"How are you doktora?" TJ asked me when I entered
glaucoma clinic earlier. I flashed him a wide smile and answered, "
I'm fine, happy and gay!" My voice was filled with elation.
Yes I have been very happy since I finished my residency training.
I got married in December, right before graduation. I am
already a diplomate. And I have FULL COMMAND OF MY TIME.
I know I sounded redundantly happy when I answered that I
was happy and gay. But right now, even if I just hold 2- 3 clinic
days, I feel blessed. The other days are spent being a wife, an
entrepreneur, a student in the world of publication, and etc.
Just the thought that by next month, CMJ will be launching its
first book makes me excited and all energized. Writing used to be my
passion. Until I entered into residency. In training, there was no
more time to write nor even paint. I put a hard effort on being
focused in my training because as Dr Nepomuceno put it, I shall only
pass thru residency once. So I should learn as much as I can and do
things to the best of my ability. After all three years is not a
lifetime. I owe it to my future patients to be one good hell of a
doctor.
Anyway, I do not want to talk about my training. So, enough of the
above.
Anyway, this Monday, I went to the International Book Fair and
attended some lectures on plagiarism, success in scriptwriting, free
lancing, and copywriting. I cannot fully describe my feeling while I
was there. It seemed like I was not in reality. I have not written in
a long time. Not even a poem. Nor an entry into a diary. So, for 3
years, I forgot I was a writer. Well, except for the times that I
wrote an article for Focal Point, the official newsletter of the
Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology. But the articles that I
submitted there were news articles. I am foremost a literary writer.
So, at the bookfair, the moderator kept on saying that writers are
artists. And some of the full time free lance writers kept saying
they enjoy their job. It is not even for the money, although yes,
there is money in writing. But simply because they are writing! They
are happy with what they are doing. They write 12500 words a month.
And there is no secret to honing the skill but just to keep on
writing and writing and reading and writing and reading and writing
and writing.
They are editors and write for different magazines. They write for
events like MTV. They get a lot of swags. The swag that mesmerized me
was one of them was able to interview Prince Charles! They write
scripts for film and TV. They write for corporations. But they are
foremost literary writers.
I was so inspired by my experience at the bookfair that
finally, I am writing again. And I am writing a blog. Haha! This is
my first blog. I have been prodded by Pat to write a blog when
we first talked about his book that we will publish. I was akin to
the idea. But I never got to do it. But after the bookfair, and the
greeting of TJ earlier, I finally got to sit in front of my laptop
and type words.
I am really happy that all is well with my life. I have a husband
who loves me very much, and whom I love very much in return. He is
also very supportive of all my endeavors. He doesn't limit me to just
be an eye doctor and stay at home after clinic hours. So, I am able
to explore things that I wanted to do way back before I entered
medicine.
One big plus of having full control of my time is that I do not
have to get up early if I do not want to because I do not have to
punch in my dtr at 8 am. I can lie in bed as long as I want to. Of
course I do not do that often. But I cherish the Mondays that I
am able to open my eyes, look at the wall clock whose short hand
points to number 6, stretch a little , close my eyes shut
once again and cover my head with the soft and tender pillow. After a
while, I do it again- open my eyes, look at the wall clock but this
time the short hand points to number 7, stretch a little, close my
eyes shut once again and cover my head with the soft and tender
pillow. God knows how many times I repeat that exercise in one Monday
morning. Yes, only in the morning. I am up before noon.
Anyway, this is all I have to blog for now. There is a story
behind my title "Happy in the Box". Figure it out.
And be happy. Stay happy. God bless.
