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<center>https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/cli4d/242YE9K5XN4zsNhN85YxBnys2hNMgGzmKCrCEkh5K4sswijs6YiE8dzhWsj5DH1KTM96d.png</center><sub><center><i>Edited on Canva. The image was from Unsplash by [Pablo Heimplatz](https://unsplash.com/photos/EAvS-4KnGrk) </i></center></sub>

4th week of September, and I was checking to see if there had been any progress in my life recently. So far, with the things I've achieved, no matter how small they are, I can say that I am doing great. Even though I've had some setbacks in the past few months, I'm glad that I'm now getting back on track. So far, I've noticed that I'm being careful with my energy because I'm still unstable and easy to drain.
 
I opened my Instagram for the first time in a while. Wow, I miss the clout-chasing environment of this place, just kidding. Well, to be honest, this is one of the reasons why I temporarily deleted this app; I noticed that I am already comparing myself to others, and it makes me feel bad. But right now, I am doing great, and such behavior is not that present in me.
 
I spent an ample amount of time checking on the people I followed; most of them are my friends. Seeing them accomplish great things warmed my heart. One of them moved out of their house to pursue her studies in Manila. There's one who’s able to get a hustle job while studying. Another one is accepted at the University of the Philippines, while the remaining are sharing their daily lives. But the person who got me to a realization and made me write this is Timothy.

<center>https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/cli4d/23tbEYqkTrN3J2v8jUNgB9uWdF73AvZe7mCSCNjebwcsoi9kzFzxDzfwZNPzEUkHaibkd.jpg</center><sub><center><i>The image was from Unsplash by [Mahdi Dastmard](https://unsplash.com/photos/5B8Pw-t9_Wo)</i></center></sub>


 
Timothy has been my friend since junior high school. He’s also the reason why I got to know some of my friends. He’s a lifesaver for my dying social life. We continued to have constant communication up until we started to get busy with our own lives.
 
A few months ago, he invited me for a coffee date so we could have some time to talk. At that time, he shared that he plans to temporarily stop pursuing college just to provide for his family. He told me that he was upset with his situation because he doesn’t want to stop studying but was left with no other option. Aside from that, he’s also tired and feels like he needs to rest and reflect on himself. I felt the heaviness of his burden, but I didn’t know what to do aside from just listening. That day ended, and I appreciated the trust he gave because I know that he likes to keep things to himself, so sharing things must be difficult thing for him and require a lot of courage. That was a few months ago. After that, he will occasionally chat on our group chat sharing he wants to end his own life, he feels like he's alone, it seems his problem doesn't stop, etc.

<center>https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/cli4d/23tbPQerj9cqp9DtbmRfsdKZHrr4L28wuMyKLxqr2xMYbZQiQ28qabAQ5HcHboG6ARyvf.jpg</center><sub><center><i>The image was from Unsplash by [Žygimantas Dukauskas](https://unsplash.com/photos/9m8hapLngiw)</i></center></sub>

 

Recently, while I was wandering on my Instagram, I saw Timothy’s Instagram story. This has been his social media post, I think, for years! I clicked on it and saw that he was on a badminton court, where he used to play. I recognized the location because he took us there previously. When I saw that, the first thing that sprang to mind was that he's back into sports, which is fantastic because he once told us that he stopped playing badminton because he lost time and interest in it. I'm glad he's returned to the things he previously enjoyed and was enthusiastic about. It demonstrates to me that he is making an effort to advance in life. I can't tell him how proud I am of him or how much I admire his efforts to improve.
 
Aside from Timothy, I also admire the perseverance of Vern, my other friend, who keeps on working on himself. The last thing I heard from him was that he got dumped by another woman because apparently, the woman went back to her ex. I know it hurts a lot, but since then, I saw a massive character development in him—he went back to the gym, found a side hustle, and is now an engineering student. Pain makes us stronger, doesn't it?

<center>https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/cli4d/23wzL8sVD1LRVTiGm7weJAcjgS6HGJZt7tjjMkgHgk9UiWgRDipmePfPJUBE9LYUdRn4Q.jpg</center><sub><center><i>The image was from Unsplash by [Rode Trip with Raj](https://unsplash.com/photos/_cbKur5I60A)</i></center></sub>


I am writing this blog to share my realizations and how proud I am that despite what happened to our lives, we kept on working to get our asses out of the situations that might have buried us forever. We always have this desire to escape an ugly situation. It's a matter of how and when we will do it. Timothy had the option to just let his family suffer, but he chose to sacrifice his education to help them. Now that they are already stable in finances, he mentioned that he had saved enough money for college and might go back to study soon. Vern, on the other hand, didn’t focus on what happened to his relationship; instead, he worked on loving himself and on his career. How about me? Well I am focus on getting back on track and regaining what I've lost in order to be happy again.
 

*Siguro tama nga sila na kahit gaano pa kahirap ang buhay, wala tayong magagawa kundi bumangon. Sa mabilis na agos ng mundo, mahirap maiwan sa sulok at magpakalulong sa pait ng nakalipas.*

Maybe they’re correct. No matter how hard life is, there's nothing we can do but get up. In today's fast-paced society, it is difficult to be left behind and imprisoned by the bitterness of the past. 

Just hold on. You will get through this :))

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