"There's so much magic you miss when you're not present and still... put your phone down and feel." This was yet again another quote that I have encountered while scrolling through my phone and it was apparently a sign to live in the moment and to be mindful of the present. This was apparently one of my realizations as I drank coffee with my cousin when we visited Dumaguete City last week. Probably, I will share more about the journey in my next blog post but for now I would like to share my realizations while having coffee with him.
The best conversations always consist of coffee and of course a person who is willing to engage in a healthy and insightful discourse with you. My cousin and I have been sort of best friends since we were kids because we are of the same age and we were playmates ever since. We do not always see each other lately since he has been preoccupied with college life just like me. And because of the typhoon and my decision to temporarily stay at the province, we got reunited and shared the best conversations together.
I was actually hesitant at first to cross the waters and travel to Dumaguete because I know that it would not be an easy journey since the waves were huge. The circumstances were actually quite risky but I realized that life is short, I guess it's time to say yes to opportunities like these and it has been years since I last travelled due to the pandemic. My cousin wanted to visit Starbucks in Dumaguete since he needed to collect stickers for the planner. Of course, I willingly wanted to help him so I said yes. I realized that it's really important to bond and spend time with family.
I was filled with so much excitement when we reached the Boulevard since I could finally drink my latte with the most perfect view and of course I could finally sit down and have a talk with my cousin. With our recent conversation over coffee, I realized how much we've grown and realized over the years. Since we are both in our senior year in college, we talked about how fearful we are about the future. We were fearful about the uncertainty the future brings because getting a diploma is just the beginning of it all. Will we be able to work within our chosen field or will we be able to pursue our passion? In the end, we came to a realization that we just have to seize every opportunity and be diligent wherever we are. There is no easy way in life and life does not get easier so we just need to take as much chances as we could get and persevere.
Another realization is that there are truly things beyond our control. We do not know what the future brings or what storms may come along the way. With the onslaught of super typhoon Odette which devastated our home, Cebu City, we realized that all we need is courage to face the storms in our lives because apparently it's beyond our control. That is why it is important to acknowledge what's within our control and what's not and by acknowledging it, we are able to live life peacefully since we are aware of our capabilities.
Living in this fast-paced world has been a challenge. It has been hard to just be still and be in the present because we constantly need to keep up with what's going on around us. Let's take even just a few moments of our everyday life to live, to be in the present and as for me living in the present is about spending time with family.
Thank you so much for dropping by to drink coffee with me in Dumaguete City! Disclaimer: The first photo was edited via Canva.
lifewithera is a 22-year old, college senior, an aspiring yogi, a furmom, and a wanderer, who writes stories about her personal life, mental health, fitness, travel, and just anything and everything her heart wants to speak. If you want to get to know her more, then you can connect with her through various social media platforms.
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