IF there was one thing that naturally slid down our memory during the time of the pandemic, it was the almost-automatic response of everyone to religiously keep abreast with what was needed for the morrow. In terms of food supplies for example, those last four words may have spelled the difference between an empty shelf at the grocery store and a filled cupboard at home that could last us even short of a nuclear attack.
Alas, while that possibility of a can-filled cabinet may have only been real for those who could afford such, the dream of having such remains and still stands as something to look up to or seek to have. While we’re thankful that dire time has passed, the lesson of being prepared has remained, much like the one taken from the ant and the grasshopper. However, man does not live by bread alone. And biblical or not, there is even a saying in the local lingo that goes, if someone throws stones at you, throw bread instead. So, it’s not at all that important. Ach so, where does this rambling go, coming from someone who has just missed the early morning man-on-tricycle selling pandesal?
A life lesson. A dear friend just out of life-threatening surgery had just intimated to me that for her, life or a new lease on it, is indeed beautiful and there must be more important things to keep stock of. Among these are the intangibles that truly matter, compared to the materials that we fret about having.
As for me, I would say, Lord I first need “patiencia”. That could either be the sweet food variety or its literal meaning of having the ability to suppress restlessness. In any order and if need be, a whole cupboard of it.
Just the other day, I looked into my med kit and realized that my maintenance tabs wouldn’t last me the week. I then remembered, since the previous month, I kept on forgetting to take them since I self-quarantined for five days. So could I keep on avoiding them altogether? I’ll just promise not be overly agitated and to try keeping my blood pressure on neutral, wouldn’t that be okay? A tiny voice tells me, with all the goings-on in the world, would you really want to risk it? I’ll just promise not to look at those GMA and ABS versions of the news online and I guess I’ll be fine.
That’s why I ask for patience instead. The old saying that it is a virtue could not be any more truer than today and I just wish they could be had via Shopie and Lavada. If you have a full stock, email me.
