna Hand Roll: I actually dream of it! But when they say, spicy, they mean it. And yeah, it’s crunchy, too! (I think it’s from the bits of tempura batter they mix with the sushi). This is a definite must-try.

9. Threading: I had always been a believer in waxing, but since I’ve discovered the joys of threading, there’s no turning back. The thought used to scare me, expecting it to hurt terribly, but when my friend Trissa, suggested that I try it at the Mandarin Hotel’s Rever Salon, I realized that it didn’t hurt any more than waxing and it leaves a cleaner job that lasts longer than a wax.

10. Pilates: I featured Carmen Jimenez-Ong and her then newly opened B+B Pilates Studio at The Fort several issues ago. This relatively new discovery among Pinoy health buffs has since had a wide following I can hardly get a regular slot at Carmen’s studio these days. Since doing Pilates, I’ve felt stronger, yet lighter. It has also helped my (horse) riding, by improving my flexibility and balance. While riding is not a sport where cross-training is essential to one’s development, Pilates is perhaps, the only other exercise I’ve engaged in that has helped me in my sport, other than actually riding more horses.