Tagged [Psyching Thyself]
This soul-searching tag is started my friend, Nell. I’m honored to be one of the first to be tagged with this meme. :) Thanks, Nell!
Intructions: Link to the person that tagged you and then post the rules on your blog. Answer the questions and tag seven (7) random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs. Let these random people know that they are tagged by leaving comments in their blog. And last, let your tagger know when your entry is up.
A period of time in your life when you felt protected.
It’s not secret that I had a very difficult pregnancy with Ninna. This was the time when I felt most protected by my family and friends. Since I was bedrested at that time, hubby was my constant companion and did everything to keep me and my Ninna safe. In his absence, I had my sisters and sisters-in-law, my parents, my in-laws, my aunts, my cousins, my best friends, even my officemates and bosses caring for me – everyone came to help me feel that I had nothing to worry about. I felt so blessed and so loved that it was no wonder Ninna came into the world happy and stress-less.
A period of time in your life when you felt unprotected.
I skipped over this question and eventually answered it last, just because I couldn’t find any period in my life when I truly felt unprotected. There were some moments like, when I was walking along Avenida at night alone, or when I was assigned for the first time overseas to work all by myself, or when I ate those questionable fishballs and got sick with hepatitis, but overall everything turned out ok. I guess I’m lucky in this sense because I realize now that in every moment of my life, I was loved, sheltered, and cared for by my family, my friends, and by God. I’m really thankful for that.
The first time you discovered power.
That would be, when I became a mom. As I mom, I realize that I have so much power over my family, particularly with how I’m raising my daughter – and we all know what they say about having great power, it does come with great responsibility. I know that I have the power to mold a person into just the kind of human that I want – a pop star, a future president, a neurologist, or a handbag fan (just like me!). But then, although I want all of that and more for my daughter, I think I’d like to rein in this power and just allow Ninna to develop her personality on her own. Power can make you heady and it is so easy to give in to it. However, it’s more important to me that my daughter is happy with her choices instead of being miserable with mine – I could never savor the fruits of my power that way.
A person whose life has affected you the most.
This may sound corny to some but, really, the person whose life affects me the most is my husband. He is a total inspiration to me knowing how he started in life, how he made his way up, how he continually strives to excel in everything that he does – including fatherhood. In all honesty, I was brought up in a sheltered, well-to-do family and I never really felt the need to want for anything while growing up. Hubby is the opposite, he knows the value of hard work, grabbing opportunities by the horns, and enjoying each success you achieve no matter how small it is. Without him, I would probably still be the spoiled, immature, party girl that I was once. Now, though, because my hubby loves me, he keeps me spoiled to bits, but in a good way.
A book that has affected you the most.
There have been a lot of books that affected my way of thinking. I am so hard pressed to pick just one. For example, Paolo Coehlo’s The Alchemist holds a special place in my heart because I read it at a time when I desperately needed to believe that I was meant to become someone or do something extraordinary with my life. I also read Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead and understood the importance of integrity, in doing things my way, despite what society might dictate. Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World also further reinforced my ideas on respecting individuality and one’s emotions, and what the future might hold if we lose our humanity. And a children’s book, The Velveteen Rabbit, taught me how to love unselfishly. Possibly, if there’s one book that I would choose to stand as my basic and most profound guide in dealing with the world, my choice would be Khalil Gibran’s The Prophet.
A piece of music or song that affected you the most.
I wrote about THIS SONG a while back and how its meaning changed for me when I, myself, became a mom.
A movie or film that affected you the most.
Hands down, it’s I Am Sam. (Nell, apir tayo, it’s my top movie, too!) It never fails to bring out the emotional crazy woman in me. I love this movie on so many levels (the Beatles-inspired soundtrack being one of them). It also cements Sean Penn in my heart as the best actor in the whole world.
I am passing on this meme to: Tin, Toni, Dyes, Mamah, Abby, Jen, and Maver.
MrsWorkingGirl :: May.28.2008 :: MeMeMee :: 1 Comment »
thanks so much, meeya. thanks for doing this tag, and sensya na kong medyo na squeeze ang ating mga brain juice. hehehe! high five, for we love the same movie. may i cry a pasig river kaya ako, when i watched ‘i am sam.’ hagulhul na nga yata ang ginawa ko. hands down, sean penn was a remarkable actor. and maybe i’ll read the prophet, add ko sya sa aking book wish list. thanks again, sis meeya. mwaaah :D
sardonic nell’s last blog post..The Five Star Time Capsule