MOST of you, who read me regularly (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays here on Panay News), think that I’m inexhaustible. Or I’m a limitless resource of words, and crazy ideas.
But to be honest, I get pretty tired and uninspired at times, too.
But yes, I’m the kind of person who tries hard to see beauty and kindness around me. Takes iPhone photos just because, tastes wines (and mixes drinks), and literally smells the flowers.
Or, if not that, I’m the type who reflects on my life, and reduces things into Twitter and Instagram feeds.
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More than an Instagrammer or a Twitterer (or is it just Twitter?), I’m a Facebooker.
Not constantly, not addicted to it, not like the crazies checking it every hour or so.
But regularly enough to be healthily in touch with what’s happening in my social media circle, and the world.
I used to be on social media at least daily.
In 2017, I had the daily sunset series, all the 365 sunsets of the year posted on Instagram and Facebook. And that was that.
There was a point where it became work. Hard work.
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Imagine me going out of a play or movie for a few minutes just to take a sunset picture.
And then, looking for wifi or cellphone signal in some foreign country, or some mountain camp, to get the photo posted before the day is done.
And for what?
For my social media fans and followers!
Because people have come to expect consistency from me.
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People know that I follow through what I say I would do. That I finish what I have started.
So I’m not apologizing for the sexy story last Monday after Easter Sunday.
I know I should have written something about my Lenten reflection on the Resurrection, new life, and all that jazz.
But I promised a seven-stories series on the Greek men, and I just had to do it.
The series has to conclude in a prompt, regular, and reliable Peter Solis Nery manner, Easter Monday be damned.
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I’m still uninspired to write something new for my column here, but I’m committed to “My Life as Art” three times a week.
Of course, I have seriously considered giving up my column space. Like go on another newspaper writing hiatus.
But friends from the paper, the editor included, have convinced me otherwise.
Their advice: Just slow down. Get into a pace that’s not very exacting for you.
Consider coming out twice a week, if thrice weekly is too much work.
I don’t know, I don’t know.
I’m in yet another midlife crisis!
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So anyway, I just reviewed my Instagram and Twitter life during the Holy Week.
It was my starting point for reflection.
After all, my Twitter profile proudly proclaims: “I am a proud sponsor of the word INSPIRE.”
And my Instagram profile declares (with an exclamation point): “I am more than what you can Google about me!”
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If you’ve been following me (@petersolisnery) on these social media platforms, you can skip the next few lines. Otherwise, enjoy the posts that have been most liked, ‘hearted’, and retweeted.
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I just want
To burn brightly,
And still burst
Into flames
When I go.
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I don’t need
To be the best;
I don’t need it.
I only want
To mean something
To someone.
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Loving me
Is useless
Until you
Make me
Feel it.
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I do not want
Forever with you,
Only your love
While we live.
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I just want
To spend my life
Loving.
I don’t care
If that sounds
Wasteful.
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So yeah, I write stuff like these on social media.
And they’re not just mental stuff, you know. I mean, those are not just “trying to be smart thoughts”. I really, really feel them. I really, really mean them.
Sometimes, they are triggered by real life conversations.
Sometimes, they are my actual replies to arguments.
Sometimes, they are words I cannot say directly (As if!) to a person.
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Take, for example: “Loving me/ Is useless/ Until you/ Make me/ Feel it.”
I struggled with the last line for about five minutes.
Is it “see it” or “feel it”?
“Loving me is useless until you make me see it” should have been fine since the courtship is long distance.
But we Skyped, and we video-chatted on Facebook Messenger.
And then, he flashed me.
Oh, my God!
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So, No!
“Until you make me see it” just won’t work.
It has to be “feel it”.
Loving me is useless until you make me feel it!
“To see is to believe” is fine for most people.
But I’m not most people. I can afford it, so I can demand it.
More than just see, I need to feel. And if we talk about love, it’s not so wrong to insist.
To touch is to believe!/PN
