Success is relative, so is time

By Jhezylle Faye Loria

It is one of those days Mia dreaded. She hates to know who would have the employee of the month or year would be. She had been hating this since she entered school, since she is constantly being compared to her elder brother Ahmed. Why can’t she just stay home and read novels all the time until she grows old? Why can’t children have a choice? She has so much to ask to her parents but they aren’t always around. They’re just around when they wanted to. Good for them.

Ahmed, her brother, himself is the strain of their brother-sister relationship. Mia hated the notion that she is the lesser one. When in fact she has other strengths that her brother doesn’t have. She likes to interact with people. She has an interest with books but not with the academic ones that bores her to death but those exciting literary ones written by George Eliott, George Orwell, Jane Austen, Ernest Hemingway, and Ralph Waldo Emerson which Ahmed seemed to be disinterested in. Whatever the reason is, her parents, no matter what, aren’t fond of what interests her.

Until she graduated college, they did not seem bothered with her presence. She did her best but nothing seemed to satisfy her. She is constantly looking for something. When she thinks she needs cooperation from her subordinates, by the end of the month she will send a resignation letter to her manager. It isn’t an easy path, but she is trying to at least save her last ounce of sanity.

Then, one day she passed by a bookstore that had an Arabic vibe interior. It has those contraptions she could not understand whenever she’s watching a movie. She skimmed through the shelves and saw some familiar books. By then she realized that it wasn’t all about Arabic. She saw bestselling books that she heard as a child from her nanny. While trying to scan the pages of some of the books, suddenly an overwhelming feeling ran through her veins. It was the excitement she could never explain. Her blood rushed and her ideas suddenly started to bombard her.

Graphics By Christian Reganit

Page Layout By Cyen Esclanda

She bought books and started to run, trying to match the beat of her heart. She’s so excited that she can’t contain it any longer. She hailed a cab and directed the driver to her apartment. She already knows what she’s going to do. She’s going to write a book! Finally, after years of looking for what she really wanted with her life, God gave her a chance to do it her way this time and not how society dictates her. So much time is wasted already.

She went to her room and took her laptop and went straight to her desk. She sighed.

“I have so much to do. But I don’t feel like getting tired right now. I badly want to write.”

Her eyes looked straight at the ceiling and she smiled.

“Thank you, Lord. I’ve been wanting to know what in the world would drive me insane so that I can go on with days without shifting jobs and not be bored with it. Finally.”

She then turned on her laptop and started to write. It went on with days which did surprise her.

“So, this must be really the feeling of excitement.”

She isolated herself from the rest of the world for the first three weeks of being ‘jobless but happy’ as she labels herself. A loud knock disturbed her from her imagination. It is her brother, Ahmed.

“Oh, glad you’re still alive. I thought you died three weeks ago after leaving a well-paying job. I never expected you to be this irresponsible Mia. I thought that you aren’t like our aunt Anna. I thought that you would be wiser than this. Just look at her life right now, so aimless. Why can’t you just be like us?” Ahmed’s face shows so much emotion, but what surprised her is the look of pity in his eyes.

“You pity me, do you? Well, good for you, for mom, and dad, you look…contented, maybe you consider your life bearable. But not for me. At least for myself I want to save my sanity. I am truly happy right now brother. Don’t come running here concerning yourself with my life. I can manage it.” She stared at him then touched his hand. She squeezed it, as if trying to convey a message that she appreciates the act somehow.

“How can you say that you’re happy when you’ve just begun three weeks ago. Isn’t that too soon to conclude anything? I am truly concerned with you, what would happen if this won’t turn out the way you want it to?” Ahmed tried to convince her, while trying to convince himself that he’s not bitter with how adventurous his sister is. He never played in his life. But one thing for sure, he loves what he is doing though he doesn’t have time to play.

“Don’t be so dramatic. Ahmed, my brother, I have my savings. I’ve been investing in stocks lately and whatever happens with my plan, I’d have a safety net that could help me. Don’t you try storming here out of nowhere doubting my judgment again. I am already successful as you are with what you’re doing. I am successful because I am happy and contented with what I am doing. I could not be measured by how much money you’ve accumulated on what you are doing but the memories and joy it brings to you.”

“I might have to agree with that. Society had dictated us on how we should see success. The cars, houses, and money. But for some that I personally know, they consider some unconventional type of success that isn’t by the book of the society. Some may have found success building a family, doing their passion, and living alone and still feel happy.”

Ahmed and Mia went on with their lives and they lived happily ever after.

Nope. Life isn’t all about rainbows and butterflies darling. They had some problems that they had to face and the catch is that no matter how hard the circumstances are, it never made them quit. No matter how fast the ones they know, succeeded and may exceed what they’ve accomplished, their drive to push through never even once decreased. Because just having to do what they love is enough. Money is not the unit of measure for success, it is the joy and contentment you gain.