WHERE WERE YOU AT 27?

Unwinding in Bitaog Beach, Basilisa, Dinagat Islands. Summer 2014.

Being at 27 leads me to this question. Where am I at 27? I often find it hard to ignite my musing on this topic. It’s because, figuratively, I’m still in the place of nowhere. This situation puts me on the threshold of life’s turning point wherein I have to choose between timeliness and significance. To declare it straightforwardly, I am now struggling financially. It’s not because I’m shopaholic or I squander my money for my wants. It’s not that I’m not wise enough in terms of money matters. The truth is I am a breadwinner and only my employer butters my bread. Most of the time, both ends don’t meet and I end up into looking for someone else who is willing to extend his help in a form of 5-6. I don’t quite understand why I am in situations like this since I am the youngest among five siblings. But one thing is concrete to me: “Paying back is a virtue.” Neither I complain much about my meager income nor do I dislike my job. It’s just that the standard of living today doesn’t go my way.

I know that my problem is just a piece of the puzzle, a point of a line, a radius of a circle. Financial problem is no alien to everybody. On a personal note, whenever I have problems like this, I just go back digesting the line of Desiderata saying, “Don’t compare yourself to others because there are always greater and lesser persons than yourself.” At 27, I am struggling financially because I set norms of higher standards. But to clearly view the picture, I am more blessed enough because I have a job. The fact that I have a paycheck each payday is a cause to celebration. When recurring questions popping up in my mind during payday like “Where am I financially?” I just pick up the train of thought about how blessed I am having a job compared to other unemployed and underemployed Filipinos. At the end of the day, it boils down to the person’s mindset and knowledge about money.

Where am I at 27? Well, I’m struggling about money but I’m feeling good about life. And that’s the bright side of it. I know that life is so complex and monetary issue is just one of its complexities, but we are empowered to simplify it…our way. By my leave, I will share to you a bite-sized philosophy about money and life as well that I’ve learned from a business-wise friend: “Don’t spend more than what you earn.” It’s true. 

By the way, where were you at 27?