A friend of mine told me to read Norwegian Wood. "Read the first chapter, promise."
He was right.

Haruki's character talked of memories. How one says "i'll never forget you". But despite the effort, time will always slowly decay the memory... to just some thing that happened. No longer a memory worth remembering.

"The thought fills me with an almost unbearable sorrow. Because Naoko never loved me."

Too familiar.

~~~

I once told Lester to create his new story. A new chapter in his book. Progress with it and not dwell on the last chapter that just ended. Now, i'm stuck in the same situation. Finding a new story.

Still searching.

Books will have to keep me company for the meantime. They lend you their stories-- that it will help you reflect on the story you've just created and hoping that it will inspire you for the next.

- Live like there's no tomorrow. Love like it's your last.

Highly productive day despite certain... obstacles. 3 out of my to-do list for 2012 is already on their way.

~~~

On the last day of every year, Jinky would come over my house for our yearly tradition. On the eve of New Year we talk about the things we've accomplished for the year that has passed and come up with a very tangible list of things that we want to do for the year that will be.

Some might say it's a bucket list of sorts, but I refuse to believe we're that old...and dying. I refuse to wither away. Others might say its "The Secret". Name it whatever you want. Just do it.

The list should be simple. Tangible. Attainable. A very basic to-do list.

It's a list of things you've been meaning to do. Goals that should be achieved before the next year ends. Sometimes these goals are inspired by the things you learn within the previous year. "I wanna climb a mountain" is part of my list for 2012. The rest of course i'm keeping to myself.

You have to be specific with your to-do list. Not vague. If you want to travel, name the place. In 2011, I shared with Jinky that I will travel to Australia. And I did. Again, it should be attainable and you should be committed.

More important to note is that the to-do list is for you. Not for anyone else. It's not the "I will have a boyfriend this year" kind of thing. It is meant to better yourself, to enrich YOUR soul. To gain new stories.

~~~

It started that one year. In a small post- it note, I listed down things I wanted to do and I placed it in my wallet to remind me... until of course I forgot about it. I was cleaning out my wallet when I saw it. At the end of the list was a special gift I've been meaning to give my parents-- "Buy tickets for mom and dad so they can visit lola in Zamboanga". I remembered, but I didn't have savings. I shrugged it off at that time since I still needed to save up. But then it was too late. My lola died before the year ended.

~~~

It's fine to live your life one day at a time, to take it slow and take everything in. But if you don't have an end goal at the very least (e.g. to travel more, to be independent), you'll never really be able to live your life to the fullest. You live one day at a time... to reach a goal... or you'll just end up being left behind by the people around you and all their stories that you could have shared yourself.

- Live like there's no tomorrow. Love like it's your last.