January 9, 2008

Disposition

There's this old woman who goes by our quiet streets every day with her basketful of kakanin. She calls out in the softest voice, and you have to really listen hard to hear her. Day in and day out, she weaves through the neighborhood, always smiling. Always pleasant. By the time she passes by our house, her basket is almost always empty.

There's this other old woman who goes by the office and who goes about begging. Make that demanding. She is constantly complaining, moaning about how she has no family, carping about every ache and pain. And when somebody gives her something, she doesn't even say thank you. She is dour. And she almost ends up with nothing, except with an even darker disposition.

In life, as in everything else, it's all a matter of attitude. And attitude is always a matter of choice.

5 comments:

Abaniko said...

I agree. That's why I always say "happiness is a decision."

docemdy said...

One sees the glass half empty, the other full.

And you find yourself going for the one with the sunny disposition.

The hospital canteen's tindera is extremely masungit, does not smile even if we crack jokes. I prefer buying whatever from another tindera who smiles a lot. Somehow, you feel the kasungitan rubbing on you if you hang out too much with people who are negative all the time.

ScroochChronicles said...

Reminds of someone who came over to the house a few days before Christmas para "mamasko." She brought her little son with her too. I know this woman is capable but so lazy. So I told her, "Yang anak mo bibigyan ko kasi hindi pa niya kayang maghanap-buhay. Ikaw matanda ka na. Dapat magbago ka na nitong bagong taon."

Anonymous said...

Hi Anna!
Thanks for this gentle little reminder. It really doesn't matter how much one has in life. Happiness is a state of mind.

Happy new year, and have a good week ahead!

Anonymous said...

Finally tracked you down, Chim / Mench / Coca. ValikVarsi (80th anniv) percolates this saturday, january 19, at the sofitel hotel (www.valikvarsi.com). i've spent a good hour-and-a-half reading your entries and i haven't finished. too bad blog sites are firewalled at the office. but will regale you with fatherhood stories and other stuff if you email me soon(sarlabus@yahoo.com). better yet if you can attend the valikvarsi. love your blog site. (btw, is kc the kc we both know?... love your account of that magical moment in gerona, with a pack of askals gnarling at our meat-deprived physiques) write soon...no, NOW!