Some Days Just Test Your Patience

Illustration by CJ’s Thoughts

Today was… exhausting.

I woke up at 6:30 AM, still a little sleepy but already thinking about the day ahead. Breakfast was simple: fried chorizo, rice, and coffee. Something warm and filling to start the morning. Honestly, coffee felt like the only thing holding my energy together.

By 8 AM, I left my little comfort zone at Louisie’s condo, where I spent my day off yesterday, and headed back to my own condo and get back to my usual routine. Mondays always feel a little heavier, but today came with something unexpected.

Apparently, someone from the Meralco team came to disconnect the electricity lines of the units I manage.

When I saw what was happening, I immediately stopped them. I explained that the payments were already settled, but at first they refused to listen. They insisted that they needed confirmation before they could reconnect anything.

That part alone was already stressful.

But what made it worse was what happened next.

One of them started hinting that he wanted some kind of “tip” so they could reconnect the lines faster.

Here in the Philippines, we call that “nangungutong.” Basically asking for money to do something they’re already supposed to do properly.

I was honestly shocked.

I told him there was no way I should have to pay just to reconnect something that was already settled. But after a long back-and-forth, I asked him if I could just give ₱1,000 so they could prioritize fixing it and reconnect the units immediately.

And he said yes.

I couldn’t believe it.

My head started hurting after that whole situation. Maybe it was stress. Maybe it was frustration. Maybe it was just the feeling of being forced into something that shouldn’t even be happening in the first place.

Still, after that, they finally reconnected the lines.

Problem solved… but not without draining a lot of energy.

Luckily, by around 2 PM, work became quiet. No new guest messages came in. Everything was calm again.

So I took the chance to take a nap.

Sometimes a nap feels like pressing a small reset button for your brain.

I woke up around 5:55 PM, just in time to finish the day and clock out. My head was still a little heavy, but at least the chaos of the day was over.

And honestly… I’m just glad it ended.

So yeah…

Some days will test your patience more than others.

You’ll deal with people who make things harder than they need to be. You’ll face situations that feel unfair or frustrating. But the important thing is getting through the day and solving the problem, even when it drains you a little.

Not every victory feels good.

Sometimes the real win is simply making it to the end of the day.

Today wasn’t easy, but hey… I survived Monday. And sometimes that alone deserves a little celebration.

Cheers? Cheers!