So you might find this topic random but let me assure you that you are not alone, in fact I’m actually sure that this might not make sense at all but I just want to blurt it out anyway.

Those who know me knows that I enjoy photography very well, although I can’t say I’m good at it, I know the basic and try at times but not as serious as the others so let’s just say that I enjoy photography in a critic way. When I see a photo, whether it’s in an exhibit or online, I always appreciate it and think how it was taken (its setting, the lens that was used, angle, and camera). I sometimes zoom in and out and try to see it both in big and little picture. I appreciate the perfect imperfections of the background noise and texture, the amount of light, its exposure. I enjoy it in an artistic way.

You know what, I’ll let you in a little secret. My phone has been broken almost a year ago, it has dents- more dents than a phone actually. But I can’t seem to replace it for two reasons, 1) I’m saving to get more durable phone that I can use for years because I think electronic waste is a big no no; and 2) I’m still not decided on what brand and model to get. If I’m being honest I could have bought a new phone months ago but my dilemma is what kind of phone to get. I’m looking for a phone with great camera because it is something that I need especially that I want to convey stories. I want it to capture the things I want people to see.

In other hand, when people recommend a film or TV series that they have, my first question will always be ‘How’s the quality?’ I don’t mean it to sound bitchy or something, it’s just how I am. I just think that watching a work of art is something that should be done in high definition. Of course, it doesn’t apply to all. Sometimes I let it slide especially in comedy films because what the film offers is its humor.

Maybe it’s the Mass Communication major in me and the way we were taught back in college that makes me crave for HD and I think nothing is wrong with that. It’s because I know how hard film makers do those - from the production and post-production stage. They are their babies and they should be seen the best way possible.

You don’t have any idea how frustrating it is to shoot a clip only to find out after that the focus is not good! Or how hard it is to stabilize a moving shot without a stabilizer, and if you have it’s not easy to use it because it’s heavy!

It will be a disgrace for the filmmakers to watch their work just on a good level.

I now have back logs of blog post that I haven’t posted because of scarcity of photos. I can’t choose what photos to pick!

What I’m trying to say in this post is that like all the films out there we are all deserving of a High-Definition life. We are entitled to have the best things in life and what we need to do is to reach for it. Sure, life can be shaky or too dark like some films but remember that sometimes it is how the film should be. Sometimes it is the filmmaker’s artistic way, it is their perfect imperfections.

So yes, you deserve a High Definition life with the Creator’s artistic doing.

Have a break.

- I know that perseverance and determination will be the key to success, but every successful person needs and takes a break once in their lives. Even robots needed to recharge and so do you. You deserve it. Pausing doesn’t mean you are stopping. Pausing means taking your time and gathering all the momentum you need to accomplish your goal.

Listen to the voice inside you.

-Sometimes it’s hard to hear that little voice inside you because you are too hurt and numb about the things that happened in your life. You feel like the things people say about you is what defines you but you are more than just a rumor, you are more than just an issue. So let me be that voice for now.

I am here telling you that everything is gonna be fine. You are enough but you can do more, you can be more. If things are not going according to your plan then make another plan. Whatever happens, good or bad, just remember that someone is rooting for you and you don’t get to give up on that someone. When things are getting rough remember a hopeful and younger version of yourself, don’t let her/him down.

If you can’t see your future ahead, if you can’t see the worth of your present self, then look back and get hope and strength from your younger self who believes in you.

Choose to be happy.

-Life is ugly but there’s beauty in it. It gave us the chance to make it better and to help people have a better disposition. Choose happiness over hatred, choose forgiveness over pain, choose love .Make it a habit to make someone smile every day. Let’s help make the world more bearable.

Choose your battle.

-When you are faced with challenges and difficulties always try to choose wisely. Not all battles should be won because not all battles are yours for you to win. Only meddle with things that really involves you, things that have effects on you.

Some battles are there for you teach you some lessons but it doesn’t necessary mean that it should be your own battle. You can learn from others, don’t go chasing wars just for the sake of being into wars.

Science taught us the action-reaction

-When in a situation where you have to choose between being brave or mature, always choose to be mature. Leave if you must because leaving doesn’t necessarily means losing, it only means you are brave enough to know that some things are not working out. You can be matured by being brave and leave but you can never be brave by being immature.

Make people laugh at you.

-One of the things that get us nervous is when we make a fool out of ourselves in front of many people. It was instilled in us that we have to deliver that speech perfectly, we have to execute all the steps properly, and we have to hit proper notes when singing. We were so afraid that people will laugh at us, at our mistakes and faults. But who cares? Make people laugh at you because it only shows that you are trying to do something. You are being brave to let yourself be seen and do the things that you have to do in order to gain knowledge.

