Birthday 2014

A week of celebration and a lifetime of friendships and great memories.

With a Heavy Heart...

Hello! As the man walked in his house, he knew that his days were numbered. Not that he was to slip away, but his stay in this beautiful abode he made his own nest for the last number of years was to expire. 

He took a look at the three glass cabinets made exclusively for his place. It was filled with knick knacks and curios from all around the globe. He took a glance at the dining table, with its display that changes in season. Then a short glimpse at the living room set which was used for a few hours by his friends who came to visit once upon a time and celebrated a birthday, the first and the last of a celebration.

The house was filled with memories, both happy and sad. It was where he found his one and true love, someone who is missed whenever he visits the place. It was where his cousins came for pictorials as the interior itself was like lifted from a page of a house design magazine. It was where he dreamt of his late grandmother visiting by the entrance of the bedroom door smiling and saying, "Welcome back!". It was where he sought refuge during his down days. It was where he spent his summers and some winters of his life. And it was where he  remembered vividly his mom crying and saying, "No, no, I don't want to sell this building!", which was her last conversation with him.

Gone! No more drinking glasses or the ornate plates purchased from a well known ceramic factory. No more mug collection that toasted stories of friendships and successes. No more of the wooden tables that became display areas for artworks. No more of the prized table and chairs that became a resting space during bouts of loneliness in the veranda. No more of the paintings that were collected from his numerous trips abroad or the quilt that draped the beds to warm the bedrooms. It was now devoid of colors. It was saddening.

His last day was chaotic, running errands and doing what he must finished in due time. At the crack of dawn, as he pulled the last of his two suitcases filled with clothes and books, he stopped and listened once more to the eerie sound of the empty hallway. 

Goodbye...and an echo reverberated within the room. With a heavy heart, he bade farewell not to all the material things but to the memories and stories of his life. 

The Two Trees

Majestic and towering were two of the words I used to described this tree that was planted in the school's garden a year ago. There were some leaves and colours of spring green when it found a home in the corner of the school. It was a great addition to our garden. 

The tree produced ample leaves in the beginning of its stay. The new environment made it susceptible to adjustment. The ground must be constantly watered but it wasn't the case. Weekends meant no water as there was no gardener present during those days off. The tree started to turn weak, spurting sparse of leaves, and believed to be dying.

After this winter break, I came to school and was appalled to see the magnificent tree that became my model in most of my sad stories in life. It was trimmed to its half, leaving only one side that had bore leaves during the span of the past seasons. It looked terribly scarred, hurt, and desolate though there is hope that it will grow.

My grandfather used to be a happy fellow when he was still living in our place. He settled in Santa Ana and met friends even if there was a language barrier. I remembered him always alert, laughing and filled with life until he needed to moved. In his new found home, he tried to adjust but the place was not conducive to neighbourly chatter. He lost his friends, he became quiet, and the sadness in his heart made him weak and longing. He passed away many years ago but I will always remember how jolly he was in the company of others.

Currently, my dad is being encouraged to move in with my brother and I do believe he knows in his heart why he does not want to leave Santa Ana. It is his home and it is where he established a family and found solace through happy and sad moments. Taking him away from his comfort zone might not work thus his decision to stay. 

In my life I learned how to stay put when I am happy in a situation whether it is personal or professional. The convenience is there and I do not need to constantly adjust and change things. But I also learned that if I stay put in a place where I am not happy, I will be like the dying tree. I always question myself if I will find solace in a new place or in a changed situation. There is always no answer, not even any assurance so it takes a lot of courage to accept and make changes. 

So when I left the country I took in me three things: hope, courage and will. Hope, that I will make a positive change in my life by doing the right thing. Courage, that I may face the challenges of being in a different land. And will, to experience great things in life by making the bold step to leave. 

I will stay like the first tree, strong-willed and brave but making the second tree picture as a reminder to continue with life's viccisitudes.