Tuesday, July 10, 2012
The Terrific Trail of the Tagbilaran Trikes
The Boholanos are known for their "religious fervor," but I would never have realized how true it is until last week.
From the ride from the airport to our host's house (which is a very short ride), I already have noticed evidence of the people's religiosity, for, conspicuously displayed on every tricycle we met (the major mode of transport) were religious quotations. I was so fascinated that every time I walked the streets of Tagbilaran, I would stop and read what every passing or parked trike has to say. And even when I was mobile, it didn't matter if I had to strain my neck just to catch the phrases at the back of the trikes we passed by.
I listed them down. There were common favorite bible verses such as "The Lord is my shepherd," or "For God so love (sic) the world." Some chose rather unusual passages like these two: "Jesus weep,"(sic) and "From the far east." It blew me away! I mean, you would have to know your Scripture to identify which book and chapter these came from. I challenge you.
Then the nuggets of wisdom, not really from the bible, though some probably from Proverbs, i don't know but check it out: "Hold your tongue and you will hold a flood," Life is a delicate thing, handle it with prayer,” and “We grow old because we stopped playing.” And then for some Christology: “The message of the cradle contains the message of the cross.” Beat that!
For the less imaginative there’s the “In God we trust” and “God bless our way.” The former topping the list for the most used. Second perhaps on the list is “Love God.” Why not? Short and sharp, like a two-edged sword.
For those who are lukewarm about their salvation they might need some jolt from the fire and brimstone stuff like “Repent and believe in the Bible.” And for those who prefer a Marian flavor, how about “Holy Mary, Mother of God”?
There were also take offs from popular slogans: “Go for God” and “No God, No Peace.”
Soon my sisters were joining me in my preoccupation. For some time we were laughing for one sister joked about it being a requirement imposed by the mayor on all tricycle drivers, and that they drew lots for the verses, and those trikes without anything written on them were “kolorom” (unregistered).
It happened that the driver of our host has just bought a tricycle franchise, so we asked him in jest what verse will he print on his trike, segued with our favorite joke about it being “required.” I almost could not believe what he told us, that it was indeed a requirement by the LTO!
In my utter amazement I did not anymore get to ask for details, like whether they really drew lots for it or what. I still find it funny but I could not help but admire the Bol-anons for their “religious fervor.” Well, it can be argued that the message does get lost by triteness, however, it also depends on the one receiving it, whether you take it seriously as God’s gentle reminders or brush it off like dandruff on your shoulder. Well, sabi nga ng isang trike: “Thank’s God for everything!” as in everything including dandruff! =)
The next time I visit Bohol I’ll check out the “religious ice drop.” Somebody just told me they have the verses on the popsicle sticks! Till then!
Ironic
It started with a gift card.
I intended to go to Eastwood but ended up in Bonifacio High street.
I intended to buy me a cd and a craft book but ended up buying two fiction books.
The (mis) adventure began in Fully-Booked, Trinoma. I thought they also had cd selections. Now at least i know they don't. The cute sales assistant told me, rather reminded me, they have cds in their "other" branch.
Lesson #1: Stick to the original plan!! In my mind I was blaming myself already. I should have gone straight to Eastwood. Instead went to Trinoma because commuting was easier.
So i just asked the sales assistant how to get "there." He kindly and charmingly gave me directions: take the train to Ayala, then take the bus going to The Fort. "Tapos baba kayo sa high street." Hah! I should have taken the clue from that, that we were talking about two different Fully-Booked branches. But my mind was busy memorizing the directions. So off I went.
The bus station was not easy to locate, nor was high street because in my mind i was picturing eastwood. so i had to rely on a security guard, a sidewalk vendor and the lady beside me in the bus for directions. When i got off i felt so lost. I asked another guard. This time i felt so stupid haha! It was then that I realized I was in Serendra and not in Eastwood! But when i got to the bookshop I felt so triumphant. There at the fourth floor were the cds, shelves and shelves of them. Unlike in eastwood they only had one. Happiness!
Two hours later i still have not found what i liked. Options overload! So i decided to look for my craft book first. I found them rather expensive. So I went down to the fiction section first while i think it over, again. Another hour passed. By this time i was already weary from hunger and indecision. It was then that i thought of asking for help. I sms'd for suggestions. "Fiction or non-fiction?" she asked. I said, "kahit ano." So she suggested two fiction books. I succumbed.
