memories

Number 1.

He went up riding in a silver vehicle with tinted window; two cars were following him in a manner which appeared to intimidate other cars. Nobody seemed to know his new Toyota Innova. It was the first time he did not walk for seven kilometers. A lot have obviously changed.

Her white shirt was wet of perspiration because of her hike through a steep road up to a hallowed mountain, her legs and feet was almost numb, her hair was so wet that sweat flows through her head, she was really thirsty and exhausted so she tried to rest a bit.

She was standing in front of a glass see though door which seemed to be newly cleansed with a poster which says “Restricted Area. Do not enter” on the upper left side of the metal handle when she saw him, the man who told her how to be loved, the way how God loves his child, and how to love in return, the way how people should love God back. Right then and there her heart thawed. She missed him very much.

He was talking to an old woman who was frantically laughing beside him. She taught that the old woman was laughing because of something he said and she also though that the old woman was laughing to impress him and let him know that he was a really funny man of God. She saw him looked at her and smiles, so she smiled back and waved hello, he laughed hesitantly, maybe because the old woman was still laughing while talking beside her. He then faced the old woman and talked a little bit more, she was still staring at him. She missed him very much.

He walked out of the “Restricted area” and looked at her friend and her, like telling them “Come here and talk to me”, so she and her friend walked to the glass door but halfway through, people started taking his hand and his blessings, she and her friend stopped, they waited until he was alone in front of the glass door. Finally, they came close to each other again, her favorite person in Pangasinan. She eyed him through it all. She missed him very much.

He started talking to her and her friend. He asked her why was she present at the mountain top, she smiled and said that she did not have classes, while on the back of her head she thought that even though she have classes, she would skip it just not to miss this moment. He grinned, chuckled in affirmation and said Oh yes, it’s a Saturday and you don’t have classes. She was speechless. Then her friend gave him a magazine with an article that her friend wrote for him. He smiled and laughed and her friend and he talked about it. Her eyes never left his face as they spoke. He might have melted if she has eyes which shoot like a laser gun. She missed him very much.

The memories of the past five years came rushing through her mind; halo-halo on a rainy afternoon, lunch at Greenwich, free Rosaries, Mt. Carmel, bracelets, shirts, one hundred pesos and a lot more valuable treasures which was buried deep in her heart. She missed him very much.

Yesterday's conversation was all it took for her to realize that he really is now far from home, Bataan. She wanted to hug him but she froze when he was right in front of her talking.
People started coming from different places as soon as they saw him. She and her friend were eaten by the crowd so they left instead. The last glance was all she had. She missed him very much.

She never saw him again that close after the Mass. He already perfected the act of hiding and leaving early.


Number 2.

While sitting sadly at a white plastic chair, somebody passed by glanced at her which she caught. It was A.
The memories of her and him came rushing but she composed herself.
She shouted stop at herself and strangled her sobbing heart.
She looked back and forgot about it.
She felt intense.

Bataan’s Pilgrimage, Year Six

I never wanted to walk seven kilometers going up the summit of a hallowed mountain but I had no choice because the one man I thought would ride me up to the top of Mt. Samat did not come, all of “them” never came, which really disappointed me and my expectations for a former O.I.C.

We started the seven kilometer march at around 1:15 in the afternoon; no clouds were present in the vast blue sky so it was really hot. We were fighting with thirst, burning sunlight, sticky feeling because of sweat, restlessness, exhaustion and weakened body just to reach the mountain’s peak where God was waiting for all of us.

I was with Fergie, Ervin, Madame and her cute little angel Chacha, they were all part of a collegiate school paper, while I am a mere pilgrim who loves God, our peninsula, my bishop and taking pictures. (haha)

When we arrived at the open field packed with people from different walks of life; rich, middle class, poor, high ranking government officials, nuns, priests, seminarians, brothers, religious youths and youth leaders, cops, militaries, nurses, senior citizens, parishioners and other people, I realized all of us have the same expectation, to be one with God at a holy mountain for the sixth time during the eve of Advent and quench our weary and sinful body with the word of the Lord and the breeze of fresh cool air from heaven.

A lot of priests were not there, as in physically absent, I don’t know about those who were physically present but mentally absent. Bataan priests are different, they have minds of their own and they are very courageous and brave. They are absurd, in a cool and nice way though.

After the Mass, of course there was the traditional fireworks display for about ten minuets and then the party. Yesterday’s awesome song was that about the YAsia Fiesta.

