Hey everyone!
Yes, this is the second time I'm posting this, gomen ne about that. But, like I said, here's a little snippet of what took Momo three nights to finish!
Much love and keep dreaming,
Momo
And until the story reveals its name, I think a proper name for it will be "Let's Save the World"
It is her favorite time of the day. It’s the moment when all sleepers and dreamers wake from their slumber to open their windows and breathe in the fresh air of a new day. It is the hour when coffee is still piping hot and soft snoring could still be heard from the next door neighbors. It’s those mornings when you can still sit with the moon, question reality, and talk about going to 9 ¾ station. But this morning is different. The clouds seemed unusually ominous, which she strangely related to. They seemed to blow raindrops from their cupped hands with a smirk on their gray faces, snickering at the world below from the company of the early morning sky. Those “angel tears” brought her attention to the bright golden sun that had seemed to scare last night’s stars, for their lights had grown dim and fewer of them had the courage to stay and witness the sun’s morning show.
She had only a few minutes to enjoy watching the city wake up, but now it was time to get ready for a new day. She looked at her tired face in the mirror and giggled, “Should I try makeup today?” She grew up not knowing how to do girly stuff and decided that for her own good and for the eyes of others, that she’s not going to care about that kind of stuff. She only liked playing with the colors anyway. Regretting her decision to experiment with makeup that expired two years ago, she removed what eyeliner had smeared on her cheeks and washed the bold pink color off her lips. “Today is going to be interesting,” she told herself as she changed into proper work attire. Feeling the cold floor under her feet, her eyes shifted to her mother’s old, worn-out heels, which she desperately tried to stuff her feet in. “Whatever,” she sighed as she threw them into her “I’m going to deal with later” pile next to her little corner used for late night sketches and crying/fangirling sessions. Using whatever free arms space was left, she hugged her unaffectionate cat before running out of the door with one shoe on. Of course she forgot her phone and whatever important things she needed as a proper, responsible adult her parents would be proud to introduce to other people.
But who cares? I like my cat. I like my cat and my Korean dramas and taking myself out on dates at fancy Italian places and coffee shops. I keep life simple, yet enjoy an adventure now and then. So for now, I’m going to wait for a best friend, keep telling my co-workers that I am not free on the weekends, and follow the Japanese tourists around the city like a stray cat. Who needs a guy anyway when you’re already busy shipping people in the Korean Drama world and in real life? Don’t you know what it takes to be a full-time fangirl AND handle real life at the same time? It’s a tragic reality. Seriously, fangirls have it tough. So, next time you meet one, give her an ice cream cone and walk away silently. Fangirls tend to have unpredictable mood swings, especially if her OTP is in trouble.
However, I think that it’s her mere presence that makes people drawn to her-the right people I mean. The type of people who look at you and say, “Wow, you’re inspiring to me,” and not inspecting you like a mirror would if you’re some weight or a height. Although it’s taken her a while to finally get a hold on being an adult, I think that this was what took her the longest to accept, that not all people will get you. In fact, it could take years for people to figure out you. Not everyone will understand your thought processes and your dreams, and that’s ok. Your dream is not for everyone to understand, and that’s why it’s so special. Maybe those people are still trying to find their dreams and they’re lost in that scary, lonely, world we know all too well.
But over the years, she’s finally accepted to stop worrying about what’s going to happen in the future. Take chances and be brave even when you’re scared and you want to hide in a corner with an “I’m having a moment” post-it stuck on you. Because life’s all about putting yourself out there as if you’re doing it just for the mere happiness that it brings. And even if no one will be able to recognize the dreams and little joys that make up you, that that’s ok too. It’s not something that we should focus on. Bringing happiness to other people’s lives and stepping out of our comfort in order to change someone’s life is a much better mindset to have anyway.
So, as Mimi (Mee-mee) Song entered the bustling streets of Manhattan with half of her hair brushed and coffee splattered all over her black blazer as if a toddler had too much fun with a paint brush, she breathed in deeply and smiled. She smiled knowing that even if the world seems like one big stressful bubble, that’s it’s up to her to make life happy. How else are you supposed to find joy in life if you’re not choosing to be happy when life gets hard?
Ignoring all eye contact to avoid high levels of stress like talking to people and saying awkward “good morning’s” that no one hears anyway, Mimi scurried past the staff on the first floor of the Manhattan TV Station like a troubled substitute teacher. Timing her elevator ride perfectly so that she wouldn’t have to ride in the same cart as another person, she hid behind a random pillar stuck in the middle of the spacious foyer. She then counted for thirty-seconds precisely before darting strategically to press the elevator button, which was a daily high-panic routine. Enjoying her victory, she hopped up and down in the elevator and danced like an elephant attempting the “Swan Lake,” until someone had the great idea to press the elevator button on the next floor. Pretending that she didn’t attempt to wave at the staff that had entered through the elevator doors, she laughed nervously. An immense wave of regret passed through her as she knocked her fist on her head and whispered to herself, “Mimi, you idiot!” When the monotonous “beep” sounded that signaled her stop, she let go of the breath she had been stressfully holding in. Mimi laughed deliriously as she put one foot in front of the other shakily as the doors to the elevator opened like clouds parting to let the sun’s rays through and used every rusty muscle she had not used since 8th grade PE to run to her office and recover from the unfortunate experience.
