1..2..3..smile! Selfie. Positioning my phone a bit inch from afar, a little higher, to make me look skinny. Oh wait let me pose side view so my pimple won’t show on the left side of my chubby face. I have to smile to look happy, right? Okay.. 1…2…3 Selfie No filter? I look dark, let me choose the Juno image effect, posting through Instagram. Be happy caption, #hashtag #happy #selfie.
The upper and lower bony structures in vertebrates forming the framework of the mouth and containing the teeth, (Ang galing ko mag English, sa Google ko yan nakuha, search mo, yan lalabas LOL), my jaw (yun lang yun!) was literally hurting after hundred times of taking selfies. I couldn’t still choose the best shot. Parehas lang naman! The struggle was real, wasn’t it? Relate much?
“One tall frappuccino mocha, please” What is your name Ma’am?, Starbucks employee asked, handling the cup and a pen. Yaya Dub.
Wag kayong umangal, kunwari lang uy! It was Yaya Dub’s day off, time to relax. But first let me take a selfie . Pose. Pose. Post and post. And that awkward moment when someone is looking at you while you are taking picture of yourself. Kinda hard to smile. Istorbo si kuya e!
Ganito eksena minsan…
Selfie doesn’t mean you’re always by yourself. You do that too when you are with your peeps, groupie sometimes. Pre papicture nga. 1..2..3.. patingin? Isa pa pre yun kunware malaki muscle ko. Isa pa, isa pa. Okay. Wait, try to include the background tska yung food. Benihana and sushi. E di wow! or where guys usually go Hooters , yung ang specialty ay chicken…. wings ba or breast? .
E yung nasa restaurant kayo hindi pa kayo makakain dahil picture-an muna. Kalam na kalam na ang tyan but everyone is smiling, posing and enjoying the view at the beach side restaurant, picture-an muna ang food. Sakit sa panga ng pagsmile tapos tyan din dahil sa gutom. LOL But it’s fun!
Capturing memories. Enjoying the time when you are off from work. Enjoying the view. Trying to be happy. I love it! Keep doing that!
We go on restaurant not because we want to show off. We want to have a life sometimes. It’s normal. Everybody has the right to enjoy yung pinag-hirapan nila. Hindi masama ang lumabas and magsaya paminsan minsan.
Rewind before Selfies
My chest is tightening, lips are twitching, eyes turning to red. Pearl-like salty liquid about to flow, I couldn’t breath. An expression of pain. Shed tears. “”She is really a good actress, Oh my gash, she got me there” This is me while watching “On the Wings of Love” episode.
Tiffany and the rest of the neighbors organized an event to raise funds for her father who is suffering from heart problems. He refused to be operated because of financial difficulty. He is a good person, it was not a bother to them at all to be of some help. Tifanny, as a loving daughter, did everything to make the concert a success. She had taken the risk of pleading a popular actress, who has a hectic schedule, to be the special guess at the said activity. Without any confirmation, unsure as she is if Anne Curtis is coming, her father found out that the star didn’t make any notice, he decided to go at the stage to inform the people and just simply apologize for the disappointment it had cause. “Good Evening everyone, we thank you for coming over and we are sincerely…” Suddenly, an expensive vehicle arriving, a tall, sexy and beautiful lady going out from the car, the crowd screaming. “…welcoming Ms. Anne Curtis” surprised father shouted.
She came. She spoke and explained that even in her busy schedule, she couldn’t say NO to a daughter who sent her a letter that truly touched her heart. She would do the same thing, taking all the risks, whatever it takes to save her father. So let the celebration started.
Meanwhile, another daughter living in the United States of America, working to help her family financially, doesn’t know that her father is sick. She herself pretends that everything is well in there, of course not, it’s not easy to work abroad, covering up with her smile and happy tone whenever they talk through Skype. OFW.
Drama. It happens in real life. While watching this episode, it breaks my heart. Besides from I am an emotional person I kinda relate myself to the situation. Tama na yan! Palabas lang to uy! Drama pa more!
My chest is tightening, lips are twitching, eyes turning to red. Pearl-like salty liquid about to flow, I couldn’t breathe. An expression of pain. Shed tears.
That moment when your grandmother who took care for you for a long time is being confined at the hospital, fear suddenly runs through your blood, I want to go home, I want to see her. Scared to death that you won’t be able to see her again.
When your 2 year old son got an accident, a tricycle hit him, a boiling water accidentally fell on him, or a daughter who was diagnosed having a dengue fever, I want to go home, I want to take care of them. I want to be by her/his side. I want to be there. Scared to death that you wouldn’t able to see them again.
When your parents are sick but you are not beside them physically. You sacrifice the happiness being together because you wanted to give them everything as much as you can financially but your strength isn’t enough, they think you are just fine, never let them see when you are breaking, all you just need sometimes is their smile, their hugs and you will be alright. I want to go home.
You worked as an office worker when you were in your own country, and you have chosen the path of being a maid in another country. Horrible feeling! But you’ve gone through it because of love, the love for your family. You cried I want to go home.
Long-distance relationship. You can’t be there with your love ones, you can handle or you couldn’t handle LDR, it’s still painful. You’ve given up or you’ve been fighting, it’s still distressing. You had been cheated or you cheated, it’s heartbreaking. You are away from them, you can’t control the situation, it causes you anxiety and depression, the extreme sadness you’ve never had before. It’s real, to the highest level. I want to go home, your heart speaks, it screams, you are sobbing but no one hears. That’s how we live, OFW.
