NY Minute
Hello.
It’s been a minute.
Funny thing, time.
A year ago, I was whiling the days away, waiting for something to happen. A change. An opportunity. Anything that would give me some semblance of reassurance that the decision I made was the right one. It was the longest, open-ended waiting game I had to ever sit out on. A true test of patience and willpower, one that at times I crumbled facing. There were days that never seemed to end, weeks that blurred altogether. It didn’t help that COVID-19 was pretty much still running the show. Life looked bleak, to say the least.
Then, finally, the vaccines were approved and rolled out.
As soon as I got my vaccine appointments, I knew it was time. I threw caution to the wind, hugged my Chi family for luck, and left on a one-way ticket with nothing but my clothes (+ my instant pot) and the blinding faith that everything will work out.
And it did.
But it didn’t happen overnight. I had bouts of anxiety and doubt. Crippling moments when I had to walk out of my sublease just to breathe. I sat with uncertainty for so long that I learned to be comfortable with it. And to understand its true gift. That only in ambiguity can the Universe surprise you in the most amazing ways.
And surprise me, it did.
It still blows my mind whenever I think of how the past year has unfolded. I had absolutely no plan and yet, everything panned out perfectly. People came into my life right when I needed them most. Situations arose that made way for other opportunities to come in. I leapt and not only did the Universe catch me, It gave me wings.
It’s crazy to think that I’ve only been living in the city for 7 months. It feels like so much has happened in that short span of time. I find myself constantly playing catch up while simultaneously welcoming the next curveball the Universe sends my way.
And I love it. I love the fast pace. I love that there’s always something going on, something to do. I badly miss the comforts of Manila but I know this is home for now.
I still squeal from giddiness, in disbelief, that I did it, that it actually happened for me, that I moved to the city and found my way into fashion.
Of course, there’s still so much that I don’t know. Things I need to figure out. Big decisions that I still have to make. But those are worries for another time.
Today, I’m just present in the here and now. And I am beyond grateful.
I know how lucky I am.
I know that not everyone gets to have their lives simply flow into place.
So I’m going to spend every second relishing this life I get to call mine.
I feel immensely blessed.
But at the same time… I fully believe that I deserve this.