Do you remember those wobbly Jenga towers we used to build as kids? Life, in a lot of ways, feels like that unpredictable game of Jenga. Every time you think you've got it all figured out, along comes a gust of wind (or in my case, a spectacular failure), and boom! There go all your meticulously placed blocks, tumbling down in an unceremonious heap. But what if I told you that this wild, somewhat chaotic tumble is exactly what I'm grateful for?
I know, I know, it sounds as bizarre as pineapple on pizza, but hear me out.
My first memorable tumble happened in first grade. Ah, the blissful ignorance of being a kid, where the biggest stressors were choosing between chocolate or vanilla ice cream. Well, for me, the beast was math, specifically, a quiz on 'less than' and 'greater than'. I got a big, fat zero. My mom, bless her heart, tried to teach me after, but patience wore thin and my cheek was on the receiving end of a frustrated slap. A failure to remember, indeed.
Next was my stint as the second-best Filipino quiz bee contender in high school. While the world saw a silver medal, I saw a missed gold. I was quite the overachiever, you see, and anything less than first place felt like a loss.
The heartbreak of college came next. When you're a teenager, everything is a soap opera, and my breakup felt like the series finale of a long-running drama. There were tears, midnight ice cream binges, and a lot of Adele songs.
The parade of job rejections in my adulthood felt like the universe was out to get me. Every "We regret to inform you" felt like a punch in the gut, a direct blow to my self-esteem.
Now, you're probably thinking I'm nuts for being thankful for all these setbacks. But here's the kicker: these failures, as agonizing as they were at the time, ended up being the best things that happened to me.
The 'less than' and 'greater than' debacle? It pushed me to go beyond the limits of what I thought I was capable of. Grades don't define us, our actions do, and now, I'm a self-proclaimed math enthusiast!
Coming in second place in that quiz bee? It made me realize that life isn't about winning the race; it's about running it. Also, who knew that I'd go on to publish over 20 Filipino pocketbooks?
The heartbreak? It was just the universe's way of preparing me for something better. Today, I'm in a relationship that's made of love, respect, and understanding, something I wouldn't trade for anything.
And those job rejections? They were just speed bumps on my path, guiding me towards a career I'm truly passionate about.
So, to all my failures, my downfalls, my oops moments - thank you. You taught me resilience, humility, and the art of seeing the silver lining in every cloud. Life may indeed be a game of Jenga, but every time the tower falls, it's just another chance to build again, this time, a bit wiser, a bit stronger, and a bit more grateful.
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