DESPITE the advances in technology, there are times when communication can still fail. Haven’t you noticed? People who are having dinner together would rather focus on their cell phones instead of talking with each other. That’s what you call an epic fail. Another epic fail is when no one replies to your texts, emails and Facebook messages. You rarely even call because what if the person is busy? So, you text and wait. But what do you do now if they don’t reply, go back to the Jurassic age and visit each one of them? There are times when you have no choice but to accept a position you don’t want, don’t need, never aspired for. What do they call that? Oh, the kind of work that you need like you need a hole in the head. But no one listens to your reasons for saying no, that is, if you’re given the chance to enumerate your reasons. The ones who were “encouraging” you to accept the promotion would not even listen to your reasons anyway but the possible vacancy of the position they were urging you to accept. It wasn’t supposed to be you. Somebody else was being groomed for that position this year but he had a million and one reasons to say no. The next in line begged that she’d rather occupy the position next year, as scheduled. So, there you are, the ungroomed, the one not next in line, now suddenly pushed to accept a position you don’t like. Family and friends know how you treat things you don’t like. You may have learned to control your temper by counting from 100 to 1, but there are times when you can be angry and, hmmm, let’s just say the only difference between you and the Incredible Hulk is you don’t turn green. Upon learning about the promotion you were pushed to accept, your concerned sis-in-law asks, Ang stress nimo? For she knows how high your blood pressure can soar. And she knows you’ve been through many challenges that made the BP soar, and the last thing you need is another stress-inducing challenge. She happens to be a doctor and she probably still remembers that recent ungodly hour of 2 a.m. when you called her up and she and your bro had to leave their house and stay in your bedroom until your BP stabilized. But since you’re now the type who would choose to grin and bear it instead of morphing into Incredible Hulk, there are people who have no idea who you are, what you’re capable of doing, and what you’ve been through. Still, you choose to grin and bear it. For a year. You can’t scream at people who don’t answer your texts, emails and FB messages. You can’t smash your cell phones against the wall. You can’t torn curtains into teeny weeny pieces. It’s a major overhaul of the person you used to be. The good thing is you have learned to accept things as they are and to move forward despite... So that your mind now works this way: Ah, ingon ana diay ka ha, OK, I will always remember that. Politicians also have to grin and bear it for as long as they can. I wonder if Mr. Frozen is still in that mindset after what happened between him and the police official who said he received nothing from Mr. Frozen but “puro panlalait, panghahamon at threat.” Like the reluctant candidate who has no plans whatsoever for ever occupying the highest throne in Pinas, Mr. Frozen’s behavior towards the police official seems to prove that he also has no interest in that throne. But then, he expresses an intent to apologize for his behavior, and you’re back to being convinced that he’s indeed pointing his finger not only at the police official but also at Pinas’ highest throne. It must be very difficult for the future presidentiable to grin and bear it for all his future constituents to see. You, on the other hand, should never find it difficult to grin and bear it after accepting a position you don’t like. You’re learning to enjoy the journey anyway, with a sincere smile to go with the heartfelt gratitude and profuse thanks you’re now sending to people who do reply to your texts, FB messages, and emails, and who also generously participate in the activities lined up for the year. Considering their busy sked, the help they have started to offer is and will always be a blessing, and for that, you’re now forever grateful. Besides, you welcomed the New Year with the word peace. And that’s not a simple word. It has to be practiced, absorbed, adopted. It has to be your mantra in answering phone calls while groggy after a sleepless night spent on preparing for an early-morning activity, yes, one of those activities that you helped organize since you’ve accepted the promotion that you didn’t like. Those phone calls are also the result of that promotion in which your life now revolves around for this year. You’ve been warned: ayaw pagmahay sa mga members nga dili motabang nimo. Uh. You have no problem with that--you’ve already banished the word mahay from your vocabulary years ago. You don’t feel mahay anymore but angry which you’re also learning to erase from your vocabulary. At the end of the year of this promotion, you’ll be the epitome of peace after grinning and bearing for so long. You’ll be able to ignore the epic fails and focus on the epic successes. Family, friends and even you may no longer recognize the person you’ll become but at least for a year, your tolerance and patience were at their highest levels and you’re proving that it’s possible to count from 100 to 1 without forgetting what comes before 100. For won’t that be disturbing? 100! 100! 100! Aargh! What’s next! 101?! Nooo! The number before 100! What’s before 100?! Angry pa more? Learn not only to grin and bear it but also to smile, have fun, give thanks, savor the moment, and look at each endeavor as an opportunity to... Aargh! 99! It’s 99!