I believe the Universe was in sync with me. On show day, I was able to finish my work tasks on time, which allowed me to do an early out of my shift. Also, it wasn't raining. So the only unknown factor for me was the state of the traffic. Coincidentally, I was in my "early bird" era because recently, I have been discovering the benefits of being early in any appointment. Following this new paradigm shift, I left our house with several hours buffer before the start of the show. I took the MRT (it's been a while since I did this) and I was pleasantly surprised that the fee was actually being subsidized. I only paid around PHP6.00 for my fare from Ayala to Shaw Boulevard station (my wallet was so happy ✨).  I realized then that the afternoon rush hour was beginning to pour down. But surprisingly, my commute was smooth and convenient. I was able to sit down and I didn't need to push through a crowd. I even got to ride the lift down the station where I got off, or else I would have had to climb down those infamous stairs... and my knees won't be happy with that. 😅

The venue of the show was walking distance (< 2 kilometers) from the train station, and so I decided to just walk my way there. It was the right decision, because traffic was becoming heavier in that area (I would have arrived later if I took a Grab). Because it was still early, I had the luxury to stroll and leisurely do my walk towards the mall. When I finally got there, I still had a few hours to spare. I originally planned to grab a snack somewhere and just chill (and read a book on the Kindle) when I spotted my Toastmaster mentor already strolling around the mall. 😁

It was actually from this mentor that I learned the benefits of being early (and also from another good friend 😊). When I called him, we walked around the mall together to find a place to eat while waiting for the gates to open in the venue.

When we got to sit down at our chosen restaurant, I grabbed this chance to ask some deep life questions from him. I have known him for years in our Toastmasters club and I was always at awe on how he works consistently to mentor new members. I wanted to ask his secret, behind this drive, that he still has for life. In alignment with this, I actually got inspired by another "seasoned" Toastmaster who was still so full of life. I got to meet her in one of our officers' training sessions. At first, I felt overwhelmed with her energy. But on second thought, I felt admiration towards her. Then I thought... When I get to her age, I want to have that same lively energy and gusto in life like hers. 

And so, this was the root of the questions that I asked my mentor that night. Well, my mentor did not answer them in ways that I would have expected, like launching into an inspirational TED talk. He gave lighthearted examples, that when you hear it, you see and understand that deeper message hidden within them. One notable answer that he gave me was "always update your music playlist." He then told me stories when he and his colleagues went to videoke and they were surprised by his music choices like Teenage Dream by Katy Perry. He said that I should avoid being stuck in listening to the songs of my teenage years. On the surface, it sounds like pretty nice advice about music choices but when you read into it deeper, that advice is all about being adaptable with the times, and indeed it's a very essential skill when you want to survive long in this world. 😁

Time flew by and before we knew it, the gates of the venue had opened, and the audience had started arriving at the venue. I was the one who booked our tickets and I intentionally chose a table near the stage (ours was second from the stage) so we would have the best view of the performance. It was also a sold out night! The energy of the crowd was contagious. I didn't see a single face who was scowling. Everyone was just smiling and grinning. Obviously, we were all just enjoying the show.

There were also some celebrity sightings there. I believe Kathryn Bernando was there that night as well, because the camera panned to her when focusing on an audience member who was asking a question for a skit. 

It’s been exactly a year since a part of myself died. Actually, around this time last year, I was being introduced to a (back then) unfamiliar, but very human emotion -- grief.