As I walked out of the bookshop tired and hungry, now also frustrated. I thought of the alanis, workshy, kevyn and nyoy, and all the cds i have not chosen. And my craft book. Lesson #2: Stick to the original plan!!
It was my first time to be alone in Serendra, and to commute back home from there. I saw "C5" on the jeepney signs. I asked the barker: "Pano po pumunta ng Katipunan?" Then he pointed me to another jeepney and said i get off at Service Road and from there ride another jeep to Pasay. "Malapit na yung Katipunan dun, mga 2 kilometers na lang." I thanked him with all the cheerfulness i could muster, because i was also so pleased to hear that I was not so far from home.
I followed the instructions of Manong barker. What he said was true, Katipunan was just about 2 km from Service Road...but it was Katipunan Village! How would i know there was a Katipunan village in Taguig?! Lesson #3: Specify, clarify and verify. ANd study the map of Manila.
I rode the jeep again and just asked the driver to drop me off at the nearest train station. At least I am familiar with the train routes. While I was getting lost in Manila my cellphone beeped. "Kumusta?" the message read. I immediately replied hoping to find comfort and company (kahit virtual lang). After two exchanges I was dismissed. "It's like 10,000 spoons when all you need is a knife... Life has a funny way of sneaking up on you. Life has a funny way of helping you out." I sang. Lesson number four.
Sigh. It all started with the gift card that will expire next week.
However, even after all the misadventures I thank God i arrived home safe and dry. The heavy rain poured as soon as i got inside the house. "It's like ray-e-ain on on your wedding day. It's a free ride when you've already paid. It's the good advice that you just didn't take. Who would've thought... it figures." =)
Friday, February 15, 2008
Uuwi
“Uuwi ako sa’min,” masayang pagbabalita ko sa kaklaseng postulant.
Dalawang buwan pa lang ang layo ay ipinamamalita ko na na uuwi ako sa amin sa Davao. Siyam na buwan ako dito sa Maynila, ito na ang pinakamatagal na panahong nalayo ako sa amin. Sabik na akong makitang muli ang aking mga magulang. Nagkahiwalay na kami nang higit sa isang taon noong nagbakasyon sila sa mga ate ko sa ibang bansa, ngunit iba pala ang kirot ng pangungulila kapag ikaw ang lumisan.
Labimpitong araw lang ang ibinigay sa akin na bakasyon kung kaya kinakailangan kong sulitin ang bawat araw, oras at minuto nito. Gumawa ako ng talaan ng lahat ng mga nais kong gawin, bukod pa sa mga dapat kong asikasuhin doon. Pinlano ko na ang bawat araw – saan ako pupunta, anong aking gagawin at sinong aking makakasama. Pakiramdam ko, munting bata akong nagbibilang ng mga araw bago sumapit ang aking kaarawan, dahil sabik na sa mga regalong matatanggap.
Ngunit nang papalapit na ang araw ng aking pag-alis ay nakadama ako ng lungkot, na di ko maintindihan noong una. Lungkot pala na may halong takot. Lungkot, dahil batid ko ang bilis ng takbo ng oras, at alam kong ‘sing bilis ding lilipas ang mga araw ng bakasyon ko sa amin. Sa dami nga gusto kong gawin parang kulang na kulang ang oras. Takot, dahil baka ang pagkasabik ko ay mauwi lang sa pagkabigo, dahil ang lahat ng inaasam kong balikan ay natangay na rin ng ihip ng pagbabago at hindi ko na muling mababanaagan man lang.
Hindi ko maitatangging marami na rin ang nagbago sa akin. Mga bagong karanasan at kaalaman na dulot ng paghubog bilang isang postulant, at malayo sa pamilya at malalapit na kaibigan. Mga bagong karanasan at kaalaman na humubog sa mga bagong pananaw at paninidigan. Ang bagong ako, sa katunayan, ang takot na baka hindi na maunawaan, baka maging dayuhan sa sariling pinagmulan.
