Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Do You Look Like Your Passport Photo?

“43 years of living out of a suitcase.”

Among other things, this was how the life of a couple who served God all over the world, was described.

And you would think that having their life described as 43 years of living out of suitcase, they would look much worse than their passport photos!

But they don’t. In fact, they look the exact opposite—that is, they looked like they’ve been living very well in a nice comfy house all their lives. The harsh realities of life that usually show in people’s faces left no marks in theirs. There was nothing in them that gives off a sense of rootlessness or unsettledness. They seem to be people who knew who they were, where they've been, what they’ve done, where they’re at and where they’re going.

Wow.

I’ve lived out of a suitcase for a significant number of years myself—and there are certainly times when I definitely feel like (and, I'm sure, look like) my passport photo! I can’t quite say that like this couple, I have no feeling of unsettledness and rootlessness. Many times I still feel that sense of what’s next--with which I would respond with either an “oh, no!” or an “oh, joy!” Hopefully, more often with the latter than the former.

But then again, I’ve obviously experienced less than what they've been through—or less than what God has put them through to get to where they are at this point in their lives.

I guess too, that there is this matter of attitude and choice on how to take what life dishes out to you. And one thing that life seems to be dishing out to me in heaps is air mileage (and no business class upgrade to show for it!)

Not something my environment-conscious friends will be happy about—polluting the world with my “carbon footprints.”

Carbon footprints aside, I will just make a commitment to myself to choose not to look my passport photo.

And hopefully, after x number of years of living out of a suitcase—and a pink one at that—I can, not only choose to look gazillion times better than my passport photo (through natural means, thank you)—but feel just as good, too!

13 comments:

Abaniko said...

OMG! What about me? My passport photo looks better!

Abaniko said...

And I'm not even photogenic....

Unknown said...

Ack! Given a choice, I would prefer my passport photos anytime, over that of my driver's license mug shot where I look like one of those most wanted individuals pasted at the NBI HQ. :-D

vernaloo said...

In answer to your question mare, nope...I totally hate my passport photo!!!

Wil said...

Well, you can always buy carbon credits to offset all the CO2 emissions from travelling. hehe

Toe said...

Wow, can't imagine 43 years of living out of a suitcase. Baka naman kasing-laki ng bahay yung suitcase nila. ;)

ipanema said...

i hate my passport photo. :)

yes, it's nice to look at our natural self huh? sans airbrush and magic brush. :)

Anonymous said...

I hate my passport photo.

I wish you well in your travels and hopefully you feel good all the way.

Anonymous said...

i was living in and out of suitcases the past 15 years until i went on early retirement. but i have never once encountered a problem, even if most of the time i didn't look like my passport picture. except for my voice, even my high school and college students would not recognize me--i have different faces.

Gypsy said...

Abaniko, it's okey, you should still be assured of your 'kapogian' since your mom said so!!!

Rudy, hehe...mukha ka palang wanted? Magkano naman ang reward for capture if ever?

Verns, I am NOT convinced--you are one of the most photogenic people I know! I am sure kahit sa NBI picture gwapa ka pa rin!

Wil--hmmm-the word "buy" doesnt suit me, hehe, kuripot ako eh. Maglakad na lang kaya ako?

Toe--you might just be right, things and mountains of things accumulated over the years! Hay, thats another good topic to blog about...

Ipanema, ay banidosa ako eh, kaya nga you wont see photos of me in my blog hehe...

Leah, seems like everyone hates their passport photo! Hehe..and the fact that we are not allowed to smile in our passport photos makes it even worse!

Sexymom, hehe. What's your secret?

carlotta1924 said...

i don't like my passport photo either. i take a look at it just once and that's it. hehehe.

i've always liked living out of a suitcase too. :D

James Higham said...

I can’t quite say that like this couple, I have no feeling of unsettledness and rootlessness.

This is me - in a foreign country for half my life, taken in and made welcome and yet adrift from any roots.

The only roots are the woman who wants you as her man and with her you go everywhere and with a protecting star, it's enough.

For me, home is where my woman is but she sometimes feels the same and so I lead.

Jen said...

yun din ang wish ko! and i hope that someday my suitcase won't be on its own... may kasama na sya na very manly suitcase :- )