06/04/2026
๐๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐๐ง ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ก
11 years ago, I joined an Easter egg hunt and ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ด๐ผ๐น๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฒ๐ด๐ด. At the time, I felt like I was on top of the world because to me, what mattered most was finding the shiny thing everyone was looking for.
Before we were led to the garden, we were told to collect as many eggs as we could. But the best one was the golden egg, hidden very well. Of course, being a very competitive person, I knew I had to find it.
We were given 10 minutes for the hunt, and I spent all 10 minutes searching for the golden egg. And there it was, covered and camouflaged among the copper-colored stones in the garden. The golden egg. I grabbed it as fast as I could, and then I heard the bell ring.
It was time for the reveal, and I was awarded, rightfully so.
At that moment, it felt so rewarding to have all the kids look at me, jealous that I had found it before them. But what I failed to acknowledge then, and only realize now, is that when the awarding ceremony ended and everyone else was counting their eggs, cracking them open to find candies, ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐น๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ: ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ด๐ผ๐น๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฒ๐ด๐ด.
At 21, I feel like Iโve lived many lives. Iโve seen a lot, met many people, dreamed of the impossible, and achieved some of the goals I once thought were out of reach. I achieved these goals like I was checking off boxes on a to-do list. For instance, I wanted to be part of the quiz bowl team, so I studied hard to be chosen. I wanted to join the division meet for volleyball, so I trained every day to compete. I wanted to sing the school hymn during graduation, so I practiced every day to get the lyrics and tune right. I wanted to be part of the school publication, so I applied and did my best in the skills test. I wanted to learn the guitar, so I watched Youtube videos and enrolled in classes. I wanted to be in the student council, so I hosted focus group discussions and created meaningful projects, and I got in.
Yes, I acknowledge these and congratulate myself. Iโm proud of how far Iโve come. But sometimes, being too focused on achieving these goals made me miss the fullness of the experience.
For example, back then when I was training for volleyball every single day, I didn't appreciate the connections being made between games or the mere pleasure of playing volleyball. During those nights I spent learning guitar, building callouses on my fingers, I missed the joy of just sitting and feeling the music instead of tying to perfect it.
Many times, I live my life the same way I did during that egg hunt years ago. I become so focused on the outcome that I forget to live through the process. I overlook the little things. I rush through moments.
And thatโs the realization I carry with me now. That life was never meant to be lived as a checklist of achievements, but as a collection of moments we allow ourselves to fully experience.
๐ก๐ผ๐ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ ๐ด๐ผ๐น๐ฑโฆ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐ณ๐๐น ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐น๐บ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐.
Happy Easter, everyone! ๐ฃ