Ang araw bago ako tumungo ng Davao ay nataong kapistahan ni San Aloysius Gonzaga, at siya ring ipinagdiriwang na kapistahan ng mga nobisyo sa aming kongregasyon. Naisip kong angkop na angkop ang pagkakataon, mas naging makabuluhan ang aking pag-uwi sa amin dahil ang katunayan ay hindi lamang ako magbabakasyon doon kundi maghahanda rin para sa pagpasok ko sa nobisyado.
Noong araw na iyon nakaempake na ang lahat, handa na ang aking mga maleta at bag. Kailangan ko na lamang ihanda ang aking puso at isipan. At ito ang ipinanalangin ko sa Panginoon.
Kinabukasan, araw ng aking pag-alis, pagkagising ko ay iyon pa rin ang panalangin, hanggang makasakay sa eroplano. Lumapag ang eroplano sa paliparan ng Davao 6:50 ng umaga. Paglabas ko ng eroplano, ang unang sinag ng araw na dumampi sa aking balat ay para nang isang mainit na yakap ng pagsalubong.
Habang nasa taksi hindi maawat ang kumustahan at kuwentuhan namin ng kaibigan kong sumundo sa akin. Ngunit ang mga mata ko rin naman ay parang viewfinder na sinusuyod ang bawat madaanan ng tingin. Parang nang mga sandaling iyon ay kaya kong gawin ang maraming bagay – makinig, magmasid at magsalita, nang sabay-sabay. At para bang ang lahat ng nasa paligid ko ay maaliwalas.
Ngunit tila ang haba-haba ng biyahe samantalang hindi naman kalayuan ang bahay namin sa paliparan. Nang sa wakas ay nakarating rin kami, natanaw ko na ang pamilyar na harap bahay. Naroon pa rin ang lumang dilaw na sofa, ang berdeng cabinet na yero, ang rattan na mesang bilog, at ang mga halaman ni mommy na tila mas dumami. Nasa bahay na nga ako. Sinalubong ako ng aking ama at ina. Anong higpit ng yakap ko sa kanila.
Pagpasok ko ay tuloy agad kami sa kusina. Nakahanda na ang almusal, ang hiniling kong pritong galunggong, kamatis at sinangag. Ang sarap ng pakiramdam nang nasa sariling bahay. Ganito marahil ang isang isdang ibinalik sa dagat mula sa isang aquarium. Parang ang lahat ng lungkot at takot ko bago ako umalis ay nalimutan na, at nagmamadali akong simulan ang araw.
Unang araw pa lang ay hindi na nasunod ang aking iskedyul. Ganoon din ang nangyari sa mga sumunod na araw. Ngunit gayon pa man tiniyak kong ang lahat ng nais kong gawin ay magawa ko - mamalengke kasama ang aking ina, maligo sa dagat, mag-ballroom dancing, magluto para sa mga kaibigan, mamigay at magbenta ng mga gamit na hindi ko na magagamit. At higit sa lahat, pumirmi sa bahay at lasapin lang ang panahong kapiling ang aking ama’t ina.
Noong mga natitirang araw bago ako bumalik ng Maynila parang nais kong haplusin at yakapin ang bawat dingding, kabinet at sulok ng bahay namin, nang sa gayon ay magkaroon ng konkretong pakiramdam ang alaala ko dito. Ngunit alam kong hindi na iyon kailangan. Dala-dala ko naman parati ang puso ko.
Marami ang nagbago mula nang iwan ko ang Davao. Ngunit mayroon din namang nananatili, tulad ng pagmamahal at ng grasya ng Diyos, na saan man ako mapadpad ay parating naroroon at kayang tawirin ang ano mang pagitang nilikha ng pagbabago.
“Uuwi na ako sa Biyernes,” pagpapaalam ko sa kaibigan. Noong patungo ako sa Davao ang sabi ko ay uuwi na ako. Noong pabalik naman ako ng Maynila ang sabi ko rin ay uuwi na ako. Saan nga ba ako uuwi? Nasaan nga ba ang tahanan ko?
Sa aking pag-alis sa Davao hindi ko napigilan ang aking pag-iyak. Una, sa mas mababaw na dahilang hindi ko alam kung kailan uli ako makakabalik doon, pinakamaikli na siguro ang dalawang taon kung ako ay magno-nobisyo na sa susunod na taon. At ang pangalawa, dahil alam kong sa pinili kong bokasyon ay wala akong maituturing na permanenteng tahanan. Naaalala ko parati ang sabi ni Hesus: “May lungga ang asong-gubat at may pugad ang ibon, ngunit ang Anak ng Tao’y wala man lamang matulugan o mapagpahingahan.”
