Reading Right Now: "Life Lessons" by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and David Kessler

After reading a young adult book and a non-fiction book last month, I am back to my BTS Inspired Reading List which is my ongoing ARMY Glow Up Goal 2025. I am currently reading "Life Lessons" by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and David Kessler— a book that Min Yoongi has read. Besides, it's MinMarch. My simple way to honor our genius PD-Nim!

From the very first pages, I can already connect its contents to BTS songs. Here are quotes I copied from the book.

• “No one can tell us what lessons to learn in life; the journey is ours to take.” This reminds me of Persona—Namjoon’s introspective exploration of identity.

• “We will learn that we are not alone, seeing instead that we are all connected.” A perfect echo of Lights from Map of the Soul: Journey.

• “At the end of life, they (the dying) become more genuine, more honest, more themselves—just like children and infants.” This reminds me of Inner Child—V’s song about embracing his authentic self, faults and all.

• “The key lesson of life: to find our authentic selves, and to see the authenticity in others.” Isn't this the core message of the Love Yourself albums? That by learning to love oneself, the discovery or reclamation of the "real me" is possible, thus, the capacity to look at others more kindly and capable of loving themselves, too.

• “We all have a negative side or a potential for negativity: denying it is the most negative thing to do.” This makes me think of What If… by J-Hope, where he confronts self-doubt and conflicting thoughts about himself and the music industry, as well as Moonlight by SUGA, a raw monologue on mental struggles and personal malaise. I am in the chapter on Authenticity, that's why! What I appreciate is, that reading this part of the book and reckoning BTS' songs, albums and music along the way brings me back to acts of compassion and of forgiving—toward myself and others. BTS' message of love and healing continues to inspire me in every season of my life. I am excited to uncover more connections between its lessons and BTS’ music. But I have to stop as my vision blurs from tears from the last paragraph on page 49:

"Who we are means honoring the integrity of our human selves. That sometimes includes those dark parts of our beings that we often try to hide. We think sometimes we're only drawn to the good, but we're actually drawn to the authentic. We like people who are real more than those who hide their true selves under layers of artificial niceties."

Cue in Magic Shop!

Singapore Sunshine: Meet-ups and Reunions

Apart from an enjoyable workshop in Singapore last week, meeting new friends, visiting libraries and conversing with librarians from different International Baccalaureate (IB) schools in the Asia Pacific, I had a wonderful time meeting storytellers and a Filipino Librarian there. Plus, I got lost and found myself being adopted by a Filipino family for 30 minutes.

Here is how it all went.

Sheila Wee of the Singapore Association of Storytellers couldn't make it to our meet up in her place. I was supposed to visit her and join in the weekly story circle of the group hosted by a member. But, she set-up Panna Kintalil and Swee Yean to meet me. We had dinner at a mall in Tong Baru and for an hour and a half, touched based, shared life stories and compared notes on the status of storytelling in our respective countries.

I was impressed at the political will and the effort that the association has taken in promoting and advocating storytelling. They have professionalized the art form and defined that reading aloud is not storytelling. Definitely, I will be back in Singapore to join them in another storytelling event or festival. This I promised myself.

I planned to meet a librarian friend who works in the National Gallery, but our schedules just did not allow it. Instead, I found myself en route to the National Gallery on my last night in Singapore to have dinner with Von Totanes, the Filipino Librarian. Von is on leave and having a good time. Who would have thought we would meet in Singapore in all places? Apparently, the country holds a special place in our hearts but, for different reasons.

An hour early, before meeting Von, I actually got off on the wrong bus stop. The family waiting at the same stop I got off at went up to me and asked if I am a Filipino. I said yes and I knew they were too. Glorian and Miguel, with their daughter helped me find my way to the correct train station. We had a good chat about life back home, the high cost of living in Singapore and reasons to go back and visit the country and the motherland once in a while. We were the only ones talking in loud voices in the bus. Of course, they brought me to Orchard Road where I could get good bargains for pasalubongs and sent me off to the right train station. 

Some plans do not always go as expected. But the journey turned out to be insightful and life affirming as well.