Jeepney Press DONDAKE!

Dondake! By Karen Sanchez

My Silver Lining

Happy New Year everyone! Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu! Minnasan, kotoshi mo yoroshiku onegaishimasu. 2020 has just ended and we are still under Covid-19 Pandemic protocols and the worst thing is another strange epidemic occurred. The questions are how can we recover from all of these as soon as possible? Our pockets are going empty, our savings are insufficient for another lockdown, most people around the world have lost their jobs. Small and huge companies have closed due to these. Our government buried in debt. How can ordinary citizens avail the long awaited vaccines for Covid-19? And when will these vaccines be out in the market? These are just few questions that no one can give an accurate and reliable answers without politicking it. And these are reasons why I’m searching for “my own silver lining”.

Silver lining is a hope or a positive aspect in otherwise negative situations like what we all have right now. But when I wake up everyday and started to prepare for my Shimozawa Japanese Restaurant, it motivates me not to give up or stop doing what I wanted and what I had dreamt of. Yes, we are affected by the pandemic, our sales decreased up to the unexpected or the worst level but despite these, I and my business partner are still doing it and working without our salaries as we promised not to give up for some reasons. 1. What will we be doing when we close? 2. What will happen to our staff? (Of course, they will lose their jobs and salaries. How can their families cope with the daily necessities in life?) 3. Probably, there will be no chances of recovering from this situation even if we quit and some other personal reasons too that made our mind clear not to quit but to go on and keep fighting.

When Christmas and New year’s eve came and celebrated those nights with my family, friends and loved ones, having food on the table for our noche buena and media noche, bought and wear shirts with 2021 lucky color as we follow the Philippine and Chinese traditions believing and hoping for the best year to come, waking up with the whole family and all the people at home being prepared for 12 midnight in welcoming the new year and making memories with all of them was one of a kind. While celebrating that night, we almost forgot what we are going through with this pandemic. The smiles and laughter, the precious moments we shared, drinking, talking and some of our neighbors are singing and dancing until dawn seems like no Covid-19 or any problems that we are facing in our lives.

Family is my strength. Shimozawa, our restaurant business, is my motivation and perseverance. My surroundings are my silver linings and Covid-19 and other problems are my challenges. We have different life and journeys. We have different beliefs and we have different attitudes but one thing common between us is, we all want to love and be loved. We want our worth to be recognized and be happy. But sometimes, being happy is hard to do. Or we are just not contented with what we have? They said, happiness is a choice so I did choose to be happy in anyway. I may pretend sometimes to be happy but we cannot control things; most especially what is happening in this world nowadays. All we have to do is nd ways or walk through the negative situations in our path. Do not block the obstacles because sometimes, these negative things lead us to the right path.

2021 predictions could give us fears and hopes at the same time. Let us bear in mind that while living in this earth, we have our own responsibilities and duties as well as to make our life better and worthy. Let us just pray and keep our faith in God the creator, our Father and Savior that He may lead us in the better, keep and protect us to the safe places. That He will guide us to the righteous ways. Let His power keep us going on and give us strength to ght Covid-19, this Covid-19 Variant and to all challenges in life that we have to encounter.

When we are tired, just close our eyes and talk to Him. In the morning, we must have to give thanks to Him. And when we feel alone just look up above the sky, take a deep breath and imagine that we are so lucky in anyway, in everything we have because not all people on earth can see the sunrise and sunset. Not everyone could hear the birds humming. And not all people can feel the warm, refreshing breeze of air. Not all people can smell the blooming owers in our surroundings. Not all people can have food and taste the delicious, healthy and festive foods most of people reading this article may have. So I leave you this one piece of advise: Please do not forget and please discover your own “silver linings”.

Happy 2021! Our New Year, the New Hope and the New Beginning.

Walk Through

ni Karen Sanchez

In our lives, we have different fights

In darkness, we search for our own lights

Sometimes we are left alone and lonely

For no one wanted to be with us and stay

So I choose to walk through all of these

To rise up and wipe my own tears

Living from that moment through the years

Still searching for my own happiness and peace

Walk through all the obstacles in our path

Walk through the storm nor that wavy halt

Coz turning back and running is not the way out

Accept that challenges is with in our lives

Walk through the path of our dreams

Walk through the pain to gain

Where our destiny still remain

For God can do things we can’t imagine

Karen Sanchez / Jeepney Press