Kung nais kong sundan ang bakas ni Hesus sa buhay na ito, ngayon pa lang ay dapat ihanda ko na ang aking sarili na tanggapin ang katotohanang ito. Hindi madali ito, alam ko, ngunit nananalig akong ang grasya ng Diyos ang magbibigay-daan. “Kung sino man ang sa Akin ay manahan, mananahan din Ako sa kanya,” pangako ng Panginoon.
Isang hamon din sa buhay na ito ang maging tanda ng malawak na tahanan ng Diyos, tahanan na parating bukas at nag-aanyaya. Dahil dito mas naunawaan ko ang sinasabing: kung nasaan ang ating puso doon tayo mananahan. Nananalig ako na kahit saan man ako dalhin ng aking mga pangarap makakaasa ako sa pagmamahal ng Panginoon, uuwi at uuwi rin ako.
Dalawang buwan pa lang ang layo ay ipinamamalita ko na na uuwi ako sa amin sa Davao. Siyam na buwan ako dito sa Maynila, ito na ang pinakamatagal na panahong nalayo ako sa amin. Sabik na akong makitang muli ang aking mga magulang. Nagkahiwalay na kami nang higit sa isang taon noong nagbakasyon sila sa mga ate ko sa ibang bansa, ngunit iba pala ang kirot ng pangungulila kapag ikaw ang lumisan.
Labimpitong araw lang ang ibinigay sa akin na bakasyon kung kaya kinakailangan kong sulitin ang bawat araw, oras at minuto nito. Gumawa ako ng talaan ng lahat ng mga nais kong gawin, bukod pa sa mga dapat kong asikasuhin doon. Pinlano ko na ang bawat araw – saan ako pupunta, anong aking gagawin at sinong aking makakasama. Pakiramdam ko, munting bata akong nagbibilang ng mga araw bago sumapit ang aking kaarawan, dahil sabik na sa mga regalong matatanggap.
Ngunit nang papalapit na ang araw ng aking pag-alis ay nakadama ako ng lungkot, na di ko maintindihan noong una. Lungkot pala na may halong takot. Lungkot, dahil batid ko ang bilis ng takbo ng oras, at alam kong ‘sing bilis ding lilipas ang mga araw ng bakasyon ko sa amin. Sa dami nga gusto kong gawin parang kulang na kulang ang oras. Takot, dahil baka ang pagkasabik ko ay mauwi lang sa pagkabigo, dahil ang lahat ng inaasam kong balikan ay natangay na rin ng ihip ng pagbabago at hindi ko na muling mababanaagan man lang.
Hindi ko maitatangging marami na rin ang nagbago sa akin. Mga bagong karanasan at kaalaman na dulot ng paghubog bilang isang postulant, at malayo sa pamilya at malalapit na kaibigan. Mga bagong karanasan at kaalaman na humubog sa mga bagong pananaw at paninidigan. Ang bagong ako, sa katunayan, ang takot na baka hindi na maunawaan, baka maging dayuhan sa sariling pinagmulan.
Ang araw bago ako tumungo ng Davao ay nataong kapistahan ni San Aloysius Gonzaga, at siya ring ipinagdiriwang na kapistahan ng mga nobisyo sa aming kongregasyon. Naisip kong angkop na angkop ang pagkakataon, mas naging makabuluhan ang aking pag-uwi sa amin dahil ang katunayan ay hindi lamang ako magbabakasyon doon kundi maghahanda rin para sa pagpasok ko sa nobisyado.
Noong araw na iyon nakaempake na ang lahat, handa na ang aking mga maleta at bag. Kailangan ko na lamang ihanda ang aking puso at isipan. At ito ang ipinanalangin ko sa Panginoon.
Kinabukasan, araw ng aking pag-alis, pagkagising ko ay iyon pa rin ang panalangin, hanggang makasakay sa eroplano. Lumapag ang eroplano sa paliparan ng Davao 6:50 ng umaga. Paglabas ko ng eroplano, ang unang sinag ng araw na dumampi sa aking balat ay para nang isang mainit na yakap ng pagsalubong.
