Lennonade

When I was younger, so much younger than today...

When I was in grade school, I read one of the most influential story ever to touch my life... The story of a five year old John Lennon.
This is his story - "When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life."

That story really got me as a child and at that young age I became aware that success is about being happy. It is about being able to sleep safe and sound at night, being at peace with yourself.

When I was in highschool, our teacher asked us to write in a piece of paper what we want to be when we grow up. I wrote "I want to be who and what I wanted to be." And like Lennon's teacher, my teacher also said that I did not get the point of her question, but little did she know, I already wrote in my composition paper the reason of my answer. I wrote back then that as a person, we tend to want one thing at this moment and another thing on the next minute. I am aware that we may want to be a doctor today but a rock star tomorrow. I am aware that your job or your career will not provide you happiness. And as young as I was back then, I already got my own definition of what SUCCESS means... And that is being HAPPY. I wrote that answer because being WHO and WHAT you want at the VERY PRECISE MOMENT that you WANT it to be is a moment of personal success.

As I grew up... I became more aware that what I thought of as a young kid was indeed true. My salary may not be that big like others but I find fulfillment in my job. A lot of people wanted me to go abroad because hospitals abroad offers higher salary, but I decline. Some would say I'm a coward, some say that I don't want to go beyond my comfort zone, some say I'm not wise. I REFUSE TO ENTERTAIN THEIR IDEA OF ME. I had my reasons, and if my reasons are not reasonable enough for them, then I don't care. I believe in the spirit of patriotism. I believe that my country needs my service even how small I am contributing in this society. I believe that the big sum of money that I can get by working abroad may give me the material things that money can buy but it will not give me that happiness that I keep on blabbing about.
I may be misunderstood by many, but I am at peace with myself and I could stand in front of everyone else and look them straight in the eye that I am successful in my own path because I am happy.

I define success by how happy I am at this moment.
And I keep on saying that word MOMENT because the PRESENT is more important than your future. Because what you do and who you are at the present will become the very foundation of your future.
I say PRESENT, because even though how promising you are, you CAN NOT promise tomorrow, because tomorrow is not yours to give.
I say PRESENT, because if tomorrow never comes, what importance is there in the future.

We keep on saying that this world is getting worst, that crimes and different kinds of oppressions are everywhere, but what can I say, man created this kind of chaos. Parents play a vital role in this. A lot of parents compare their children in terms of academic excellence while old people compare their adult children on who is earning the highest salary, and so kids now are in the era of money matters. Parents should teach their children that success is not measured by money nor power nor fame. It is about happiness deep within. Happiness on what you can do now so that you can look forward to a better you. Happiness on who you are now so that you can look forward to a happier you.

FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN LEARN AND NOT ON WHAT YOU CAN EARN.

Maybe a lot of people like John Lennon are being misunderstood because of their definition of success. Maybe a lot of great people like John Lennon are misunderstood before they had proven themselves right.
But I leave you with a quote from yet another great character - “Have I gone mad? I’m afraid so, but let me tell you something, the best people usually are.” – The Mad Hatter
(Alice in Wonderland)

Of Art, Beauty, and Inspiration

There are a lot of really beautiful and meaningful songs out there, which is sad to say, are underrated and do not make it to the top lists of hits because, sad to say, most of the listeners now appreciate junk music. I mean, its like choosing junk foods over a bowl of salad because it taste much better though it doesn't have any nutrition. Like junk music with that up beat that makes everyone dance or tap their foot, but the words are just repeating words without direction or meaning or sad to say, sense.
And as a person who looks up so much to music, I find it a bit disrespectful to such a fine art to be treated or created that way. I mean, music is an art. An art that I respect so much that it hurts me in a way only a music and his lover could understand, every time the art in music is taken for granted. I mean the art IN music.
ART IN MUSIC, because anyone can make a music even if you are disregarding art in making it... Hence, noise was created.
And my heart just breaks in pieces every time I hear a nice song that nobody knows... For reasons like, a company rejected it because they think people will not buy it because people nowadays prefer junks, or because it was released but people did not really buy it because they do really prefer junks. It breaks my heart as a songwriter not being heard. I know how it feels. I know how music keep on banging inside us wanting to prove to the world that there's so much art and beauty but no one appreciates real art now.
Its sad.
Sad that kids no longer hear such fine artistry nowadays and sadder to think they might not hear it in their lifetime.
So I keep on trying. Trying to make a way to bring back the art in music.
Who knows...