Tonight, I asked my roommate Ahne, if which country would she really want to go to but thinks that it would be impossible to do so.
She answered, Paris. Extremely expensive airfare.
I answered, Ireland. I do not know of anybody who goes for a vacation in Ireland. (Do you? Please let me know.)
Ahne and I were the same persons who would have gone ballistic had anybody told us about a year and a half ago that we would one day, get lost in the streets of South Korea. And we later learned the lesson that no “almost impossible” pinings and wishlist items are really that impossible when we were already on the soils of Seoul, ready to get lost and be lost.
The bottomline: always prepare to be surprised.
I grew up in a family whose both parents are working to make both ends meet. Although our lifestyle was modest, but we were still lucky to have some of our little wishes be granted from time to time. But the granting of these wishes didn’t come easily. In exchange, we had to do our part in the household chores, be extra well-mannered kids, and get good grades in school. Our parents made us understood from an early age that we have to work hard to receive what we want because the money that they will be using to buy it was also from hard work.
Living by that lesson that our parents taught us also paid off. I was able to travel to some parts of the country (for free) while still studying, from joining competitions during elementary and high school. In the university, being a student writer allowed me the perk of travelling for free to different places. My parents understood and supported these little trips that I had to make, and it was also one way of gaining their trust by showing them that I can take care of and handle myself given any situations, amidst different people, and even away from home.
So now that I am working, I make sure that I set some amount of money for travelling or for a short vacation, even just once a year. I would like to think that I’m a wise traveler, I don’t spend overboard (a cheap but clean, well-researched hotel is waaaay okay for me) and I do everything “old school”---I save for it. I don’t even have a single credit card.
So, here are my “almost impossible” dream destination list. Also included are the things that I will do if by God’s grace, I’d be given the chance to set foot on them one day. As a recall, I hugged the Gyongbukgong gates (take note: gates, not gate) in South Korea.
I’ll just let luck, hardwork (savings for airfare and accommodations, uuuugh!), and my gypsy feet surprise me.
Toss a coin while wearing a gypsy outfit on the cliffs of IRELAND.
Have a photo of the Sphinx, kissing me on the cheeks, in EGYPT.
Camp in the SAHARA. Sleep and wake up to all of that immense space----I’m still undecided whether that immensity will scare me or leave me awed.
Picnic under the cherry blossoms in JAPAN.
Wave and shout, “Hey Moon, can you see me from out there?”, in the Great Wall of CHINA.
Fall in love Sing my all time favorite, “Does the Moonlight Shine in Paris”, by Paolo Santos under the Eiffel Tower in PARIS.
Touch the peak of Mount Everest from a distance in NEPAL.
Toast myself in the waters of Santorini in GREECE.
Sip hot chocolate in the middle of nowhere in ALASKA, while witnessing the Aurora spectacle.
For the past months, this blog has become such a happy place, my very own piece of happy bubble that it had been filled with entries about my travels, adventures, and amusing anecdotes.
And in the process of using my bubbly spirit as the medium of documenting my activities and thoughts for the past months, by trying hard to be light and always perked-up in my entries, I have forgotten some vital things that before I knew it, I backslid yet again into a cranky and grumpy person that I myself, even hate to deal with.
For the past months, while basking over my happy bubble, I ignored the part of me that asks questions and cries out for meaning. I’ve forgotten my “writing voice”---that particular tone and pattern in my writing which has been like my definite identity. I even consciously ignored the voices of anger and pain and melancholy, all in my effort to only recognize and write “happy”.
Now, what I’ve proven is the fact that whatever it is that one tries to cover will always, by any means, find a way to resurface---even haunt you in your dreams, especially in those moments when you feel that your happy bubble is indestructible. Maturity in writing and in life as well, isn’t about the capacity of masking any fears and doubts and going about with a happy face. I think, it’s more of acknowledging the presence of these not-so-happy elements, finding the courage to let them wash over but not overpower you, and in the end, choosing happiness over them. I think these two approaches, are entirely different, if not worlds apart in meaning.
Happy or sad, bubbly or melancholic, light or heavy---I need to always remember that all of these are part of my writing voice, are part of what makes me as a person.
So this blog is again welcoming entries with emotions which are as volatile, as raw, and as honest (hopefully) as its owner.
