How My Brain Works…

"I lead a small life.  Well, valuable but small.  And sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it, or because I haven’t been brave?" (Kathleen Kelly - You’ve Got Mail)

I’m an only child.  Growing up, I was used to being pampered almost all the time.  Though I too had my moments of getting some "discipline" (actually, I had quite a lot of that when I was young), a lot of people would still see me as a spoiled kid, a fact that I won’t deny.  Don’t get me wrong ‘cuz I’m not a brat.  I’m just used to getting almost everything at my bidding.  I’ve been sheltered, protected, and restricted, but I’ve been very well-provided.

I’m at this stage of my life when I’m starting to think…why is it that at the age of 25, I still feel like a kid…still sheltered…still restricted…still lost?  And I wonder, is it really because I like staying on this spot, the same spot that I’ve been accustomed with for as long as I can remember, or is it because I’m too afraid to test the waters and tread the path toward the unknown? 

I hate being a coward.  And now, it seems that that’s what I am.  I know I could be more, if only I had the courage to get out of my own comfort zone and see what’s out there for me.  Right now, I’m going through this process of self-discovery and contemplation, and hopefully, at the end of it, I would be able to achieve what I truly desire, and reach my full potential so that I could be the best that I can be.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

I’ve been fascinated with penguins since I was a kid.  From the moment I saw a live one back in New Zealand when I was, I think, 7 or 8 years old, I’ve been wanting to have it as a pet.  I would imagine it running around our center table while constantly flipping its hands/wings/fins (I don’t know how you call it), then I would think of dressing it up with a bandana and a hat and take it for a walk on a leash around the neighborhood, and when it’s tired, it would just open up the fridge’s door and get inside.  I have a very sick mind, I know, but let’s just stick to the point that is, I so much love penguins…especially the emperor ones.

That is why I got so excited when I first heard about the movie Happy Feet, and that was about a year ago.  I got restless waiting for it to be released!  Finally, at long last, the time had come.  We saw the movie at Shangrila just last week.  Thankfully, the long wait paid off because the movie didn’t disappoint me at all.  It was so friggin’ hilarious, Mike and I were laughing our heads off!  The penguins were cute, as always, especially that chick who did a solo rap.  But Ramon, the chicano fowl (voiced over by none other than the talented Robin Williams), was the scene-stealer of the lot.  He’s got these really funny lines, of which Robin Williams is famous for, dished with an exaggerated Mexican accent that would surely drain your lungs from air with laughter!  I also loved their Spanish rendition of Sinatra’s "My Way", and the part where they sang a verse of Chicago’s "If You Leave Me Now".  Who would have thought that the penguins could pull those off?!  All the songs in the movie were perfectly put into good use, I would say!

But the thing that amazed me more was that there is a moral to the story.  At first, I thought the movie was just for laughs but apparently, it still had more to offer.  The lesson…Each of us is entitled to our own right, no matter how different we are, or how unconventional we are, for that matter.  Being not "one of them" could be really hard to get by at times, especially when they throw that to your face.  Adaptation is part of nature and is very critical for survival.  But changing the way you are just to please some narcissistic a-holes does not fall on that category.  Being different isn’t exactly a bad thing.  It gives meaning to the word "variation", and that is something good.  Think of the horror it would cause if the world is populated only with people like you.  Any direction you turn your head to, it’s just like looking at the mirror with your own reflection staring back at you.  That would really REALLY freak me out! 

One’s individuality should always be valued and embraced.  That includes accepting the fact that we may truly be different from the others.  It is only after then can we move on, and search for the one thing that will truly make us shine…and happy.

As for me, I’m still on my quest…and hopefully, someday soon, I’ll be able to get there. ^_^