Connect

I read the blog of my friend Jason today and found his post on Cloud Atlas and the extended trailer. It was posted days ago, but I read it now -- on 12-12-12, and it struck home. Today, we're supposed to blow up and the world will end. Of course, it didn't happen. But what if it did?

If you knew that it would actually happen? What would you have done during the days and hours leading to that moment? I'd probably have resigned from my current job, asked the kids to take leave from school, spend most of the time with the family doing things we've never done before and visiting places we've always wanted to see, and maybe call friends I haven't talked to for a long time.

Connect. That was the word used in the movie. Each one has a connection. And every single day of our lives, we are presented with multiple opportunities to connect. A chance to give someone who is lost directions to her destination. A chance to listen to a colleague who just needed to say some 56,000 words before the end of day, for reasons only he knows. A chance to give your employee the bonus that he deserves (Incidentally, my colleagues received their 13th month pay today. A little too late compared with other companies, but not too late to make it useful this holiday season. Connect.). A chance to tell your subordinate that he has been doing well in his recent writeups and to keep it going.

One chance in a million -- that's all we get, considering the many situation combinations that can happen 24/7. We need to make the most of that one chance and let it help us connect and inspire.

Talking about one chance, I had a half-surprise this morning. I've been telling Mel that we should have breakfast one time before he brings me to work. Since I've gone back to work, we hadn't had a chance (there's that word again) to eat out alone again. He'd say yes but it never happened, because he'd be sleepy by the time we brought the kids to school, and would have just enough strength to drive me to the office and back home before he has to hit the sack again.

This morning, we had a little argument over me not answering his call to my mobile phone when he had to tell me he was stuck in Nagtahan on his way to fetch us girls. So I was silent the entire trip to St. Scholastica. After the girls disembarked, he asked me if we're going straight to my office or if we're supposed to pass by Mama's. I said no, we're not going to Kalayaan, and we're not going to the office. We're eating. He didn't answer and I was kind of guilty, coz I know he's tired and sleepy, so I said "Joke lang. Bumalik ka nalang ng tulog." Then I started closing my eyes, trying to doze off so I wouldn't have to talk to him again.

I was surprised that he parked by Sinangag Express in Kamagong.
Mel: "Ito yun, di ba?"
Me: "Huh?" looking around.
Mel: "Di ba kakain tayo, sabi mo?"
Me: "Kakain tayo?"
Mel: "Di ba?"
Me: (now wide awake) "Sige, kain tayo!"
Mel: "Ok. Bilisan lang natin ha."

Sure!!! And so our long-planned breakfast happened today, on 12-12-12.

One chance. That's what am saying. Who knows when it's gonna happen again? Maybe after another "minor argument".  Take the chance, before it's too late.