Something ends. Something else begins.

Tonight has been my third time to munch over isaw from a BBQ stand situated in Monumento circle. I am not usually into street food but this week, I don’t know, maybe it’s because of Manong’s aura that I was magneted to the stand.

Tonight was one of my most curious nights. I just decided to have a glimpse of a street vendor’s life through an interview. After a casual set of questions, I learned that Manong…

- prepares everything during noon time and starts selling by 3 in the afternoon

- earns an average of P200 daily from selling street food and that doesn’t suffice for all his expenses BUT he says that’s life and you have to be tough to survive it

It felt different after I finished my 2 sticks of isaw. From there I bid my goodbye “Sige po Manong, thank you” and he responded with a smile and “Sige, ingat ka”. His smile was just pure. 

In that short span of time, it dawned on me that I’ve been living my life in complexity just because I choose to. It reminded me that life is short and I shouldn’t waste my time worrying about unnecessary things. 

I headed to the terminal with a smile on my face. This man is very inspiring. He’s living a life of struggles and yet, he can manage to smile. 

Many people (including myself) complain about little things - how they feel bad about not having the hottest gadget while others worry about having a food on the table, how some of us fret about having difficulty to get a cab while others have to swim or go a distance just to reach school, how many of us look for things we lack (when in real life we have more than enough) while there are countless of people who are thankful for the little things they are blessed with. 

I wish all people will be like Manong - living a life in simplicity and humility.