Private Victories

What does the best day of your life look like?

I would argue that today is one of the best days in my life. Now, I realize that there are two kinds of best days: The former happens to you, while the latter is how you respond to life.

Yes, the grandest of masters know that things are just the way they are, and the nature of the things is largely (if not wholly) determined by how we choose to perceive those things.

If I recount today factually, it wouldn't be extraordinarily stellar. I woke up, used the sleeping meditation because I felt tired, meditated for a bit, brushed my teeth, and read something inspirational. That was my morning, and I had to rush through it because I have two exams on the following day. I went to Econometrics, slightly fumbled through the Japanese oral exam, counseled a friend whose ex boyfriend troubled her, counseled the ex-boyfriend, went to two professor's office hours, and went to the gym.

Here's the thing: I already felt tired the first thing I woke up in the morning. I had to counsel people's emotions. I had to deal with a fellow student in my comsci professor's office hours who was kind of offputting and snobbish. I was reminded how he was also in some sense, a better person than me, because he won the chance to participate in this innovation track program which I didn't. I had to prepare for two exams.. I had to push myself to read through the notes.

But strangely enough, I felt calm. I felt strong. I felt that when life was messing with me, I was able to stand up against her, laugh, and kick her butt. I find myself strangely rational and clear, I was able to analyze one of my friends and drew theories. I caught myself thinking: "Gosh, this dude is a jerk, and couldn't he just leave already because I deserve my time alone with the professor?" But I somehow was able to hijack my emotions and didn't let it influence me. I stopped thinking about him after a few moments.. I was able to somehow finish whatever I needed to do today. Most importantly, I was able to smile, to genuinely care about other people, to give good hugs, and to laugh, while the old me would've broken down from all the stress.

What is it? After some reflection, I realized that what made my day very good, what energized me, was the accumulation of the private victories I won. I don't know if it's thanks to the meditation, the inspirational stories, or to hitting the gym routinely, but I felt that I was able to score one private victory after another. I feel great, I feel empowered. I feel that I am acting in the interests of my higher self, and I am being my higher self. I now understand that...

It is not what happened to me. It is how I happen in life. (I know that what happens in my life is a function of my creation, but how I happen in my life is also part of the creation process itself. Therefore.)

-Truly Indonesia's Finest