Introducing myself

Greetings! I'm Kharl, or you may refer to me as @kharlynn, a moniker endearingly bestowed upon me by my beloved girlfriend. I'm based in Cebu, situated in the Visayas part of the Philippines, famously known as "The Queen City of the South."

When I was younger, I was very curious to learn about and try out new things, so I took piano lessons, voice lessons, dance lessons, and painting classes. Regrettably, I didn't succeed in those endeavors, and I was dissatisfied. To however escape and cope with the harsh truths of life, I turned to basketball. It gave me a feeling of direction, and I started to solely think about winning. No matter how big or tiny my troubles were, I always forgot about them when I was dribbling that ball. Even if I wished I had the motivation to excel in other endeavors, I was happy to have found something that made me feel so deeply happy.

Traveling, outside basketball, became one of my go-to therapies. I enjoy getting a closer look at things I've only ever seen on screens. I've always wanted to explore the world and see different architecture, try new foods, and take pictures. I have traveled beyond the nation, most recently to Singapore after visiting Thailand, Cambodia, Kuala Lumpur, and Thailand. Yet, for a while I felt lacking since I was not content doing all of this by myself. I did have my family, but I didn't really feel that they provided the type of companionship I was longing for.

The 15th of December 2021 saw a terrible storm impact Cebu. We gave it the name "Bagyong Odette." Buildings had been razed to the ground, trees had been left without leaves on some of them, and trees were lying next to the grass. It had been an extremely difficult period then. Every home was left with damaged windowpanes or holes in the roof. There was no electricity or access to running water. For about a month, it seemed like the end of the world. But as Filipinos, we seek joy in the presence of sorrow. We find happiness in the void of sadness. I met my girlfriend, the love of my life, during that month. I found the one individual with whom, in the words of Aladdin, I would love to share a completely new universe. I found a friend, a lover, a companion, and an enemy all in one person.

Hey, I'm a guy who values his family a lot. I have many motives to achieve, and one of them is to make my family happy. It sends chills down my spine to know that all of their sacrifices have finally been worthwhile. Who wouldn't, after all? They had finally received some fruit from the seed they had nurtured for years. It is okay to consume the fruit of the tree you helped grow while being carefree. I adore my mother, but my father and I get along much better. This is because I stayed with my dad and developed close ties with him while my mother was gone working abroad. He treated me not just like his kid, but also like a friend. We shared countless tears together, laughed at pointless jokes, and even wrestled just to make me smell his armpits.

I'm also grateful to my professors @monsiou and @fabio2614 for introducing me to Steemit as a new outlet for my emotions and a potential cure. What a life I had, full of ups and downs, a goodly amount of tears and laughs. But if I only continued to gaze back, how far could I get? I'm now anticipating what lies ahead. As the great Oogway would put it: "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift." and I intend to keep it that way.