Sunset

That feeling of awaiting the slow and yet breathtaking moment of the sun coming down is one of the sweetest and most thrilling things on earth. And even after is sets, the feeling hangs on, and goes on, letting you long to see it again.

The joy of watching it from afar brings a special kind of closeness to one's heart. True love is the same. It's gentle nature renders strong feelings to your soul. Everybody wants to love and be loved, but it doesn't mean carelessly putting your heart at risk all the time. Instead, give this most precious possession to somebody who is worth it.

True love transcends time and space. True love is non-business, selfless. Seeing the loved-one happy makes the lover even happier. True love is beyond the material dimension, which then makes it, by nature, last for more than forever. Then it must be, like a warm sunset, that spark in the eyes of a sweet soul completely in love with the Supremely Lovable, God.

Photo credit: http://shruthi-daydreams.blogspot.com/2012/08/again-whats-love.html

Hurt-and-Ran

Passer-by's turned their heads to me as I rushed towards her, in high hopes of saving her. If she is not badly hurt, I might bring her to the sidewalk where she would be safer. The night became selfish of its darkness which allowed me to see her clearly. She was in terrible pain. She was kicking her legs in a very slow rythm. She was already swimming in her own blood. I thought it was too late. I walked on, eyes wet and heart broken. I could no longer stare at her dying slowly. I merged myself into the flow of uncaring strangers who just glanced and walked away. How much I wanted to save her! But her chance of surviving is already very small.

A spirit of sadness and guilt haunted me from the back. To justify what I feel, I entertained the thought that it was already late in the evening and I was just victimized by a snatcher the night before. And also, by that time, all pet clinics would already be closed.

Coming home, I immediately hugged Tiny, my pet cat, and cried as I narrate the horrifying hit-and-run story of the cat to my mother. Then it came to me, the realization of the big difference of how I feel about things before and now. At 13 of age, before becoming a vegetarian, I'd laugh at things like this. But today, I cried. When I was younger, I can intently watch a dead body of a cat being run over repeatedly by the vehicles on the road, and laugh at it as if it was a Tom and Jerry episode I enjoyed watching as a kid. But today, even just the thought of laughing will crush my being. What to speak of actually hurting and killing the body of a cat, or any animal, so I can eat it afterwards?

I will never regret this step I took years ago, simply for the love and care I feel for them--for the souls seen through the eyes of each cat and other animal body. I'm glad that in this simple way, I could help lessen their unnecessary pain and suffering. I'm so thankful that I am a vegetarian.

Photo credit: http://sabarton.blog.com/files/2010/09/CatHugWet.jpg

Witness

The jeepney is almost empty when I jumped in. I avoided the seat near an old woman in ragged clothes and muddy feet. She's been carefully inspecting each corner and sides of the seat. She is looking for coins.

I held onto my bag tightly and activated my alert mode to be ready in case she suddenly decides to rob us other passengers. After passing a few streets with traffic gradually building up, a man with a backpack boarded our jeepney. He opened his bag, took out a bread and handed it to the old woman. She humbly said "Thank you." The woman took a bite of the generous bread before getting herself busy again with coin-hunting. Triumphantly picking up the seemed to be last coin she needed, she, without any delay, exclaimed "Bayad po!" The charitable man who was suppose to pass her fare to the driver refused to take the coins from her dirty hand and said "Keep it, I'll pay for you." "Thank you," she said as she turned her face away shyly.

My heart melted. My face growing pallid in guilt and embarrassment. How can I just witness something like this. I was unfair to quickly judge the old woman based on her external appearance. Now, she's just one person I wish I could be. She roughly has anything, and yet, she still wanted to be honest enough and pay for her own ride. I wish I have also been as sensitive and compassionate as the man who immediately offered assistance to the needy old lady. I wish, I wish I'll never be another unfair judge and witness again...

Choco Float

I gotta fix this terrible mood. That's why, I got myself one large chocolate float. The mood almost wanted to explode finding that there was no empty table for me. Crowded malls and restaurants, a sign that Christmas is nearing. I went to a four-seater table and shamelessly asked the two old men seated if they'd be willing to share their table with me. They seem not to mind at all. And I f****n' don't mind too. It's not cool to sit with two grandpa's? I'm not after babysitting my false ego right now.

I watched one of them clumsily pick up each piece of french fries, while the other one was making all effort in directing the burger to his mouth. They were taking their sweet time having their snacks as they talk about deep and old things. Across our table is a girl who keeps smiling at me. I keep smiling back at her too as if it is the only way I could respond. Maybe she's met me in the past, but I don't remember. When the old men were finished eating and are about to leave, I suddenly felt lonely, as if I'm gonna miss them. Even though they didn't even give a single drop of attention to me, it felt like I've enjoyed my entire chocolate indulgence with two grandpa's of my own. I checked for my smile-mate girl, but she too, has already left.

