Weekend Realizations

It's nice to know that there are friends, no matter how seldom you see each other, are still your friends. This has been proven time and again with my carpool mates. After 2 months since we last saw each other and almost a year before that, the gang hung out again last Friday at M's house for some pizza, alcohol and such sinful desserts care of J, our resident pastry chef and also the reason for the night. J is to leave a few weeks from now for the states, again. Back to being the head Pastry Chef in this Hampton Summer Lodge she wowed everyone over. Good job! We haven't tasted any of her desserts ever since she went into culinary school, left for the states, and got back - only to leave again. And because she now jokes on how baking cupcakes are so amateurish, it makes me wonder how advanced her baking prowess is now. She brought us cheesecake and creme brulee. I was so rich and definitely sinful. A purist as she would describe her baking philosophy. The desserts melted in my mouth no less.

In the middle of eating pizza, drinking and eating J's desserts, we look back on our favorite carpool memories. The first time we formed the group, our first impressions on each other, and our most memorable experiences as a carpool. And just like the good ol day, we talk about the usually things we talk about to and from Ateneo. An hour to an hour and a half of honest to goodness banter. Usually crazy things and sometimes we talk about serious stuff.

One thing that can take from that carpool night was when we started talking about our plans for the Holy Week. M has been going to missions and she was narrating how sometimes these voluntary works really tires you physically and how it can really brings you out of your comfort zone. Serving until it hurts. And because you choose to be there, you continue to stick it through. It goes to a point that it's not much for self fulfillment anymore. Or maybe this comes in retrospect. But you continue to serve for its genuine reason, that you chose to do it in spite of all the things that you have to endure throughout the mission.

I always like it when we go deeper into ours conversation. It makes me realize a lot of things. It makes me real thankful for having friends like them. We are a group different from each other. You wouldn't immediately associate us with the same circle of friends in school since, we don't really hand out with the same group of people. Though there could be some overlaps, you can say that we really are an odd bunch. But we are one that clicks. That what makes this group significant to me. In our diversity we learn a lot from each other. And during our carpool trips we just see each other for who we are as individuals.

From the previous night's conversation with my carpool mates. I have come to realize during the prayer session with my unit mates the morning after, that going out of ones comfort zone is not the goal. In tough undesirable situations, we convince ourselves that we should go beyond our comfort zone and stick it out to make it work. But why should we get out of our comfort zones? It was such a coincidence that what we were sharing during our carpool night was continued in my prayer session hours after. It amazes me how my own perception of things can evolve into something deeper in a matter of hours. To expand ones comfort zone is something I can associate best with how Scott Peck explains love. Loving is expanding ones ego boundaries. It is allowing yourself to be more accepting of the things and situations that you don't normally like. Living a life of love can therefore be an expansion of ones comfort zone in times of hardships and trials. Saying that these hardships are not different from you but a part of yourself. You take ownership of what you go through, thus making it more you.

Susubukan kong maging Pilosopo at ipapaliwanag ko ang aking sarili si Filipino: Sa pamamagitan ng mag 'papalawak ng nakagisnan' tuwing nakakaranas ng paghihirap, inaangkin mo ang nararanasan mo at inilalapat iyon sa iyong pagkatao. Dahil dito masasabing ikaw na ikaw ang dumaranas ng pagsubok. Mas may talab ang pagpapalawak na ito sa iyong pagkatao kumpara sa 'paglabas sa nakagisnan', tuwing nahihirapan. Ano mang kaligayahan o gantimpalang makukuha mula sa pagdanas nito ng buo ay siguradong mas masinag at matalab kumpara sa pagdanas nito mula sa labas tungong paloob.