Habang nasa taksi hindi maawat ang kumustahan at kuwentuhan namin ng kaibigan kong sumundo sa akin. Ngunit ang mga mata ko rin naman ay parang viewfinder na sinusuyod ang bawat madaanan ng tingin. Parang nang mga sandaling iyon ay kaya kong gawin ang maraming bagay – makinig, magmasid at magsalita, nang sabay-sabay. At para bang ang lahat ng nasa paligid ko ay maaliwalas.
Ngunit tila ang haba-haba ng biyahe samantalang hindi naman kalayuan ang bahay namin sa paliparan. Nang sa wakas ay nakarating rin kami, natanaw ko na ang pamilyar na harap bahay. Naroon pa rin ang lumang dilaw na sofa, ang berdeng cabinet na yero, ang rattan na mesang bilog, at ang mga halaman ni mommy na tila mas dumami. Nasa bahay na nga ako. Sinalubong ako ng aking ama at ina. Anong higpit ng yakap ko sa kanila.
Pagpasok ko ay tuloy agad kami sa kusina. Nakahanda na ang almusal, ang hiniling kong pritong galunggong, kamatis at sinangag. Ang sarap ng pakiramdam nang nasa sariling bahay. Ganito marahil ang isang isdang ibinalik sa dagat mula sa isang aquarium. Parang ang lahat ng lungkot at takot ko bago ako umalis ay nalimutan na, at nagmamadali akong simulan ang araw.
Unang araw pa lang ay hindi na nasunod ang aking iskedyul. Ganoon din ang nangyari sa mga sumunod na araw. Ngunit gayon pa man tiniyak kong ang lahat ng nais kong gawin ay magawa ko - mamalengke kasama ang aking ina, maligo sa dagat, mag-ballroom dancing, magluto para sa mga kaibigan, mamigay at magbenta ng mga gamit na hindi ko na magagamit. At higit sa lahat, pumirmi sa bahay at lasapin lang ang panahong kapiling ang aking ama’t ina.
Noong mga natitirang araw bago ako bumalik ng Maynila parang nais kong haplusin at yakapin ang bawat dingding, kabinet at sulok ng bahay namin, nang sa gayon ay magkaroon ng konkretong pakiramdam ang alaala ko dito. Ngunit alam kong hindi na iyon kailangan. Dala-dala ko naman parati ang puso ko.
Marami ang nagbago mula nang iwan ko ang Davao. Ngunit mayroon din namang nananatili, tulad ng pagmamahal at ng grasya ng Diyos, na saan man ako mapadpad ay parating naroroon at kayang tawirin ang ano mang pagitang nilikha ng pagbabago.
“Uuwi na ako sa Biyernes,” pagpapaalam ko sa kaibigan. Noong patungo ako sa Davao ang sabi ko ay uuwi na ako. Noong pabalik naman ako ng Maynila ang sabi ko rin ay uuwi na ako. Saan nga ba ako uuwi? Nasaan nga ba ang tahanan ko?
Sa aking pag-alis sa Davao hindi ko napigilan ang aking pag-iyak. Una, sa mas mababaw na dahilang hindi ko alam kung kailan uli ako makakabalik doon, pinakamaikli na siguro ang dalawang taon kung ako ay magno-nobisyo na sa susunod na taon. At ang pangalawa, dahil alam kong sa pinili kong bokasyon ay wala akong maituturing na permanenteng tahanan. Naaalala ko parati ang sabi ni Hesus: “May lungga ang asong-gubat at may pugad ang ibon, ngunit ang Anak ng Tao’y wala man lamang matulugan o mapagpahingahan.”
Kung nais kong sundan ang bakas ni Hesus sa buhay na ito, ngayon pa lang ay dapat ihanda ko na ang aking sarili na tanggapin ang katotohanang ito. Hindi madali ito, alam ko, ngunit nananalig akong ang grasya ng Diyos ang magbibigay-daan. “Kung sino man ang sa Akin ay manahan, mananahan din Ako sa kanya,” pangako ng Panginoon.