How I pitied myself, staring at the chocolate float glass I emptied. I felt some bright colors twirling inside me now, but I'm sure it isn't from the monochromatic chocolate float. It was from the smile of the stranger across our table. It was also from the company of the other two strangers who were kind enough to share a table with me. I realized that although we are strangers to each other, we opted to exhibit the human characteristic of kindness and warmth.

I learned my lesson. I'll never resort to a chocolate float again...

By the way, my two grandpa's are still here with me. They didn't leave yet for they heard that Garfield is about to come on stage. We are now like kids of the same age mocking that tall Garfield mascot dancing to the song "Oppa Gangnam Style."

Today Writer

As early as 10 years of age, pen and paper were her best pals. She didn't write poems. She didn't write essays. She wrote fictional stories. She wrote stories about adventure, tragedy, fantasy, drama, about friends, families and even young love.

More than 10 years later, the girl found her old scraps and notes. She read them, and laughed heartily for she finds them immaturely compelled to step up from innocence.

She stopped writing. Today, she writes again. Fictional stories are not on the list. She'll make poems and articles. Was the little fiction writer yesterday different from the trying hard poet today?

No, they are the same person. Yesterday was a daydreamer. Yesterday was a wishful child. Today is a woman, a woman trying to live in the real world. Same writer. But today, after many years, maybe she has had many experiences. Today, maybe she has more prolific, profound, and realistic or true to life stories to share.

Photo credit: http://ingridsnotes.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/girl-writing-in-journal.jpg

Defense of the Ancients

Takbong-lakad.

Nagmamadali.

Sa ika-sampung computer shop,

"'To na dapat ang huli."


Pawis na pawis,
Sa pagod ay baon.
Sa tonong tuyo't sa pasensya,
dagliang nagtanong.

Salamat hindi na
pinataas aking altapresyon
sapagkat magandang balita
ang kanyang tugon.

Colored ink,
sila'y mayroon!

Matapos silipin
dokumentong ii-imprenta,
"Hihintayin niyo po ba,
o babalikan na lamang?"

Kunwari'y nag-isip.
Nais ko'y magpahinga
kaya
"Hihintayin ko na lamang."

Ilang beses umikot
kamay ni Ginoong Orasan.
Bawat tanaw sa kanya,
si Inip nagbabadya.

Hanggang sa may pumasok
payat na binata.
Kapansin-pansin,
mga labing pulang-pula.

Kung umasta'y
'sang dalagitang suplada
na tinapunan ang mukha
ng pulbos na luma

"Dalawang oras po, kuya!"
Nakakagulantang niyang salita.
Dumikit aking mga mata
sa nagpapakadalaga.

Tamang-tama,
kay Inip, paalam na.

"Marahil, magfe-facebook siya
mga gwapo'y hanap niya.

Kung hindi naman, magpo-post siya
ng mga litratong ipapahusga."

Iyan ang nagmamatalino
at walang pasintabi kong teorya.

Matapos okupahan
pula ring salumpwet,
ibinaba ang mga gamit
at nagsuot ng headest.

Tila matindi
inihandang konsentrasyon.
Mga daliring bayolente
hampas dito, hampas do'n

Ginuhit na mga kilay
ay pinagsalubong.
Mga labing gigil,
pait ang umuusbong.

Ilang minuto ang lumipas,
hindi ako nakatiis.
Dahan-dahang tumayo
at marahan lumapit.
Sa nagpapakadalagang
may pantalong pitis,
tumaas ang isa kong kilay
at sa sarili'y nanliit.

Ang dala-dalagahang hinusgahang pilit
Sa larong DotA (Defense of the Ancients) naaakit...

Photo credit: http://www.freewebs.com/dota-stk/

For Sale!

Business. Everything in today's world is FOR SALE. Yet, nothing had enough price or value to be irreplaceable.

True love, true life is next to extinction. Everything is humorous, especially city life. Elusive, transitory, exhausting. Everyone and everything is about speed, as if stopping means death. So nobody stops to reconsider, to be human again. It is so unreal, illusory. They've become robots -- dead and walking.

Overlapping of words, failure to finish a sentence. "Life is too short, have to move to the next stage." Citizens know harmony no more, living parallel lives like disconnected universes. Everyone simply strives for their own space.

Along with advancing technology and industrialization, we have made the supposedly simple life more complicated and expensive. But we are, by nature, connected. We are, by nature, gentle, tranquil and free.

Aren't we aware, that this world and this life were given to us
without price tags?

Photo credit: http://www.spencersundell.com/blog/_img/movies/