Batu Bolong Beach, Canggu, Bali - personal photo“If we can be happy with 25 small things in our daily lives, why don’t we add it to 50 or even 100? We can create that happiness literally every single second of our lives. You don’t wanna put a limitation on it, right?”
Said one of my wise friends to me last week during our brunch somewhere in Pererenan. We were talking about how Bali changed our lives significantly—not by the big or even grand things, but most of them came from the smallest things surrounding us. And we weren’t exaggerating this fact; both of us were quite honest people when it came to this kinda conversation topic.
I’ve been having a high fever and joint pain for the past couple of days and have been trying to finish this writing since I got back from Canggu. Today is the day—while lying in bed, trembling, my mind can’t stop racing with these words. Might as well just finish this and knock myself out with the tons of medicine my GP gave me a few hours ago. I know, I gotta stop this bad habit. This is exactly the time my mind and body are in conflict, yet I keep choosing my mind to take control. I already apologized to my body when the first symptoms surfaced.
Goa Rang Reng Waterfall, Gianyar, Bali - personal photo
I used to hate and resent myself. Almost every day, I reminded myself that I’d made tons of bad decisions and walked through the consequences. Some of the consequences lasted a few months, while others lasted years. The journey to forgiving myself wasn’t easy or short—it was long, gut-wrenching, and has given me more than a few epiphanies. The last one was back in August 2024. I sat in the departure section at the airport, waiting for my flight back to Bali. I had just made one of the biggest decisions of my life, staring at the planes and the people, trying so hard not to sob.
Then I heard my mum whisper to me: “I know the situation you’re facing right now is not okay, but I also know that you’re always gonna be okay. We may not see things eye to eye, but I respect every decision that you make. It is what it is, and you’re my oldest daughter. I’ll always be with you, every step of the way.”
That’s what she said to me when she hugged me before I got in the taxi to the airport, back in August 2024. And then I sobbed hard, wishing I could stay at my mum’s house for a couple more days and just dwell there.
I finally got the one thing I’d been needing for the past two years, but when I got it, there was this voice that kept telling me something was missing. I don’t know what, but my gut keeps telling me something’s missing. I’ve been searching for the answer both within and externally, but I still haven’t found it yet.
If you’re reading this now, here’s my question: Have you ever felt the same way? You finally get what you NEED (not want—because clearly, those two things are completely different, you know this, right?), but then you realize something is still missing.
And today, we’re celebrating the Lunar New Year, the year of the Snake—Wood Snake, to be exact. Snakes are infamous for their silent movement, very calculated, but also cunning, and some breeds are very venomous. I strongly dislike snakes, to be honest. They’ve always scared the hell out of me because I can’t hear when they’re coming. Then I read and learned about the Chinese zodiac before 2025 started, and based on my sign, they say I will receive tons of great opportunities for wealth and career. But I gotta be very careful about my health—no high-risk outdoor activities or uncalculated traveling. Believe it or not, I’ve been receiving these signs since the fourth week of December 2024.
So, what’s the connection between my wise friend’s words, “We can create that happiness literally every single second of our lives,” and my mum’s, “I know the situation you’re facing right now is not okay, but I also know that you’re always gonna be okay,” and this missing thing I can’t place or point out alongside this Chinese zodiac prediction?
Well, here's the answer I have right now–still lying in bed, trembling (though it's almost gone now): Everything will come at the right time and place. Take a step back, breathe deeply, and let things be. No point in rushing things or putting more pressure on them.
Gotta learn more from snakes—very calculated, and very silent, but when the time is right, they always get what they want and need. Precision is a must for them.
Blue Lagoon Beach, Karangasem, Bali - personal photo
Hoping for all the great things to come into our lives this new year. May God and the universe pour blessings upon us—not just wealth, but also health, physically, mentally, and financially. I don’t have that many Chinese friends in Bali, and honestly, I’ve been missing those Chinese New Year lunch invitations—the food, the vibes, and the energy of the day are one of a kind.
Happy Lunar New Year, peeps!
Ubud, 29th January 2025"Fable" - Gigi Perez
Batu Bolong Beach, Canggu, Bali - personal photo
Comments
Post a Comment