Isang hamon din sa buhay na ito ang maging tanda ng malawak na tahanan ng Diyos, tahanan na parating bukas at nag-aanyaya. Dahil dito mas naunawaan ko ang sinasabing: kung nasaan ang ating puso doon tayo mananahan. Nananalig ako na kahit saan man ako dalhin ng aking mga pangarap makakaasa ako sa pagmamahal ng Panginoon, uuwi at uuwi rin ako.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
One More Chance
Yes this is about the movie… hehe
A friend shared with me her professor’s insight. According to her, he said that even though two people love each other so much they still need space.
True. Isn’t it that if we stare at something that’s held too close to our face our vision of the object gets obscured. Much is true with any relationship I believe. It is either we project ourselves to the other, we take control because we want them to be like us. Or we are the ones who let the other take control over us, we just conform to the needs and wants of the other and we end up losing our identity in their shadow. It depends which side of the fence are we in.
Sometimes too because of too much intimacy (too much intimacy, is this the right term? but you know what i mean), the special things that a person does to us become too ordinary when we’re so used to it. Much worse, the person who used to be so special to us becomes too familiar and eventually gets taken for granted.
My own insight: we may love someone so much yet still choose to hurt the person. Sometimes it is our “love” that even causes the pain, whether for good or for bad reasons, whether consciously or unconsciously.
I am both an offender as well as a victim of love, in my relationships with God and with people. Until now I cannot understand why loving could be so painful yet so wonderfully beautiful. I remember a txt message from a hopeless romantic friend, it says: loving could be very painful, but it’s so amazing to know that no matter how hard it is, loving is still the simplest and best way why you find yourself moving on... well, it is our choice whether to let our feelings of guilt or of fear of being hurt cripple us or make us bitter in love. i'd say go for broke! ...hahaha easier said than done i know. but with God's grace, we can see it through.
“Love and get hurt. Get hurt and learn. Learn and love again.”
Eeew… :)
A friend shared with me her professor’s insight. According to her, he said that even though two people love each other so much they still need space.
True. Isn’t it that if we stare at something that’s held too close to our face our vision of the object gets obscured. Much is true with any relationship I believe. It is either we project ourselves to the other, we take control because we want them to be like us. Or we are the ones who let the other take control over us, we just conform to the needs and wants of the other and we end up losing our identity in their shadow. It depends which side of the fence are we in.
Sometimes too because of too much intimacy (too much intimacy, is this the right term? but you know what i mean), the special things that a person does to us become too ordinary when we’re so used to it. Much worse, the person who used to be so special to us becomes too familiar and eventually gets taken for granted.
My own insight: we may love someone so much yet still choose to hurt the person. Sometimes it is our “love” that even causes the pain, whether for good or for bad reasons, whether consciously or unconsciously.
I am both an offender as well as a victim of love, in my relationships with God and with people. Until now I cannot understand why loving could be so painful yet so wonderfully beautiful. I remember a txt message from a hopeless romantic friend, it says: loving could be very painful, but it’s so amazing to know that no matter how hard it is, loving is still the simplest and best way why you find yourself moving on... well, it is our choice whether to let our feelings of guilt or of fear of being hurt cripple us or make us bitter in love. i'd say go for broke! ...hahaha easier said than done i know. but with God's grace, we can see it through.
“Love and get hurt. Get hurt and learn. Learn and love again.”
Eeew… :)
Monday, September 24, 2007
Timing
I was practicing my guitar strumming the other night, keeping in mind what a well-meaning passerby in the classroom earlier told me, that if I know how to dance strumming would come easier for me because it’s all about timing… Timing, timing, timing…
I do dance but why isn’t this easy for me, I was already getting frustrated. As I lay in bed I continued to be bothered by my strumming. I tried to conduct with my hands while singing… 4/4… 3/4... and I just suddenly remembered my elementary years.
In my school back then, students are the ones who lead in the flag ceremony. There is always someone asked to “beat,” to be the conductor. I realized that I was never asked to beat nor did I volunteer for it… precisely because I hardly attended the flag ceremony! Now that’s a different kind of timing I thought.
Yes, I was notorious for being always late for school. Shame on me talaga! My motto then was “Better late than never” hahaha! Seriously, I was always being called by the Guidance Counselor. Well, expectedly, I did get suspended for repeated tardiness. Honestly, I’m still thinking why it was so hard to break the habit. Where could it be coming from? Apart from over-sleeping I feel like there’s something deeper in my unconscious. Being in formation where discernment is, and should be, a way of life I have learned to ask: Where is this coming from?
