Halfway

I am born to a middle-class family.

I don't live in a mansion but I don't live in a shabby little hut either.
I live in a house my Pops designed and rents on a monthly basis.

We have a car but not a chauffeur.

I may not have feasts and eat like a king everyday but I never had to experience my family and myself going hungry.

I may not study in a prestigious exclusive school. However my Pops can afford to send me to a decent and acceptable university.

I prefer Nescafé over a cheap local brand of coffee but I find it impractical to spend a day's worth of allowance for a cup of Starbucks coffee.

I find it uncomfortable sleeping on a mat but I can go for years without an air-conditioner at home.

I don't have the money to buy designer tsinelas and branded outfits whose names take a mouthful to pronounce. On the other hand, I never find myself having to wear rags, hand-me-downs and sub-standard outfits.

I may not be what we call an anak-pawis but I'm definitely not a spoiled urban princess dependent on daddy's big fat bank account.

I have many privileges to be thankful for: A weekly allowance enough for food, transportation, likes and wants and fun and dates with my boyfriend. That aside, I have a nice cellphone, broadband Internet at home and occasional trips to restaurants.

I am born in a third-world country but there's food on the table, I live under a roof to shelter me from rain, I don't have to flip burgers at a fastfood joint to sustain my education, I am healthy and well-clothed.

But the most important thing is I'm happy and satisfied.

*I remember a character from The Zahir by Paulo Coelho. His name is Mikhail. Whenever he talks about himself, he speaks in the present tense. I simply followed his format for this blog entry.