A girl so distinct

This is Paula. She is one unique child.

Paula was born in the kingdom of Brunei Darussalam; a small country hardly heard of especially in this part of the world, except to a few who recognize its ruler, the Sultan of Brunei - once richest in the world (and still contending). Yet, Paula does not and could/would not claim citizenship of that land.

She was born with perfect and contoured eyebrows anon to the beholders from the the moment I had spewed her out of my body - so discernible that the medical team thought they were creases or perhaps smudges from what primal matter that accompany the just delivered infant. Her head was dark with hair covering her entire scalp, and her skin russet. Now At 14, she still bears these features, more prominent to boot.

Paula is fondly referred by family as simply, "Pochay". The nickname was coined by her dad, Ramon who, like any other father, thought that she had a particularity. From where Pochay was appellated, nobody knows.

At 6 months old when we started weaning Paula with solid foods , it was not the jar babyfood Gerber oftentimes babies are conveniently fed that she appealed to. She liked the mashed and blended natural foods I prepared for her. They were beans, broccoli, chicken meat, rice, tomatoes, potatoes, and unusually enough, liver. Yep. She liked liver. And she still does.

Paula is nine years younger to her brother, but she has always followed his bearings. She seems to think she is his clone. She is not your typical girl who likes dresses and fanciful articles, instead she opts for t-shirts, long shorts, jeans, and her favorite Vans slipon shoes. She doesn't accessorize herself with jewelry or other paraphernalia, but has bought herself an electric guitar. She now owns two, the recent one a gift from a new friend. She continues to teach herself how to pluck, strum, and slide the instrument with her fingers, and has a song or two she has so far mastered. Alt rock songs: Green Day - her favorite band - songs.

Paula also takes her academics seriously, and has consistently maintained her 'A' mark. She does her homeworks in between watching the Filipino Channel's soap operas and snacking on her favorite sweet kernel corn. Oftentimes I would come home and find her still working on her Algebra, managing to solve the mathematical problems while watching the protagonist on the 'teleserye' (tv series) crying her heart out, and a bowl of corn alongside.

Puberty didn't convert her playfulness and fondness for toys. She has an eclectic collection of novelty items. Sometimes when I am taking a restful loll in my bedroom, she would nonchalantly come in wielding her Jedi light saber at me, while some days she would decide to dig into her collectibles, for instance assemble her eccentric and anomalous hats. She does not fail to remind everyone around her that she is a singular soul in her evolving adolescent self.

I could relentlessly characterize Paula for the daughter she is to me, the sister, the granddaughter, aunt, niece, cousin, friend to others in her life, but simply she is truly a paragon of distinctiveness and existence.