What A Day A Difference Makes

I have a habit of writing emails to my friends back in Malaysia, telling of my escapades here in Korea. Sometimes, something truly exciting happens, like a proper film workshop, or if I happened to go on an interesting trip somewhere. Most of the time, however, I run through the motions.

Even when that happens, however, I write nonetheless. It is what I call "making metaphorical mountains out of metaphysical hills."

So once in a while, I'd go on making such mountains from hills. And the response I get from those who do reply is a positive one. By and large, they are in the mould of "Wow! Your life over there is so exciting! My life over here is so boring!"

Perhaps not in those exact words...but it's definitely the most common underlying message.

Which is interesting...because for me, my life is boring. Not that I'm upset about that, it's just that it's not particularly interesting to me. And I'm living it.

So in reply, I asked one of my friends to clarify a bit further. "Well," she started, "it's because you seem to be doing a lot of stuff, while I'm just here in the office."

A fair comment, which remains valid despite the fact that I myself spend a considerable amount of time in my own office (though for very different reasons). Though not that big a deal in itself, in my idler moments (should that qualify as a word) on a train or on a bus (since I find myself doing a fair amount of travelling these days), I find myself thinking about this.

About this oh-so-interesting life of mine.

I came to realise that it's not so much the interest. Never so much about what it is that I do, and yet everything about it.

It's different. To their life, to the day before, and to the day that will come. It is that difference that strikes them, the difference of the things that I do that makes things seem...interesting.

And I must admit that this is partly calculated. I wake up everyday, and I always intend to do something different. To meet different people, to eat different food, read different books (maybe a magazine today), buy a different brand of coffee (Java Coffee instead of Coffee Bean), walk a different path (the backroads instead of the main way). There's a certain amount of routine, of course, but looking at the larger picture...I don't really like it.

Reading that bit again, it all sounds kinda hypocritical, paradoxical...not making much sense. Even to me.

But that's OK.

It's what makes me different.

Perhaps you'd wanna try it.

Comments

The Cat said…
Come to think of it, I never said that line. "My life is boring". I mightve said it sucks. Wait. Thats worse, i guess. :)
Your emails due to the princess.
Fikri said…
Well, of course am not talking about my Indian Princess (bows), for my Indian Princess is never bored or boring. :> In fact, I'm not talking about every single person, so...don't take it personally.

Maybe I should put a disclaimer: "Skip if life's not boring." :>

And I think it's your turn to mail me.