Go on and make people laugh at you because in the end you’ll laugh with them while remembering how scared you were and how brave you’ve been since then.

Why does it’s hard to be kind to yourself? Why do you keep on lifting other people but can’t even look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself you are worth it? Why do you hate yourself too much? Why do you have to be so hard on yourself? Why are you doubting every step and decision you take when you keep on encouraging other people? Why are so good and cruel at the same time?

I know you can’t see it, I know you are in pain, I know you are trying, and I know you are failing but don’t be too hard on yourself.

Yes, you’ve been through a lot, faced countless of demons, heard unsolicited thoughts inside your head, but you are worth every trust and love you keep on giving other people. You deserve the love you keep on giving; you are worth it.

This is me telling you how worthy you are.

You can do it. I believe in you. I’m here for you. You are worthy. You deserve the things you have right now.

You will figure it out. There’s nothing you can’t do, at least right now.

When Ellen says “When I say be kind to one another, I don’t mean only the people that think the same way you do. I mean be kind to everyone. Doesn’t matter.”

Ellen is right but I think I can twitch it a little more. “When I say be kind to one another, I don’t mean only the people that think the same way you do. I mean be kind to everyone, including you.”

I was reading a novel when I encounter a line wherein the hero asks ‘Why do people hurt each other?’ and then I remember a similar question that I keep on asking to anyone back then and that memory made me write this now.

When I was younger, freshman or sophomore in college, I did this thing where I ask people a question just to satisfy my curiosity and be enlighten. Looking back I think my question has something to do with the books I read back then, If I stay, Where she went, Nicholas Sparks’, My Heart and other Blackholes, and of course TFIOS. Tear-jerking stories, I know, and I love them.

What’s even funny is that I was bold enough to message some known people just to get their point-of-view and satisfy my curiosity. I ask them this. Why do people get hurt?

I’ve asked friends and I think there was a time where I wrote down their answers somewhere for some reasons that are now forgotten. I remember a friend quoted a line from the book The perks of being a Wallflower for her answer which says ‘Because we accept the love we think we deserve’

Kuya Em, Marcelo Santos III, was also kind enough to answer this as a book dedication for his self-publish book version of Para Sa Hopeless Romantic and he said that People get hurt dahil hindi sila natatakot mag-risk sa mga gusto nila.

Kuya Chad, then student, also answered the question with this very beautiful line. So why do people get hurt? Because they want to get hurt. Pain has its own kind of beauty.

I received different answers but… why do people get hurt?

Years after and here I am still looking for answers. When you think about it Kuya Marcelo is right, without risk there wouldn’t be pain, struggles, and even suffering. We risk because we want to be someone or have something. We risk even though we know that we might fail and get hurt in the process. We risk because it is the only thing to do in order to progress and to be a better version of ourselves.

We can connect Kuya Chad’s answer too. When we risk we know that we can get ourselves hurt. But we risk it anyway. Pain, indeed, has its own kind of beauty. It makes us stronger and wiser. Because of pain we know how to handle life better, pain coated us with glistening strength that beautifies us.

If you’ll ask me my answer to my own question my answer will be this.

I think people get hurt because we need it and we let it happen because pain is inevitable.

When you decided to achieve something you have to do things in order to reach that goal no matter what happens. And if you fail, when that time comes, pain will be there to make you feel and see the things that can make you be better so that the next time you try you’ll be able to soar higher than before.

When you feel pain because of love it only means that you love freely and whole and there’s nothing wrong with that. Pain coexist with love and sometimes it doesn’t mean that the love you have is wrong just because it hurts. It is there because you gave too much. There’s no problem with giving it all in love, the problem begins when you give too much to the point that there’s no more left for you. When you give too much love that you can no longer love yourself, that’s the time you need to think if the person is still worth the pain. Love hurts but it doesn’t need to hurt too much and leave you bleeding to death.

When you feel pain because you lose someone, it’ll be inevitable and no words can cajole you.

To sum it all, pain is part of living and growing. When you tried cooking the first time you definitely got burns and they surely hurt, but those pain were there because you tried something and you learn from it. When you get jealous because you think your parents favor your sibling more, it only shows that you love them too much and that knowing they didn’t love you the same way that you do just hurts. But just because you feel unloved doesn’t mean you are unloved.

Again, pain is inevitable and later on you’ll realize that it is the thing that will make you into something more than who you are right now. Pain is inevitable but it also coexist with strength and learnings.

So keep on loving, keep on hurting, but most of all keep on learning.