problems are not the problem, coping is the problem

i am impressed by people who display a cheerful facade no matter how big their problems may seem. take our laundrywoman for example, she never fails to greet everyone in our home with an energetic and singsongy "good morning" coupled with a sweet smile. she also always has a good story to tell or a pleasant comment to throw at anyone who passes by our backyard where the laundry station is. to think that she has this backbreaking job of washing and ironing more than 50 kilos of clothes in a day and that what she is earning is not enough to feed a family of 10, she still manages to be enthusiastic about life. even lifting other spirits up with her sunny disposition.

i stayed home all day. the ambiance here is reeeeaal heavy resulting from the silent treatment between my mom and dad and the former's whole day crying marathon. since morning, i tried confronting each of them to ask what the problem was and neither said a thing. as much as i don't want to meddle in their husband-wife affairs, i can't help but be concerned because the issue (whatever it is) has been here for too long and it's affecting the rest of the family.

i believe in the power of compromise. i have read somewhere that "compromise, if not the spice of life, is its solidity. it is what makes nations great and marriages happy". basing on my own experience, this text is true. when i learned how to compromise with b (he's always been a "fan" of it), our relationship moved on to the next level. everything with him is just complete bliss. we don't seem to have anything to fight about anymore and when we do, it just goes under the category of petty quarrels which we now know how to handle with grace.

next to proper communication and trust, i think compromise is what's missing in my parents' relationship with each other. one will just cry in a corner without the other one knowing that there is something wrong. one will speak her heart out without the other one paying attention. one will guzzle up several bottles of beer thinking it will help solve the problem. one will suggest what's needed to be done while the other won't cooperate for such absurd reasons.

sigh, i hope they can resolve this soon. if only they will open up with me, maybe i can give them tips on how to have a better relationship. *wink*