Mimi’s job, which happens to be a step to her dream job as an executive producer at the Manhattan TV station, has been a roller coaster of ups and downs, learning experiences, and little happinesses. Although her job does not pay as much as most jobs in Manhattan, it is something to support her and her cat. So far, she’s done well as an assistant producer. However, a couple weeks ago, there was an unfortunate moment when she had accidentally spilled a tray of old coffee all over the floor in front of the cameras and on the skirt of an angered TV host. And because she has great problem-solving skills, she panicked and yanked an intern’s tie off his neck and desperately tried to crawl beneath the camera’s view to wipe up the spill. Of course, because she’s a flexible and agile swan, she slipped and twisted in ways that she didn’t even know her body could stretch in to, and Mimi in all of her glory, fell directly on stage, while the cameraman was still filming. It gives poor Mimi such chills thinking about it, that when she does, she has to stop what she’s doing and give herself a moment to wipe the beads of sweat off her forehead and force her teeth to stop rapidly chomping up and down like some disturbed beaver.
Even though Mimi feels like a long and awkward, yet somehow still fat and pudgy lump on a log next to the perfect people and staff members who take time to look professional and wear expensive clothes, she’s realized a few things. After a few nights of listening to rock music while holding a pot of rice like a teddy bear and eating the rice off the paddle with tears streaming down her face and then perhaps a tub of ice cream or two, she has come to the realization that sometimes stuff like this happens in life. And sometimes, you just need to laugh it off, even if that means that you have to let go of some pride in order to breathe and move on. Because in life, there will be disappointments, failed attempts, and we can even let others down unexpectedly. But, it’s the courage to pick ourselves back up and smile through the tears that make us a stronger person, even if that process itself is difficult, as cheesy as that sounds.
When the TV segment ended and it was lunch break, Mimi was quite relieved to get fresh air outside so that she can recover from the harsh lighting and the fast-paced work. The air was perfect. It’s that time of year when you know fall is approaching by simply breathing in the crisp air that fill your lungs with memories of family traditions and pumpkin treats. Pulling her blazer tightly around her, she shuffled her feet to the bench she normally sits on and coaxed one of those small yellow birds next to her with a crumb from her sandwich. All the other benches and chairs require a timed, well-thought out plan of escape and a list of excuses if she’s feeling extra brave because they are closer to the building. But, today, she just wants to settle and have one-on-one deep, philosophical conversations with herself. Other staff members had made their way to the other tables, set their popular people stuff on the table, talked like popular people would, and avoided people like her. But it’s not like she doesn’t like other people or hate being around them, in fact, people are amazing God-created beings! It’s just that she has a tendency to slither away in a corner and use every last excuse she can make to avoid stressful conversations. To make it simple she doesn’t “people.” As she found something healthy enough in her bag and opened the lid, she accidentally zoned out on her manager who gave her a disgusted, “Oh, look at me, I’m so cool and popular” sneer as she was licking yogurt off a spoon. Realizing what she did, she immediately looked in the opposite direction and scolded herself. “Seriously, Mimi! They already don’t like you!” As an intern, cringe-worthy moments like this used to bother her a lot more, but she soon learned to laugh it off, while promising herself she can have an ice cream cone later. As Dr. Seuss wisely said, “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”
As the work day passed quicker than expected, thoughts filled Mimi’s mind as she swayed back and forth to the constant stops and goes on the subway ride home. Because as she was remembering of all of the successes and failures that made her the person she is today, she can finally recognize how important it is to not only take care of other people, but to take care of yourself. For it’s funny how people function. Some people are like the steady firefly glow of city lights. They are always there to light the way when you need it, yet most people pass by them without saying a word, as if they didn’t matter. Others are like the wind, they come and go, change some people’s lives, but can never stay forever and are inconsistent. And some are like rain, some hide away from them and complain about their presence, while others see the beauty in them and smile brightly, even when no one else sees it in them. And I think that this is what’s wrong with society nowadays, is that there are so many people out there who need help. There are so many people in this world who are insecure about themselves and are having a bad day, and it seems like there’s no hope out there for those facing the world alone. These people need to see the beauty of life, the gems hidden in places unexpected, and the amazing quality of their dreams. But most of all, they need to meet the One who created them to be who they are today.
And I think that this is what my life goal is, to reach out to other people for God. To show them that they matter, that their presence is needed in a world that’s falling apart, and that they have a purpose made by a Creator. Because even though the world is corrupt and sinful, we are still here for a reason and the world is still a beautiful place to live in, if you chose to see that beauty in it. And for the places that really need help, we should be grateful for the certain liberties and comforts we live in and keep those parts of the world in prayer. And I want to stop caring what other people should think. I want to turn the situation around and show them the beauty of their dreams, the preciousness of their mere being, because even the bullies should be reached out too. We are just as human as they are. And most of all, I want to dream fearlessly. I want to put myself out there with a brave face even when I’m scared and frustrated with myself. Because when you stop and think, life is too short to be doing anything but being happy and fulfilling a plan that God made for us. And yes, it’ll be hard, it’ll hurt a lot, and sometimes it’ll be unbearable to deal with, to the point that you want to give up and hide from everything. But, I think that there’s meaning to our pain, reasons to smile, and hope to keep going. There’s places to travel to and people to reach, from all across the globe to our own families. There are so many reasons to keep going, to keep breathing, and to fight every last battle to protect God’s dreams for us. So, what do you say...Want to save the world with me?
To be continued. (Maybe)