Social Contract
Friday, November 09, 2007
Her Heart Sleeps...
“She’s there. She has never left that old cushion since she came here.”
3 months has gone by but for her, those months were like years making her feel weak and vulnerable to another blow. He left her. He left her once but this time she feels that he’ll be gone for a long time or probably never come back at all.
Tears flow through her eyes as she reminisces all the good times they had together. The old letters are scattered on the ground while their photos are laid on the table. Pain. Nothing could describe the hurt that she is feeling right now. No words could fit the emptiness in her soul. Nothing is left, aside from the pieces of memories surrounding her.
Memories of him, they are the pieces of her puzzle. But even how hard she try to finish the picture, there was always a part missing. Something was always missing…. or someone.
So she had a vacation. She thought this could help remove the pain. A long rest could help her forget. And it did.
She never felt so empty before. No pain, no tears and even hatred vanished. All was left was her and her empty heart. This is what it feels not to love. You won’t feel anything but stillness. There are no worries, there are no cries just silence. You can walk along the beach and take pictures all your heart’s desire, you could even dream of parties, malls and friends while resting under the shade of a tree. You need not worry about anything. All you can do is relax and think of the next thing you want to do.
This went on for days until she reached this hotel. It was a lot peaceful at Beach Peak Hotel than in any other hotel on the island. She got room 113, the place that has the prettiest view of the beach. Awestruck, she went to the veranda and was amazed by the light and art created by God. It was love at first sight and it was with nature. But what caught her attention was the old Spanish styled chair made of mahogany with the use of some maple on its back. It looked soft and inviting to her eyes. The cool hue of the cushion plus the soft pillows laid on its arms felt relaxing that she even felt asleep right away.
“She’s there. She has never left that old cushion since she came here.”
Yet she didn’t change a bit. Her face still speak of a thousand cries and her stare is still cold as ice.
Her soul yearns for a heart that cares; a prince who could promise eternity in his arms; a man who is willing to wait.
“You could forget everything about me but for me to do the same? It’s worse than death.” She whispers.
But she still believes all is just fantasy. Thus she sobers. Her heart was left in the coldness and stillness of the ocean. The high moon is now covered with thick clouds.
Darkness covers her face.
She slumbers.
3 months has gone by but for her, those months were like years making her feel weak and vulnerable to another blow. He left her. He left her once but this time she feels that he’ll be gone for a long time or probably never come back at all.
Tears flow through her eyes as she reminisces all the good times they had together. The old letters are scattered on the ground while their photos are laid on the table. Pain. Nothing could describe the hurt that she is feeling right now. No words could fit the emptiness in her soul. Nothing is left, aside from the pieces of memories surrounding her.
Memories of him, they are the pieces of her puzzle. But even how hard she try to finish the picture, there was always a part missing. Something was always missing…. or someone.
So she had a vacation. She thought this could help remove the pain. A long rest could help her forget. And it did.
She never felt so empty before. No pain, no tears and even hatred vanished. All was left was her and her empty heart. This is what it feels not to love. You won’t feel anything but stillness. There are no worries, there are no cries just silence. You can walk along the beach and take pictures all your heart’s desire, you could even dream of parties, malls and friends while resting under the shade of a tree. You need not worry about anything. All you can do is relax and think of the next thing you want to do.
This went on for days until she reached this hotel. It was a lot peaceful at Beach Peak Hotel than in any other hotel on the island. She got room 113, the place that has the prettiest view of the beach. Awestruck, she went to the veranda and was amazed by the light and art created by God. It was love at first sight and it was with nature. But what caught her attention was the old Spanish styled chair made of mahogany with the use of some maple on its back. It looked soft and inviting to her eyes. The cool hue of the cushion plus the soft pillows laid on its arms felt relaxing that she even felt asleep right away.
“She’s there. She has never left that old cushion since she came here.”
Yet she didn’t change a bit. Her face still speak of a thousand cries and her stare is still cold as ice.
Her soul yearns for a heart that cares; a prince who could promise eternity in his arms; a man who is willing to wait.
“You could forget everything about me but for me to do the same? It’s worse than death.” She whispers.
But she still believes all is just fantasy. Thus she sobers. Her heart was left in the coldness and stillness of the ocean. The high moon is now covered with thick clouds.