Anyway, I carried on the reputation until college. I had this one professor whom I kidded that I lived far from the city and had to commute to school for more than an hour that was why I was always late for my 7:40am class with him. I never thought he took me seriously. One day after class he asked me if I really lived far from the city because he saw me waiting for a ride along the highway near our house which was actually just a few minutes from the university. Apparently he had checked my address from the department’s files. Hahaha! Mabuti nalang friends kami kaya hindi ako dinebar!
Another professor, on our last meeting for the semester, told the whole class “Ok, we’ll wait for Ms. Oñate to lead the closing prayer.” Well, kwento na lang ‘to ng classmate ko kasi I didn’t show up that day…why?...because I was so late I decided not to go in. Am I not pathetic? But had I known my professor waited for me I would have gone in even for the closing prayer… Hahaha! Kapal tlga!
Even if I laugh about my “misconduct,” I feel guilty about it (promise!). I struggled so much to get out of it, you know it’s that kind of thing you promise to change as the clock strikes 12 and a new year comes. For years I did that, frustratingly to no avail. Surprisingly though, as I got more in touch with myself I discovered that there are certain activities or circumstances that gets me up right on time, even early, always. Like how I was never late for mass, except for unforeseen delays. So being late was truly a choice I was making subconsciously. And having known that I knew I had a choice what to do about it.
Change of course is not possible without God’s grace. As I continued to pray about my “malady” I noticed that I was gaining progress. In fairness from 15 down to 2 minutes na lang haha! Seriously, I have somehow learned timing, time-management and honoring the time of others as I continue to struggle. I may be a slow-learner in this aspect but I know God will see me through.
Now I need to learn strumming.
I do dance but why isn’t this easy for me, I was already getting frustrated. As I lay in bed I continued to be bothered by my strumming. I tried to conduct with my hands while singing… 4/4… 3/4... and I just suddenly remembered my elementary years.
In my school back then, students are the ones who lead in the flag ceremony. There is always someone asked to “beat,” to be the conductor. I realized that I was never asked to beat nor did I volunteer for it… precisely because I hardly attended the flag ceremony! Now that’s a different kind of timing I thought.
Yes, I was notorious for being always late for school. Shame on me talaga! My motto then was “Better late than never” hahaha! Seriously, I was always being called by the Guidance Counselor. Well, expectedly, I did get suspended for repeated tardiness. Honestly, I’m still thinking why it was so hard to break the habit. Where could it be coming from? Apart from over-sleeping I feel like there’s something deeper in my unconscious. Being in formation where discernment is, and should be, a way of life I have learned to ask: Where is this coming from?
Anyway, I carried on the reputation until college. I had this one professor whom I kidded that I lived far from the city and had to commute to school for more than an hour that was why I was always late for my 7:40am class with him. I never thought he took me seriously. One day after class he asked me if I really lived far from the city because he saw me waiting for a ride along the highway near our house which was actually just a few minutes from the university. Apparently he had checked my address from the department’s files. Hahaha! Mabuti nalang friends kami kaya hindi ako dinebar!
Another professor, on our last meeting for the semester, told the whole class “Ok, we’ll wait for Ms. Oñate to lead the closing prayer.” Well, kwento na lang ‘to ng classmate ko kasi I didn’t show up that day…why?...because I was so late I decided not to go in. Am I not pathetic? But had I known my professor waited for me I would have gone in even for the closing prayer… Hahaha! Kapal tlga!
Even if I laugh about my “misconduct,” I feel guilty about it (promise!). I struggled so much to get out of it, you know it’s that kind of thing you promise to change as the clock strikes 12 and a new year comes. For years I did that, frustratingly to no avail. Surprisingly though, as I got more in touch with myself I discovered that there are certain activities or circumstances that gets me up right on time, even early, always. Like how I was never late for mass, except for unforeseen delays. So being late was truly a choice I was making subconsciously. And having known that I knew I had a choice what to do about it.
Change of course is not possible without God’s grace. As I continued to pray about my “malady” I noticed that I was gaining progress. In fairness from 15 down to 2 minutes na lang haha! Seriously, I have somehow learned timing, time-management and honoring the time of others as I continue to struggle. I may be a slow-learner in this aspect but I know God will see me through.
Now I need to learn strumming.
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