“Life is fleeting,” you whisper.
“Yes,” I answer, “and that’s why you’re noticing the little things.”

You glance at your son on the screen, solving equations or games.. whatever… It doesn’t matter.
Your husband laughs softly, feeding Elmo the sugar glider a pink marshmallow.
A cup of tea breathes steam in front of you.

“Debts still hover,” you sigh.
“They do,” I nod, “but they’re not the whole story. They no longer crush you the way they used to. Isn’t that something?”

Compared to the chaos others endure, this life—even with its cracks—
is still a gift, still a privilege. And the most important thing is… You own this life. You have total ownership of your own story, the debts, the unemployment, the scars, the sparks of joy, and everything in between. You own every detail of your life, you claimed it, proudly.

Yea… You said…softly at first..but then louder, prouder.

So what if I have debts? I will pay it all, no doubt about it. I know it was a mistake, but it’s my mistake! So what if I like to stay where I am? So what if I rather write prose about my life or some serious commentaries about current education in Indonesia? So what if I don’t like those people at the office? I own everything in my life!

And in that quiet moment,
you breathe,
and decide: Ownership is your focus word for this month. This is also your birthday month. It suits you. You claim your life. And that is beautiful.

Karin Sabrina