TOPAZ HORIZON

Oh, look, I'm wearing heels again! As a stay-at-home mom, I've been either barefoot or in sneakers. Then I went back to the office this year but since I commute, I'm still in sneakers. I wear the footwear my role requires. So these heels are for when I met a fascinating group of amazing women for Lean In Manila. 

I've been so many things. Church receptionist. Preschool teacher. Creative writing for kids teacher. English teacher for Koreans. Senate slave. Speechwriter. PR girl. Writer. Magazine editor. Blogger. Influencer. Business owner. Speaker at women's events. Co-founder. Author. Book editor. And now communications manager at a thoroughly corporate corporation.

Every step into a new world was painful. I sound so casual about it, but I always cry and cry whenever I leave a job because, it can't be helped, I begin to identify as the job - always a bad idea, my long career experience will say. And leaving a job, getting fired (yes, I got fired for being honest!), getting laid off, is always shitty.

When I was a kid, I vowed I will be just one thing all my life. My mother was in Meralco forever and she said that's the dream - one company till you retire. Like a marriage, I guess. But my resume says I've not been one thing at all. 

My sons argued, "But you have been, Mama! You've always worked with words." 

"It's the only thing I'm good at."

It's been interesting being many things, meeting many kinds of people, jumping into things I know absolutely nothing about and just going, "Well, if I fail, then next!" I owe this confidence to Vince, by the way, because he catches me. And I catch him.

Anyway, I don't have a point. Just a story to tell. That life is interesting. And people are interesting. I just need to be curious and willing to say yes to new adventures, especially those I swore I'm not brave enough to do or know. Like new careers, marriage, children, people I thought I'd never be friends with, God.

I'm 46. I know I'm only just warming up. Whether that new world requires sneakers or heels, I'm still so excited to see where I'm going next!