There’s nothing like a Frenchwoman when it comes to wearing scarfs---there’s always this breath of au naturale when it comes to how they twist and turn their scarfs around their necks.
I couldn’t exactly trace if when or how did I start to like scarfs soooo much that if somebody would impose that I should be wearing one every day, I wouldn’t complain a bit.
How can one not love scarfs? They are perfect instant light blankets for long trips, sun protector for people like me who believe that umbrellas were just invented for the rainy days, and they can instantly spice up a boring outfit on days when you are too lazy to play doll up. Sometimes, I think that being bundled up in a soft scarf can be a good substitute to an actual hug---though I’m still partial on this, okay?
Honestly, I only have four scarfs and all of them are so overly used that I wouldn’t be surprised to hear them call out for surrender. This reminds me to invest a little bit more in them. So, my future daughter might be astounded that aside from good genes (Do I hear any complaints? Ahahahaha!), all that she might possibly inherit from me are my good old books and my collection of scarfs.
The cyber community is again buzzing with a recently viral video of the actress, Maricar Reyes.
…but this time, it’s about her beautiful and heartfelt wedding to local singer, Richard Poon.
From her infamous and scandalous video years ago, Maricar rose up from that controversy into a woman who proves that amidst the uproars and forces to crumble one’s dignity and spirit, taking the high roads is always the best defense. She proved that silence isn’t for the weak and sometimes, to remain so despite the strong urge to defend one’s wounded pride, is a true test of strength of character.
With that, she became the perfect epitome of grace under pressure.
Maybe, God decided that for all that she had to bear, it is just right to bless her with a kind of love that has the capacity to erase all the shame and self-doubt that she felt when the shadows of her past came after her, a few years back. We all, at one point in our lives, have done crazy things (some of them are admittedly cringe-worthy enough) all for the name of LOVE. She was just one unlucky lady to have hers broadcasted all over the country. Her choice to remain silent might have raised a lot of eyebrows, but I believe that it was the best decision to save her pride (or what might have remained of it).
Her story is an inspiration to all ladies, an eye-opener that God doesn’t only give second chances, but many chances and options as well, to those who refuse to let their past mistakes define them. It gives a glimmer of hope to those ladies who feel that they are broken, reminding them that a woman’s worth can always be restored by the right choices, with the right attitude, with the right people, and by God’s abounding grace. Her story was proof that no amount of force that targets to crumble our dignity and worth as women, can ever stop us from setting and resetting our standards another bar higher.
If I will have a daughter one day, I hope that I can be able to hone her into a woman who knows her worth and strength as a woman. I will tell her that it’s always okay to set high standards because she is worth it. I will keep on reminding her, despite the popular opinion, that it’s okay to set high standards because God will help her to reach those standards. I will teach her to never settle for anything less than what she deserves.
In the present times, men like Richard Poon---men who knows how to respect, cherish, and honor the women whom they love, are definitely rare. The way he opted to have their first kiss as a couple on their wedding day might probably be too old-fashioned for the taste of others, but it was a very sweet and sincere way of showing that he honors his wife. And I’ll bet my one cent that even the most cynical among us must have had their hearts turned into slush upon seeing that first, shy kiss of this couple. That first kiss couldn’t be described any better than, sweet.
I hope that the men who got a chance to watch the video, would have gotten an idea or two on how to not only love, but to cherish and honor the women in their lives. It would be such a great joy to have more men who would start realizing that physical expression is an extremely beautiful way of confirming and showing love, but the thing is, it can always wait.
I am praying that if I get to have a son one day, I fervently pray that God would give me the grace to inculcate in him respect for every women. I hope that he would grow up into a man who perfectly knows that when he loves a lady, he loves the heart, the mind, and soul of that lady--- and that he would gain strength and manly pride in letting the lady whom he loves realize how beautiful he finds the totality of her being.
So ladies, let us never doubt that God had already reserved a beautiful story for us in his collections of love stories. Honestly, I’m starting to get jaded, what with the countless stories of heartbreaks and betrayals that we see and hear everyday.But stories like this are a confirmation that God is in control if we just let Him be.
And while waiting for our own love story to unfold, let us demand for every ounce of respect and honor that we are worthy of, as ladies of strength and of character.
*While writing this, my heart was actually terribly bleeding, for one of my ultimate crushes had already tied the knot. But Maricar’s one fine lady, so I’ll gracefully give in. *wink*