Then the dreading walk down started. Again, we never wanted to walk another seven kilometers but we do not have any choice. I am very tired, my body is surrendering and my feet and legs are almost numb. It was not only us that felt that way, there’s still the other about ten thousand people. The good thing was that a Police patrol stopped by us as Madame waived her weak arm and let us ride with them until we reach the foot. Chacha was very tired, she was an eight year old girl who was then walking up and down, ten kilometers of a steep mountain. For the first time I was glad we have police officers and patrol cars.

During our ride down, a lot of young guys and gals were shouting at the police driver of our police patrol to stop the car because their gal friend fainted. She was not moving, maybe this was because of hunger and exhaustion and it was a very scary scenario. When she was carried inside the front part of the patrol, it was only then that I saw another guy who also fainted. Now we have two unconscious youths in a vehicle with us.

The annual Mt. Samat Pilgrimage of the Diocese of Balanga is always amazing; I could still vividly remember the fourth trek which was sandwiched between the days of Typhoon Milenyo. All we needed to do was to pray and pray that the weather be fine that day, and it happened: clear blue sky all throughout the day. Yesterday, the one thing that amazed me was the eagle soaring high up the clear blue sky right above the crowded Dambana ng Kagitingan, like he was guarding the sky to be free from rain.

.Next year is going to be different, nobody knows if next year will still happen, yet everybody wants it to happen.

bisyo

si eda


si kuya jay


si fergy





Tangway. Capitol Drive. Balanga CIty



isa lang naman ang bisyo naming tatlo: magpasaya ng mga taong nalulungkot. kumbaga entertainer sa isang kabaret.
"lumapit ka't ika'y liligaya."

healthy pa naman ang liver and lungs namin.heart lang ang hindi.
:))

**sabi ni fergy sa blog nya sa magpasawalanghanggan
heto daw ang mga unfogetable quotes:
(pakopya na lang ako. blurr kasi talaga alaala ko. hahaha)

-Sumali ba kayo sa youth camp? Wala kayong kwenta!
-Rev, I need milk!
-Hey, drive slower!
-Matagal ko nang nasolo si Jay...
-Para sa Arsobispo!
-Di naman pwede si ____ o si ____, may problema yon..


diredirecho lang ang mga dila, walang tigil ang buka ng bibig at umaagos ang mga salitang sinasabi. nakakabingi lang ang ilan.. misan ayaw ko na lang marinig sa mga pinagkukwentuhan, nakakadurog ng puso T.T

**si kuya jay naman, masyadong nakakalungkot ang mga iniisip. wala nang ibang ginawa kuni ibaling ang lahat ng sama ng loob sa _ _ _ _.
:D
*at ako?
wala na akong maalala kinabukasan kundi ang sapilitan pagmamatinong lumakad papasok ng Giants para magmukhang okey pa!
sabi ko sa sarili ko: Kaya mo yan eda. may rev sa loob. may matatanda din. kaya mo yan! XD

pasensya na..
natutuwa lang akong i-blog ito..
masayang alaala nanaman kasi ang nahabi..

sana may uulitin pa!
isa pang round.
Para sa arsobispo!

hahahahahahahahaha
biro lang!

*sorry po arsbp!
XD


*sana di nya mabasa. sana di tayo mahuli lahat. hahaha
*special mention pala kay frM na naghatid pauwi. sorry talaga!

Halo-halong kwento sa Katedral ng Balanga. 09-09-09. alas dose ng tanghali

Kanina, pagdating ko sa Katedral nakita ko si Kuya Jay kaya sumama muna ako sakanya at dahil don, nakita ko sina Kris Aquino, James Yap at Baby James na palabas sa likuran ng Max’s papunta nang Katedral. Nagulat ako kasi biglag paglingon ko sila pala yon. Haha. Ang daming kabataan, mga highschool students, hindi magkamayaw. Sa Mayor pa lang ng Balanga, solve na sila at ang lakas tumili at nagpapapicture pa, lalo naman nang lumabas na sina Kris Aquino, nabingi yata ako.



Sinusundan ng mga tao sina Kris, artista nga naman. Kung nasaan sila, nandoon ang malaking kumpol ng tao kaya naman parang isang malaking heater yung loob ng Katedral kanina, hanggang sa labasan sa may pintuan sumisingaw ang mainit na hangin. Buti na lang pala hindi umulan ng malakas kundi mababasa kami ng mga taong nasa labas na lang nagsimba dahil hindi na kasya sa loob ng simbahan. Kulang na kulang yung laki ng Katedral para sa Misa kanina, ang dami talagang tao, lalo pa’t sinuspinde ang pasok sa highschool sa TDel at BNHS para makapagsimba sila.


Paliko na kami papuntang gilid ng Katedral nang makasalubong namin si Father Soc, nagsimula nang pumila ang mga nagmamano sakanya.. hanggang sa maubos na.. ako na lang hindi nagmamano sa aming lahat hanggang sa lumagpas na sya ng dalawang hakbang:

Kuya Jay: Oh bakit ka hindi nag mano
Eda: Ayaw ko, masakit kuya Jay eh. Aalis na siya.


