I love people-watching, strangers most especially. I love observing how people live their lives and I love the challenge of seeing beyond the smile, the frown or hopefully that poker-face. In my Friendster profile, I wrote down "peeping in people's windows while driving by". Yes, I enjoy that. Usually, I am able to have a glimpse of everyday life and conjure little stories in my head. I can't explain it enough. I get a high with these things. It's not really being nosy. It's not even about sizing them up. It's not about comparing my own life to them. I think I am just enjoying the world the way we are supposed to. To actually pay attention to the rest of us in this world, to stop, and look, and listen. And hopefully touch their hearts any which way we can. Or simply to enjoy how unique all lives can be. Or how similar they are sometimes.
Recently, I have discovered that I can do this not just in my own neighborhood but all over the world as well, without leaving my chair. I have discovered the joys of MySpace. I made up this rule with myself: Friendster for real friends, MySpace for strangers. Friendster is my home, and MySpace is when I feel like running away. It is my hotel...my party. Whenever I'm free, I click on profiles and see what people have to say about themselves. There are things I can relate to, and things I simply don't agree with. And if I transcend beyond the superficiality of it all, I know in my heart, I am learning more things about the world than any classroom can offer...through things that people say, truths or untruths.
But if there is anything wonderful I learned lately, it is how someone from across the globe, is leading a life that is almost like mine, with a personality and outlook that is almost 100% me. I have come face to face with a parallel universe that is miles away from me.
I am an avid link-clicker. I stumbled into her profile one day as I was clicking my time away, hopping from one page to another. I read through it, and it just amazed me how similar we are in a thousand ways. It was like my own profile, re-written with a different set of words. If I walk you through it piece by piece, you're going to think it's creepy. I sent her a friendly message and she wrote back saying, "I viewed your profile, oh goodness we are so alike!". We’re in each other's list now.
I don't know who's luckier or happier. I think we both are cruising through life good enough. We have the same way of looking at life anyway. Sometimes, I am tempted to think, wow, someone is playing SIMS up there. Or sometimes I feel like asking, "God, have you run out of ideas?". But that would be too cynical for someone like me, though at first, I was in a searching frenzy looking for possible things that would make Rosemarie Ann and I different, aside from how we look ofcourse. (Well, let us not forget how awesome it is that there are no two exactly identical faces on this planet).
Getting to know Rosemarie Ann better made me realize that it is the other circumstances and consequences in our lives that set the difference. Hence, I am reminded that HE up there has a special plan, a special script and plot in store for each one of us. I realize that no matter how alike we may seem, God blesses us with our own unique set of experiences. And yes, a unique set of people to touch our lives --- like our own family and friends.
Rosemarie Ann may be enjoying a good movie but it's not with Raquel, she may have enjoyed some talks over Starbucks coffee but not the same way I did with May Ann. She may love dancing and working out, but her fitness buddies aren’t Angie and Noreen. She may be in love with someone, but it isn’t my husband Aldred. We may be both happy with our families, but I have my own Daddy, Mommy, and sisters Lissa and Trina. Plus all my other friends who truly care about me...Ali, Florence, Dondee, Yvah, Dave, Peter, Will, Jem, Arnold, my former classmates at DLSU, co-workers in Maxicare and TutorTime, and a lot more relatives and friends that might take up all of this blogspace if I mention each one.
This is what makes the big difference. My family and friends set me apart. These people make me unique and special... how they love me, or how I love them back. Thank you, people. Thank you, God.
PS. I’m sure and happy, somewhere out there, Rosemarie Ann is grateful in the same way too.
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