Darkness covers her face.
She slumbers.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Grandma, You’re Safe Here
After the Glorietta incident, my grandma was shaken.
In a place like Hawaii, most Filipinos have no more plans of returning to their native land. Of course, my grandma is an exception. She still visits us once in every 2-3 years. She is a brave woman and that is why I’m proud of her. At the age of 78, she still works at the airport as a baggage lady. And since she already has the senior citizen card, she can no longer find any high paying job suited for her. Then you ask me, why does she still work?
I really don’t know.
In a place like Hawaii, most Filipinos have no more plans of returning to their native land. Of course, my grandma is an exception. She still visits us once in every 2-3 years. She is a brave woman and that is why I’m proud of her. At the age of 78, she still works at the airport as a baggage lady. And since she already has the senior citizen card, she can no longer find any high paying job suited for her. Then you ask me, why does she still work?
I really don’t know.
This is really funny but every time I go to our province, I often ask my parents why there are no malls, shops or even Jollibee in our place. You know why? It’s because folks there don’t know how to invest.
So what happens to their money?
“Itinatali, kinukumutan at tinatago sa medyas sabay pasok sa sapatos.”
Yep, that is what my dad told me. Ilocanoes are quite a laugh even if I’m an Ilocano too. It is very fascinating to see and experience their simple lifestyle. They walk instead of buying a car. Scooters and bikes are more popular than cars, jeeps and even tricycles. Tractors are not that popular in their fields as well, yet when you ask them where their relatives are; they are probably in Hawaii or London working as nurses.
As I was saying, my grandma doesn’t need to save or buy anything. She doesn’t need to work at all knowing that she already saved a lot in the past and has her pension. She lives in a big house, probably a mansion, with my aunt and cousins. But because of the hard times she experienced in the past, she doesn’t want to give herself a break. She works to save- She saves money for my cousins who grew tired of studying and others that I never met before. She still works for her children. Now that is really disturbing.
As I was sitting on my dad’s old wooden chair, my attention was caught by the stairs of my grand parents’ house, imagining my dad and his other siblings playing tag inside the house. It might have been a small house in the past. With 5 rooms for a 6 member family plus their grandparents, aunts and uncles, it feels so big now. One of my dad’s brothers now lives there with his wife and son. Ate Karen, one of his daughters, now lives in U.K. with her husband and two kids while Ate Princess, an accountant and also their daughter, stays in Manila.
It’s pretty quiet now. The medals of my cousins, my uncles and my dad are rusty but they still sway by the stairs to remind us the happy and proud days of our family.
So what happens to their money?
“Itinatali, kinukumutan at tinatago sa medyas sabay pasok sa sapatos.”
Yep, that is what my dad told me. Ilocanoes are quite a laugh even if I’m an Ilocano too. It is very fascinating to see and experience their simple lifestyle. They walk instead of buying a car. Scooters and bikes are more popular than cars, jeeps and even tricycles. Tractors are not that popular in their fields as well, yet when you ask them where their relatives are; they are probably in Hawaii or London working as nurses.
As I was saying, my grandma doesn’t need to save or buy anything. She doesn’t need to work at all knowing that she already saved a lot in the past and has her pension. She lives in a big house, probably a mansion, with my aunt and cousins. But because of the hard times she experienced in the past, she doesn’t want to give herself a break. She works to save- She saves money for my cousins who grew tired of studying and others that I never met before. She still works for her children. Now that is really disturbing.
As I was sitting on my dad’s old wooden chair, my attention was caught by the stairs of my grand parents’ house, imagining my dad and his other siblings playing tag inside the house. It might have been a small house in the past. With 5 rooms for a 6 member family plus their grandparents, aunts and uncles, it feels so big now. One of my dad’s brothers now lives there with his wife and son. Ate Karen, one of his daughters, now lives in U.K. with her husband and two kids while Ate Princess, an accountant and also their daughter, stays in Manila.
It’s pretty quiet now. The medals of my cousins, my uncles and my dad are rusty but they still sway by the stairs to remind us the happy and proud days of our family.
Oh how I wish my grandma decides to go home. I don’t want her to feel her age in another country. I want her home while she is still strong so that I could show her how safe our country really is. That she doesn’t need to tie her money every time she visits here and persuade her that banks here are safe. "smiles"
