I'm sure everybody can relate to this scenario: Feeling so down because you lost your most precious wallet and praying that hopefully the one who got your wallet would at least return the important cards, mementos or photographs inside your wallet. Yung tipong ganito ang dialogue mo: Kunin nya na lahat ng pera, pero sana isauli naman yung mga churva ko. Money is definitely replaceable but the special mementos we keep inside our wallet mean a lot to us.
I have experienced my wallet being snatched from me when I was studying High School in Caloocan City. Fortunately, I was able to get my wallet back because I chased after the thief. That was how important my wallet was to me (and still is), not because of the money inside it (duh barya lang naman ang laman nun) but because I held important cards and mementos there. Until now that I'm a grown up, mahilig pa rin akong maglagay ng mementos sa wallet ko, tulad nang:
- My East West Bank ID - because whenever I see this photo, it reminds me of happy times spent in East West Bank. The photo in this ID also reminds me that once upon a time I wore braces on my teeth.
- SSS Card - because this card reminds of the time I graduated from College. Ang una ko kasing ginawa nang mag-graduate ako from College is to get my SSS card.
- My 2 Health Cards: (1) Private Health Fund and (2) Medicare from the Government - these cards make me feel safe. yon na!
- Credit Cards - Visa, Mastercard and AMEX
- Calling Cards - I keep calling cards of important people or establishments that I might need to contact: Chris' call card just incase I need to contact him in the office; my bank's customer service representative just incase I need assistance regarding my banking needs; my ex-recruitment officer's card just incase I meet a Filipino somewhere and needs assistance in finding work here in Sydney; my gay hairstylist's card so I can always check the salon if he/she is there; and Max Brenner's calling card--hehehe, so that wherever I go, I'd always know if there's a Max Brenner nearby (Max Brenner's card has a list of their branches in their card)
- Driver's Licence
- 5 Dirhams note - from Chris, souvenir from Dubai.
- Lord of Pardon misal - I won't feel safe if I don't have this inside my wallet
- Photographs - (1) of Chris and (2) of Chris and I
What about you? What's inside your wallet?
Since we're already on the topic of wallets, let me also share with you this forwarded email I got a few years back. This is one of my favorite essays forwarded via email:
Take Care of Your Wallet
"... you don't want all these better-looking wallets. You want
yours, because of how comfortable it is, because of all the cards and
pictures and other stuff in it."
My old Humanities II professor used to tell us that wallets were a
lot like girls, "Dapat mong ingatan, kasi kung hindi mo iningatan, baka
may mangyari."
I know what he means. I just lost a wallet, and I just lost a girl.
You know, it's the same thing. One day, you just realize it's gone. You
try to look for it everywhere, even going back to the places where you
could have lost it. You think, and you think hard, only to come upon a
grim realization: it's really gone.
Of course, you can hold on to some hope. After all, there have been
some very, very lucky (blessed?) people who got theirs back. Perhaps you
could become one of those people. You sit around at home and you hope
that someone would call, and that you would get it back. But then, some
time passes,and you realize that it's still gone, and you realize that
it's time to let go.
The first few days, you turn to your friends for support. Some tell
you you'll be ok, some tell you it was your fault and that you should
have been more careful, and some tell you about their own experiences.
They give you all sorts of advice, none you haven't heard before.
You then go out to find a new wallet, only to realize that you don't
really want a new one. You want the old that you lost. No, you don't
want all these better-looking wallets. You want yours, because of how
comfortable it is,because of all the cards and pictures and other stuff in it.
You go out and carry on without a wallet, keeping your money in your
pocket instead. You throw away stuff that you would have held on to if
you had your old wallet. And then, finally, you find a new wallet you
like and settle in.
You then start filling your new wallet, little by little. It still
doesn't feel as comfortable as the old one, but it's getting there. Then
you start putting in cards and pictures and other important stuff into the
wallet.
Soon enough, there's as much stuff in your new wallet as the old
one. And then, after some time, you feel as comfortable with your new
wallet.
And then you realize that you've almost forgotten you ever had your
old wallet. Sure, you still remember most of the stuff you lost with
that wallet. But then again, you don't remember the hurt when you lost
it.
That's because that wallet you lost is no longer yours. You're no
longer holding on. This new wallet you're holding has all the important
cards and pictures and stuff that you need. This is your wallet.
And this time, you tell yourself you're never losing this one.
- Anonymous
This entry was inspired by Anne's tag "What's inside my Wallet?". Please feel free to tag yourself.