We shed tears. We release pains. Iyak pa more. Just in case no one ever told you this, if you are an OFW, “I am proud of you” We all have different situations that caused us to be distressed and yet we can still stand up and smile at the camera. Selfie pa more! Isn’t it cool?
Living far from your country, far from your family and friends troubled you at times. If you are an OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) you can understand the level of loneliness I am saying. You are blessed if your whole family is with you now. You passed the stage of this. Even so, I believe you’ve gone through lonesomeness as well.
For those who had left their loved ones – friends, spouse, children, girlfriend, boyfriend et al, taking the risk of having the so-called ‘good life’, you surely have an idea of what I am talking about. But are you really having a good life? Did you really choose the right path? Is this really a good decision? These might be some of the questions once or still keep being asked in your mind sometimes. To spend most of your days sacrificing, working hard, alone moments, worrying too much for love ones from afar, homesickness, self-pitying, depression, etc., you tend to cover them up by hanging out with friends, being drunk, partying, treating yourselves in the restaurants and most of all, hindi mawawala, taking selfies. “I am having a good life”, caption, #hashtags.
“I understand them ‘te Lei, that’s how they release their stress”, someone told me. And to tell you the truth, I have nothing against all of these. I don’t judge them, I do not condemn them, I totally understand them. But it saddens me as well. We try our very best to be happy, we fought every day. I do! So do not think that you are alone experiencing the same thing. Everyone has different struggles every day. Everybody has their own way to unwind, de-stress, and take loads off. Physically, emotionally and mentally you’ve been fighting all along. Who are you when no one sees you, when you are alone? Were you still the person who laughs in front of people, smiles over the camera? ‘Everything is well with me’ portrait. Admit or not, you sometimes feel empty, there is something missing that makes you wanna stop living. (Aha magka-rhymed )
It is okay to be sad at times, to sometimes feel lonely, to sometimes feel tired and stressed. It is okay to cry, it is okay to be in pain and sorrow. But take this as an opportunity to draw near to the One who can give you the strength to survive the day. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9
The truth behind OFW’s selfie:
People think when you work abroad, they have this idea that you save a lot of money, you are rich and you are super duper mega over happy. But the truth is…
1. We are sad but we try to be happy.
Those selfies were sometimes taken after the feeling of homesickness and self pitying. Selfie helps us to be strong and confident. Masarap kaya yung feeling maganda. Try mo!
2. We are poor, we are not rich. We are just blessed.
At least for me, this is true. Just because you saw me eating at sushi bar or fine dining restaurant doesn’t mean I have plenty of money. Most of the time, they are free. I am just simply blessed! Thank you Jesus. However, others spend some of their money to eat outside to de-stress. Please understand ,they are not luxurious. Just taking opportunity to enjoy life. It doesn’t happen every day. Wag kayong judgmental. Hehe
3. We are not shopaholic.
I am not. I dunno with the others. LOL. I am telling the truth, the majority of my dresses are gifts. Namamasyal lang kaya may selfie sa mga stores. Sa iba naman, that’s the way they make themselves happy in exchange for the many sad days and nights nila.
4. We are prayerful
I do not go out all the time. I try to spend time praying. This is the only way where I can connect with the people I love far from me. God has been pouring out his grace upon me and I should be always thankful and be proud. Selfies with verses and inspirations are not intended to show off and tell people how religious I am, it’s just being grateful that someone like him, gives me the courage to go on, believes in me, makes me feel beautiful, precious and love.
Marami pa at hindi ko na siguro masabi lahat. I just want to clarify that we are also humans, we have problems but we try to find ways to be happy just like the others. We are only thankful, although homesick strikes a lot of times, we still have reasons to enjoy our days here on earth.
Today, I got the courage to speak out. Instead of bringing all up those disheartened me, I want to be thankful. I have reasons to be grateful and so you are.
This is the day that I have made! As you rejoice in this day of life, it will yield up to you precious gifts and beneficial training. Walk with Me. along the high road of thanksgiving, and you will find all the delights I have made ready for you.
To protect your thankfulness, you must remember that you reside in a fallen world, where blessings and sorrows intermingle freely. A constant focus on adversity defeats many Christians. They walk through a day that is brimming with the beauty and brightness, seeing only the grayness of their thoughts. Neglecting the practice of giving thanks has darkened their minds. How precious are My children who remember to thank Me at all times? They can walk through the darkest days with Joy in their hearts because they know that the Light of My Presence is still shining on them. Rejoice in this day that I have made, for I am your steadfast Companion.
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24
I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the Lord. Psalm 116:7
From the book ‘Jesus Calling-365 Day Devotional’ by Sarah Young. I can feel that God is directly talking to me. There is so much more to be thankful for.
Let us count our blessings and take selfies! Happy Thanksgiving Day!
-Princess
martsvalenzuela
This is heartwarming 🙂 Mahirap malayo sa lugar ng upbringing mo yet you are brave enough to do so. You are commendable for that 🙂 Grabe a, the feels! Hehe. Pero teka, nasan ang mga selfie?! Hahaha!
PrincessLG
hahah ayan na kakaedit ko lang! nilagay ko na ang selfies konti lang abuso yun pag madami! 🙂
PrincessLG
And thank you.. God is good huh! He makes me brave.