A WALK WITH PURPOSE

​Today, I walked alone—a chance to listen to some of my favorite oldies and love songs on Spotify.

But somehow, my walk became more than just a walk.

I found myself thinking about Lea Salonga, my son’s friend and classmate, whose mother, Ligaya, has been a close friend of mine since Lea was in Grade 1. When Lea got the role of Kim in Miss Saigon, I was the first to learn about it at school. I have watched her journey with pride and affection through the years.

Before I started walking today, I turned on Spotify and searched for some of Lea’s Disney Princess songs. I listened to Reflection from Mulan. As I listened, I wondered: Do princesses reflect on their lives, too?

Then I turned the question toward myself.

At my age, have I reflected enough?

I recently learned that reflection is better achieved through focus rather than frequency. So today, I focused.

My thoughts turned inward, and I realized how blessed I am. I have good health, especially for my age. I am still physically able to walk, to move, to enjoy the simple things around me. My life is simple. I have peace. There is no drama, and I feel loved.

Every birthday, I write and share my reflections. I look back at the previous year and ask myself: Did my life improve? Did I meet the goals I set for myself? Am I better than I was last year? Have I grown wiser?

Then another of Lea’s songs came through, The Journey.

Once again, I looked deep inside and thought about my own journey through life.

Am I better than I was last year?

When we are young, we seem to want everything—and always more of everything. But growing older has changed that for me.

Today, I want life to be simple. No unnecessary hassles. No complications. I have learned to muffle the unwanted noise, in every sense of the word.

What I want now is simple:

Peace.

And perhaps that is the most meaningful reflection of all.