You Got Punk'd (In Your 20s)

The past few weeks, people that I know had to surf different waves of emotions. Some struggled on their feet, some put on a brave face, while other’s crashed. Could it be some giant earthquake triggered waves under the sea of our barely adult emotions? But then again, I realized, it simply just adulthood raping us in every way possible, not leaving a single hole in our hearts unmolested.

Drowned with beer and sorrow, when she cried her heart out over some bad breakup. Drenched were his feelings when he realized that those whatchamacallit he held on to for years weren’t strong as it were before.  Panic , when he started to think he is stuck in a rut called commonplace. Frustration is when she let society get into her head, leading her to question on whose happiness she should seek for.  And bleeding is when his heart is deeply wounded he plugged the drain with any numb-inducing high he could think of.

Dang what is up with my inner circle lately?

So over beers, or text or facebook messages, those emotions poured out endlessly. Not even one taking it lightly, with each having a different way of coping.

I remember reading an essay a decade ago about what’s it’s like to be having a quarterlife and thought it would be the coolest thing ever.  For a kid waiting to grow up and experience the thrill of adulthood, it definitely was a YES. But for a reluctant MTV generation grown up forced to face reality that life isn’t a music video, then awww HELL NO!

When things get rough, no one’s gonna say “that’s a wrap you guys” and automatically things are gonna be what it should be.  No, that’s not how it works. Shit won’t clean itself up. We attend to our own mess.

And no one’s getting Punk’d anymore.

I watch in pain seeing a friend die each time she spoke of her heart aches. I do not condone disrespect to self. And yet, I believe in following your heart.

Hay pag-ibig. Dying inside na, patay na patay pa. Walking Dead lang?

I have fully accepted the fact that some good things must come to an end. Death is a part of every life cycle. But rebirth is always around the corner.

I do not believe in facebook anymore. As the name suggests, it’s all about the face value. I am judged for having one too many times having fun on pictures – which is the whole point in living.

So do not impose your miserable life on me.

Happiness will always correlate to contentment. I tell my friend that. Reiterate if I must because despite what he has and what he is experiencing right now, it ain’t just enough for Instagram or his newsfeed.

Seriously, It’s either you weed out some friends or that newsfeed has to go.

And we should not let society dictate us. At the end of the day, this is our life and not theirs. So what if they're pregnant at 25? Partying at 25 sounds pretty good to me.

Staying afloat and surviving is a tricky business. A million waves are gonna come crashing in testing our core. Bills, responsibilities, expectations, and unrequited love while struggling each day to survive is no easy feat. But while we’re at it, try to live life and have fun, it’s not like you’re the only one experiencing it. Trust me, you are not alone.

So take the plunge, enjoy the bumpy ride. It’s the perk of being in your 20s.