Between Smiles and Tears, 2025 Has Been a Teacher

To be honest here, this year felt like a moving train going at its highest speed. I could remember a moment ago, I was shouting and greeting people "HAPPY NEW YEAR" during the crossover service, and now, the year is almost rounding up with just three months and a few days left. And when I look back, I can see both joy and pain, filled with a rollercoaster of uplifting and downtime moments.  Personally, one of the best moments of this year so far was summoning power and courage I never imagined I had to go after a personal goal that I have always been shying away from. And to be honest, it was a victory on my path even though it was small, but I have told myself to celebrate any win, either big or small, because a win is a win, most especially in my country where everything is unpredictable, and deciding to move forward feels like I climbed one of the tallest mountains. But amidst all the win, during the second quarter of this year, I also faced challenges that made me realize that life cannot always be rosy; there will always be some loss along the way, which has enlightened and strengthened me. At that moment, the plans I had for myself changed, but I decided not to give up by burying myself in self-pity. You know, as a man, one needs to restrategize and keep pushing forward. Loss always has this way of slowing someone down, but deciding to step forward or wallow in self-pity is a personal decision. Earlier this year, like I usually always do, I have achieved some of the New Year's resolutions I set for myself, while others are still dribbling me, but I know that I will before the year runs to an end. And this also has made me realize that life is not about completing all the New Year's resolutions that I made early this year, but it is also about surviving, losing, and never backing down.  So, to 2025 so far, I am grateful for the good, the bad, and the ugly because I have been able to learn one or two things: that surviving is a victory on its own in this unpredictable life that I am living. --- Thank you for reading. > _{Images created by MetaAi}