Nagsisimula na yung Misa pero ang dami pa ring labas pasok sa gilid na pintuan ng harapan ng Katedral, hindi mapalagay kung saan pupwesto habang Misa. Yung mga madre nagpumilit pang pumasok pero makalipas ang ilang minuto, may mga lumalabas din. Yung ibang mga layko nagpupumilit ring pumasok, hindi ko alam kung magsisimba talaga o gusto lang makita si Kris Aquino at si “Papa” James. Sabi pa ng nasa harapan ko, “Aba, hindi ako papayag na hindi makita si Kris at Papa James”. At lahat silang pumasok sa loob ng Katedral, paglabas ay iisa ang itsura, kasama na rin ang pamilya Aquino, basing basa sa pawis na parang may libreng shower o umuulan din sa loob ng Katedral ni San Jose.

Ikalawang beses ko pa lang ito naranasan na magsimba sa labas ng Katedral: una noong installation ni bishop Soc, July 3, 2004. Kasi naman, kahit na late akong dumating sa bawat diocesan mass, humahanap pa rin ako ng paraan na makapasok at makaupo pa.



Pagkatapos ng Misa, paglabas ni Kris sa may pintuan na kinatatayuan ko, bigla namang dami ng tao doon so tinabihan ko na lang yung mga madre sa pintuan ng ossuary at pinanood silang pagkaguluhan ang Box Office Queen at RP Team Captain na magpuntang kumbento at doon naman dumami ang tao sa carpark ng kumbento.



Narinig ko nanaman ang umiiyak na boses ni Kris Aquino, “Sorry Archbishop Soc, but I can’t let go of Mom.” Sabi nya yon kasi sabi ni ARCHbishop Soc na we should let go of Tita Cory na daw kasi the essence of that forty days of mourning is learning to let go. Sorry Archbishop Soc, it is really hard to let go, it takes a lot of time, forty days is too short.



Narinig ko din ang humihikbing tinig ni Father Soc nangmabaling ang atensyon sa balita nang pagalis nya, “Hindi pa muna ako magpapaalam. Saka na lang, sa huling Misa ko na lang dito sa atin ko sasabihin ang aking damdamin, binigyan pa naman akong palugit na dalawang buwan. Magkikita-kita pa rin naman tayo.”…hik.. “binebendisyunan ko kayo sa ngalan ng Ama, Anak (..huhu) at …….ng………Espiritu…………………………
…………….. San….t….o……AMEN.”



Dalawang buwan na lang Bataan..




May mga taong pumunta lang yata sa Misa na yon para makita sina Kris at James at si Baby James na rin, pero meron din namang nakikidalamhati talaga sa pagpanaw ni Tita Cory.



Si Tita Cory, marami siyang itunuro sa atin. Isa sa paborito ko ang “Bayan muna bago ang sarili”. Selfless hindi ba. Ngayon kilala na natin si Tita Cory bilang Tita Cory, hindi bilang asawa ni Ninoy o bilang nanay ni Kris. Hindi ako nakiki-Tita Cory ako kasi uso, nakiki-Tita Cory ako kasi idol ko si Corazon-Cojuanco Aquino dahil sa kanyang selflessness, courage, integrity and love of nation.



Ang Misa kanina ni Father Soc, sa aking tingin, dalawa ang binalingan, ang para sa Ika ApatnaPung araw ng pagpanaw ni Tita Cory at para sa simula ng pagpapaalam kay Father Soc.



Father Soc. Msgr. Soc. Bishop Soc.

Ngayon

Archbishop Soc: the youngest archbishop.



Pagkatapos ng Misa, nakaupo ako sa Katedral, hindi ko naman talaga hinihintay si Lerie eh, Fergy, nakikipagkwentuhan ako kay San Jose, pero okay lang din na dumating ka..

Ang dami nanaman nating nagpagkwentuhan. Kakaiba. Ibang level. Pihado di nila kakayanin. Hahaha.

Actually, namiss ko yon, ang kalokohan pagkatapos ng misa ng Obispo. Nagkalat at umeepal sa kumbento, sa buhay ng mga pari. Haha :D



May nagpaparty talaga, at makikiparty na din ako sakanila kahit na hindi ko alam bakit sila nagcecelebrate..binalibali

ktad ko na rin lahat, tumungin na rin ako sa darkest side pero wala pa rin eh. Pero de bale na, makikiparty na din ako. Two years ago, bitter naman din ako eh.sasaluhan ko na sila. Haha


:D